Regional Implementation Team Chairs
What are Regional Implementation Teams?

Northeast

William Hubbard
Chief, Environmental Resources Branch
US Army Corps of Engineers
696 Virginia Road
Concord, MA 01742-2751
Phone: 978-318-8552
Fax: 978-318-8560
Email: william.a.hubbard@usace.army.mil

Mid-Atlantic

Mario DelVicario
U.S. EPA Region 2
290 Broadway
New York, NY 10007
Phone: 212-637-3779
Fax: 212-765-7210
Email: delvicario.mario@epa.gov

John S. Wright
US Corps of Engineers, CENAD-ET-P
Fort Hamilton Military Community
301 General Lee Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11252
Phone: 718-765-7062
Fax: 718-765-7210
Email: john.s.wright@usace.army.mil

Southeast

Wesley "Bo" Crum
US EPA Region 4
61 Forsyth Street
Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: 404-562-9352
Fax: 404-562-9343
Email: crum.bo@epa.gov

Jennifer Derby
US EPA Region 4
61 Forsyth Street
Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: 404-562-9401
Fax: 404-562-9343
Email: derby.jennifer@epa.gov

Gulf of Mexico

Bryon Griffith
Director, Gulf of Mexico Program
Environmental Protection Agency
Building 1103, Room 202
Stennis Space Center, MS 39529-6000
Phone: 228-688-1172
Fax: 228-688-2709
Email: Griffith.bryon@epa.gov

Robert Bosenberg
Us Army Corps of Engineers
CEMYN-PM
PO Box 60267
New Orleans, LA 70160
Phone: 504-862-2522
Fax: 504-862-1892
Email: Robert.h.bosenberg@usace.army.mil

Southwest

Daniel Pingaro
US EPA
75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
Phone: 415-947-4275
Email: pingaro.daniel@epa.gov

Patrick Rutten
NOAA Restoration Center
777 Sonoma Ave.  Rm. 325
Santa Rosa, CA  95404
Phone: 707-575-6059
Fax: 707-578-3435
Email: Patrick.rutten@noaa.gov

Northwest

Mark A. Brown
Willamette River Navigator
c/o Willamette Restoration Initiative
1717 Fabry Road SE
Salem, OR 97306
Phone: 503-375-5686
Email: Mark_brown@or.blm.gov
NOAA Restoration Center

Megan Callahan-Grant
1201 NE Lloyd Blvd., Suite 1100
Portland, OR 97232
Phone: 503-231-2213
Fax: 503-231-2339
Email: Megan.Callahan-Grant@noaa.gov

Alaska

Jon Kurland
NOAA Fisheries
PO Box 21668
Juneau, Ak 99802
Phone: 907-586-7638
Fax: 907-586-7358
Email: Jon.kurland@noaa.gov

Doug Mutter
Regional Environmental Assistant
S. Department of the Interior
Office of Environmental Policy & Compliance
1689 C Street, Room 119
Anchorage, Alaska 99501
Phone: 907-271-5011
Fax: 907-271-4102
Email: Douglas_mutter@ios.doi.gov

Upper Mississippi Focus Area

John Perrecone
US EPA, Region 5
77 West Jackson Boulevard
Chicago, IL 60604
Phone:
Fax:
Email: Perrcone.John@epa.gov

Pacific Island

Kelvin Char
NOAA Fisheries
1601 Kapiolani Blvd.
Honolulu, Hawaii  96814
Phone: 808-944-2213
FAX: 808-973-2941
EMail:kelvin.char@noaa.gov

What are Regional Implementation Teams?

The Regional Implementation Teams are composed of senior representatives selected by their partnership agencies to represent them and to collaboratively develop local, watershed-focused proposals which could be enhanced through the Coastal America partnership. This collaborative planning process seeks to incorporate environmental objectives into regional economic development plans. The process of exchanging information on agency plans encourages the early identification of collaborative opportunities to restore the environment while moving forward with vital economic development. The RIT's provide a forum for interagency consultation and action. The RIT members examine their own agencies' programs and authorities looking for areas of overlap with those of the other partnership agencies to determine the potential for implementing joint projects that address coastal problems in a more effective manner. The RITs also develop regional action strategies designed to define major issues, special focus areas, goals, and objectives within each region and specify the processes whereby joint projects are identified and implemented. Within the framework of each regional strategy, site-specific coastal projects addressing habitat loss, non-point source pollution, contaminated sediment management, and/or those considered unique to the region, are identified and planned. Finally, each RIT establishes priorities for project implementation from the suite of proposed collaborative projects. Originally, there were seven Coastal America regions - Northeast, Southeast, Gulf of Mexico, Southwest, Northwest, Alaska and the Great Lakes. At the direction of the Principals Group however, two additional regions, a Mid-Atlantic and a Pacific Islands, were formed in 1994. These new regions cover a geographic area that more closely parallels the areas of responsibilities of the partnership agencies, and encourages a stronger geographic focus.

The Principals have recently challenged the RITs to incorporate the principles of sustainable development and ecosystem management into their regional strategies. The RITs are also expected to develop a structured mechanism for sharing information on agency programs and priorities among the rest of the partners, and to encourage public, state, and nongovernmental organization involvement in Coastal America projects such that these projects harmonize with state and local objectives. Within the project prioritization process, each RIT gives priority to projects that, (1) are action oriented, with a focus upon national coastal issues, (2) are multi-agency, including at least three federal partners and one non-federal participant, and (3) include an education/outreach and monitoring component. In addition, matching funding of 25 percent of project costs by the non-federal participants is strongly encouraged.