Strengthening Alliances while Reaching Milestones:
New Agreement is Announced
| As the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program (MBNEP) enters
its 6th year, it is reaching some significant milestones in its mission
to promote wise stewardship of the water quality and living resources
of the Mobile Bay and Delta. As part of the organization's evolution, the MBNEP has entered a new phase and developed exciting new alliances through the actions of the MBNEP Management Conference. |
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| Governor Siegelman approved an agreement between the Mobile Bay National
Estuary Program, the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, and the Alabama Department
of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) that will significantly
improve the management, protection and enhancement of Alabama’s
coastal resources. |
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A singular benefit will be better use of available dollars for actions to improve and maintain water quality and fish, wildlife and other native living resource populations. But this action will also help eliminate duplication of effort and overlapping projects, expand public-private partnership opportunities, |
| and provide better information for natural resource management. | ||
"New alliances and organizational changes are really quite common among NEP’s around the country as they shift from a planning to an implementation phase. The focus becomes more action-oriented," commented David Yeager, Executive Director of the MBNEP. "We're especially excited about this alliance. The arrangement with ADCNR is particularly advantageous. For the first time since its inception, the MBNEP has a cabinet-level partner to bring state attention to this program. That this partner is the agency charged with conservation and natural resource stewardship is even more fortuitous. This arrangement provides greatly improved opportunities for collaboration. The Sea Lab's involvement will endow the NEP with a high public profile and improved public perception; opportunities for services, facilities and strong in-kind contributions; proven fiscal responsibility and business management; and research and educational resources which dovetail perfectly with the NEP's goals."
"We have been looking at bringing these three organizations into closer alignment for some time. The move of Alabama’s Coastal Program from ADECA to ADCNR’s State Lands Division earlier this summer provided a needed catalyst for further actions to sharpen our focus on coastal issues and improve the way we do business. The Mobile Bay has an economic impact of over $3 billion annually on Alabama’s economy. In order to continue to realize this benefit, we must protect the important ecological values of this estuary along with our economic values. This agreement is a step in that direction. Governor Siegelman and I are both very pleased with this arrangement" stated Conservation Commissioner Riley Boykin Smith.
"The coming together of these three entities is really a natural evolution," stated Dr. George Crozier, Executive Director of the Dauphin Island Sea Lab. "The Sea Lab's Coastal Policy Center, which is our interdisciplinary management advisory group, has been working on these same sustainability issues for many years. Additionally, the integration of our goals into this strong alliance will give the MBNEP access to our already existing educational and research programs. The Sea Lab as the focus for the Alabama Marine Consortium is a natural host for the MBNEP.
For us, the Sea Lab will benefit from the NEP's considerable forward energy in formulating the CCMP, as well as the increased public and private support that we envision will be generated for actions to better protect and manage coastal resources. We like the fact that the MBNEP has chosen to work with a locally-rooted and supported institution".
The Environmental Protection Agency's formal acceptance of the MBNEP's Comprehensive Coastal Management Plan, submitted by Governor Siegelman, is expected in April 2002.
