The Maritime Administration today announced the extension of the open season for Marine Highway Project Designation submissions through Sept. 30, 2025. During open season, interested parties are invited to submit applications proposing to operate or expand service on Designated Marine Highway Routes to the Department of Transportation for review and consideration, mitigate landside congestion, or promote marine highway [...]
Archive | July, 2022
Gulf of Mexico Renewable Energy Task Force to Hold Public Meeting
The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s Gulf of Mexico Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force will hold a virtual public meeting on Thursday, July 28. Agenda items include an overview and feedback on proposed Wind Energy Areas in the Gulf of Mexico and the related draft Environmental Assessment, as well as a public comment opportunity. The Task Force [...]
State Dept. Announces Public Meeting Ahead of UN BBNJ Session
The U.S. State Dept. today announced that it will hold a virtual information session on Tuesday, July 26 regarding the upcoming 5th session of the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Conference on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ), to be held in New York on Aug. 15-26. The Conference was established to develop text [...]
Coast Guard Announces Recertification of Cook Inlet Advisory Council
The Coast Guard today announced its decision to recertify the Cook Inlet Regional Citizen’s Advisory Council through Aug. 31, 2023. The Advisory Council monitors the activities of terminal facilities and crude oil tankers pursuant to the Oil Pollution Act of 1990.
NMFS Finds Critical Habitat Expansion May be Warranted for NPRW
NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service today announced that it is seeking comments by Monday, Sept. 12 on its 90-day finding that a revised critical habitat designation for the North Pacific right whale may be warranted. The finding was made in response to a petition filed by the Center for Biological Diversity and Save the North Pacific Right Whale seeking to connect [...]
Pacific Fishery Mgmt. Council Marine Planning Cmte. to Hold Meeting
NOAA today announced ~$3 billion in funding opportunities over the next 5 years from the infrastructure law to address coastal and climate resilience. Funding will support initiatives on Climate Ready Coasts ($1.467B), Climate Data and Services ($904M), and Fisheries and Protected Resources ($592M). Commerce Sec. Gina Raimondo said that funding will be used to “support transformational projects that will [...]
Coast Guard Seeks Comments on Information Collection Extensions
The Coast Guard today announced that it is seeking comments by Friday, Sept. 9 on its intention to seek approval to extend an information collection related to safety onboard offshore supply vessels. The information collection involves an estimated 718 annual burden hours by vessel owners and operators. The Coast Guard today also announced that it is seeking comments by Friday, Sept. [...]
BOEM Issues Proposed Offshore O&G Leasing Program
The Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management today announced that it is seeking comments by Thursday, Oct. 6 on its 2023-2028 National Outer Continental Shelf Oil & Gas Proposed Program and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (see here and here). The Proposed Program’s lease sale schedule includes 10 potential lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico and 1 potential lease sale [...]
NMFS Seeks Comments on IUU Fishing-related Regulation
NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service today announced that it is seeking comments by Tuesday, Sept. 6 on its proposed rule to implement provisions of the Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing Enforcement Act of 2015 and the Ensuring Access to Pacific Fisheries Act, and to amend the definition of IUU fishing in the regulations that implement the High [...]
NOPC Participates in UN’s 2nd Ocean Conference
NOPC recently participated in the 2022 UN Ocean Conference, including through formal remarks highlighting the importance of unleashing the Blue Economy to improve livelihoods and societal well-being (see here beginning at 2:23:35). Themes addressed by conference attendees included the importance of public-private partnerships, private sector action, innovative financing and funding for developing nations, good data, technology and innovation, [...]
