US HAB-CTI - a national program to accelerate the development and application of HAB control technologies

State and federal agencies along with stakeholder partners are actively engaged in addressing the factors that cause Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). However, those prevention efforts may take decades before intended outcomes are achieved. We need strategies to control HABs immediately when they form, to reduce health and socio-economic impacts. The United States Harmful Algal Bloom Control Technology Incubator (US HAB-CTI) is a partnership between National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science - Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology and the Mote Marine Laboratory, to streamline the vetting process of novel HAB control ideas. The US HAB-CTI is a source of funding, research equipment, and regulatory guidance to accelerate the development and application of control technologies. The incubator funds small, short term projects of freshwater and marine HAB control technologies still in the initial stages of research. This allows more control tools to be tested for their potential to be 1. effective, 2. scalable, 3. feasible, and 4. cost-efficient. Additionally, US HAB-CTI is developing a clearinghouse website to provide guidance to end users and stakeholders on navigating the relevant licensing and permitting processes, and environmental compliance requirements that apply to both potential and existing technologies.

Primary Presenter: Taylor Armstrong, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Sciences (tarmstrong@umces.edu)

Authors:

Allen Place, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Sciences - Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology  (place@umces.edu)

Kevin Claridge, Mote Marine Laboratory  (kclaridge@mote.org)

Felix Martinez, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration  (felix.martinez@noaa.gov)