Archive | April, 2021

BOEM Seeks Comments on Notice of Intent for Atlantic Wind EIS

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management today announced that it is seeking comments by Tuesday, June 1 on its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement on the construction and operations plan submitted by Revolution Wind, LLC for a wind energy facility off Rhode Island, with export cables connecting to the onshore electric grid in North Kingstown, RI.  In [...]

DOI Announces New Staff

The Interior Department today announced the appointment of new leadership staff, including Lawrence (Larry) Roberts to serve as Chief of Staff, Steve Feldgus to serve as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management, Dr. Eric Werwa to serve as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget, and Mackenzie Landa to serve as Advisor to the Deputy Secretary. Roberts has been a Professor [...]

Capitol Hill Ocean Week Registration Now Open

Registration is now open for Capitol Hill Ocean Week, which will take place virtually June 8-10, with a theme focused on building a more racially equitable and just movement for the ocean and Great Lakes. The agenda includes sessions on areas including strengthening justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in policy making, science, and management; the use of data collection to [...]

BOEM Seeks Comments on Environmental Studies/Assessment Survey

The Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management on today announced that it is seeking comments by Monday, June 28 on its proposal to conduct online ~20-minute surveys and ~60-minute interviews to evaluate connections between BOEM’s Environmental Studies Program and the agency’s environmental reviews.  The information collection involves an estimated 70 annual interview responses and up to 880 [...]

Comment Period Extended on Louisiana Restoration Plan

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service today announced that it is extending the comment period through Thursday, June 3 on the Draft Phase II Restoration Plan: # 3.2: Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion, which was prepared by federal natural resource trustee agencies for the Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group. The proposal includes ~$2 billion to reconnect the Mississippi River to Louisiana’s Barataria Basin.

NMFS Seeks Comments on Proposed Wind-related MMPA Authorizations

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service today announced that it is seeking comments by Thursday, May 27 on its proposed authorization and potential 1-year renewal for Garden State Offshore Energy, LLC to take 16 marine mammal species by Level B harassment incidental to high-resolution geophysical site characterization surveys off Delaware and New Jersey and in coastal waters where an export [...]

NOAA Science Advisory Board to Hold Public Meeting

NOAA today announced that its Science Advisory Board will hold a public webinar meeting on Tuesday, July 20 and Thursday, July 22. The July meeting will include NOAA and Tsunami Science & Technology Advisory Panel updates, review of the Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research review report, SAB priorities for the Weather Research Study update, NOAA’s response to the [...]

White House Convenes Virtual Summit on Climate

The White House today convened the Leaders Summit on Climate, which featured 40 leaders from around the world and new commitments from the United States and other nations on climate. During the Summit, Interior Sec. Deb Haaland announced U.S. support for a proposal to protect the Southern Ocean that would involve three marine protected areas proposed by [...]

NEFMC Meeting to Address Offshore Wind, Aquaculture

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service today announced that the New England Fishery Management Council’s Habitat Joint Committee and Advisory Panel will hold a public webinar on Monday, May 10.  The meeting will include discussion of regional offshore wind updates, including science planning and surveys, Council energy policies, and open public comment opportunities, as well as discussion of offshore aquaculture projects [...]

Comments Sought on 5-Year Review for Southern Resident Killer Whale

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service today announced that it is seeking comments by Monday, June 21 on the agency’s initiation of a 5-year review for the endangered Southern Resident killer whale. The review will assess the best scientific and commercial data available to determine whether the species should be delisted or reclassified.