oceanpolicy.com

The Interior Department today announced the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s completion of its environmental review of the Vineyard Wind offshore wind project off Massachusetts, calling the development “major progress in the Biden-Harris administration’s goal to accelerate responsible development of renewable energy…as a key component of tackling the climate crisis and creating jobs.”  If approved, it would [...]

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service today announced that it is seeking comments by Thursday, May 6 on the Draft Restoration Plan #1/Environmental Assessment: Birds, Marine Mammals, Oysters, and Sea Turtles, which was prepared by federal natural resource trustee agencies for the Regionwide Trustee Implementation Group. In conjunction with the comment period, virtual public meetings will be held on Thursday, Apr. 15.  [...]

The Interior Department today announced that it is seeking comments by Tuesday, May 4 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. In conjunction with the comment period, virtual public meetings will be held on Apr. 6-8.  The proposal includes ~$2 billion [...]

The Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean (MARCO) will hold a virtual Mid-Atlantic Regional Ocean Forum on May 3-6.  The forum will include topic-based breakout sessions.  Registration and meeting information will be posted here when available. MARCO is a regional ocean partnership established in 2009 by the Governors of New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia.

As an introduction to next year’s in-person conference, the Gulf of Mexico Alliance will host a Virtual Preview Conference on Wednesday, Apr. 14.  The event, which will focus on the intersection of scientific research and management of Gulf Coast human and natural systems, will combine GOMA’s annual All Hands Meeting, the annual Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill and [...]

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee today held a confirmation hearing for Council on Environmental Quality Chair nominee Brenda Mallory.  During Q&A, U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) discussed the impact of climate change on the ocean, expressed his hope that Mallory will “look hard” at ocean and coastal issues including the flood insurance program along the coasts, and [...]

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service today announced that it is seeking recommendations by Friday, Apr. 2 on how to make fisheries and protected resources more resilient to climate change, including changes in management and conservation measures, and improvements in science, monitoring, and cooperative research. Under President Biden’s Jan. 2021 Executive Order on “Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and [...]

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service today announced that it is seeking comments by Monday, Apr. 26 on the agency’s initiation of a 5-year review for the endangered Cook Inlet beluga whale.  The review will assess the best scientific and commercial data available to determine whether the species should be delisted or reclassified.

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service today announced that it is seeking comments by Thursday, Mar. 26 on its proposed authorization and potential 1-year renewal for Skipjack Offshore Energy, LLC to take 16 marine mammal species by Level B harassment incidental to marine site characterization high-resolution geophysical surveys offshore Delaware.  The surveys would provide a baseline assessment of seabed, ecological, [...]

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA have announced that they are seeking comments by Tuesday, May 25 on a draft Monument Management Plan and related Environmental Assessment for the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument that addresses goals, objectives, and strategies for managing the monument through 2035. Established by Presidential Proclamation in Jan. 2009, the monument is comprised of [...]