Senate President Stanley Rosenberg has appointed Senator Julian Cyr to Massachusetts' Ocean Advisory Commission. The seventeen member commission is charged with developing a comprehensive Ocean Management Plan to manage the Bay State's ocean waters.
"It is an honor to be appointed to this commission and to continue the advocacy of my predecessors, particularly Senator O'Leary, who championed the legislation that created this panel," said Senator Julian Cyr. "Responsible stewardship of our ocean waters is paramount to the success of Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket; I look forward to working with a diverse set of stakeholders to ensure a sustainable and prosperous future for the Commonwealth."
The Ocean Advisory Commission was created by the Massachusetts Ocean Act of 2008, sponsored by former Senate President Therese Murray, Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, and former state Senator for the Cape and Islands district Robert O'Leary. The passage of this legislation made Massachusetts the first state in the nation to create a comprehensive, science-based plan for the management of its ocean waters. The Commission is also directed to hold public meetings and make recommendations to the Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs.
Senator Julian Cyr (D-Truro) is one of five state legislators appointed to the task force, along with Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, Senator Joseph Boncore, Representative Frank Smizik, and Representative Matthew Muratore.
The agency representatives appointed to the Commission include Bruce Carlisle, Director of the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Managements; David Pierce, Director of the Division of Marine Fisheries under the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game; and Martin Suuberg, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.
The stakeholder representatives appointed to the Commission include Jack Clarke, Director of Public Policy at the Mass Audubon Society; Aileen Kenney, Vice President of Permitting and Environmental Affairs at Deepwater Wind LLC; Beth Casoni, Executive Director at the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association; Heather McElroy, Natural Resource Specialist at the Cape Cod Commission; Joseph Cosgrove, Environmental Program Manager at the Merrimack Valley Planning Council; JoAnn Taylor, Planner at the Martha’s Vineyard Commission; Andrew Vorce, Director at the Nantucket Planning & Economic Development Commission; and James Whitin, Chair of the Westport Planning Board.