Page 9 - IAGC July Newsletter

IAGC Newsletter IAGC Newsletter

NMFS Requests

Comments on

Technical Guidance

he National Marine Fisheries Service
(NMFS) has requested comments to
Tassist the Secretary of Commerce’s
review of the Technical Guidance for Assessing
the Effects of Anthropogenic Sound on Marine
Mammal Hearing in response to the “offshore
energy” Presidential Executive Order. A letter
response is currently being drafted by the IAGC
which will highlight many of the concerns in the IAGC & Others Sign Letters to President, Congress, Federal Agencies
IAGC Committees Assist previous two comment periods on the Technical
Guidance, including:
Australian Authorities • NMFS should provide user-friendly tools to IAGC Part of 80 Groups Against NOP
assist with the application of the Technical
Guidance.
ustralia’s National Offshore Petroleum Safety and • NMFS should allow ITA applicants to use ON 19 JUNE 2017, MORE THAN 80 GROUPS REPRESENTING NEARLY EVERY SECTOR OF
Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) has other methods of estimating marine mammal THE U.S. ECONOMY SIGNED TWO LETTERS URGING EXECUTIVE AND CONGRESSIONAL
Ainitiated a process to develop guidelines on the evaluation impacts so long as those methods are based ACTION TO ADDRESS FORMER PRESIDENT OBAMA’S NATIONAL OCEAN POLICY (NOP).
and mangement of offshore acoustic impacts. The guidance will be upon the best available science.
relevant to all noise generating activities but will have a particular • NMFS should revisit substantive elements he NOP has off-limits to economic America’s economy, national NOP Letter to the President
focus on seismic activities. of the Technical Guidance that will result in negatively impacted use, contradicting long- security, culture, health, and of the U.S.
The IAGC’s Australia and Environment Committees submitted inaccurate or inflated take estimates. Topportunities held principles of multiple well-being; promotes more
comments to the proposed guidelines on 12 May 2017. We received • NMFS should retract its NMSA injury- for job creation and use of our public lands, coordinated information NOP Letter to Congress
responses to our comments from NOPSEMA and conducted a meeting at related statements. economic growth by creating potential conflicts sharing under existing
their offices in Perth on 10 July 2017 with members of the IAGC Australia The IAGC will be submitting comments on unnecessarily increasing with congressionally- authorities; emphasizes the Letter to Federal Agencies
Committee. 17 July with support of the Environment and federal bureaucracy and authorized conservation importance of core, science-
NOPSEMA has been transparent with the development and Offshore Committees. regulatory directives, costs, and management processes, based agency functions
review process and is looking for input from industry experts. They and uncertainties with and inhibiting opportunities that Congress has already
are committed to the best available science and the IAGC Australia which regulated entities for revenue growth and authorized; and enriches delivered letters to 13
committee is working closely with NOPSEMA to develop guidance which must contend and attempt economic activity. our understanding of the federal departments and
is both beneficial to the environment and commercially viable for seismic to predict. Moreover, Significant benefits resources and benefits oceans agencies asking each entity
surveying. The committee is in the process of developing additional this policy creates new could result from a balanced can provide to our nation. to identify the NOP as a
comments to further facilitate discussions. obstacles and processes and transparent ocean On 25 May 2017, regulatory burden and
The PowerPoint presentation given by NOPSEMA during the meeting that could place valuable, policy that recognizes and the National Ocean recommend executive
can be found here. taxpayer-owned marine enhances the critical role our Policy Coalition (NOPC), action to vacate the NOP
and terrestrial resources oceans and coasts play in with IAGC support, also Executive Order.
8 9