Coastal America Partnership

1

• Coastal America Partnership
• Southeast Regional Implementation Team
• Dennis W. Barnett
• Co-Chair, SERIT (U. S. Army Corps of Engineers)
• NC State/Military Environmental Issues Working
  Group (SMEIWG) Meeting, October 27, 2004

2

• Purposes
• Protect, preserve and restore the Nation's
  coastal ecosystems through existing Federal
  capabilities and authorities
• Collaborate and cooperate in the stewardship of
  coastal living resources
• Provide a framework for action

3
Federal Partners
Department of Agriculture Department of
Commerce Department of Interior Department of
Transportation Environmental Protection Agency

• Department of Defense
• Department of Army
• Department of Air Force
• Department of Navy
• Department of Energy

Department of Housing and Urban
Development Executive Office of the President
4
Organization
5

• Operational Structure
• National Level Policy Formulation
• Role Support action through existing programs
  and authorities
• Framework Memorandum of Understanding
• Regional Level Planning Process
• Role Develop regional strategies for joint
  action
• Framework Regional Action Plan
• Local Level Project Implementation
• Role Implement projects addressing
  coastal/watershed needs
• Framework Project Working List

6
COASTAL AMERICARegional Structure
GLRIT
NWRIT
NERIT
MARIT
SWRIT
SERIT
GMRIT
AKRIT
PIRIT
7

• Project Identification and Implementation
• Military Involvement/Innovative Readiness
  Training
• Corporate Wetland Restoration Partnership
• Coastal Ecosystem Learning Centers

8

• COASTAL AMERICA
• A Collaborative Process - Local Level
• Local Projects
• Combine financial resources, technical expertise
  and legislative
• authorities to implement collaborative
  restoration and protection projects
• Example -
• Removing obstructions to anadromous fish
  migration in North Carolina

Quaker Neck Dam - before
Quaker Neck Dam - after
9
Example of Military Participation
Active Duty Marines Use Explosives Rains Mill
Dam (top left before) Explosive Removal on
December 1, 1999 (right) and in the Spring After
Demolition
10
Festival Park Ecosystem Restoration
PROBLEM 1,500 feet of coastal marsh and maritime
forest were eroding along Festival Parks
shoreline. This habitat is important for oysters,
fish and wildlife and supports commercial
fisheries.
The USACE Wilmington District and State of NC
Division of Water Resources were lead agencies on
the restoration project.
11
Festival Park, Ecosystem Restoration Marsh
Planting
Sand placed landward of the rock sill provides
elevations suitable for marsh establishment.
Marsh plants were installed by the Corps, Roanoke
Island Festival Park and NC Coastal Federation
staff, with help from local volunteers.
12

Festival Park Ecosystem Restoration Improved Site
Conditions

• BEFORE
• Eroding Shoreline
• Lacking Low Marsh

Feb 6, 2001

• AFTER
• Stable Shoreline
• Low Marsh Fringe

July 16, 2003
13

Festival Park Ecosystem Restoration
There now exists a project that all are proud to
claim. A state environmental resource has been
protected, friendships and relationships have
been strengthened and the public will not only
enjoy the site, but also become educated about
the value of environmental restoration and
management. ----Roanoke Island Commission
Letter dated June 10, 2002
July 16, 2003
14

• Project concept Place clean concrete debris
  in designated offshore reef sites (SC Marine
  Artificial Reef Program)
• Source of material Demolition activities
  associated with several C-17 aircraft bed-down
  construction projects
• Project Team (principal members)
• - Charleston Air Force Base
• - SC Department of Natural Resources
• - SC Army National Guard
• - Navy Caretakers Office (former Chas Naval
  Base)
• - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

15

• SC DNR and USACE coordinated permit actions
• Charleston AFB entering into agreement with Navy
  Caretakers Office to allow use of quay wall area
  between piers Q and R at former Naval Base
• SC ARNG executed the material relocation and
  placement as readiness training performed
  superbly!
• Project saved Air Force 450,000 in solid waste
  disposal costs

16

Debris From Apron Project
Loading SC Army National Guard Trucks
17

Staging on Leased Quay Wall at Naval Base
Loading Barge
18

Load In Route to Reef Site
Depositing Material on the Charleston Near Shore
Reef
19

• COASTAL AMERICA
• Coastal Ecosystem Learning Centers
• Purpose - to raise public awareness of critical
  coastal issues and encourage involvement in
  activities that benefit coastal ecosystems
• Program - the national network of CELCs combines
  the resources of regional educational centers of
  excellence with those of the federal partners to
  educate the public about the value of coastal
  resources

National Aquarium in Baltimore
Seattle Aquarium
20
COASTAL AMERICACoastal Ecosystem Learning Centers
Shedd Aquarium
National MS River Museum Aquarium
Seattle Aquarium
New England Aquarium
Hatfield Marine Science Center
Mystic Aquarium
New York Aquarium
Monterey Bay Aquarium
National Aquarium in Baltimore
NC Aquariums
Aquarium of the Pacific
SC Aquarium
IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame Museum
Texas State Aquarium
Florida Aquarium
Alaska Sealife Center
Waikiki Aquarium
Dauphin Is Sea Lab
21

• Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership
• Purpose - foster collaboration between the
  federal government, state agencies and private
  corporations to restore wetlands and other
  aquatic habitats
• Program - corporations contribute funds to
  implement habitat restoration projects endorsed
  by Coastal America Regional Implementation Teams

National CWRP Kick-off
New England CWRP Event
22
Corporate Partnership Structure

• National Sponsor National Association of
  Manufacturers
• National Corporate Leaders
• Duke Energy, Chair
• Battelle
• ENSR International
• FMC Corporation
• The Gillette Company, Vice Chair
• Regional Corporate Leaders
• New England The Gillette Co.
• Gulf of Mexico Duke Energy
• Alaska BP Exploration
• State Corporate Leaders
• Massachusetts The Gillette Co.
• Maine Maritimes Northeast Pipeline
• Connecticut Northeast Utilities and Duracell
• Rhode Island Environmental Science Services
• Narragansett Electric Co.

23

• COASTAL AMERICA
• A Partnership for Action
• COASTAL AMERICA PARTNERSHIP
• Leveraging resources, expertise and authorities
• Collaborative problem-solving focus that
  expedites efforts
• Action oriented approach which achieves results
• Consensus building process that avoids conflicts
• Partnership philosophy that encourages innovative
  solutions
• Regional and local teams empowered to make a
  difference
• Coastal America demonstrates to the public
  that the federal government as a whole can act
  sensibly and efficiently in cooperation with
  state and local governments and the private
  sector.
• National Fish Wildlife Foundation,
  Fisheries and Wildlife Assessment

24
The Essence of the Coastal America Partnership
There is no limit to what we can accomplish
together if nobody cares who gets the credit.
25
Dennis W. Barnett Co-Chair, CA Southeast Regional
Implementation Team U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
South Atlantic Division 60 Forsyth Street SW,
Room 9M15 Atlanta, GA 30303-8801 Voice
404-562-5225 FAX [phone] dennis.w.barnett_at_
usace.army.mil http//www.coastalamerica.gov/