The Regulation of Seismic Exploration in the United States

TheRecord.com posted the above-captioned article, which reads as follows:

“WATERLOO REGION — Canada’s race to reach international coastal and marine protection targets appears to favour quantity over quality.

That’s according to a new report authored by researchers from Wilfrid Laurier University, Memorial University, University of Northern British Columbia, University of Victoria, University of Alberta and Dalhousie University.

Canada is required to protect 10 per cent of its marine and coastal area by 2020 under the Aichi biodiversity targets agreement. WLU associate professor Chris Lemieux says years of inaction from the previous Conservative government means Canada is now rushing to meet that deadline.

The International Association of Geophysical Contractors distributed the above-captioned press release, which reads as follows:

Houston, Texas, US – Nikki Martin, President of the International Association of Geophysical Contractors (IAGC), today issued the following statement regarding the passage of the Crown Minerals (Petroleum) Amendment Bill in New Zealand’s banning new offshore oil and gas exploration.

‘The New Zealand Government has decided to halt technological advancements and curtail its citizens’ access to future domestic energy supplies, by passing the Crown Minerals (Petroleum) Amendment Bill banning new offshore oil and natural gas exploration. This drastic move has been taken in the face of Government knowledge that there will be no economic benefit for the country and no proven environmental benefit. The Government’s own Ministry indicates that the net impact of the Bill on global emissions is more likely to be negative than positive.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has published its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for BOEM’s proposed 2019 Beaufort Sea Lease Sale in the Beaufort Sea Planning Area. This EIS will be performed under BOEM’s regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act.

CRE is preparing comments on BOEM’s notice of its intent to perform this EIS.  Written comments are due to BOEM by December 17, 2018 on the scope of the 2019 Beaufort Sea Lease Sale EIS; significant issues; reasonable alternatives; potential mitigation measures; and the types of oil and gas activities of interest in the proposed lease sale area.

The International Association of Geophysical Contractors posted the above-titled article on its website.  This article reads in part as follows:

“The U.S. is falling behind in seismic information gathering, exploration activity and energy development due to unnecessary bureaucratic delays caused by the vague language and broken regulatory processes in the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). On the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf alone, current procedural requirements have led to 1,200 days of regulatory inaction, because it fails to hold the implementing agencies accountable.

The MMPA was created to protect marine mammals, but not to be used as a tool by anti-energy groups to prevent exploration activities.

The U.S. National Marine Fisheries has issued regulations pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act to govern the taking of marine mammals incidental to the training and testing activities conducted in the Atlantic Fleet Training

and Testing Study Area over the course of five years beginning in November, 2018. These regulations allow for the issuance of Letters of Authorization for the incidental take of marine mammals during the described activities and time frames, prescribe the permissible methods of taking and other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on marine mammal species or stocks and their habitat, and establish requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of such taking. These regulations are effective from November 14, 2018 through November 13, 2023.

The International Association of Geophysical Contractors will hold its 48^th Annual Conference on Wednesday, February 20, 2019, from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM CST, at the Hilton Westchase, 9999 Westheimer Road, Houston, TX 77042.

The theme of this conference is “Accelerating Exploration, Expanding energy Possibilities.”

Click here for more information and relevant links.

The Arctic Council distributed the above-titled email about its latest meeting. The email reads as follows:

“Representatives of the eight Arctic States and six indigenous Permanent Participant organizations, as well as the Arctic Council’s six Working Groups and more than thirty Observers, met in Rovaniemi, Finland on 1-2 November 2018. This was the third Senior Arctic Officials’ meeting held during the Chairmanship of Finland (2017-2019).

The Council focused its thematic discussion on biodiversity in the Arctic and welcomed updates from the six Working Groups, two Task Forces, and one Expert Group, as well as interventions from Observers. During the biodiversity discussion Working Groups presented their ongoing efforts to advance biodiversity conservation, inform policy, and engage the public.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration seeks comment on a request from Hilcorp Alaska, LLC (Hilcorp) for authorization to take small numbers of marine mammals incidental to oil and gas activities in Cook Inlet, Alaska over the course of five years from the date of issuance. NMFS invites the public to provide information, suggestions, and comments on the Hilcorp’s application and request. Comments and information must be received no later than November 26, 2018.

Click here for more information and relevant links.

The Department of Commerce is seeking nominations for membership on the Marine Protected Areas Federal Advisory Committee. The Committee advises the Secretaries of Commerce and Interior on implementing Section 4 of Executive Order 13158, focusing mainly on strategies and priorities for the design, monitoring and adaptive management of effective MPAs in U.S. waters.

Nominations are sought for 11 highly qualified non-Federal scientists (natural and social), resource managers, and people representing other interests or organizations involved with, or affected by, marine protected areas, including in the Great Lakes.

Nominations must be received before or on December 1, 2018

The U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service seeks comment on NMFS’

Draft Revised Recovery Plan for the Blue Whale (Balaenopteramusculus). NMFS will consider all substantive comments received during the review period before submitting the Plan for final approval. NMFS is also initiating a 5-year review of the blue whale and requests new information on its status. NMFS must receive comments on the Draft Plan and information for the 5-year review by December 11, 2018. Click here for more information and relevant links.