Ocean County College

Description:a Cooperative Agreement Is Provided to Ocean County College (OCC) to Support Implementation of the 2021 Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) Prepared by the Barnegat Bay Partnership (BBP) and the Policy Committee-approved Annual Workplan. the Barnegat Bay Partnership Is One of 28 National Estuary Programs Nationwide, and Conducts Its Work by Implementing the Epa-approved CCMP. the Goal of This Program Is to Improve Water Quality, Restore and Protect the Natural Habitat and Living Resources, and Support Sustainable Human Uses of the Barnegat Bay Estuary. Implementation of the CCMP Will Seek to Protect and Improve Water Quality Throughout Barnegat Bay and Its Watershed; Ensure Adequate Water Supplies and Flow for Ecological and Human Communities; Protect and Restore Habitat and Healthy and Sustainable Natural Communities of Plants and Animals and; Improve and Sustain Collaborative Approaches to Responsible Land Use Planning and Open Space Preservation. the BBP Will Make Available Sub-awards for Research and Implementation Projects That Either Further Progress Towards the Water Quality, Water Supply, Living Resources and Land Use Planning Goals Described Above And/or Projects That Provide Information Needed to Assess the Current Status of Eight Ecosystem-based Targetsactivities:activities to Protect and Improve Water Quality Include Water Quality Monitoring, Technical Assistance for Nutrient Reduction, Development of Watershed Protection Plans for Sub-watersheds, and Support for Reducing Sources of Marine Debris. Activities to Ensure Adequate Water Supplies and Flow for Ecological and Human Communities Include Working With Partners on Water Supply Conservation Measures and Associated Public Outreach. Activities to Protect, Restore and Enhance Living Resources Include Reducing Boating Impacts, Eelgrass Restoration, Coastal Wetland Monitoring, and Increasing Coastal Resiliency to Climate Change. Activities to Improve and Sustain Responsible Land Use Planning and Open Space Preservation Includes Land Acquisition and Promoting Stewardship and Responsible Use of Open Space. Subrecipient:the BBP Science and Technical Advisory Committee Will Issue a Request for Proposals for Implementation Projects to Further CCMP Goals. Outcomes:anticipated Deliverables Relating to Protecting and Restoring Water Quality Include Collection of Water Quality Data That Will Be Used to Inform Management Decisions; Enhancement to the Jersey-friendly Yards Website to Continue Reductions of Nutrients Into the Watershed; Development and Implementation of Sub-watershed Plans Protection and Restoration Plans; and Annual Beach Cleanups. Anticipated Deliverables Related to Ensuring Adequate Water Supply and Flows Include Identification of Projects to Reduce Consumptive Water Use and Protect Supplies and Use of Social Media to Promote Water Conservation. Anticipated Deliverables for Restoring and Protecting Living Resources Include Development of Outreach Materials for Boaters to Protect Seagrass; a Final Report for the Biennial Demographic Survey of Seagrass Beds and Development of a Best Practices Document for Seagrass Restoration; Collection of Data Through Community Science Programs and; Continued Monitoring of Coastal Wetlands. Anticipated Deliverables for Land Use Planning Include the Acquisition of 750 Acres of Open Space and the Development of Public Outreach Tools to Explain the Ecological Benefit of Land Acquisition to the Public. Other Program Deliverables Include the Development of Communication, Monitoring, Habitat and Financial Plans to Support Implementation of the CCMP. the Expected Outcomes of This Award Are the Continuation of Restoration and Protection of Water Quality, Water Supplies, Living Resources, and Land Use in the Barnegat Bay and Its Watershed and Education and Outreach to Enhance Stewardship in the Estuary. the Direct Beneficiaries of This Program Include the General Population Throughout