Following up on last November’s Presidential Memorandum on Ocean Mapping of the United States Exclusive Economic Zone and the Shoreline and Nearshore of Alaska, the White House today announced the release of a document outlining opportunities and actions to increase the efficiency of the permitting and authorization processes for ocean research, mapping, and characterization activities across regions. Additionally, the White House released a strategy to map the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone and identify, explore, and characterize priority areas within it, and a separate strategy to map the shoreline and nearshore of Alaska. A Fact Sheet related to the announcement is accessible here.
The efficient permitting strategy includes goals to promote clarity and consistency in the federal compliance process and to advance efficiency through systematic federal approaches, with related actions including addressing recurring or systemic permitting and authorization issues on an ongoing basis, evaluating opportunities for greater use of programmatic and multi-year authorizations, facilitating use of categorical exclusions under NEPA, and establishing criteria under the Marine Mammal Protection Act for general permits/authorizations for low-impact activities and technologies.
Additional actions included in the three strategies include the following:
- Identify opportunities to integrate new science and technology in permitting and authorization process for ocean exploration, mapping, and research activities and recommend prioritized application of new science and technology and any necessary associated regulatory reform;
- Identify immediate opportunities and conduct pilot projects that integrate new and emerging S&T in the permitting and authorization process;
- Map US waters 40 meters and below by 2030, and waters less than 40 meters by 2040; and
- Achieve seamless Alaska coastal mapping data by 2030
Among other things, recommended actions are intended to:
- Provide applicants with clarity surrounding permitting and authorization processes, better access to information and decision-making methodologies used by Federal agencies during those permitting and authorization processes, and an efficiently coordinated Federal approach to reviewing and approving exploration, mapping, and research activities under key statutory authorities;
- Increase the use of programmatic approaches and best practices for activities with minimal potential impacts, and longer-term action to evaluate innovative pre-qualification and project permitting approaches that could promote better coordination and greatly increase flexibility for exploration, mapping, and research activities;
- Enhance the efficiency of the permitting and authorization process for ocean exploration, mapping, and research activities through the application of new and emerging science and technology; and
- Expand the U.S. ocean science and technology enterprise, build ocean industries, and bolster conservation efforts
