-GEd'~GIA- SOUND Winter2010 Vol.16, No.1 , v, lJ 'J, Member states to benefit from regional partnership South Atlantic Alliance Identifies Priority Issues The South Atlantic Alliance is a new regional management initiative in which the State of Georgia is participating. The Alliance is a voluntary partnership program whose members include Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida, federal agency partners and other stakeholders. The Alliance seeks to significantly increase regional collaboration among South Atlantic states, and to sustain and enhance coastal and marine natural resources and the economic, public safety, social and national defense missions of the respective states and region. Last year, Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue joined Governors from the other South Atlantic Alliance states in signing a partnership agreement that lays out the goals, organizational II structure and the template for developing an Alliance Action Plan. The Action Plan will focus on priority issue areas that all four member states have now identified to be of I mutual interest and likely to benefit from regional collaboration - healthy ecosystems, !I working waterfronts, clean coastal and ocean waters and disaster resilient communities. Healthy Ecosystems Implement regionally-coordinated, compatible, and sustainable ecosystem-based planning and management, including, and not limited to, habitat mapping, characterization, monitoring, and modeling. Assess the independent and cumulative impacts of development and climate change on coastal habitats, biodiversity, natural community structure/function, and ecosystem services. Sunrise a[on9 East Beacli, St. Simons Is[and, Georgia. Develop and employ economic, sciencebased land-use, coastal and ocean planning and management that supports healthy ecosystems. This should include, and not be limited to, the conservation and restoration of key habitats, evaluation of ecosystem carrying capacity, and incorporation of direct and cumulative impacts. www.CoastalGaDNR.org 7At-11ntr1/'r:/-ti ,.-, D,\r/? ~ ' .-i -- f_:J'tt1yt"11 ., .-b':its61/~1, tr1i I" Vi1 1l;!J-hin Winter 2010 _, Page2 "The South At(antic A((ianceyrovides a unique '!,Pyortunity to co((a6orate with neighvoring states on mutua(_priority issues that are vita( to sustaining our rich coasta( heritage andgrowing economy. " Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue Determine long term impacts and remediation strategies for existing invasive species while implementing strategies to prevent further introductions. Working Waterfronts Improve the capability and viability of ports and working waterfronts through expansion of Marine Coastal Invaders Titan Acorn (Pink) Barnacle Green Mussel infrastructure and modes of access while addressing cargo/ship-borne invasive species, dredging impacts, and protection of natural resources. Titan Acorn (Pink) Barnacle (Megabalanus coccopoma), native to the Pacific coast of the Ensure sustainable economic viability of working Americas from waterfronts while preserving traditional uses, including ..g national defense, by balancing suitable public, commercial, port, residential, and environmental uses with best management practices. southern California to Ecuador, is now found in waters of the South Atlantic. Address the viability and effects of energy development on natural and human communities and uses through planning and public education. Clean Coast and Ocean Waters Improve watershed management of point and nonpoint source pollution to reduce adverse impacts to water quality. Enhance understanding of climate change impacts to water quantity and water quality and develop avoidance mitigation and adaptation strategies. Increase data comparability across region by improving standardization of water quality data collection and reporting and increasing monitoring where needed. Native to the waters off Sumatra, Phillipines, Borneo and Bali, the Green Mussell, (Perna viridis), has entered the Southeastern US coastal waters after hitchiking on cargo ships from the Pacific region. The Problem: Invasive species compete with native species for space andfood. Economic impacts ofinvasive species are estimated to exceed 100 billion U.S. dollars each year. Improve marine debris removal programs, especially for abandoned and derelict vessels, traps/equipment, and navigation hazards. This publication is made possible through the efforts of the Ga DNR/Coastal Resources staff and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Grand Award #NA07NOS4190182. Colonies ofmussels and barnacles attach to hard surfaces and form dense layers that weigh down navigation buoys. GA DNR marine biologists perform routine buoy maintenance on 18 buoys marking Georgia's offshore artificial reefs. Winter2010 Page3 Disaster Resilient Communities Conduct regional and state-specific vulnerability assessments of. a) public infrastructure, social assets, and economies to hazards and climate change (including sea level rise) and; b) natural processes and features that support resilience, including economic valuation of these ecosystem services Develop and implement adaptation and mitigation strategies for climate change impacts (including sea level rise), with plans for retreat of natural and human communities. Create redevelopment (post-disaster) planning for community recovery, including infrastructure and business continuity. Create and employ incentives for locating and relocating development away from high risk areas, minimize subsidization of development in high risk areas, and reevaluation of building standards (flood, storm, wind). Consider management and financial options for addressing short and long-term beachfront and estuarine shoreline migration. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? In August 2008, upper level steering currents forced Tropical Storm Fay to stall along the east coast ofFlorida producing heavy rains along coastal Georgia. The estimated economic impact to the State from Tropical Storm Fay - $267 million. Issue Area Teams, represented by specialists from the four States, will first develop an Action Plan, followed by an Implementation Plan. Support for the Issue Area Teams to conduct their work will come from experts in academia, local government, state and federal agencies and NGO's. The Plans will be action-based, contain clear goals, measurable objectives and integrated strategies for achievement. Public involvement will be encouraged and facilitated during the development of both the Action Plan and the Implementation Plan. The Plans will be published and reviewed annually for progress and updated every five years for content. TIMETABLE A Draft Action Plan will be completed by late Spring, 2010. The fast schedule is to keep the process moving, implement a regional focus to address the priority issues, and to take advantage of federal funding opportunities that may emerge soon. South At(antic A((iance Mission Statement "Imy(ement science-Gase/yoficies anaso(utions that enhance anayrotect the va(ue efcoasta(anaocean resources ef the southeastern Unitea States to stgJyort the region's cufrure anaeconomy now anaJorfuture generations." By Brad Gane, Assistant Director for Ecological Services Winter2010 Page4 Coastal Incentive Grants Support a Variety of Projects Twenty-three projects awarded Coastal Incentive Grant funds in October 2009 are now well underway throughout the eleven-county Coastal region. The Coastal Incentive Grant program is funded through an annual grant award to the GA Coastal Management Program provided by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Final reports for these projects will be available next fall on the DNR-Coastal Resources Division website, www.coastalGADNR.org. Since its inetytion in 1998, tlie Coasta( Incentive Grant_program lias S1!f_JJOrted 292 yr