oceanpolicy.com

The Environmental Protection Agency today announced the availability of $60 million over 5 years through the infrastructure law to fund nutrient reduction efforts by the Mississippi River/Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force member states through the Gulf Hypoxia Program.  EPA Asst. Admin. for Water Radhika Fox was joined by Iowa Sec. of Agriculture Mike Naig in making the [...]

NOAA today announced that it is seeking proposals by Friday, Sept. 30 from non-federal entities interested in partnering with the National Ocean Service’s ocean and coastal mapping programs on jointly funded projects of mutual interest.  Under the Brennan Matching Fund program, which is subject to funding availability, NOAA would receive and match partner funds (up to 70% [...]

NOAA today announced the results of its latest Marine Economy Satellite Account, saying that the U.S. marine economy generated ~$361 billion in economic value in 2020, or $23 billion less than in 2019. The Account analyzed the following 10 sectors with businesses dependent on the marine economy, finding the businesses accounted for in the report achieved $610B in [...]

In connection with the 9th Summit of the Americas held in Los Angeles, CA, the United States and Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, and Peru today signed a Joint Declaration on “Americas for the Protection of the Ocean.” Among other things, the Declaration cites the need to achieve “effective global ocean protection and conservation,” including protecting or conserving at least 30% of the [...]

Interior Sec. Deb Haaland today issued a Secretarial Order aimed at phasing out the Interior Department’s procurement, sale, and distribution of single-use plastic products by 2032. Haaland said that the Order “will ensure that the Department’s sustainability plans include bold action on phasing out single-use plastic products as we seek to protect our natural environment and [...]

NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries today announced the addition of the proposed Alaĝum Kanuux̂ National Marine Sanctuary in the Bering Sea to the inventory of possible sites for national marine sanctuary designation (~52,910 sq. miles). In the event that NOAA moves forward with this nomination, a proposed designation would take place through an official public process.

NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries today announced that it is seeking comments by Monday, Aug. 8 on its intention to conduct scoping and prepare a draft Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed Hudson Canyon National Marine Sanctuary. The proposed Sanctuary, which has been in the national sanctuary inventory since 2017, would cover ~2,900 square miles in an [...]

The U.S. State Dept. today announced the release of a Joint Statement on the limited resumption of Arctic Council cooperation. Following a pause in Arctic Council participation announced in early March by the United States, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden, the statement said that modalities were examined to allow a resumption in the Council’s work and [...]

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy today announced the National Science and Technology Council’s Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology’s (“SOST”) release of an Environmental Justice (EJ) Position Statement that it says will guide activities and investments in ocean science and technology.  OSTP called it “only a first step” in addressing EJ in coastal and marine [...]

The U.S. State Department today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Panama in support of the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor. Announced by the Presidents of Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Panama during COP26 last year, CMAR is an effort to link ~500,000 sq. km. of existing marine protected [...]