President Biden today announced his intent to nominate Oregon State University Professor of Oceanography Rick Spinrad to serve as Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator, and Our Daily Planet CEO and Co-Founder Monica Medina to serve as Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Science Affairs. Spinrad’s experience includes positions as NOAA [...]
Archive | April, 2021
NMFS Issues Final Rule on Humpback Whale Critical Habitat
NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service today announced a final rule effective Friday, May 21 designating critical habitat for the Western North Pacific (endangered; 59,411 sq. nautical miles), Central America (endangered; 48,521 sq. nautical miles), and Mexico (threatened; 116,098 sq. nautical miles) distinct population segments of humpback whales. Critical habitat areas include locations off California, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska, [...]
U.S. National Climate Task Force Holds Third Meeting
The National Climate Task Force led by Assistant to the President and National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy held its third meeting on today. According to a White House summary, among other things Task Force members received a briefing on drought conditions in the West and took initial steps to establish an interagency working group to address the [...]
NOAA Announces Commencement of FL Keys Coral Restoration Project
NOAA today announced the initiation of a 3-year project to outplant over 60,000 fragments of nursery-raised coral off Key West, FL in the Eastern Dry Rocks Sanctuary Preservation Area, as part of the larger effort to restore seven coral reefs within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The project is being carried out by the National Marine [...]
Conservation Groups Announces Global Marine Protection Initiative
A group led by Conservation International, The Pew Charitable Trusts, the Global Environment Facility, Minderoo Foundation, and the Rob and Melani Walton Foundation today announced the launch of the Blue Nature Alliance, a new global initiative to protect and conserve 7 million square miles of the ocean over the next five years. The announcement noted that the Alliance is working [...]
MARAD Seeks Applicants for Port Infrastructure Development Grants
The Maritime Administration today announced that it is seeking applications by Friday, July 30 for Port Infrastructure Development Program grants to improve coastal seaports, inland river ports, and Great Lakes ports. Of $230 million appropriated for the program, at least $205 million must be allocated toward coastal seaports or Great Lakes Ports, and at least $41.4 million must [...]
NOPC Comments on Federal Energy Program Review
NOPC today sent a comment letter to the U.S. Interior Department in response to a request for input on the pause on oil and gas leasing activity directed by Section 208 of the President’s January 27, 2021 Executive Order on “Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad.”
NMFS Issues ESA 90-Day Finding on Shortfin Mako Shark
NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service today announced that comments are being sought by Monday, June 14 on the agency’s finding that substantial scientific or commercial information exists indicating that it may be warranted to (1) list the shortfin mako shark as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act and (2) designate critical habitat. The finding, made in [...]
POTUS Announces Interior Dept. Nominations
President Biden today announced his intent to nominate Tommy Beaudreau to serve as Deputy Interior Secretary, Winnie Stachelberg to serve as Assistant Interior Secretary for Policy, Management, and Budget, and Shannon Estenoz to serve as Assistant Interior Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks. Beaudreau has most recently served as a lawyer at Latham & Watkins, LLP, with previous experience including [...]
U.S. Senate Confirms CEQ Chair Nominee
The U.S. Senate today voted 53-45 to confirm Brenda Mallory to be Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality. Upon her confirmation, Mallory said that President Biden “has not wasted a moment in setting our nation on a path to a cleaner, healthier, and more just future” and that “[b]y helping forge unity of purpose – across communities, [...]
