[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 115 (Wednesday, June 17, 2009)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 28591-28592]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-14338]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 115 / Wednesday, June 17, 2009 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 28591]]

                Memorandum of June 12, 2009

                
Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments 
                And Agencies

                 National Policy for the Oceans, Our Coasts, And the 
                Great Lakes

                The oceans, our coasts, and the Great Lakes provide 
                jobs, food, energy resources, ecological services, 
                recreation, and tourism opportunities, and play 
                critical roles in our Nation's transportation, economy, 
                and trade, as well as the global mobility of our Armed 
                Forces and the maintenance of international peace and 
                security. We have a stewardship responsibility to 
                maintain healthy, resilient, and sustainable oceans, 
                coasts, and Great Lakes resources for the benefit of 
                this and future generations.

                Yet, the oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes are subject to 
                substantial pressures and face significant 
                environmental challenges. Challenges include water 
                pollution and degraded coastal water quality caused by 
                industrial and commercial activities both onshore and 
                offshore, habitat loss, fishing impacts, invasive 
                species, disease, rising sea levels, and ocean 
                acidification. Oceans both influence and are affected 
                by climate change. They not only affect climate 
                processes but they are also under stress from the 
                impacts of climate change. Renewable energy, shipping, 
                and aquaculture are also expected to place growing 
                demands on ocean and Great Lakes resources. These 
                resources therefore require protection through the 
                numerous Federal, State, and local authorities with 
                responsibility and jurisdiction over the oceans, 
                coasts, and Great Lakes.

                To succeed in protecting the oceans, coasts, and Great 
                Lakes, the United States needs to act within a unifying 
                framework under a clear national policy, including a 
                comprehensive, ecosystem-based framework for the 
                longterm conservation and use of our resources.

                In order to better meet our Nation's stewardship 
                responsibilities for the oceans, coasts, and Great 
                Lakes, there is established an Interagency Ocean Policy 
                Task Force (Task Force), to be led by the Chair of the 
                Council on Environmental Quality. The Task Force shall 
                be composed of senior policy-level officials from the 
                executive departments, agencies, and offices 
                represented on the Committee on Ocean Policy 
                established by section 3 of Executive Order 13366 of 
                December 17, 2004. This Task Force is not meant to 
                duplicate that structure, but rather is intended to be 
                a temporary entity with the following responsibilities:

                1. Within 90 days from the date of this memorandum, the 
                Task Force shall develop recommendations that include:

                a. A national policy that ensures the protection, 
                maintenance, and restoration of the health of ocean, 
                coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems and resources, 
                enhances the sustainability of ocean and coastal 
                economies, preserves our maritime heritage, provides 
                for adaptive management to enhance our understanding of 
                and capacity to respond to climate change, and is 
                coordinated with our national security and foreign 
                policy interests. The recommendations should prioritize 
                upholding our stewardship responsibilities and ensuring 
                accountability for all of our actions affecting ocean, 
                coastal, and Great Lakes resources, and be consistent 
                with international law, including customary 
                international law as reflected in the 1982 United 
                Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

[[Page 28592]]

                b. A United States framework for policy coordination of 
                efforts to improve stewardship of the oceans, our 
                coasts, and the Great Lakes. The Task Force should 
                review the Federal Government's existing policy 
                coordination framework to ensure integration and 
                collaboration across jurisdictional lines in meeting 
                the objectives of a national policy for the oceans, our 
                coasts, and the Great Lakes. This will include 
                coordination with the work of the National Security 
                Council and Homeland Security Council as they formulate 
                and coordinate policy involving national and homeland 
                security, including maritime security. The framework 
                should also address specific recommendations to improve 
                coordination and collaboration among Federal, State, 
                tribal, and local authorities, including regional 
                governance structures.

                c. An implementation strategy that identifies and 
                prioritizes a set of objectives the United States 
                should pursue to meet the objectives of a national 
                policy for the oceans, our coasts, and the Great Lakes.

                2. Within 180 days from the date of this memorandum, 
                the Task Force shall develop, with appropriate public 
                input, a recommended framework for effective coastal 
                and marine spatial planning. This framework should be a 
                comprehensive, integrated, ecosystem-based approach 
                that addresses conservation, economic activity, user 
                conflict, and sustainable use of ocean, coastal, and 
                Great Lakes resources consistent with international 
                law, including customary international law as reflected 
                in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the 
                Sea.

                3. The Task Force shall terminate upon the completion 
                of its duties.

                The Task Force's recommendations and frameworks should 
                be cost effective and improve coordination across 
                Federal agencies.

                This memorandum covers matters involving the oceans, 
                the Great Lakes, the coasts of the United States 
                (including its territories and possessions), and 
                related seabed, subsoil, and living and non-living 
                resources.

                This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, 
                create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, 
                enforceable at law or in equity by any party against 
                the United States, its departments, agencies, or 
                entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any 
                other person. Nothing in this memorandum shall be 
                construed to impair or otherwise affect the functions 
                of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 
                relating to budgetary, administrative, regulatory, and 
                legislative proposals.

                The Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality is 
                hereby authorized and directed to publish this 
                memorandum in the Federal Register.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. E9-14338
Filed 6-16-09; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3125-W9-P