Management and Policy Working Group

The Management and Policy Working Group (MPWG) provides information on ocean and coastal acidification (OCA) to inform individuals involved in OCA policy, as well as to provide a collaborative platform for these individuals. Many states across the nation have convened legislative commissions to study the effects of OCA on their resources and economies, more information on this effort can be found on the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators website. In the NECAN region, states are at different stages of legislative efforts, which have been summarized in the table below. 

2019 and 2020 were rich in activities at the state level to address OCA and its impacts. Several states released reports related to OCA specifically, or included it in more general state climate action plans. The MPWG developed a summary to document recommendations related to OCA and highlight  commonalities among state reports.

If you're interested in participating in or learning more about the MPWG please contact the working group chair, Beth Turner (bethturnertrue@gmail.com).

Status of State Efforts

State Legislative Committee Status
Maine Commission on the Effects of Coastal & Ocean Acidification

Ongoing. Bill LD 1284 intoduced in March 2019 to create a Science and Policy Advisory Committee

The Commission Report was finished in January 2015 and the committee disbanded, although efforts are continuing through the Maine Ocean and Coastal Acidification Partnership (MOCA).
New Hampshire New Hampshire Coastal Marine Natural Resources & Environment Commission Permanent & Ongoing. A report was completed in December 2017 summarizing the commission's activities and findings in 2017. Meeting updates are available on committee's website.

Massachusetts

 Massachusetts Commission on Coastal & Ocean Acidification In Progress. The commission bill has passed and the commission is being populated.

Rhode Island

 The Rhode Island Commission on Ocean Acidification Ongoing. The commission is meeting approximately monthly. The RI bill can be found here.

Connecticut

 N/A N/A.
New York Ocean Acidification Task Force  Ongoing. A NY State Senate bill passed in December 2016 to create an ocean acidification task force. In August 2018 the fourteen members of the task force were announced and information on the task force meetings can be found here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Northeast News

State News
Maine

March 2019: Bangor Daily News: "Casco Bay Advocates at the Cutting Edge of Research, Call for New Statewide Advisory Group"

June 2017: Congresswoman Chellie Pingree: "Pingree reintroduces bipartisan bill to study impacts of ocean acidification on coastal communitites"

June 2017: Bangor Daily News: "Lobsterman lawmaker wants $3 million Maine bond to fight ocean acidity"

October 2015: Portland Press Herald: "Maine isn't doing enough to protect Gulf from effects of climate change"

June 2014: Portland Press Herald: "Maine to study impact of ocean acidification on shellfish"

Massachusetts

February 2019: Cape Cod Today: "Commission on Ocean Acidification is Now Law"

February 2018: TalkingFish.org: "Ocean Acidification Threatens Our Shellfish"

New Hampshire

 August 2016: New Hampshire Senate Democratic Caucus: "Senator David Watters applauds signing of environmental legislation"

Rhode Island

 January 2016: ecoRI News: "Oceanic acid trip bad for business"
New York

August 2018: DEC Announces NY Ocean Acidification Task Force to Evaluate Impacts on State's Coastal Waters

December 2016: The New York State Senate: "New law creating ocean acidification task force leads the nation"

National News

National

October 2019: Bipartisan US Senate bill would renew funding for acidification research

June 2018: National Estuaries and Acidification Act (NEAR Act) Introduced

December 2017: Coastal Communities Ocean Act Introduced

Maryland

 January 2014: Maryland Ocean Acidification Task Force created

Alaska

 November 2018: Alaska Ocean Acidification Network: Annual update of state of ocean acidification science in Alaska

California

 January 2019: Illustrating ocean acidification impacts to California's living marine resources

Oregon

 August 2017: Oregon Declares Ocean Acidification a State Priority in Recently Enacted Bill, SB 1039

Policy Resources

Workshop Reports

Meeting Notes

Did we miss some policy relevant information? Let us know at necan_policywg@neracoos.org