Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force

The White House Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force has issued draft recommendations on how federal, state and local authorities can better work together for ocean and coastal planning.    Among the recommendation are:  fostering better communication, coordination and cooperation among agencies; getting the public more involved in the planning process; and establishing a database where information can be shared. The draft report, the "Interim Framework for Effective Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning," lays out how regional planning across the country would be set up to gather science, data and planning information.  CEQ Chairwoman Nancy Sutley noted that regional planning would be a multiyear process to look at how to better manage the uses and ecosystem health of oceans and coasts and make them more sustainable. These regional plans would be completed by 2015, she said. Public comments on the report will be received until February 12, 2010.  It is available at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ceq/initiatives/oceans