Part 1: MarineTeam Charge
Red: text provided by Marine Team (w/some edits)
Pink: authority defined specific to Marine Team
Black: charge that is consistent for allAN teams
A. Outcomes Goal
The Sierra Club establishes the Marine Team to work toward the goal of these environmental outcomes:
The goal of the Marine Wildlife and Habitat Team is to protect and restore
marine wildlife and habitats for present and future generations.
B. Core Team Members
The Sierra Club empowers the following core team with the responsibilities and authority defined in Section C and D. The team leader (or chair) is accountable to the Activist Network Coordinating Pair for the success of the team:
Karen Grainey
Judith C. Lang
Patricia Matajcek
Dave Raney. team leader
Roxy Carter Raymundo
Gerald D. Vinnard
Judith S. Weis
(see appendix for team member credentials)
C. Team Responsibility:
1) EnlistOthers
Enlist a wider circle of activists who will contribute to the work of the team in various ways, including additional issue expertise, local volunteers, and diversity in the Club.
2) Informational Materials
Develop informational materials for the Sierra Club that are made available online tohelp others understand the issues the team addresses as well as pros and cons of various proposed solutions.
3) Provide Assistance
Provide assistance and consulting to others within and outside the Club who want to learn more or take specific action toward the goalsthe team is working for.
4) Work Together
Work effectively together as a team to achieve results, using effectively your time, the time of others, and the resources of the Sierra Club that are available to you.
5) Keep Website Current
Keep team's Activist Network website current, including accomplishments, work in progress and opportunities for volunteers to get involved.
D. Team Authority:
Teams and team members are responsible for following the policy "Jurisdiction Within the Sierra Club" as well as all other relevant Club policies.
Charge to Act on Behalf of the Sierra Club:
As outlined below, this team is specifically authorized to act on behalf of the Sierra Club with regard to: marine mammal protection, marine protected areas, marine and coastal ecosystems conservation, fisheries management, coastal erosion issues, andaquaculturewithin the U.S. and its off-shore waters.
Limit of Authority: The Marine Team is not authorized to act independently on behalf of the Sierra Club regarding matters of siting off-shore wind facilities or off-shore drilling. This authority has been vested in Climate Recovery Teams.
1) Federal Agency Actions
Submit official comments that establish Sierra Club positions regarding proposed federal agency actions. Lobby federal agencies on behalf of Club positions.
Limit of Authority: Authority of team is limited to commenting and lobbying at the federal agency level specific to the charge and limitations above. Team is not authorized to take positions or lobby on agency actions at the state or local level without consulting with relevant chapters or groups.
2) Federal Legislation
Team is authorized to review proposed federal legislation and submit recommendations to the Vice-President of Conservation, who is charged with establishing Sierra Club positions on federal legislation. Team is authorized to develop lobbying plans, within limitations below, for federal legislation that the Sierra Club supports.
Limit of Authority: Lobbying Members of Congress and U.S. Senators can impact the Club beyond the purposes of any individual team. Therefore, team actions to lobby on behalf of federal legislation requires consultation and coordination with relevant staff. Team is not authorized to take positions or lobby on legislation at the state or local level without consulting with relevant chapters or groups.
3) Identify Intersecting Public Policy Impacts
Team is encouraged to identify public policy decisions at the federal, state and local level where team's outcomes intersect with, and can be impacted positively or negatively by, those that others have been authorized to act on for the Club.
Limit of Authority: Reach out and consult with those who are authorized to take positions and/or comment for the Sierra Club in these arenas.
4) Strategic Thinking
Provide strategic thinking for team's issue, develop projects, and seek funding or other support from the Activist Network Support Team for strategically prioritized work.
Limit of Authority: Resources may not be available for all work prioritized by team.
5) Legal Actions
Initiate new matter forms for approval of legal action relative to team's outcomes.
Limit of Authority: Legal actions pertaining to a specific site within the boundaries of a single chapter must be coordinated with the relevant chapter.
6) Other Organizations
Connect with the leadership of other national organizations similarly working to achieve the team's stated outcomes, and represent Sierra Club's existing policies and positions in meetings and forums with other organizations.
Limit of Authority: Team does not have authority to prepare, or sign-onto, joint materials with other organizations, such as reports, web sites, media ads, press statements, etc. unless the team has consulted in advance with the Coordinating Pair and joint work with another organization has been specifically approved as a project.
7) Media
Team members are authorized to act as Sierra Club spokespersons regarding the team's charge and work. Teams are authorized to develop media plans, within limitations:
Limit of Authority: The Club's national media staff are responsible for implementing media strategies and messaging nationwide. Team must consult and coordinate with national media staff regarding contact with national media, and with chapters regarding local media. Teams are expected to work with local activists as spokespersons in local media.
Part 2: Marine Team Work Plan
A. Context and Scope of Work
The scope of our team's work is local, regional, and national, and extends from the ocean landward to coastal and inland areas that affect the marine environment. It includes collaboration with the International Team on international issues. For example, our work on coral reef issues has included the BrowardCounty (Florida) Group as well as the Florida, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico Chapters.
At the national level, we have participated in meetings of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force and have submitted public comments to the Task Force at each of its meetings since the Task Force's inception in 1999.
We have also worked with the International Committee to raise concerns over threats to coral reefs posed by a large scale project proposed for Guana Cay, in the Bahamas, and on international efforts to protect whales.
Marine wildlife and habitats face unprecedented threats from global warming and ocean acidification. Therefore, the team's work supports, and is supported by, other teams, campaigns, and programs seeking to reduce green house gas emissions.
Our team's work may overlap with the following Action Teams: Agriculture, Army Corps of Engineers Reform, AtlanticCoast, Global Warming and Clean Energy, Gulf
Coast Restoration, Mississippi River, National Parks and Monuments (especially in light of the recent creation of Marine National Monuments in the Pacific), Northeast Regional, Rivers, Water, and Wildlife and Endangered Species. In addition, marine and coastal issues usually require consultation with the affected Sierra Club Groups and Chapters.
B. Past Accomplishments
Participation in Resilient Habitats Conference: Former Marine Wildlife and
Habitat Committee Chair, Jay Miller, represented the Committee at the Resilient Habitats conference held during May, 2008 in Sundance, Utah. Core Team member Allen McReynolds also participated in that conference. Our Action Team intends to build upon that participation to assure that the Club’s Resilient Habitats focus includes marine and coastal areas and species.
Addressing Overfishing of Marine Fish Species:
For many years, including 2008, the Marine Wildlife and Habitat Committee has had a representative serving on the Advisory Board of the Marine Fish Conservation Network (MFCN), and has participated in the MFCN's lobbying efforts for addressing overfishing of marine fish species. Those efforts have focused in particular on effective implementation of the provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. We intend to include this
participation as an Action Team.
Supporting Marine Protected Areas:
During the past few years, the Committee has reviewed and commented on management plans for various national marine sanctuaries off the coasts of California and the
PapahanaumokuakeaMarineNational Monument in theNorthwestern Hawaiian Islands.
Coral Reef Conservation and Restoration: Accomplishments by theCoral Reef Working Group in 2008 include the following:
Participated in and provided public comments to, the U.S.Coral Reef Task Force at its February meeting inWashington, D.C. and its August meeting in Kona,Hawaii. Our comments included urging the Task Force toaddress the causes of global warming, and oceanacidification, rather than limiting itself to addressing theirimpacts. We also supported efforts by Southeast FloridaSierra Club Groups and local NGOs to phase out oceanoutfalls in Southeast Florida. Participated in monthlyconference calls and other activities as active members ofthe U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Education and Outreach
Working Group, with focus on supporting 2008 International Year of the Reef activities.
Participated in the October 16 Honolulu workshop held togather public input regarding potential marine protectedareas in the Central and Western Pacific. We submittedwritten comments in support of designation of such marineprotected areas, with specific recommendations forassuring the strongest possible protections for such areas.In January, 2009 President Bush established MarineNational Monuments in the Central and WesternPacific totaling 195,280 square miles in area.
C. Work Plan
The Marine Wildlife & Habitat Team will:
Resource Development
We need to replace the existing Marine Committee materials (dated 2002) on the Sierra Club homepage site with an updated version reflecting the current agenda and composition of this Action Team.
We will make use of the social networking tools under development by the Activist Network, as a means for recruiting members, and for coordinating issues which overlap Action Teams. In particular, we will sponsor Groups to encourage communication and coordination among all Action Teams on issues which overlap more than one Team. Possible examples of the latter are Whales, Marine Mammals, Sonar, Offshore Aquaculture, Coral Reefs, and Polluted Runoff.
One of our Core Team members is also an editor of a Group newsletter. We will seek to develop articles and other materials for use by Group and Chapter newsletter editors to
educate Sierra Club members about marine issues. Attached is such an article by Dave Raney, published in the Hawaii Chapter, and graphic art he produced to accompany the
article. The article points out that addressing global warming will help save coral reefs as well as polar bears.
Recruitment
Recruitadditional members to expand the breadthand depth of the Team. In 2008 The MarineWildlife and Habitat Committee lost its Chair andVice-Chair due to resignations, and another keymember died. Much of the focus of the Team in2009 must be on re-filling its ranks to effectivelyaddress the variety of marine issues the SierraClub has engaged in for decades, and respond toemerging new issues such as climate change.Such recruitment will be necessary in order tocarry out the specific tasks needed to accomplishthe goals and objectives listed below.
Support Sierra Club Campaigns and Programs,including:
Curbing Carbon and Clean EnergySolutions campaigns
Marine and coastal elements of theResilient Habitat campaign
Support Conservation Goals related to theabove, including specifically:
Work to secure OCS protection
Conduct Coral Reef Conservation Activities:
Continue active participation with U.S. Coral Reef Task Force and its Education and Outreach Working Group, including outreach efforts to keydecision makers in the Obama Administration and Congress to recognizeand support the efforts of the Task Force to halt and reverse the decline inhealth of coral reef ecosystems, and the overriding need to reducegreenhouse gas emissions causing global warming and oceanacidification. This will include lobbying in support of H.R. 860, to providefunding, and an expanded mandate, for the federal Coral ReefConservation Program, local action strategies and projects.
Participate in, and submit public commentsat, the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force meeting
inWashington, DC, February, 2009 (done) and October, 2009 in Puerto Rico.We will also encourage participation in thelatter meeting by the Puerto Rico Chapter.
Conduct Marine Fish Conservation Activities:
Continue participation with, andrepresentation on the Advisory Board of theMarine Fish Conservation Network, tolobby for effective implementation of theMagnuson-Stevens Act and otherinitiatives for addressing overfishing.
Develop a Club policy regarding open oceanaquaculture projects, many of whichcurrently have negative impacts onmarine species in the wild, and oncoastal habitats.
Conduct Regional Marine and CoastalConservation Activities:
Participate in the Gulf Restoration Networkannual meeting and conference.
Address coastal issues having marineimpacts, including proposals for beach"nourishment" projects in response toerosion from rising sea level and othercauses.
Work with other Teams, and with Chaptersand Groups, to develop Club positions on
marine impacts, and options, related to siting of renewable energy projects incoastal waters.
Support proposed legislation for expandingthe Coastal Zone Management Act torequire states to incorporate measuresdealing with impacts of sea level rise and other climate change effects on marineand coastal areas. Evaluate suchlegislation proposed by the CoastalStates Organization.
Conduct Marine Mammal Protection Activities:
Engage in actions to support protection ofmarine mammals, including whalesand Hawaiian Monk Seals.
Address Marine and Coastal Water QualityIssues:
Address water quality issues, including inparticular those with adverse impacts on
coral reefs of Florida, Hawai'i, and Puerto Rico.
Support Expansion and Effective Implementationof Marine Protected Areas:
Review and submit comments on researchplans for the PapahanaumokuakeaMarineNational Monument in theNorthwestern Hawaiian Islands.
Support development of the Islands in theStream initiative for the Gulf of Mexico.
D. Tasks/opportunities for new volunteers:
Tasks/opportunities for new volunteers:
Present and future generations face unprecedented challenges to the global ecosystem, and unprecedented opportunities to fashion a new global ethic that phases out dependency on fossil fuels and addresses climate change threats to species and habitats. We need, in particular, to recruit and empower young volunteers, including members of the Sierra Students Coalition. New volunteers can help expand the network of support for action alerts, liaisons with Groups and Chapters, and serve as a pool from which future leaders can be developed. Among other things, such volunteers can attend public meetings, speak out, and write letters to newspaper editors on marine issues.
Tasks/opportunities for experienced volunteers:
We seek experienced volunteers to help review and respond to environmental impact statements, agency management plans, and other solicitations of public input on proposed projects. This includes drafting comments for review, approval, and submission on behalf of the Sierra Club, and representing the Club at public hearings as appropriate. We
especially seek volunteers with experience and expertise related to marine mammal protection, marine protected areas, marine and coastal water quality, fisheries management, coastal erosion issues, and aquaculture.
Tasks/opportunities for leaders:
We need leaders with sufficient experience with Club policies and operations to guide the work of the Team and to work with other Club leaders to resolve potential policy conflicts that might arise at the Group, Chapter, or national level. For example, clean energy initiatives will include proposed projects for siting wind turbines, wave energy
generators, ocean thermal conversion facilities, and other alternative energy facilities in coastal and marine waters. Such projects likely will have potentially adverse environmental impacts on marine species and habitats, depending upon how and where they are sited, constructed, and operated. We need capacities within the Club for dealing with such issues.
E. Team Leader Responsibility and Accountability
Team members share all these responsibilities, but the team leader is ultimately accountable to the Activist Network Coordinating Pair for the following:
- Attract a core team of 5-7 activists willing to carry out the full range of responsibilities of the team.
- Set expectations for fellow team members and replace team members who are disruptive or not contributing.
- Maintain a collegial working relationship both within the team and with other Club entities.
- Meet deadlines and expectations of the Activist Network leadership (ANST and coordinating pair) and regularly communicate with Activist Network leadership.
- If grant money is received for a project, make sure that someone on the team has responsibility for carrying out the project, reporting on the results and fully accounting for all funds.
- Grow the activity of your team as measured by the number of activists you interact with.
- Provide opportunities for involvement by activists who want to get involved.
- Take primary responsibility for making sure that all issue team actions are in full compliance with all Club policies.
- Take primary responsibility for consulting with other Club entities when a proposed action of your team has other stakeholders who need to be involved.
- Measure team activity and accomplishments so that it can reported back to the coordinating pair.
- Develop a succession plan so that another team leader is ready to take over whenever you step down.
- Bring problems to the attention of the ANST in a timely manner so they can be addressed.
- Attract team members who will take responsibility for internal and external communications to engage as many activists as possible.
- If there are any proposed actions or activities that pose a high degree of risk (financial, legal, media, reputation) flag them in advance for the coordinating pair.
Appendix: Team Member credentials