COA Staff Scientist is New Vice-Chair on Barnegat Bay Partnership Committee

At yesterday’s Barnegat Bay Partnership Science and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) meeting, COA’s Dr. Heather Saffert was elected Vice-chair.  Dr. Louise Wooton of Georgian Court University, the former Vice-chair, will now serve as Chair the STAC.  Previously, Mike De Luca, Senior Associate Director of the Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences and Manager of the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve at Rutgers University, was the STAC Chair.  Dr. Stan Hales, the BBP Director, thanked Mr DeLuca for having served as Chair of the STAC since its inception in 2002. 

Clean Ocean Action’s participation in the Barnegat Bay Partnership has grown during the past few years.  COA has participated in BBP conferences and outreach programs for the past several years.   Heather was elected to the STAC for the last two years and participated in Advisory Committee meetings.  The STAC provides the BBP and collaborating entities with objective, expert advice and peer review for overall scientific and technical matters related to the BBP’s activities and goals.  As Vice-Chair, Heather will also serve as a member on the Advisory Committee, which oversees BPP’s restoration, protection and education activities throughout the watershed.

The BBP is one of 28 National Estuary Programs which is funded by Section 320 of the Clean Water Act.  The NEP works collaboratively through community partners to protect and restore estuaries of national significance.