PROGRESS REPORT NARRATIVE TEMPLATE for Section d and

PROGRESS REPORT NARRATIVE TEMPLATE for Section 117(d) and Monitoring Assistance Agreements Recipient Name: Assistance Number: Project Description: Chesapeake Research Consortium, Inc. CB-983386-05 Support for Scientific and Technical Activities Associated with the Chesapeake Bay Program Quarterly June 1, 2005- August 31, 2005 Type: Period Covered: Project Narrative: (documents progress made in achieving the objectives of project work plan(s) approved in application) Provide the following information: 1. Comparison of actual accomplishments with the anticipated outputs/outcomes. For a full discussion of first quarter activities, please see Appendix A. Accomplishments this quarter are on target with the overall workplan for this activity which includes coordination of the Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) and staffing for Chesapeake Bay Program committees, subcommittees, and workgroups. 2. Reasons why anticipated outcomes were exceeded or not met. N/A 3. If applicable, problems encountered during the performance period, which may interfere with meeting program/project objectives. (List N/A if no problem exists.) N/A 4. List proposed remedies if problem(s) exist(s) as indicated in item 3. List N/A if not applicable. N/A 5. Information on the rate of expenditure versus progress on project. The rate of expenditure is consistent with accomplished outputs/outcomes to date. Funds are drawn from the account based on actual expenses. 6. If applicable, information on equipment purchased during the reporting period. List N/A if no equipment purchased during reporting period. N/A 7. Any additional pertinent information, including, when appropriate, analysis and information of cost overruns or high unit costs or unanticipated economics. List N/A if not applicable. N/A Electronic deliverables must be managed and submitted in accordance with the Chesapeake Bay Program=s guidelines and policies for the submission of data, information and documents. (Refer to page 12 (Data/Information & Document Deliverables) of Assistance Agreement Guidance and Attachments 8, 9A, and 9B.) WORK PLAN AND PROGRESS MADE PERFORMANCE RESULTS UNDER ASSISTANCE AGREEMENTS for Section 117(d) and Monitoring Assistance Agreements (This page needs to be submitted with Statement of Work in Application and updated with Progress Report Submittals) Project Officer Name: Nita Sylvester Office: Chesapeake Bay Program Award Number: CB-983386-05 Award Date: 6\01\05 Assistance Agreement Title: Support for Science and Technical Activities Associated with the Chesapeake Bay Program Significant Amendments and Dates: June 1, 2005 – August 31, 2005 (Reporting Period) Recipient Name: Chesapeake Research Consortium, Inc. 1. C2K Goals Supported Chesapeake 2000 Goals: 1.0 – Living Resource Protection and Restoration 2.0 – Vital Habitat Protection and Restoration 3.0 – Water Quality Protection and Restoration 4.0 – Sound Land Use 5.0 – Stewardship and Community Engagement 2. Link to EPA Strategic Plan Goal 4: Healthy Communities and Ecosystems Objective 4.3: Ecosystems Sub-objective 4.3.4: Improve Aquatic Health of the Chesapeake Bay 3. Baseline – Link to Bay Program Indicator (if applicable) Not applicable Work Plan Objective(s) and C2K Goal Budget (Federal vs. State) Stated Outputs (copy directly from Work Plan) Anticipated Outcomes* (copy directly from Work Plan) Objective 1: Support the Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) C2K Sections 1-5 and Goals $416,583 ($326,583 new, $90,000 carried over) The outputs for this objective are completed workshops and expert reviews and submission of quarterly activity/progress reports. The STAC Support the Chesapeake Bay Program’s efforts to identify and prioritize emerging scientific and technical issues Progress (to be completed and submitted to the PO with each semi-annual and final progress report) Continued coordination and support for STAC through activities such as: o STAC Quarterly meeting o Conference call with STAC EB o Planning for 3 website will be maintained and minutes from quarterly meetings will be submitted with progress reports. Objective 2: Provide subcommittee staff support C2K Sections 1-5 and Goals $586,360 ($576,860 new, $9,500 carried over facing the restoration and protection of the Bay. The outputs for this objective are submitted progress reports (Table 2). The Subcommittee Support Staffers will develop and post agendas and minutes of subcommittee meetings and complete individual and group professional development activities. Provide staff support to the Chesapeake Bay Program subcommittees as they work to restore the Chesapeake Bay and meet the goals and commitments contained in the Chesapeake 2000 agreement. STAC workshops STAC website redesign and updates o STAC publications added to CBP library Continued to provide staffing support to CBP groups through activities such as: o Filled 4 staff vacancies o Conducted 1 group professional development activity o Planning for 2 group training activities o 6 individual professional development activities o Continued administrative support to CBP groups – agenda and minute posting, meeting and activity coordination o Issues/Problems N/A Project Officer Comments Attachment A – Description 1st Quarter Activities The STAC quarterly meeting was held June 7th at the Radisson Hotel in Annapolis, Maryland. Topics of discussion included STAC membership, updates on current and completed STAC activities and workshops, and follow-up evaluation of proactive and responsive workshop proposals. The membership previewed the newly redesigned STAC website and had the opportunity to provide feedback to staff. The committee received an update on GAO, IG, and OMB reviews and offered to assist the CBP as investigators require additional expertise from the scientific community. STAC heard one request from the Monitoring and Analysis Subcommittee for refinement of the CBP water-quality assessment methods: CFD and interpolator. In addition, two of the CRC Subcommittee Support Staffers updated the membership on the activities of their subcommittees and workgroups. Minutes from this meeting are available on the STAC website at http://www.chesapeake.org/stac/meetings.html. During the first quarter, the STAC Executive Board held one conference call on August 8th to begin agenda development for the September Quarterly Meeting. STAC continued planning two workshops and began planning one additional workshop during the first quarter. The first workshop, Integrated Watershed and Land Use, will be held in Pennsylvania in fall 2005 as part of a three workshop series that will be conducted in each of the 3 signatory states. A workshop was conducted in Maryland in spring 2005 and there will be third workshop to conclude the series in VA later in the project year. These workshops are targeted to attract participants from the planning, natural resource, and regulatory professions for collaboration on incorporating water quality strategies and regulatory requirements into comprehensive land use planning. The second workshop to continue planning is the Spatial Management II workshop. This workshop was carried over from the previous project cycle due to the resignation of the workshop chair. Since then, the steering committee has regrouped and redirected the workshop to focus on habitat restoration though spatial management techniques to meet the needs of the Living Resources Subcommittee. A small expert meeting will be held in the fall of 2005 with the possibility of a large, follow-up workshop in early 2006 to address this topic. STAC began planning a workshop entitled Assessing Cumulative Costs of Shoreline Modification. The goal of this workshop is to bring economic expertise to bear on developing new tools to assess and predict the cumulative impacts of shoreline management. STAC held one expert meeting during the first quarter. On August 29th, STAC members convened 20 individuals involved in nutrient trading activities to discuss the status of the application of nutrient trading for Chesapeake Bay and to recommend a role, if any, that the scientific community can take in the near future. The purpose of this meeting was to make recommendations to STAC regarding actions it can take to ensure that issues surrounding nutrient trading are well-studied and understood within the Chesapeake Bay community. During the fourth quarter, the STAC website (www.chesapeake.org/stac) redesign was completed. The new website was developed to increase usability, more adequately represent STAC activities and priorities, and to better integrate STAC’s website with the Chesapeake Bay Program’s website. The website will continue to be updated on a weekly basis or as new items become available for posting. In addition to maintaining the STAC website, all STAC publications continue to be submitted for inclusion in the Chesapeake Bay Program publications database. A STAC section of the Bay Program library is also being developed to house reference copies of these publications. Four CRC Subcommittee Support Staffers exited the program during the first quarter. Staffer Meghan Leavey Sara Brandt Simon Brown Renee Thompson Subcommittee Living Resources Subcommittee Modeling Subcommittee Toxics Subcommittee Land Growth and Stewardship Subcommittee Departure Date July 15, 2005 July 22, 2005 July 25, 2005 August 8, 2005 Four CRC Subcommittee Support Staffers entered the program during this quarter. Staffer Brent McCloskey Jennie Niewood James Hart Jason Cook Subcommittee Living Resources Subcommittee Living Resources Subcommittee Modeling Subcommittee Toxics Subcommittee Start Date June 20, 2005 July 13, 2005 July 14, 2005 July 25, 2005 One CRC Subcommittee Support Staff group professional development activity was conducted during the first quarter. On July 27th representatives from EPA Region 3 conducted a seminar on the Clean Water Act and emphasized the differences between a regulatory program and a program based upon cooperation and collaboration. Additional group trainings have been planned for fall 2005 and will focus on Microsoft Excel and Access program techniques and applications. Several individual professional development activities were conducted by CRC Subcommittee Support Staffers during the first quarter and are presented in the following table. Subcommittee Support Professional Development Activity Staffer Sara Berman Presented a paper at US Society for Ecological Economics Meeting Tacoma, WA Global Community Initiatives Workshop – Burlington, VT Date of Activity July 20-23, 2005 August 19-20, 2005 Shelby Laubhan Meghan Leavey Renee Thompson Sarah Weammert Strawtown Eco-Arts Summer Camp – Congers, NY Wetland Law and Policy Course – St. Michael’s, MD Paper co-presenter at Coastal Zone 05 Conference – New Orleans, LA Wetland Law and Policy Course – St. Michael’s, MD July 14-15, 2005 June 2-3, 2005 July 17-21, 2005 June 2-3, 2005 Attachments: June 2005 STAC Quarterly Meeting Agenda June 2005 STAC Quarterly Meeting Minutes