WCGA Update With News And Information About The West Coast Governors’ Agreement

OCEAN PROTECTION COUNCIL
We are pleased to send you this inaugural WCGA Update with news and information about the West Coast Governors’ Agreement on Ocean Health. The WCGA Update is compiled by staff implementing the WCGA in Washington, Oregon, and California. To receive future updates, please visit the WCGA Web site at WestCoastOceans.Gov and enter your e-mail address in the form provided. Note that all subscribers to the State of California’s Oceanpublic list server automatically receive this and future issues of the WCGA Update.

WCGA Update: June 6, 2007

In this update:

* Regional ocean Web site launched

* CORE honors West Coast Governors with State Ocean Leadership Award

* Letter to Congress on Nonpoint Source Pollution

* Upcoming WCGA public meetings

* Sign up for future issues of the WCGA Update

Launch of WestCoastOceans.Gov

On June 6, 2007 the states of Washington, Oregon, and California launched a new Web site, WestCoastOceans.Gov as an important tool for receiving input and communicating to stakeholders and the public about the agreement. Please visit the site to obtain background information, find out about upcoming public meetings, submit comments to staff as they develop an action plan to be released this fall, and sign up to receive future WCGA Updates via email.

CORE awards State Ocean Leadership Award to West Coast Governors

The Consortium for Oceanographic Research and Education (CORE) on June 6, 2007 awarded Governors Gregoire, Kulongoski, and Schwarzenegger its State Ocean Leadership Award for outstanding contributions to coastal and ocean research, conservation, and education. The ceremony took place in Washington, D.C. in conjunction with Capitol Hill Oceans Week. California Resources Agency Secretary Mike Chrisman and the Washington, D.C. representatives of Governors Gregoire and Kulongoski accepted the award on behalf of the three Governors. A copy of CORE’s press release is available at WestCoastOceans.Gov/documents/ .

Letter to Congress on Nonpoint Source Pollution

On June 6, 2007 Governors Gregoire, Kulongoski, and Schwarzenegger wrote to the leadership of the House and Senate appropriations subcommittees urging them to restore funds to support state implementation of the federal Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program. The Administration eliminated funding for this program in NOAA’s FY 2007 spending plan and FY 2008 budget. The letter urges Congress to restore $10 million in NOAA’s FY 2008 budget to support the long-term efforts of the 35 affected states, territories, and commonwealths to implement this important work through coastal management programs. Copies of the letters are available at WestCoastOceans.Gov/documents/ .

Upcoming WCGA Public Meetings

Meetings to brief the public and stakeholders and receive their input on development of a WCGA Action Plan are scheduled for June 26 in Aberdeen, Washington, July 16 in Tillamook, Oregon, and and July 25 in Portland, Oregon. For details please visit WestCoastOceans.Gov
/meetings/ .

Sign up for future issues of the WCGA Update

To receive future updates about the West Coast Governors’ Agreement on Ocean Health, you must visit the WCGA Web site at WestCoastOceans.Gov/ and enter your e-mail address in the form provided. Note that all subscribers to the State of California’s Oceanpublic list server will automatically receive the WCGA Update.

** Please help us disseminate this information by forwarding this message to your distribution lists.**

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