{"485151":{"#nid":"485151","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech and Georgia DNR launch Marine Planning Application to Support Responsible Offshore Energy Development","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia\u2019s coastline provides an infinite supply of natural wind and ocean resources that have the potential to substantially contribute to the state\u2019s energy supply. Development of these coastal resources has progressed slowly, in part, because state and federal laws regarding the use of coastal waters for offshore energy development are still evolving and no structure is currently in place for local and state permitting. Georgia Tech\u2019s Center for Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Strategic Energy Institute in partnership with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources\u2019 (DNR\u2019s) Coastal Resources Division, have launched a new marine spatial planning tool, called the Georgia Coastal and Marine Planner (GCAMP), that aims to define a clear process for offshore energy licensing and permitting in Georgia, and close data and communication gaps between regulatory agencies that could delay the permitting process.The comprehensive energy resource assessment and planning tool is live at \u0026nbsp;its new address at:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/geospatial.gatech.edu\/GCAMP\u0022\u003Egeospatial.gatech.edu\/GCAMP\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E Sponsored through a five-year grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), GCAMP creates a central repository for public data and information relating to Georgia\u2019s coastline. The application provides industry, governmental agencies, and research institutions engaged in the planning and management of Georgia\u2019s ocean resources, with a series of tools and interactive maps to aid in the assessment of potential locations for offshore development.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u201cGCAMP establishes a transparent and open processes for fostering better understanding among stakeholders about what is happening in Georgia\u2019s ocean areas, what resources and human uses are located where, and the potential implications of changes in the uses of resources located in the state\u2019s coastal waters,\u201d said Jill Huntington Andrews, program manager for Georgia DNR\u2019s Coastal Resources Division. \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOffshore energy development is particularly challenging because proposed projects must co-exist alongside other ocean uses that are vital to the state, such as tourism, commercial fisheries, military areas, shipping lanes, recreational areas, and sensitive ecological areas. In addition to the complexity and the public nature the ocean environment, offshore development involves many different federal and state laws and agencies. At the state level alone as many as seven different agencies could be involved in the permitting process. Although The State of Georgia has jurisdiction over activities in the offshore environment that extend three nautical miles from the shoreline, it must coordinate must coordinate with numerous federal government agencies in planning and siting decisions, even for projects located wholly within state waters. The State of Georgia also has a role in projects in federal waters due to Federal Consistency requirements that mandate state review and approval of potential projects. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E Mary Hallisey Hunt, senior research associate and director of research and business operations for the Strategic Energy Institute, said GCAMP provides an important tool for better project siting and smarter development of Georgia\u2019s coastal regions.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u201cOffshore projects often involve areas of significant jurisdictional overlap,\u201d said Hallisey Hunt. \u201cGCAMP provides easily accessible and understandable baseline information by which potential stakeholders can make informed decisions about the suitability and economic viability of potential sites for offshore development.\u201d\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EGeorgia Tech and Georgia DNR debuted the latest version of the GCAMP at a recent workshop of industry, state, and federal stakeholders that included: the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4; Georgia Environmental Finance Authority; State Properties Commission; Georgia Power\u2019s Renewables Division; the Georgia Public Service Commission; Georgia DNR\u2019s Wildlife Resources Division; the State Properties Commission; the Georgia Department of Economic Development, the Office of the Governor, the Bureau of Ocean Management, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Andrews said providing access to high-quality, reliable data will enable stakeholders to participate more effectively in the processes affecting ocean energy development.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cStakeholder engagement is essential for effective ocean planning and management because each agency brings different levels of knowledge, different views, and concerns about activities in the offshore environment that could help identify priority coastal issues, potential solutions and needs, and ensure that development is conducted in a responsible manner,\u201d said Andrews.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E Using GCAMP data, the team developed a hypothetical case study of the permitting and licensing process for a potential wind farm project to suggest a potential process through which state and federal agencies could explore whether and, if so, how to facilitate energy development in Georgia\u2019s coastal waters.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EGCAMP compiles data across three main areas relating to ocean use: human use, which includes such data as shipping tracks and artificial reefs; ecological and biological information, such as fisheries and wildlife data; and a physical data, such as geophysical conditions and energy resources data. \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe mobile-enabled platform also includes a variety of tools and use-specific applications designed to help users create custom data visualizations for their specific needs and interests. The main GCAMP map includes tools for measuring; drawing, creating charts; and for querying the available data.\u0026nbsp; Users can choose from an exhaustive list of queries, such as wind farm suitability by Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lease Blocks, or set specific parameters for their own query. The application also includes story maps that link multi-media Power Points to the map data, enabling users to interact with key components of the data through an engaging, guided narrative. Tony Giarrusso, associate director of Georgia Tech\u2019s the Center Geographic Information Systems said GCAMP was designed for user ease and flexibility. \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe included hundreds of data sets in our first iterations of GCAMP,\u201d said Giarrusso. \u201cBut we quickly realized that it needed to be much simpler for users to be able to derive any meaningful intelligence. \u201cWe\u2019ve put a lot of thought into the data, and its potential uses and have created a comprehensive yet manageable tool that could be useful to many other recreational and commercial industries beyond energy.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith the help of stakeholders, the Georgia Tech and Georgia DNR team hope to continue to refine the tool. The team is working with the Nature Conservancy to include data for recreational fishing areas in GCAMP.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Center for Geographic Information Systems, Strategic Energy Institute and Ga. DNR launch new energy resource assessment and planning tool"}],"uid":"27869","created_gmt":"2016-01-12 14:40:45","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:20:24","author":"Allison Caughey","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2016-01-12T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2016-01-12T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"485171":{"id":"485171","type":"image","title":"Wind Turbine","body":null,"created":"1452898800","gmt_created":"2016-01-15 23:00:00","changed":"1475895239","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:53:59","alt":"Wind Turbine","file":{"fid":"204292","name":"wind_turbine.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/wind_turbine_0.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/wind_turbine_0.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":27541,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/wind_turbine_0.jpg?itok=IOUhevdM"}}},"media_ids":["485171"],"groups":[{"id":"1280","name":"Strategic Energy Institute"}],"categories":[{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"11698","name":"center for geographic information systems"},{"id":"926","name":"College of Architecture"},{"id":"213","name":"energy"},{"id":"171565","name":"energy resource assessment and planning"},{"id":"19221","name":"tony giarrusso"},{"id":"2329","name":"wind"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39531","name":"Energy and Sustainable Infrastructure"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAllison Caughey\u003Cbr \/\u003ECommunications Manager\u003Cbr \/\u003EStrategic Energy Institute\u003Cbr \/\u003E404.385.1477\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["allison.caughey@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}