Yale E360 recently published an excellent article by Rebecca Kessler on how fish and other marine animals are responding to changing conditions in the Gulf of Maine. Particularly good news are reports of black sea bass moving into waters north of Cape Cod. Marissa McMahan, a doctoral student at Northeastern University in Boston. . .…
Newport, Oregon is one of the highest catch ports in the U.S. as well as a huge recreational, merchant, research and NOAA port. Tell Congress not to relocate the Coast Guard rescue helicopter between 90 and 130 miles away. Tell Congress that adding an hour flight time to Newport’s rescue helicopter is an irresponsible way…
Ocean Enemy #1 (Rep. Steve Southerland, R-Fla.) is moving to block finalization of the government proposal to increase the number of streams and creeks that receive automatic protection under the federal Clean Water Act. The House measure (H.R. 5078) would prohibit the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers from drafting regulations and guidance needed…
Bristol District Attorney C. Samuel Sutter dropped all charges against Ken Ward and Jay O’Hara for blocking a coal shipment for nearly a day to the Brayton Point power plant in Somerset, MA. Holding high Bill McKibben’s Rolling Stone article, A Call to Arms, the D.A. said “I do believe they’re right, that we’re at…
The Volusia County Council has adopted a countywide fertilizer ordinance to protect water quality in the county’s springs, lakes and rivers, including the Indian River Lagoon – the full watershed. Volusia County followed Brevard County (2014), followed St. Lucie County (2014), followed Indian River (2013) and Martin County (2011). All counties of Indian River Lagoon…
Something is rotten with H.R. 4742, the bill drafted by Representative Hastings, Chair of the House Natural Resources Committee, to amend the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. This legislation, as currently drafted, would roll back key conservation provisions that made American fisheries management an unsurpassed science-based model for the world. The Hastings bill would…
Late Tuesday evening (6/17/14), the U.S. Congress passed the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control bill! The bill has gone to President Obama to be signed into final law – the first free-standing oceans bill to be passed by this Congress. This legislation is a significant step forward in recognizing and addressing the…
U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) have reintroduced a wide-ranging energy bill with ten amendments, all with the aim of boosting energy efficiency in schools, commercial and residential properties, and federally-owned buildings. “This bill has garnered such widespread support because of a simple fact — it is good for the economy…
