Seeking Public Input on Marine Spatial Planning Survey and Comments for Draft Goals and Objectives Document

Washington State recently adopted a new law on marine spatial planning. Under the new measure, the state must recommend an approach to marine spatial planning through an interagency team. A report is due to the Washington Legislature by December 15, 2010. While this new state law provides some broad goals and objectives and key elements for doing planning, the legislative report will include more specific recommendations on how to do marine spatial planning in Washington. An important part of this is identifying major needs, including gaps in management and data.

The state is seeking public comments on marine spatial planning through an online survey. The results of this survey will assist state agencies in evaluating and developing recommendations for the legislative report. The survey questions should take about 10 minutes to complete.

Surveys will be accepted until June 22, 2010. Click on the link below to take the survey:
 
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/9W2ZXQY
 
The legislative report mentioned above must also recommend goals and objectives for marine spatial planning. The state agencies involved summarized the draft goals and objectives (see link below to view) from the state Marine Spatial Planning law. You are also invited to review these draft goals and objectives and provide your comments on any additional recommended goals and objectives for marine spatial planning and send your comments on the draft goals and objectives document to jennifer.hennessey@ecy.wa.gov by June 22, 2010.

http://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0BzXhUHVUwCVdNmMzNTA5NjYtYzE5MS00YjBkLTllMGYtZmU5ZDY0ZTY5MDM0&hl=ento view

For more information on the state’s efforts on marine spatial planning, please visit our website at: http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/msp/index.html. Please help by forwarding this survey to others and for questions about the survey feel free to email Jennifer Hennessey, Ocean Policy Associate, Washington State Department of Ecology at jennifer.hennessey@ecy.wa.gov.