Land Board to consider adoption of ocean energy siting rules, land transaction reviews at October 17 public meeting. Informational updates include Ocean Science Trust, Common School Fund real property and Elliott State Forest. The State Land Board will consider adopting proposed amendments to the administrative rules governing the placement of ocean renewable energy facilities on, in or over state-owned lands within the territorial sea (3 miles westward from the low-tide mark). The informational agenda includes the annual update from the Oregon Ocean Science Trust, the annual report on management of Common School Fund real property, and a status report on the Elliott State Forest. To live stream the meeting, go to the State Lands YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQA7FHTWwl-gjJkQeYPJ1IA Agenda: http://www.oregon.gov/dsl/Board/Documents/slb_oct2017_packet.pdf In 2009, House Bill 3106 created the Oregon Task Force on Nearshore Research to recommend long-term funding and coordination strategies for implementing the nearshore priorities of the state, including research and monitoring; management and policy formation; and education and outreach. In 2013, the Oregon Legislature established the Oregon Ocean Science Trust and Fund to bring together experts and thought leaders from around the state for the following purposes: Promote peer-reviewed, competitive research and monitoring that leads to increased knowledge and understanding of Oregon’s ocean and coastal resources; Promote innovation, collaboration, community-oriented, multi-institutional approaches to research and monitoring related to Oregon’s ocean and coastal resources; Enhance the state’s capacity for peer-reviewed scientific ocean and coastal research; and Subject to available funding, establish and execute a competitive grant program to conduct research and monitoring related to Oregon’s ocean and coastal resources. During the 2017 Legislative Session, the Oregon Coordinating Council on Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia was created by the Oregon Legislature to ensure a coordinated and effective response to the threats of ocean acidification and hypoxia to Oregon’s cultural and commercial ocean resources. The council’s duties include: Identifying research and monitoring activities that are needed to better understand changing ocean chemistry and the potential impacts of ocean acidification and hypoxia; Identifying actions and initiatives to address ocean acidification and hypoxia: Developing a long-term coordinating strategy among state agencies, academia, the federal government and industry; and Developing a report and making recommendations for the Oregon Ocean Science Trust, state agencies and others on priority, strategic research to address gaps in understanding of ocean acidification and hypoxia. Council members will begin meeting monthly in 2018. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and Oregon Department of Agriculture are seeking qualified applicants to fill two seats on the newly created Oregon Coordinating Council on Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia. One seat will represent ocean fishing interests and be appointed by the Fish and Wildlife Commission. The other seat will represent the shellfish mariculture industry and be appointed by the Board of Agriculture. Interested individuals must apply by Nov. 6, using the application provided on the Oregon Coordinating Council on Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia website (http://oregonocean.info/index.php/ocean-acidification/85-oa-coord-council) or Oregon Board of Agriculture (http://www.oregon.gov/oda) website. For more information, please contact ODFW’s Caren Braby by phone at (541)-867-4741, or by email at Caren.E.Braby@state.or.us, or ODA’s Kathryn Walker by phone at(503) 986-4558 or by email at kwalker@oda.state.or.us.
