Carolyn Elefant stresses importance of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

November 4, 2009-Carolyn Elefant, counsel for The Ocean Renewable Energy Coalition (OREC), today testified in front of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation’s Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and Coastguard.  Elefant’s testimony, delivered to Chairwoman Maria Cantwell (D-WA), stressed the importance of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as she discussed the role for renewable energy in ocean, coastal and Great Lakes stewardship, as well as the development of the United States’ national ocean policy, and the development of a framework for coastal and marine spatial planning.  Today’s Subcommittee hearing served to update the Senate on progress President Obama’s Ocean Policy Task Force is making to develop a recommendation for a national policy that ensures protection, maintenance, and restoration of oceans, our coasts and the Great Lakes.

“Over the past five years, our industry has gained momentum with respect to technology advancements and an influx of federal and state funding.  Stalling deployment of marine renewables at this critical juncture could devastate the industry and drive it overseas,” Elefant said when urging the Committee to establish a single agency to oversee and develop policy for offshore renewables technology.

Additional panel members who delivered testimony included Nancy Sutley, Chair at the Council on Environmental Quality; Jane Lubchenco, Administrator of NOAA and Undersecretary of Commerce; Adm. Thad Allen, Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard; Laura Davis, Associate Deputy Secretary at the U.S. Department of the Interior; Billy Frank Jr., Chairman of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission; Dennis Takashi-Kelso, Executive Vice President of The Ocean Conservancy; and Matthew Paxton, Government Relations Counsel for the Coastal Conservation Association.

As the Committee carries forward its mission to explore the agency best suited to spearhead and implement ocean policy following President Obama’s charge to the Ocean Policy Task Force, OREC will continue to represent the best interests for our marine environment, and will continue to be a leading voice of support for NOAA and additional investment in marine renewables technology.

View the complete Testimony on Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning here.

MREC 1^st Annual Technical Conference

October 15, 2009

Advanced Technology and Manufacturing Center

Fall River, MA, USA

Come and hear about the latest advances in marine renewable energy and enjoy the fall colors of New England.

Sessions will address research and technology development in the following areas:

• Ocean Wave Energy Conversion Devices
• Tidal In Stream Conversion Devices
• Offshore Wind Generation Systems and Platform Design

Click Here for Complete Information.

New England Marine Renewable Energy Center hosts

2^nd Annual Ocean Energy for New England Conference

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Cape Codder Resort

1225 Iyannough Rd.

Hyannis, MA 02601

8AM - 1:30 PM

Click here for Complete Information.

Check www.mrec.umassd.edu for updates and registration.

From the issuance:
These guidelines will evolve and will be revised and updated as necessary as we implement the OCS renewable energy program.  Also, as we gain experience with renewable energy development on the OCS, we may update our regulations to include energy-resource-specific provisions.  These guidelines do not change the letter or intent of the REAU regulations.

You can view the regulations here -REN Guidebook August 2009

Recovery.gov White House page tracking ARRA and stimulus funds

ARRA information with links to Energy Provisions (Wikipedia)

American Recovery & Reinvestment Act, aka “Stimulus Bill” (final 2/09)

SMI/Helios Summary

Treasury Guidance Document

Energy Terms & Conditions

Sample Application

Treasury Website for Grants in Lieu of Tax Credit Program

The program is for renewable energy projects that are under construction or that will soon be built. Specifically, Section 1603 of the Act’s tax title, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Tax Act, appropriates funds for payments to persons who place in service specified energy property during 2009 or 2010 or after 2010 if construction began on the property during 2009 or 2010 and the property is placed in service by a certain date known as the credit termination date.  The program will therefore potentially benefit those marine renewables projects where construction will begin between 2009 and 2010 and be completed by 2014, the applicable credit termination date for marine renewables.

For further guidance about the program, please review the following resources at our new Stimulus/Grants Resource Page.

Additional information about the task force is available here.

Interestingly, the proposed policy endorses use of adaptive management, a strategy which OREC has long endorsed.  Funding for an adaptive management fund is included in the Senate version of the energy bill, described in further detail in the New York Times.

OREC is pleased to announce that we have two staffers on board for the summer - Alex Smith and Anthony Moliterno, who are students at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey and participants in the Washington Internship Institute Program.  We’ll be keeping our staffers busy with all of the Hill and regulatory matters that will be ongoing this summer.  However, if any OREC members are in need of assistance here in Washington where our staffers might be able to help out, please contact us.

In addition to these staffers, we are also supporting a student fellow through the Sea Grant Project under the supervision of Megan Higgins at Roger Williams University Law School’s Marine Affairs program.  Our research fellow is exploring the viability of using MOUs (memorandum of understanding) to coordinate and expedite the FERC or MMS regulatory process.  The final work product will be available in early September.