Notice of Intent to Prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Identification of Aquaculture Opportunity Areas in Federal Waters of the Gulf of Mexico and to Conduct Public Scoping Meetings

14 organizations filed 14 public comments on Notice of Intent to Prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Identification of Aquaculture Opportunity Areas in Federal Waters of the Gulf of Mexico and to Conduct Public Scoping Meetings, at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The comment window closed 1457d ago.

Abstract

In compliance with Section 7 of Executive Order 13921, “Promoting American Seafood Competitiveness and Economic Growth” (E.O. 13921), issued on May 7, 2020, NMFS intends to prepare a programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS) to evaluate alternatives for identifying Aquaculture Opportunity Areas (AOAs) in Federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The PEIS will be prepared in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the regulations published by the Council on Environmental Quality, 40 CFR Part 1500-1508 and NOAA’s NEPA implementing procedures, NOAA Administrative Order 216-6A and its Companion Manual. Input from stakeholders and the public is essential to identifying AOAs; and this notice initiates the public scoping process for the PEIS, which includes a 60-day public comment period.

Commenters (14)

• American Sportfishing Associationtrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 85%
• and Ocean Stewards Institutetrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 85%
• Animal Welfare Institutetrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 97%
• Aquatic Life Institutetrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 85%
• Environmental Defense Fundtrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 97%
• Fish For America USA Inc.unverified attribution

  1 filing · confidence 70%
• Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Shareholders' Alliancetrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 85%
• National Family Farm Coalitiontrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 85%
• Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)trade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 97%
• Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundationtrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 85%
• Siesta Key Associationtrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 85%
• Siesta Key Chamber of Commercetrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 85%
• Siesta Key Condominium Counciltrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 85%
• Southern Shrimp Alliancetrade assoc.

  1 filing · confidence 85%