FACACLASSIC

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DOC - 84671 - Marine and Coastal Area-based Management Advisory Committee - Agency Authority

GENERAL INFORMATION

Committee Name	Marine and Coastal Area-based Management Advisory Committee	Agency Name	Department of Commerce
Fiscal Year	2025	Committee Number	84671
Original Establishment Date	12/8/2022	Committee Status	Terminated
Actual Termination Date	2/28/2025	Committee URL	https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/ocean/marine-coas...
Actual Merged Date		Presidential Appointments*	No
New Committee This FY	No	Max Number of Members*	20
Terminated This FY	Yes	Designated Fed Officer Position Title*	Director, NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries
Merged This FY		Designated Federal Officer Prefix
Current Charter Date	12/6/2024	Designated Federal Officer First Name*	John
Date Of Renewal Charter	12/6/2026	Designated Federal Officer Middle Name
Projected Termination Date		Designated Federal Officer Last Name*	Armor
Exempt From Renewal*	No	Designated Federal Officer Suffix
Specific Termination Authority		Designated Federal Officer Phone*	2405330681
Establishment Authority*	Agency Authority	Designated Federal Officer Fax*
Specific Establishment Authority*	15 U.S.C. § 1512	Designated Federal Officer Email*	john.armor@noaa.gov
Effective Date Of Authority*	12/8/2022
Exempt From EO 13875 Discretionary Cmte	Not Applicable
Committee Type*	Continuing
Presidential*	No
Committee Function*	National Policy Issue Advisory Board

RECOMMENDATION/JUSTIFICATIONS

Agency Recommendation*	Terminate
Legislation to Terminate Required	No
Legislation Status	Not Applicable
How does cmte accomplish its purpose?*	NOAA had a wide range of responsibilities and authorities related to area-based protection, conservation, restoration, and management of marine resources, including through marine protected areas such as national marine sanctuaries and national estuarine research reserves, and through fishery area based management. The purpose of the Marine and Coastal Area-based Management Advisory Committee (Committee) was to advise the Under Secretary on science-based approaches to area-based protection, conservation, restoration, and management in coastal and marine areas, including the Great Lakes. Committee members worked collaboratively to craft carefully considered, balanced, and actionable area-based management recommendations to address certain complex issues facing coastal, ocean, and Great Lakes users and managers. The full Committee met four times total, twice in FY 25. The Committee had established two subcommittees focused on 1) meaningful engagement with communities; and 2) effectiveness and outcomes. The Committee submitted one set of recommendations to the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere on September 26, 2024, on how NOAA can best leverage its area-based management tools, investments, and authorities to deliver biodiversity conservation, equitable access to nature, and climate resilience outcomes through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The recommendations were developed in consideration of current BIL and IRA funding opportunities. However, the Committee advised that NOAA should consider the recommendations for all future applicable funding opportunities and programs.
How is membership balanced?*	The Committee consisted of 20 non-Federal voting members representing diverse perspectives and expertise on the future of America’s oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes and the communities that rely on them. Interests and sectors represented include: commercial and recreational fishing, ocean industry, recreation and tourism; Indian tribes and Indigenous communities; and conservationists, natural and cultural resource managers, and educators. Expertise included scientists and others representing disciplines that study the structure, function, human use, and management of coastal and ocean ecosystems. The membership of the Committee ensured perspectives and expertise reflecting the full breadth of the Committee’s responsibilities. In addition to the Department of Commerce, one official from each of the following Federal departments and agencies served on the Committee as Regular Government Employee non-voting members: the Department of the Interior, the Department of Defense, the Department of State, the Department of Homeland Security, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Agriculture, and the National Science Foundation.
How frequent & relevant are cmte mtgs?*	The committee was expected to meet at least once annually. The Committee met twice in FY 25 before termination. Both meetings were virtual. The meetings were hosted in December 2024 and February 2025. Both meetings were convened to discuss the following topics: area-based management in the U.S.; tracking conservation progress; Indigenous-led conservation and co-stewardship; and various administrative and organizational matters.
Why advice can't be obtained elsewhere?*	The Committee provided a forum for discussion to advise NOAA on area-based management, including opportunities to enhance conservation of biodiversity and climate resilience, and expand access to nature for underserved communities. No other Federal program or advisory committee had the mandate or scope to address all types of area-based management, including sites that were managed under different authorities and for differing purposes, such as biodiversity conservation, sustainable fisheries management, and protection of submerged historic and cultural resources. The Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee advised on living marine resource matters; regional fishery management councils developed and recommended proposed management measures for marine fisheries in Federal waters; and each national marine sanctuary advisory council advised on site-focused sanctuary management as well as on sanctuary-system-wide matters. These bodies, while very valuable, did not provide the wider perspective needed to identify opportunities and synergies across the comprehensive suite of NOAA’s area-based management programs and authorities. In addition, the complex and evolving nature of coastal and marine area-based management issues created a need for a continuing body of knowledgeable representatives and experts to advise NOAA on programs and authorities that were relevant to the scope of this Committee. For these reasons, the Committee’s functions could not be performed by another existing Federal program, existing advisory committee, or by other means such as a public hearing. The United States is a maritime nation, increasingly relying on our ocean and Great Lakes for food, commerce, recreation, energy, health, and security. As those connections became stronger and more intertwined, so too did the challenge of managing our ocean and Great Lakes effectively and equitably. Area-based management was being used increasingly by Federal, state, and territorial agencies as tools for coastal and marine resource management in the United States and internationally. This Committee provided a forum for expertise and perspectives to be considered in NOAA decision-making for these issues.
Why close or partially close meetings?	N/A
Recommendation Remarks	Per EO 14217, the Secretary of Commerce determined that the purposes for which the Marine and Coastal Area-based Management Advisory Committee was established have been fulfilled, and the committee has been terminated effective February 28, 2025.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Outcome Improvement To Health Or Safety*	No	Action Reorganize Priorities*	No
Outcome Trust In Government	No	Action Reallocate Resources	No
Outcome Major Policy Changes	No	Action Issued New Regulations	No
Outcome Advance In Scientific Research	No	Action Proposed Legislation	No
Outcome Effective Grant Making	No	Action Approved Grants Or Other Payments	No
Outcome Improved Service Delivery	No	Action Other	No
Outcome Increased Customer Satisfaction	No	Action Comment	NA
Outcome Implement Laws/Reg Requirements	No	Grants Review*	No
Outcome Other	No	Number Of Grants Reviewed	0
Outcome Comment	The only recommendations from the Committee were submitted to NOAA on September 26, 2024. The Committee was terminated on February 28, 2025. Due to the termination of the Committee, there are no performance measures for FY 25.	Number Of Grants Recommended	0
Cost Savings*	None	Dollar Value Of Grants Recommended	$0.00
Cost Savings Comment	The only recommendations from the Committee were submitted to NOAA on September 26, 2024. The Committee was terminated on February 28, 2025. Therefore, no cost savings apply for FY 25.	Grants Review Comment	NA
Number Of Recommendations*	7	Access Contact Designated Fed. Officer*	Yes
Number Of Recommendations Comment	Only one letter/recommendation was submitted in 2024. No recommendations were submitted in FY 25 before the Committee was terminated.	Access Agency Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented*	0.00%	Access Committee Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented Comment	The only recommendations from the Committee were submitted to NOAA on September 26, 2024. The Committee was terminated on February 28, 2025. Therefore, no recommendations were implemented in FY 25.	Access GSA FACA Website	Yes
% of Recs Partially Implemented*	0.00%	Access Publications	No
% of Recs Partially Implemented Comment	The only recommendations from the Committee were submitted to NOAA on September 26, 2024. The Committee was terminated on February 28, 2025. Therefore, no recommendations were implemented in FY 25.	Access Other	No
Agency Feedback*	Yes	Access Comment	N/A
Agency Feedback Comment*	The only recommendations from the Committee were submitted to NOAA on September 26, 2024. On November 27, 2024, NOAA provided a response on the FY 24 recommendations. See the response here: https://cdn.oceanservice.noaa.gov/oceanserviceprod/ocean/marine-coastal-fac/MCAM-FAC_FY24_Recommendations_Response.pdf	Narrative Description*	The only recommendations from the Committee were submitted to NOAA on September 26, 2024, and the Committee was terminated in February 2025.

COSTS

1. Payments to Non-Federal Members*	$0.00	1. Est Paymnts to Non-Fed Membrs Nxt FY*	$0.00
2. Payments to Federal Members*	$1,430.00	2. Est. Payments to Fed Members Next FY*	$0.00
3. Payments to Federal Staff*	$48,147.50	3. Estimated Payments to Federal Staff*	$0.00
4. Payments to Consultants*	$0.00	4. Est. Payments to Consultants Next FY*	$0.00
5. Travel Reimb. For Non-Federal Membrs*	$0.00	5. Est Travel Reimb Non-Fed Membr nxtFY*	$0.00
6. Travel Reimb. For Federal Members*	$0.00	6. Est Travel Reimb For Fed Members*	$0.00
7. Travel Reimb. For Federal Staff*	$0.00	7. Est. Travel Reimb to Fed Staf Nxt FY*	$0.00
8. Travel Reimb. For Consultants*	$0.00	8. Est Travel Reimb to Consltnts Nxt FY*	$0.00
10. Other Costs	$0.00	10. Est. Other Costs Next FY*	$0.00
11. Total Costs	$49,577.50	11. Est. Total Next FY*	$0.00
Date Cost Last Modified	3/27/2025 2:47 PM	Est. Fed Staff Support Next FY*	0.00
Federal Staff Support (FTE)*	0.75	Est Cost Remarks	The committee was terminated in February 2025, therefore no payments or expenses will be made in the next Fiscal Year.
Cost Remarks	There were no in-person FAC meetings and no travel reimbursements to federal staff or members were needed, before the Committee was terminated in February 2025.

Interest Areas

Category Area Animals Fish and Wildlife Environment Environmental Issues Oceans and Atmospheric Sciences Land Conservation and Preservation Land Management and Use National Parks, Sites, Trails, Recreational Areas Monuments Water Harbors Rivers Water Use Waterways

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