Friday, October 23, 2009

Ocean (Great Lakes) Policy Meeting In Cleveland

Oct 23: Obama Administration officials will hold their sixth regional Ocean Policy Task Force Public Meeting in Cleveland, Ohio, on Thursday, October 29, 4:00-7:00 PM. The meeting will be held at the Marriott Cleveland Downtown at Key Center, Ballroom (Salon D and E), 127 Public Square, Cleveland, OH 44114.

The Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force, led by White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley, consists of senior-level officials from Administration agencies, departments, and offices including: Dr. Jane Lubchenco, Administrator, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); Cameron Davis, Senior Advisor to the U.S. EPA Administrator; Rear Admiral Sally Brice O’Hara, Deputy Commandant for Operations, U.S. Coast Guard; and Captain Byron Black, Senior Maritime Safety and Security Advisor to the Secretary, Department of Transportation.

The Task Force is charged with developing a recommendation for a national policy that ensures protection, maintenance, and restoration of the oceans, our coasts and the Great Lakes [See WIMS 6/15/09]. It will also recommend a framework for improved stewardship, and effective coastal and marine spatial planning. The public is encouraged to attend and an opportunity for public comment will be provided.

Members of the public can access the meeting in three ways: by attending in person at the Cleveland meeting; by calling into the listen only phone line (800-369-2133; participant code: 8314284); or via live webstream at the website Great Lakes Live (link below). Public comment can also be submitted online at the link below.

Access the White House Ocean Policy website for complete background and to submit comments (click here). Access the Great Lakes Live website (click here).