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Collaborative Potential between National Estuary Programs and Coastal EPA Laboratories
Citation:
Fisher, W. AND G. Cicchetti. Collaborative Potential between National Estuary Programs and Coastal EPA Laboratories. Webinar Series - Title TBD, RTP, NC, April 12, 2017.
Impact/Purpose:
To better capitalize on the opportunities for collaboration, this presentation provides an overview of the research activities of the EPA/ORD NHEERL Ecology Divisions, highlighting estuary-specific tools and models from each, and a synopsis of several ongoing collaborations between local NEPs and the three marine coastal Divisions.
Description:
Estuaries are among the most productive ecosystems in the world, providing unique habitat for freshwater and marine species as well as valuable social and economic benefits. The wealth of ecosystem goods and services from estuaries has led to growth and development of human communities in adjacent areas and an increase in human activities that can adversely affect water quality and critical habitat. Managing for sustainable estuaries requires a balance of environmental concerns with community social and economic values. This has created an opportunity to leverage Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) scientific knowledge and tools with National Estuary Program (NEP) planning and management expertise to address environmental challenges in important estuarine ecosystems. The non-regulatory National Estuary Program (NEP) was outlined in the Clean Water Act to provide stakeholders an opportunity to monitor and manage ‘nationally significant’ estuaries. Currently there are 28 estuaries in the NEP, broadly distributed across the Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf Coasts, and in Puerto Rico. The local NEP management conferences must address a variety of environmental issues, from water quality and natural resources to coastal and watershed development. While the underlying objectives of each NEP are quite similar, each has unique landscapes, land uses, waterbodies, habitats, biological resources, economies and social culture. Consequently, the effects and severity of anthropogenic stresses vary dramatically, which complicates the transfer of tools, indicators and models that might support effective management. EPA’s Office of Research and Development (EPA/ORD) supports ecological research at four facilities located on each of the U.S. coastlines. These facilities are Divisions of the National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, one of seven Laboratories and Centers in EPA/ORD. Because three of the Divisions are located on marine coastlines (Narragansett RI, Gulf Breeze FL and Corvallis OR), they are well-positioned to provide research support for both general and specific issues faced by NEP programs. To better capitalize on the opportunities for collaboration, this presentation provides an overview of the research activities of the EPA/ORD Ecology Divisions, highlighting estuary-specific tools and models from each, and a synopsis of several ongoing collaborations between local NEPs and the three marine coastal Divisions.