Background 

The Marine Boundary Working Group (MBWG) was established in March 2001 to address a number of issues pertaining to legal and technical aspects of marine boundaries. Because most maritime boundaries were defined prior to the advent of modern technology such as the Global Positioning System (GPS) and geographic information systems (GIS), many of the world's nautical charts, treaties, and regulations may contain marine boundary descriptions that are insufficiently defined for use in modern technology.  In the United States, these discrepancies can negatively affect many ocean related activities, including marine managed areas, resource and alternative energy development, open ocean disposal zones, and the enforcement of fishing and environmental laws. 

The MBWG, through its membership and collaborative efforts, will foster integrated approaches to the legal and geospatial descriptions of marine boundaries and mapping of marine boundary features within the territorial waters of the United States. The goals of the working group are to make maximum use of public resources to avoid duplication of efforts; provide a venue for communication and coordination of marine boundary activities; and to promote the standardization of methodologies for the production of more complete and usable marine boundary data. 

The MBWG includes federal representatives from all offices with responsibilities offshore, as well as some state representation.  Currently this includes: 

Department of Interior
            - Mineral's Management Service
            - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
            - National Park Service
            - Bureau of Land Management 
Department of Commerce
            - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
                        - Coastal Services Center
                        - Office of Coast Survey
                        - National Marine Sanctuary Office
                        - Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services
                        - Special Projects Office
            - U.S. Census Bureau 
Federal Communications Commission  
U.S. Navy 
U.S. Coast Guard 
Environmental Protection Agency 
U.S. State Department 
National Geospatial Intelligence Agency 
State of Florida 

Objectives, Goals, and Scope of Work

The MBWG Work Plan will be used to guide the working group’s activities through Fiscal Year 2006 and into the future.  The Work Plan is broken down into work items, each of which is further divided into specific tasks.  The agencies and members that serve on the working group are responsible for implementing these work items and reporting back to the working group on their progress.

Currently, there are two major work items included in the MBWG 2006 Work Plan. 

1.      MBWG outreach and education strategy
2.      Development and implementation of a Multipurpose Marine Cadastre 

Benefits or Justification/Legal Mandate 

OMB Circular A-16 (Revised), Coordination of Geographic Information and Related Spatial Data Activities, August 19, 2002. 

Executive Order 12906, Coordinating Geographic Data Acquisition and Access:
The National Spatial Data Infrastructure, published April13, 1994, amended by EO 13286, March 5, 2003.  

National Research Council’s A Geospatial Framework for the Coastal Zone: National Needs for Coastal Mapping and Charting

U.S. Ocean Action Plan 

Energy Policy Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-58).  Sec 388 - Alternative Energy-Related Uses on the Outer Continental Shelf, of the Act grants the Minerals Management Service (MMS) new authority to regulate energy uses on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).  It directs the Secretary of the Interior, in cooperation with the Secretary of Commerce, the Commandant of the Coast Guard, and the Secretary of Defense to establish an interagency comprehensive digital mapping initiative to assist in decision making relating to alternative energy uses on the OCS 

Milestones, Schedule, and Budget 

The budget and other resources are largely the responsibility of the participating agency.  The working group is not funded. 

Progress on the work items and milestones listed below will be reported at each working group meeting and through the annual NSDI reports.    

Work Item 1.  MBWG Outreach and Education Strategy 

The work and mission of the Marine Boundary Working Group (MBWG) will be promoted through the development of an outreach strategy campaign. This may include one-pagers, Web sites, posters, presentation materials, training, and any other method of outreach deemed appropriate by the committee.

While there is a good deal of government agency representation within the Marine Boundary Working Group, a number of entities and individuals involved with the creation and development of marine boundaries are still unaware of the issues involved in their accurate representation. Not only will an outreach campaign familiarize marine boundary developers and users with many of the associated issues, but promotion of the MBWB will allow people to take advantage of the Group’s expertise through the dissemination of standards, protocols, and presentation materials.  

Targets of the outreach campaign will include anyone involved in the creation, development, and use of marine boundaries. This will include technicians, managers, attorneys, congressional staffers, and enforcement personnel.  

1. Update MBWG Web site.
2. Update the standard MBWG Presentation for outreach and training purposes.
3. Complete and publish marine boundary best practices handbook
4. Provide outreach and develop a training plan for the Marine Managed Areas: Best Practices for Boundary Making handbook.
5. Continue to co-sponsor and participate in the International Submerged Lands Management Conference
6. Continue to use MBWG as a venue to build partnerships and coordinate the definition of requirements, assessments, development, and dissemination of marine boundaries with other federal agencies, coastal states, academia, and private industry. 

Work Item 2.  Multi-Purpose Marine Cadastre

The purpose of this work item is to develop, in compliance with section 388 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, a centralized location for marine boundary data, information, and agencies of responsibility.  The development of this resource will eliminate the uncertainty regarding the acquisition and use of marine boundary data. 

Major tasks in the activity will include the continuing development of a comprehensive list of boundary data, agencies of responsibility, and associated legislation and regulations; exploring the feasibility and related options of data dissemination via the Web; development of an initial framework for disseminating marine boundary data and metadata via the Web; and the development of minimum requirements for accessible data, e.g. metadata, data content, format, QA/QC.  

1. Continue to develop a comprehensive list of marine boundary data, restrictions and encumbrances, agencies of responsibility, and associated legislation and regulations.

2. Continue to make data and information accessible through the Web and the E-Gov Geospatial One-Stop Portal.

3. Coordinate with the Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Initiative to ensure that marine boundary source data are accessible through their inventory.

4. Develop minimum requirements for accessible data.

5. Develop and implement a project plan for the digital mapping component of the multipurpose marine cadastre initiative. 

Points of Contact, Contact Info, and Area of Responsibility

Cindy Fowler
Co-Chair, FGDC Marine Boundary Working Group
Coastal Information Services
NOAA Coastal Services Center
2234 South Hobson Avenue
Charleston, SC 29405-2413

Email: Cindy.Fowler [at] noaa.gov
Phone: 843-740-1249
FAX:  843-740-1315
Web: www.csc.noaa.gov
 

Stephen G. Kopach
Chief, Mapping and Boundary Branch
Co-Chair, FGDC Marine Boundary Working Group
Minerals Management Service
Leasing Division, MS 4011
381 Elden St., Atrium Bldg., Room 1327A
Herndon, VA  20170

Email:  stephen.kopach [at] mms.gov
Phone:  703.787.1312
Fax: 703.787.1236