December 2013

2014 NC Coastal Policy Fellows Selected

Contact:
Lisa Schiavinato, 919/515-1895, lcschiav@ncsu.edu

Posted Dec. 20, 2013

Michael Goralnik and Kimberly Hernandez have been selected as 2014 Coastal Policy Fellows. Supported by North Carolina Sea Grant and the N.C. Coastal Resources Law, Planning and Policy Center, the fellowship is designed to foster research on a coastal policy issue within the state’s 20 coastal counties during an academic semester in 2014.

“North Carolina Sea Grant and the Center are proud to fund timely research on issues important to our coastal communities. We look forward to working with the fellows over the next year on their projects,” says Lisa Schiavinato, co-director of the Center and Sea Grant law, policy and community development specialist. “Engaging communities during the research phase and then communicating the results are equally important. We will work closely with the fellows on outreach to coastal communities about how the research results will benefit them.”

Goralnik is working toward a master’s of landscape architecture at North Carolina State University and a master’s of city and regional planning at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He will identify and evaluate federal, state and local policies that determine coastal design. His project will describe the ways that designers can contribute to making the North Carolina coast more resilient. He will highlight how coastal policy promotes — or hinders — adaptation to, mitigation of and recovery from disaster events.

“Mikey’s fellowship is an important step to implementing new, interdisciplinary disaster planning and design coursework at the NC State College of Design,” says Andrew Fox, Goralnik’s academic advisor and College of Design faculty member. “I believe this exciting fellowship is another step toward achieving greater coastal resiliency and sustainable disaster preparedness and response policies within our region.”

A native of St. Louis, Goralnik earned his bachelor’s degree in American studies from Tufts University in Boston. He has worked as an outdoor educator and naturalist in Wisconsin and California, and as a farm apprentice in Hawaii. With researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he analyzed the role of state policy in facilitating resiliency to natural disasters and sea-level rise for North Carolina and Vermont, and quantified the impact of federal legislation on disaster planning nationwide.

Hernandez, who is pursuing her master’s degree in coastal environmental management at Duke University, will study how North Carolina can protect both beaches and the federally threatened loggerhead sea turtle in the face of rising sea levels. She will analyze how beach protection efforts may influence sea turtle nesting, and how North Carolina can preserve both the loggerhead sea turtle population and its beaches. She works with Andy Read, a marine biologist at Duke University Marine Lab who studies protected marine species.

Hernandez, who hails from Hutchinson, Kan., holds an undergraduate degree in environmental and international studies from the University of Kansas. She cites childhood beach visits and learning how to dive as events that solidified her commitment to the marine environment.

Sierra Schelegle, the 2013 recipient, will write an article about the work she conducted for this fellowship in a future issue of Coastwatch, Sea Grant’s magazine.


October 2013

Shape of the Coast Set for February

Contact:
Lisa Schiavinato, 919/515-1895, lcschiav@ncsu.edu

Posted Oct. 16, 2013

The 2014 Shape of the Coast program is scheduled for 8 a.m. to noon on Feb. 14 at the William and Ida Friday Center for Continuing Education in Chapel Hill. This event is part of the University of North Carolina School of Law’s Festival of Learning.

The coastal session is co-sponsored by the N.C. Coastal Resources Law, Planning and Policy Center; North Carolina Sea Grant; and the University of North Carolina School of Law.

“The Shape of the Coast program will provide a forum for discussion of marine policy and ocean and coastal legal issues that will be of interest to legal practitioners, policy makers, and anyone else who cares about our coast,” says Lisa Schiavinato, Sea Grant coastal law, policy and community development specialist and co-director of the Center. “The diverse topics will highlight the emerging coastal issues for North Carolina and lead to an increased understanding of the coast’s legal and resource management issues.”

The speakers are as follows:

Attorneys may earn four hours of Continuing Legal Education credit for attendance at the program. Professionals from other fields and members of the public are invited and encouraged to be present.

Additional information will be available at www.law.unc.edu/cle later this winter.

Offshore Energy Meeting Postponed to Spring 2014

Contact:
Lisa Schiavinato, 919/515-1895, lcschiav@ncsu.edu

Posted Oct. 8, 2013

Due to the federal government shutdown, the Offshore Energy in the Southeast conference has been postponed.

The planning committee hopes to reschedule the conference for spring 2014. New conference dates will be announced in the near future. See www.nccoastallaw.org/offshore_energy.html for updates.

If you would like to be added to the email distribution list, please contact Lisa Schiavinato at lcschiav@ncsu.edu.

The conference planning committee apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause and regrets that it must postpone the event. We look forward to seeing you in the spring to discuss these important issues.


September 2013

Coastal Center Seeking Two Policy Fellows

Contact:
Lisa Schiavinato, 919/515-1895, lcschiav@ncsu.edu

Posted Sept. 24, 2013

North Carolina Sea Grant and the N.C. Coastal Resources Law, Planning and Policy Center are accepting applications for a fellowship opportunity for two North Carolina-based graduate students.

The fellowship is designed to foster research on a coastal policy issue within the state’s 20 coastal counties. The work should relate to one of the following broad focus areas: healthy coastal ecosystems, sustainable coastal development, safe and sustainable seafood supply, hazard resilience in coastal communities, and environmental literacy and career initiation.

Refer to Sea Grant’s 2014-2017 Strategic Plan at www.ncseagrant.org/s/strat2014-17 for more information on these topic areas.

Each successful candidate will receive a grant of $5,000 for one academic semester in 2014, to be channeled through the fellow’s major professor, who must agree to serve as principal investigator on the project. Only graduate students and law students in good academic standing, attending an accredited North Carolina university or college, are eligible to apply.

Application materials must be received by 4 p.m. on Oct. 25, 2013. Selected individuals will be notified by Nov. 26, 2013. Go to www.ncseagrant.org/s/policy-2014 for details.

Contact Lisa Schiavinato at lcschiav@ncsu.edu with questions.

The Center is a partnership of North Carolina Sea Grant, the University of North Carolina School of Law and UNC Department of City and Regional Planning.


August 2013

Offshore Energy Meeting Set for Wilmington

Contact:
Lisa Schiavinato, 919/515-1895, lcschiav@ncsu.edu

Posted Aug. 30, 2013

Wind, oil and gas, methane hydrates — offshore energy is a hot topic in the Southeast.

In response, the N.C. Coastal Resources Law, Planning and Policy Center; the Center for Law, Environment, Adaptation and Resources; and the University of North Carolina Wilmington are hosting the Offshore Energy in the Southeast Conference. The event is set for Oct. 17 and 18 at UNCW’s Burney Center.

Join developers, attorneys, state and local officials, consultants, engineers, scientists, and interested citizens to discuss offshore wind leases, natural gas reserves, energy markets and emerging technologies.

Experts will explore the potential for renewable and fossil fuel energy development in state coastal waters and beyond, as well as how related changes would affect local economies and the environment.

In addition, attendees will learn about the infrastructure that will be needed to accommodate offshore development, the economic impacts to communities, and environmental and safety issues.

Presentations will cover the most recent legislation and case law, and other legal and policy issues that will affect coastal communities and property owners. North Carolina continuing legal education credits may be available.

Registration will open in mid-September. For more information, go to www.nccoastallaw.org/offshore_energy.html, or contact Lisa Schiavinato at lcschiav@ncsu.edu or 919/515-1895.


January 2013

Registration Available for Shape of the Coast, Feb. 8

Contact:
Lisa Schiavinato, 919/515-1895, lcschiav@ncsu.edu

Members of the public are invited to attend the 2013 Shape of the Coast, set for 8 a.m. to noon on Feb. 8 at the William and Ida Friday Center for Continuing Education in Chapel Hill. This event is part of the University of North Carolina School of Law’s Festival of Legal Learning.

The coastal session is co-sponsored by North Carolina Sea Grant; the N.C. Coastal Resources Law, Planning and Policy Center; and the University of North Carolina School of Law. For details, go to www.law.unc.edu/cle/coastal.

Non-attorneys can register online for the Shape of the Coast at www.law.unc.edu/cle/festival. There is a $100 fee to attend. Lunch will be provided for an additional $20. Students can attend free.

There is one change in the program. Mike Lopazanski, N.C. Division of Coastal Management’s policy and planning section manager, will replace Director Braxton Davis as a speaker.

Go here for an earlier news release about the program.