Federal

WASHINGTON: The US environment regulator does not sufficiently verify that carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects keep emissions trapped underground and should boost its requirements to ensure companies receiving CCS tax credits provide an actual environmental benefit, a watchdog group said on Thursday (Dec 14).

Congress keeps hitting dead ends in attempts to extend a long-term plan for the federal program that provides flooding coverage for homeowners in the country. Unless the National Flood Insurance Program’s renewal happens by its new deadline of Feb. 2, it could lapse.

Cutting payments to brokers, or selling policies directly to consumers, could save millions. FEMA and insurance companies say it’s not quite that straightforward.

AUGUSTA — Governor Janet Mills and Department of Marine Resources (DMR) Commissioner Patrick Keliher announced December 11, 2023, that Maine has received $17,252,551 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to help improve data on endangered North Atlantic right whales (NARW).

NOAA Fisheries has proposed a rule to designate critical habitat for five threatened reef-building coral species in the Pacific Islands region.

NOAA is working to remove the whale from the beach as soon as possible. The plan is to tow it off-shore, with the help of high-tide and heavy equipment, and let it sink.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have announced $144 million in grants for natural infrastructure projects in coastal regions of the United States.

Grants will benefit 31 coastal states and U.S. territories, increase future resilience and support important fish and wildlife habitat

NOAA has released the draft designation documents for the proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary for public comment. The action comes after the agency analyzed and evaluated feedback from the public, stakeholders, tribes and Indigenous communities, scientists and federal and state agencies.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says the above-normal 2023 Atlantic hurricane season, which officially ends on November 30, was characterised by record-warm Atlantic Sea surface temperatures and a strong El Nino.

Commissioner Jean-Pierre L. Oriol of the Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR) has announced the receipt of a $2.1 million America the Beautiful Challenge 2023 grant to create St. Croix’s first conservation corridor, which will include new hiking trails and wildlife habitat.

What is certain is more litigation and more confusion for the foreseeable future as the longest running controversy in environmental law continues.

US President Biden is announcing more than $6 billion in investments meant to make communities across the country more resilient to the impacts of climate change, including by strengthening America’s aging electric grid infrastructure, reducing flood risk to communities, supporting conservation efforts and advancing environmental justice.

The America the Beautiful Challenge awards second round of grants to high-priority conservation projects across the United States

Nearly 100 NOAA scientists and staff contributed to the Fifth National Climate Assessment. Among this group were 35 authors, 13 chapter leaders, 20 members of NOAA’s technical support team, technical contributors and reviewers.

FEMA uses funds from President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda to Announce $300 Million in New Swift Current Grant Funds

In response to a significant workforce shortage, the U.S. Coast Guard has announced plans to reduce its fleet of active cutters. The Coast Guard is currently facing a shortage of nearly 10% of its enlisted workforce, making it necessary to adapt operations while prioritizing lifesaving missions, national security, and the protection of the marine transportation system.

The National Ocean Service (NOS) plays a critical role in our coastal communities, providing a diverse suite of products and programs that bolster, protect, and restore our resources and economy.

U.S. regulators say they will review the use of a chemical found in almost every tire after a petition from West Coast Native American tribes that want it banned because it kills salmon as they return from the ocean to their natal streams to spawn.

The medium-endurance Heritage class cutters which will form a core component of the service’s surface capabilities for decades to come.

FEMA announces nearly $2 billion available for state and local governments in Flood Mitigation Assistance and Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant programs. This funding will allow states and localities to undertake pre-disaster mitigation activities that reduce loss of life and property.

Increased funding assistance announced by President Joe Biden for Hurricane Ian recovery efforts will save the Town of Fort Myers Beach approximately $2.2 million.

WASHINGTON — The Gulf Research Program (GRP) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has awarded $22 million to fund a transformative new research consortium focused on advancing understanding of the future sustainability of the lowermost Mississippi River Delta, known as the Bird’s Foot Delta.

(Bloomberg) -- Conservatives who have spent decades asking the Supreme Court to rein in the US government’s regulation of businesses are now betting on a case involving fishermen challenging a $710 fee they’ve never had to pay.

The Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship provides a unique educational and professional experience to graduate students interested in ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources and the national policy decisions affecting those resources.