National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration January 27, 2022 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Several fishery management bodies on the East Coast of the U.S. are convening three public webinars to continue work on an initiative called East Coast Climate Change Scenario Planning. This is a joint effort of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), the New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC), the Mid- Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC), the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC), and NOAA Fisheries. The focus of the webinars will be to explore the key drivers of change that could shape East Coast fisheries over the next 20 years. There will be opportunity for questions and engagement from the public as well as a brief update on this multi-year initiative.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (hereafter, ``the agencies'') invite public comment on the agencies' proposed finding that Louisiana has satisfied all conditions the agencies established as part of their 1998 approval of the State's coastal nonpoint pollution control program (coastal nonpoint program). The Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization Amendments (CZARA) direct states and territories with coastal zone management programs previously approved under Section 306 of the Coastal Zone Management Act to develop and implement coastal nonpoint programs, which must be submitted to the Federal agencies for approval. Prior to making such a finding, NOAA and the EPA invite public input on the Federal agencies' rationale for this proposed finding.

NMFS has received a request from Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, LLC (Atlantic Shores) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to marine site characterization surveys off New Jersey and New York in the area of Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf Lease Area OCS-A 0499. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to incidentally take marine mammals during the specified activities. NMFS is also requesting comments on a possible one-time, one-year Renewal that could be issued under certain circumstances and if all requirements are met, as described in Request for Public Comments at the end of this notification. NMFS will consider public comments prior to making any final decision on the issuance of the requested MMPA authorizations and agency responses will be summarized in the final notification of our decision.