oceanpolicy.com

With the global theme for this year’s Earth Day (Apr. 22) being “Invest in Nature,” and emphasizing actions under the America the Beautiful initiative and Nature-Based Solutions Roadmap, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy has requested feedback by Thursday, Apr. 6 on actions being taken by leaders and organizations to invest in jobs, youth, and resilient cities and [...]

In conjunction with President Biden’s remarks this afternoon at the White House Conservation in Action Summit being held today in Washington, DC, the White House today announced a series of conservation and restoration actions. In addition to the establishment of two onshore national monuments in Nevada and Texas, the following ocean-related actions are also being taken: President Biden is [...]

The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management today announced that the Gulf of Mexico Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force will hold a virtual public meeting on Tuesday, Apr. 11. Agenda items include an update on offshore wind energy planning meetings and next steps in the leasing process, including with regard to the upcoming Gulf of Mexico lease sale. The Task [...]

The Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management today announced a finding that no competitive interest exists for a Gulf of Maine wind energy lease application received by the State of Maine in Oct. 2021.  BOEM noted that the finding “does not mean that the State of Maine will receive a research lease,” with next steps including initiation [...]

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service today announced that it is seeking comments by Wednesday, May 15 on its proposed listing of the sunflower sea star as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.  Public hearing requests are due by Wednesday, May 1.  The documented range of the species covers the Northeastern Pacific Ocean, from the Aleutian Islands to Baja California. [...]

The State Dept. today announced that it will hold a hybrid public/virtual meeting in Washington, DC on Tuesday, Apr. 11 in preparation for the 10th Session of the International Maritime Organization’s Pollution Prevention and Response Subcommittee, to be held in London on Apr. 24-28. Agenda topics include reduction of the impact on the Arctic of black carbon emissions from [...]

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service today announced that it is seeking comments by Wednesday, Apr. 12 on its initiation of a 5-year review for the endangered Western North Pacific Distinct Population Segment (DPS) (Alaska), threatened Mexico DPS (Alaska), and endangered Central America DPS (California, Oregon, Washington) of the humpback whale.  The review is being undertaken to determine whether [...]

President Biden today issued a Presidential Memorandum indefinitely withdrawing ~2.8 million acres of the Beaufort Sea from future oil and natural gas leasing.  As justification for the withdrawal, the memorandum cited due consideration of the “irreplaceable marine and coastal environments,” “vulnerability of the ecosystems and coastal communities to oil spills, and “the national need to curtail, mitigate, [...]

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service today announced that the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council will hold a public meeting on Apr. 3-6 in Gulfport, MS.  Agenda items include updates from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management on wind energy development in the Gulf of Mexico and NMFS’ Equity and Environmental Justice Strategy, regional implementation process, and schedule.

NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries today announced the availability of a new management plan (and related final environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact) for the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary.  ONMS noted that sanctuary modifications are not being modified at this time.