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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=blue><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black","sans-serif"'>Public Notice of Availability of the<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black","sans-serif"'>2014 Draft Massachusetts Ocean Management Plan<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) hereby provides notice of the issuance of the Draft Massachusetts Ocean Management Plan, September 2014 (2014 draft ocean plan) for public review, hearings, and a 60-day public comment period. The 2014 draft ocean plan is the first formal amendment of the 2009 ocean plan. See the <a href="http://www.mass.gov/eea/pr-2014/draft-of-ma-ocean-management-plan-update-released.html">EEA Press Release</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>In December 2009, EEA issued the Commonwealth’s first-ever Massachusetts Ocean Management Plan, as required by the Oceans Act of 2008. The 2009 ocean plan established protections for critical marine habitat and important water-dependent uses in the Massachusetts Ocean Planning Area and set siting and performance standards for specific ocean-base development. EEA is required by the Oceans Act to review the ocean plan every five years.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>In January 2013, a review and update process for the ocean plan was initiated. As with the development of the first ocean plan, the Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) has led this effort on behalf of EEA and has been working closely with the Ocean Advisory Commission and Ocean Science Advisory Council. Four public hearings were held on the plan update and review process in June 2013. Also in June 2013, six technical work groups were convened to review scientific data and information and identify and characterize important trends in ocean resources and uses. In March 2014, CZM held two public workshops to share information and solicit input and feedback from stakeholders on the findings and recommendations of the work groups. Public meetings with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center on offshore wind and transmission, and workshops convened by the Coastal Erosion Commission in May and June 2014, also served as forums for dialogue and feedback.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>The 2014 draft ocean plan is available online at: <a href="http://www.mass.gov/eea/2014-draft-ocean-plan">www.mass.gov/eea/2014-draft-ocean-plan</a>. Additional information on the Massachusetts Ocean Management Plan, including the plan review and update process, technical work group reports, and the 2009 ocean plan, is available at: <a href="http://www.mass.gov/eea/mop">www.mass.gov/eea/mop</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Five regional public hearings will be held to receive comment and input on the 2014 draft ocean plan. The hearings will be:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-bottom:3.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>North Shore</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> - October 8, 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. at the Ipswich Public Library, Collins Room, 25 N. Main Street, Ipswich, MA 01938.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-bottom:3.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Cape Cod </span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>- October 14, 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. at the Heritage House Hotel, Chauncy’s Room, 259 Main Street, Hyannis, MA 02601.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-bottom:3.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>South Coast</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> - October 20, 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. at the New Bedford Whaling Museum, Memorial Theater, 18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford, MA 02740.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='margin-bottom:3.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Islands</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> - October 22, 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. at the Katharine Cornell Theater, 54 Spring Street, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Boston and South Shore</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> - October 27, 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. at the Executive Office for Energy and Environmental Affairs, 100 Cambridge Street, 2nd Floor Rooms C-D, Boston, MA 02114.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Comments on the 2014 draft ocean plan must be received by: <b>5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 25, 2014</b>. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Written comments on the 2014 draft ocean plan should be sent to:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>ATTN: Ocean Plan<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>251 Causeway Street, Suite 800 <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Boston, MA 02114 <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Comments will also be accepted via email at: <a href="mailto:oceanplan@state.ma.us">oceanplan@state.ma.us</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>For more information, please contact CZM at <a href="mailto:czm@state.ma.us">czm@state.ma.us</a> or 617-626-1200.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></body></html>