Share Your Ideas with the National Ocean Council at a Listening Session Near You

The strategic action plan outlines were released today for a 30-day public comment period during which you will have the chance to chime in at one of the 12 Regional Listening Sessions or via the Web through a public comment portal.

(From the National Ocean Council / by Andy Lipsky) Experts from the National Ocean Council’s 27 Federal agencies and offices have been busy drafting strategic action plans to achieve nine national priority objectives that address some of the most pressing challenges facing our ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes.  Having already received your initial comments before we got started, we’d now like to hear from you again—this time with your thoughts on the strategic action plan outlines we’ve developed. That’s why we’re hosting a dozen Regional Listening Sessions at this still-early stage of the drafting process.

Here are the dates and locations for the listening sessions:

  • DATE, LOCATION, VENUE
  • June 9, 6:00pm-8:30pm
    Washington, DC, Women’s Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery
  • June 9, 4:00pm-9:00pm
    Barrow, AK, North Slope Borough Offices
  • June 10, 4:00pm-9:00pm
    Anchorage, AK, Wilda Marston Theatre, Z. J. Loussac Library
  • June 13, 1:00pm-5:00pm
    Chicago, IL, U.S. EPA Regional Headquarters
  • June 15, 5:00pm-9:00pm
    Jacksonville, FL, University of North Florida
  • June 16, 1:00pm-4:00pm
    Honolulu, HI, The Neal Blaisdell Center
  • June 27, 11:30am-3:00pm
    Exeter, NH, Exeter High School
  • June 27, 5:00pm-8:30pm
    Galveston, TX, Galveston Convention Center
  • June 27, 8:30am-5:00pm
    Ocean Shores, WA, Quinault Beach Resort and Casino
  • June 30, 1:00pm-5:00pm
    San Francisco Bay Area, CA, TBD
  • June 30, 10:00am-5:00pm
    West Long Branch, NJ, Monmouth University
  • July 1, Time TBD
    Portland, OR, Portland State University

Identifying the critical actions our national stewardship requires will take cooperation across all levels of government and stakeholder communities. Stay tuned for more information on how to comment on these outlines, and we hope to see you at one of the listening sessions!

Details are also available on the following webpages.

Washington, DC (June 9): http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=231504646863112

Barrow, AK (June 9): http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=216922548339953

Anchorage, AK (June 10): http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=178327988892109

Chicago, IL (June 13):  http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=227979700546383

Jacksonville, FL (June 15): http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=109077465850618

Honolulu, HI (June 16): http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=177568722300668

Galveston, TX (June 27):  http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=224348294260274

Exeter, NH (June 27): http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=215166851851066

Ocean Shores, WA (June 27): http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=224966840866040

West Long Branch, NJ (June 30):  http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=135914286483273

San Francisco, CA (June 30): http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=115656435188448

Portland, OR (July 1):  http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=150523871685321

Andy Lipsky is an Ocean Policy Advisor at the National Ocean Council