Editor

In order to provide additional opportunity for public input, the Coast Guard today announced that it is reopening the comment period through March 31, 2022 on its preparation of an Alaskan Arctic Coast Port Access Route Study to evaluate the need for establishing vessel routing measures.  The Coast Guard specifically cited the impact of COVID on travel […]

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service today announced a new framework with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management for monitoring underwater sound in an effort to “help safeguard marine resources” amid offshore wind energy development.  NMFS said that the framework — which provides recommendations for offshore wind stakeholders to monitor and reduce the impact of wind projects using passive acoustic

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service today announced that it is seeking comments by Friday, Nov. 26 on its proposal to rescind a final rule published in Dec. 2020 that added a definition of “habitat” to the Endangered Species Act implementing regulations related to critical habitat designations, finding that the find that the definition and the preamble of

The State Dept. today announced that the Shipping Coordinating Committee will hold a public teleconference meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 17 in preparation for the 77th session of the International Maritime Organization’s Marine Environment Protection Committee, to be held virtually on Nov. 22-26. Agenda items include identification and protection of Special Areas, Emission Control Areas, and Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas, air

NOAA today announced that the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) Advisory Committee will hold a virtual public meeting on Monday, Nov. 29 and Monday, Dec. 6. The meeting will include updates from NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad, the U.S. IOOS Office, IOOS Marine Life Program, Interagency Ocean Observation Committee, National Ocean Service (coastal resilience), as well as a briefing on hurricane intensity forecasting, and

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service today announced that it is seeking comments by Jan. 24, 2022 on draft 2021 marine mammal stock assessment reports (SAR’s) for marine mammals in the Atlantic (includes Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and U.S. territories in the Caribbean), Alaska, and Pacific regions.  NMFS also seeks new information for strategic stocks that were not

The Coast Guard today announced completion of the Port Access Route Study for the Approaches to the Chesapeake Bay, VA, which was conducted to determine whether to recommend changes to enhance navigational safety by examining existing shipping routes and waterway uses as offshore energy development matures and to evaluate the need for establishing or changing existing vessel routing measures.

The White House today announced President Biden’s intent to nominate Martha Williams to serve as Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Williams currently serves as Principal Deputy Director of the Fish & Wildlife Service, with previous experience including positions as Director of the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Assistant Professor of Law at the

The Coast Guard today announced its decision to recertify the Cook Inlet Regional Citizen’s Advisory Council through Aug. 31, 2022.  The Advisory Council monitors the activities of terminal facilities and crude oil tankers pursuant to the Oil Pollution Act of 1990.

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service today announced that the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s Habitat Protection and Ecosystem-Based Management Advisory Panel will hold a public webinar meeting on Nov. 3-4. Among other things, the Panel will hear a presentation from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management on offshore wind in the South Atlantic region and provide input on activities, receive