Ocean Policy Roundup
February 9-16, 2024
It was a big week for offshore wind news, especially for folks in Oregon. We also saw press releases this week for several recently-introduced ocean bills. Read on for a summary of the week’s ocean policy news, and stay tuned for more updates from our team.
News highlights:
Sen. Lisa Murkowski introduced the Working Waterfronts Act, a bill aimed at boosting the workforce, energy and shoreside infrastructure, food security, and economies of coastal communities.
Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Ted Cruz and Sen. Angus King introduced the Modernizing Access to Our Public Oceans (MAPOceans) Act, which aims to digitize and map public information about federal fishing restrictions in the ocean.
DOE and NOAA launched an 18-month initiative to gather extensive weather, ocean, and wildlife data near the sites of active offshore wind farms and lease areas off the northeast U.S.
BOEM announced the designation of two final Wind Energy Areas offshore Oregon. The two areas total approximately 195,012 acres and, according to the agency, largely avoid zones recommended for exclusion due to their importance as commercial fishing grounds.
Important Dates and Deadlines
Check out our public Google calendar and printable PDF to keep track of the 2024 congressional schedule!
March 1, 2024: new funding deadline for government entities funded through four appropriations bills (Agriculture-FDA, Energy and Water, Military Construction-VA, and Transportation-HUD)
March 8, 2024: new funding deadline for the remaining eight appropriations bills (including Commerce-Justice-Science, Interior-Environment, Defense, and Homeland Security)
Upcoming Relevant Congressional Hearings
Tuesday, February 27
2:30 PM — Joint Hearing to Examine the Presence of Microplastics in Water (hearing link not yet posted); Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife/Subcommittee on Chemical Safety, Waste Management, Environmental Justice, and Regulatory Oversight
Wednesday, February 28
10:00 AM — Hearings to examine the Water Resources Development Act, Focusing on USACE Water Infrastructure Projects, Programs, and Priorities (hearing link not yet posted); Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
Introductions
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) introduced the Working Waterfronts Act (S.3785), a bill aimed at boosting the workforce, energy and shoreside infrastructure, food security, and economies of coastal communities.
Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Sen. Angus King (I-ME) introduced the Modernizing Access to Our Public Oceans (MAPOceans) Act (S.3786), which aims to digitize and map public information about federal fishing restrictions in the ocean. The bill is modeled on a similar law that gives hunters reliable information about hunting on public lands.
Reps. Gregory Meeks (D-NY-05) and Barbara Lee (D-CA-12) introduced the Diversify Tech Act (H.R.7314), which calls for the creation of a task force within the Department of Commerce to promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility within the tech industry.
Updates
The House Natural Resources Committee’s Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife, and Fisheries recently met to consider four bills, including the polarizing ESA Flexibility Act (H.R. 6784).
Subcommittee Chair Cliff Bentz (R-OR-02) said the bill is “based on sound science” and would give “the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service flexibility to carry out its mission while providing some degree of regulatory certainty” to impacted parties.
Ranking Member Jared Huffman (D-CA-02) called the bill “very problematic,” stating that it would “undermine core functions of the Endangered Species Act.” He said the bill would put the most at-risk species in danger by blurring the distinction between threatened and endangered and making certain protections optional.
Fisheries and Ecosystems
House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ-07) released a statement in response to NOAA’s announcement that the juvenile North Atlantic right whale found dead off the coast of Massachusetts in January was entangled in Maine fishing gear. He called the announcement a “sobering reminder of the threats to the population" and advocated for his legislation, the Restoring Effective Science-based Conservation Under Environmental Laws Protecting Whales (RESCUE Whales) Act (H.R.1213).
The Department of the Interior (DOI) announced $2.3 million to support work to safeguard Alaska ecosystems from invasive species.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced nearly $64 million in funding from the Infrastructure, Investment, and Jobs Act (also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law) for ecosystem restoration activities that address high-priority Klamath Basin water-related challenges in southern Oregon and northern California.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released an update to its Equity Action Plan.
Ocean and climate policy advocate Susan Ruffo was appointed NOAA’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Affairs.
NOAA published a deeper dive on reports of historically low Great Lakes ice coverage.
NOAA Fisheries published updates on how the agency plans to use Inflation Reduction Act funds for North Atlantic Right Whale conservation.
Applications are open for Azul’s Rising leaders Initiative, a leadership development program that aims to equip emerging Latinx leaders to become ocean champions and advocate for ocean policy.
Ocean Data and Technology
NOAA released flooding and water level data from January’s storm in the Mid-Atlantic Region.
The Department of Energy and NOAA launched an 18-month initiative to gather extensive weather, ocean, and wildlife data near the sites of active offshore wind farms and lease areas off the northeast U.S.
Offshore Wind and Energy
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced the designation of two final Wind Energy Areas offshore Oregon. The two areas total approximately 195,012 acres and, according to the agency, largely avoid zones recommended for exclusion due to their importance as commercial fishing grounds.
Headed to the Ocean Sciences Meeting next week (or live in the New Orleans area)? Stop by BlueTIDES After Dark Wednesday, February 21. We’ll be hanging out at Miel Brewery — just a short ride or walk down river from the conference center — starting at 7:00 p.m. Registration is free and light snacks and drinks will be provided. Please RSVP by February 20!