12 • 15 • 2016
A Plan for Our Ocean in the Mid-Atlantic
Working with the newly formed Mid-Atlantic Regional Planning Body (RPB), Surfrider aims to secure spatial protections for priority ecological and recreational areas in the Mid-Atlantic. To put that in simpler language, Surfrider wants to protect your favorite coastal and ocean places in New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia.
Directed by President Obama's National Ocean Policy, the five state governments in the Mid-Atlantic, federally recognized tribes, and relevant federal agencies formed the Mid-Atlantic Regional Planning Body (RPB) in 2013. The goal of the RPB is to create a comprehensive ocean management plan for the Mid-Atlantic that will increase coordination, decrease conflicts in ocean use, and protect ocean ecosystems and sustainable uses.
This is a great opportunity for Surfrider to proactively protect both ocean ecosystems and recreational uses. Surfrider staff and chapter volunteers have been responding to RPB proposals and attending public hearings to voice their opinions. Check out the RPB website for future public meetings. For more information, and to sign up for our eNewsletter that discusses RPB issues, visit our Surfrider Mid-Atlantic webpage.
Watch our short, beautiful video explaining ocean planning.