oceanpolicy.com

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced that it is seeking comments by Thursday, Aug. 19 on a revised Regulatory Flexibility Analysis and Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis associated with its proposal to revoke the Jan. 7 final rule defining the scope of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act to clarify that the law’s prohibitions on pursuing, hunting, taking, capturing, [...]

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service today announced NOAA’s recommendation of ~$8.3 million in funding for the continuation of 23 coastal and marine habitat restoration projects in 13 states and territories.  The recommendations include funding for projects in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska (6), Pacific Southwest-California and Hawaii (4), Northeast (6), and Southeast and Caribbean (7).

As part of its efforts to carry out a Port Access Route Study for the Northern New York Bight, the Coast Guard today announced that it is seeking comments by Monday, Aug. 30 on the content and development of a draft report evaluating the adequacy of existing vessel routing measures and whether additional routing measures are needed for port [...]

The Interior Department’s Fish & Wildlife Service today announced that it is seeking comments by Monday, Sept. 13 on its proposal to designate ~649,066 acres of critical habitat for the threatened rufa red knot in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Massachusetts.  In conjunction with the comment period, USFWS [...]

NOAA today announced the renewal of the Science Advisory Board.  Established in 1997, the Board is the only Federal Advisory Committee with the responsibility to advise the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans, Atmosphere, and NOAA Administrator on long- and short-range strategies for research, education, and application of science to resource management and environmental assessment and prediction.

The State Dept. today announced that it will hold a virtual public meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 10 to share information and obtain input on the possible launch of negotiations to develop a global instrument to address ocean plastic pollution. The announcement notes that the United Nations Environment Assembly has been considering how to combat ocean plastic pollution and [...]

NOAA today announced the appointment of Acting National Ocean Service Director Nicole LeBoeuf to serve as Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone Management, through which she will serve as National Ocean Service Director. In announcing the appointment, Commerce Sec. Gina Raimondo said that LeBoeuf “is well positioned to lead NOAA’s National Ocean Service and to continue its rich [...]

The Environmental Protection Agency today announced the addition of United Tribes of Michigan Executive Director Frank Ettawageshik and Healing Our Waters/Great Lakes Coalition Director Laura Rubin to serve as members of the Great Lakes Advisory Board.  Ettawageshik will serve as a tribal representative and Rubin will represent environmental NGOs. The Board’s primary objectives are to provide advice and recommendations [...]

The U.S. Coast Guard today announced that it is seeking comments by Wednesday, Oct. 6 on specific Coast Guard programs, regulations, policies, and procedures that the Coast Guard should consider changing to combat and respond to climate change. The Coast Guard notes that this action is being taken in response to the Jan. 2021 Executive Order on “Protecting [...]

NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries today announced that it is seeking comments by Friday, Sept. 10 on a draft environmental impact statement and management plan that considers three alternatives for the proposed designation of a national marine sanctuary in eastern Lake Ontario, NY and the Thousand Islands region of the St. Lawrence River.  In connection with the comment [...]