News

The Coast Guard today announced that comments are being sought by Tuesday, Oct. 25 on a draft Pacific Coast Port Access Route Study, which evaluates safe access routes for vessel traffic and seeks to determine whether a shipping safety fairway and/or routing measures should be established, adjusted, or modified. The notice states that the Coast Guard has found […]

Citing a need to “further American interests and cooperation with Alliance and partners in the Arctic, the U.S. State Department today announced President Biden’s intention to appoint an Ambassador-at-Large for the Arctic Region, with the position subject to confirmation once a nomination is submitted to the Senate. The State Dept. said that the position will advance U.S.

The 5th session of the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Conference on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) concluded today without agreement, as delegations paused negotiations to reach a compromise. The Conference was established to develop text for an internationally legally binding instrument, and some expected that an agreement

The Interior Department has announced that comments are being sought by Monday, Sept. 26 on the Draft Phase 2 Restoration Plan/Environmental Assessment #7.1: Terrebonne HNC Island Restoration Project. The ~$34 million project would involve the restoration and conservation of bird nesting and foraging habitat that would increase Terrebonne HNC Island’s acreage from 27.6 acres to ~41.1 acres.

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service today announced that it is seeking comments by Monday, Sept. 26 on draft revisions to the Guidelines for Preparing Stock Assessment Reports under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.  The MMPA requires NMFS and the Fish and Wildlife Service to prepare stock assessments for each stock of marine mammals occurring in U.S. waters. Potential

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service today announced that the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council will hold a public webinar on Wednesday, Sept. 21 to, among other things, review and comment on the proposed rule for the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. NOAA is currently seeking comments on the proposed expansion of the sanctuary boundary from 3,800 sq. miles to

NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research today announced that it is seeking nominations by Tuesday, Oct. 18 from Indigenous, Tribal, Native America, Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian stakeholders from the Alaska or Pacific Ocean basin regions to serve on the Ocean Exploration Advisory Board. Applicants should demonstrate expertise in expertise in areas of scientific research relevant to

The Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management today announced that it is seeking indications of interest and comments by Monday, Oct. 3 on the State of Maine’s proposal for a lease in ~9,700 acres of the Gulf of Maine to conduct wind energy research activities.  BOEM’s Request for Competitive Interest includes ~68,000 acres in the Gulf of Maine.

The Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management today announced that it is seeking interest and public comments by Monday, Oct. 3 on potential commercial wind energy leasing in ~13.7 million acres of federal waters in the Gulf of Maine off Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine.  Information obtained during the comment period will inform BOEM’s decision on whether to schedule a

The Coast Guard today announced that the National Towing Safety Advisory Committee will hold a public meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 14 in La Porte, TX. The meeting will include remarks from Coast Guard leadership, reports on challenges expected to impact the towing vessel industry and challenges faced as a result of the pandemic, an overview of the Houston-Galveston sector, information