oceanpolicy.com

The Ocean Policy Committee today released a 2022-2023 Action Plan to guide its actions through the end of next year. The Action Plan includes a series of actions, including the following: Development of National Strategy for a Sustainable Ocean Economy (formal notice for public input planned for Summer 2022); Development of Ocean-Climate Action Plan that includes assessment [...]

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 [...]

NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research today announced the establishment of the Ocean Research Advisory Panel and the nomination of individuals interested in serving on the Panel by Monday, Aug. 15. Authorized by the National Defense Authorization Act, the Panel will include 10-18 members and advise the Ocean Policy Committee on policies and procedures to implement the National Oceanographic [...]

President Biden today issued a National Security Memorandum on Combatting Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing and Associated Labor Abuses, referring to IUU fishing as “among the greatest threats to ocean health,” a “significant cause[] of global overfishing,” and a threat to U.S. economic competitiveness, national security, fishery sustainability, livelihoods and human rights, and the environment. [...]

The Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management today announced that it is seeking comments by Monday, Aug. 8 on a draft Environmental Impact Statement for the construction and operations plan submitted by Ocean Wind, LLC for its proposed wind project offshore New Jersey. The proposed action is approval of the application to construct, operate, and maintain the wind energy [...]

NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries today announced that the Sanctuary System Business Advisory Committee will hold a virtual public meeting on Thursday, July 28.  The meeting will include a discussion and vote on a proposed amendment to the current charter and member updates. The Committee provide advice and recommendations to the ONMS Director regarding the relationship of ONMS [...]

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management today announced that comments are being sought by Monday, Aug. 22 on draft guidance for mitigating potential impacts of offshore wind development on commercial and recreational fishing.  Final guidance will be developed over the course of the summer. The draft guidance addresses project siting, design, navigation, and access, safety measures, environmental monitoring, and [...]

The White House today announced the launch of a Federal-State Offshore Wind Implementation Partnership to accelerate the U.S. offshore wind industry.  The Partnership includes 11 East Coast governors (CT, DE, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, NC, PA, RI) with an aim of expanding to include the West Coast and Gulf of Mexico, and the announcement coincided [...]

President Biden today nominated Arati Prabhakar to serve as Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.  If confirmed, she will also serve as Assistant to the President for Science and Technology. Prabhakar is a former Director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, a former Director for the National Institute of Standards and [...]

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy today highlighted Acting Director Alondra Nelson’s participation at the G7 Science Ministerial Meeting in Germany, which included a focus on synergistic research for biodiversity and climate change. In her remarks, Nelson said that 2022 is “the year to turn the tide on oceans” and address research challenges [...]