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Timeline
We anticipate that the Management Plan Review process will take approximately
three years from start to finish. A general timeline is presented below; this timeline is subject
to change and will be updated regularly.
September 2008
CONDITION REPORT
The Management Plan Review (MPR) process began with the release of the sanctuary's
Condition Report in September 2008, along with an addendum authored by the Olympic Coast Intergovernmental Policy Council (IPC).
The Condition Report provides a summary of resources in Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, pressures on
those resources, our assessment of the current condition and trends, and management responses to the pressures that
threaten the integrity of the marine environment. The IPC addendum includes information about the management of
fisheries in the sanctuary and the regulatory authority of the State of Washington and Coastal Treaty Tribes
over resources in the sanctuary.
September to November 2008
PUBLIC SCOPING PERIOD
A 60-day public scoping period for the MPR process was held from September 15, 2008
to November 14, 2008.
At the start of this public scoping period, the Sanctuary held a series of public brainstorming meetings,
called scoping meetings. These meetings were held from September 29 to October 5, 2008
in communities throughout the Olympic Peninsula and western Washington.
At these meetings sanctuary users, members of the public, and agency representatives were asked to comment
on what topics and resource management needs they see as priorities for the sanctuary. There was also an opportunity
to provide written comments any time during the 60-day scoping period.
The comments collected during these 60 days were used to help define the range of issues that will be addressed in the
sanctuary's revised management plan.
Summer 2009 to Fall 2009
PRIORITY TOPIC WORKING GROUPS AND WORKSHOPS
OCNMS worked with the
Advisory Council (AC) and the
Olympic Coast Intergovernmental Policy Council (IPC) to prioritize the issues raised in the scoping
comments. Starting in July 2009, the AC and sanctuary staff will host several working groups and
workshops to develop strategies and activities to address priority issues. These strategies and
activities will become the foundation of the draft Managment Plan. All AC meetings are open to
the public and information about them can be found on our website.
Winter 2010 to Spring 2011
DRAFT MANAGEMENT PLAN
OCNMS staff will use the strategies and activities developed by the working groups and
workshops to draft the management plan. Either a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) or
a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will accompany the draft management plan.
Both the draft management plan and the accompanying draft EA/EIS will be presented for
public comment. During the comment period, the public will have an opportunity to comment
orally at formal public hearings and/or in writing.
Spring 2011 to Fall 2011
FINAL MANAGEMENT PLAN
After the close of the public comment period for the Draft Management Plan, the sanctuary will review comments and make
any necessary changes before issuing the final management plan.
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