Press Release: CCMP Public Comment Period Extended

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

March 28, 2019

The Mobile Bay National Estuary Program (MBNEP) extends public comment period regarding updates to their five-year Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP)

The Draft Update of the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program’s Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan for 2019-2023 was released to the public for a 45-day comment period on February 1, 2019. At the request of members of the MBENP Management Conference, the comment period has been extended an additional 45 days to allow for further review. A pdf file is available for viewing and downloading on the MBNEP webpage: 2019 RESPECT THE CONNECT: An Updated Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan for Alabama’s Estuaries and Coast Draft. Comments should be directed to Bethany Dickey at bdickey@mobilebaynep.com by close of business on Friday, May 3, 2019.

In August 2018, the MBNEP hosted a day-long workshop at the Arthur R. Outlaw Convention Center to gather input from 178 community leaders and key stakeholders to provide the framework to update Respect the Connect – A Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan for Alabama’s Estuaries and Coast 2013-2018. The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, who administers and funds the MBNEP, requires that the CCMP be updated every five years.

The MBNEP, like the other 27 National Estuary Programs, operates through the development and implementation of a CCMP, which serves as a “blueprint” for management of coastal and estuarine resources. A CCMP is developed based on local input and supporting local priorities to protect water quality, sustain living resources, manage coastal habitats, reduce human impacts, and build citizen stewardship. It is developed through a consensus-building and collaborative decision-making process by the MBNEP Management Conference, which includes federal, state, and local officials and agencies; industries; businesses; academia and citizen groups. Management Conference partners commit to roles implementing CCMP Goals, Objectives, and recommended activities to protect and restore the water quality and ecological integrity of Alabama’s coastal waters and coasts.

Through community engagement efforts, MBNEP identified six values of shared importance to our coastal quality of life: Access; Beaches, Dunes, and Shorelines; Fish and Wildlife; Heritage and Culture; Resilience, and Water Quality. Goals and objectives of the CCMP are directed to ensure attention to what people value about living in coastal Alabama. This comment period provides an additional opportunity to have your concerns addressed moving forward for the next five years. The mission of the MBNEP is to provide the tools and support community-based efforts to promote the wise stewardship of the quality and living resources of Alabama’s estuarine waters and coasts. Contact: Rick Frederick rfrederick@mobilebaynep.com (251) 380-7941.

Download draft: 2019 RESPECT THE CONNECT: An Updated Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan for Alabama’s Estuaries and Coast Draft

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