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  5. Announcement Of The Mobile Bay Ship Channel Working Group

Announcement Of The Mobile Bay Ship Channel Working Group

by Dr. Sean Powers, Director of The Stokes School of Marine & Environmental Sciences at The University of South Alabama 

The Stokes School of Marine & Environmental Sciences at the University of South Alabama is leading an independent study on environmental impacts associated with the federal maintenance dredging program of the Mobile Bay Ship Channel. The study will involve convening a working group of interdisciplinary experts to complete: 1) a rigorous synthesis of all previous research, 2) a gap analysis to identify impacts requiring further study, and 3) actionable mitigation strategies to minimize or offset any identified negative environmental consequences of the dredging disposal. The working group will produce a final report that includes a comprehensive evaluation of short-term impacts, long-term chronic effects on habitat and biodiversity, and a comparative analysis and impact of disposal methods. The working group will consider the economic implications and risks of failing to maintain the authorized depth and width of the ship channel. The below working group represents diverse expertise spanning coastal ecology, oceanography, environmental science, engineering, economics, and sustainability. Additionally, the working group includes local experts from across many sectors of our coastal economy, as well as leading external experts from across the nation.

Working Group Membership 

  • Dr. Charlie Martin (Chair), Associate Professor, USA Stokes School of Marine & Environmental Sciences
  • Dr. Michael Andres, Assistant Professor, University of Southern Mississippi
  • Dr. Alex Beebe, Associate Professor, USA Department of Earth Sciences
  • Dr. Brian Dzwonkowski, Professor, USA Stokes School of Marine & Environmental Sciences
  • Meg Goecker, Vice President and Senior Scientist, Moffatt & Nichol
  • Dr. Amy Hunter, ADCNR Deepwater Horizon Division
  • Steve Jones, Geologist and Director Coastal Resources Program, Geological Survey of Alabama
  • Dr. Kailin Kroetz, Assistant Professor, School of Sustainability, Arizona State University
  • Dr. John Lehrter, Professor, USA Stokes School of Marine & Environmental Sciences
  • Justin McDonald, Vice President, Water Resources, Coastal Resilience, Navigation, & Ports, Thompson Engineering
  • Dr. Jennifer Pollack, Endowed Chair & Professor, Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
  • Dr. Bret Webb, Vice President and Coastal Engineering Practice Leader, GMC

Project Leadership

Dr. Steven Scyphers, Chief Sustainability Officer and Professor, USA Stokes School of Marine & Environmental Sciences

Project Support

Dr. Elly Gay, Postdoctoral Fellow, USA Stokes School of Marine & Environmental Sciences