NEWSWAVE NEWS FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR: OCEAN, GREAT LAKES, AND COASTS Special Feature—Our World Underwater Scholarship at National Parks Spring 2018 Interior Issues Offshore Oil and Gas Energy $60 Million to Promote Revenues to Gulf of Mexico States Fishing and Boating Disbursements will fund important coastal conservation, Funds from taxes on fishing restoration, and hurricane protection projects. equipment and boating fuel. In February, Secretary Zinke announced a $60 million cooperative agreement with the Recreational Boat- ing and Fishing Foundation (RBFF) to help retain and recruit recreational anglers and boaters. See related story, page 7. Zinke also announced $14 million in Boating Infrastructure Grants (BIG), which improve facilities for large transient recreational boats to support water-related outdoor recre- ation and tourism. Secretary Zinke (center) shares a large check with governors and congressional representatives “Outdoor recreation is a key part of of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. Photo credit: Tami Heilemann, DOI our American heritage, and boating and fishing in particular are how many In April, Secretary of the Interior Ryan energy production means less oil Americans enjoy our public waters,” Zinke announced the U.S. Department needed from foreign countries and said Secretary Zinke. “The new of the Interior (DOI) will divide about more jobs for the American people. cooperative agreement with RBFF $188 million among Alabama, Loui- This $188 million will be dedicated to is going to make sure we are reach- siana, Mississippi, and Texas (the oil- coastal restoration and other projects ing new anglers and boaters from all and-gas producing States on the Gulf important to many communities in the of Mexico), and their coastal political Gulf.” subdivisions (CPS). This represents Alabama Governor Kay Ivey said, the first disbursement of funds under “As one of the four Gulf producing Phase II of the Gulf of Mexico Energy States, Alabama will use these funds Security Act of 2006 (GOMESA). The wisely to protect, restore, and provide funds are derived from qualified oil public access to natural resources in and gas leasing revenues on the Outer our beautiful State. I appreciate the Continental Shelf (OCS) and dis- work of Congress, through GOMESA, bursed in accordance with GOMESA to share these revenues with the areas legislation. most affected by Outer Continental “Under President Trump’s America- Shelf activities.” First energy strategy, we’ve increased Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant energy revenue by a billion dollars said, “This funding will help initiate An excited young angler shows off his prize nationally in the first year alone, catch with Dr. Mike Millard at the USFWS projects to improve our water quality Northeast Fishery Center Kid’s Fishing Day, which creates more funding for and enhance the blue economy of our important conservation projects in the Lamar, PA. Photo credit: USFWS Gulf,” said Secretary Zinke. “Offshore See Energy Revenues page 4 See Fishing and Boating page 4 NEWSWAVE • Spring 2018 Connect to Images and Multimedia via Social Media In This Edition LIKE us on Facebook: Offshore Energy Revenues ....................1 https://www.facebook.com/USInterioroceanscoastsgreatlakes/ Promoting Fishing and Boating ...........1 Offshore Energy Permits .......................3 Improving Safety Offshore ...................3 Domenech Takes on DOI’s Oceans Program ...........................................4 Protected Places for Puffins ..................5 Restoring Injured Resources .................6 Herring Restoration Plan ......................7 BIG Program and RBFF Agreement ......7 Gulf of Mexico Oil and Gas Lease .........8 Massachusetts Offshore Wind ..............8 MarineCadastre.gov Award ..................9 Microplastics—Marine Debris ........... 10 Discover Oregon Coastal Treasures ... 11 Cave Diving in the Yucatan ................ 12 Can You Walk to Safety? ..................... 14 A Razorbill lands among puffins. Photo credit: Rosie Walunas, USFWS Coastal Barrier Resource Maps .......... 15 See related story, page 5. Once in a Lifetime Experience ........... 16 NEWSWAVE is a quarterly newsletter from the Department of the Interior Early Signs of a Stronger Coast.......... 18 featuring ocean, Great Lakes and coastal activities across the Bureaus. Don’t Let It Loose! ............................... 19 Visit us online: https://www.doi.gov/pmb/ocean/newswave Aquatic Invaders ................................. 20 Hurricane Floodwaters ....................... 21 Editor: Ann Tihansky (USGS) Saving the Birds from Crazy Ants ...... 22 Technical Editor: Rebekah Davis (USGS); Layout: Suzanne Roberts (USGS) eDNA-Tracking Great Lakes Contributors: Darci Palmquist (USFWS) Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Invasive Aquatic Species ............. 23 DOI Marc Romano (USFWS) Council Lionfish and Unicorns......................... 23 Tami Heilemann (DOI) Ivan Vicente (USFWS) Katasha Cornwell (Florida Rosie Walunas (USFWS) Department of Menacing Mussels .............................. 23 Liza Johnson (DOI) Tanya Joshua (DOI, OIA) Samantha Whitcraft (USFWS) Transportation) Protecting Coral Reefs ........................ 24 Jason Kirkey (DOI) Bart Wilson (USFWS) Aldaron Laird and others 39th U.S Coral Reef Task Jamie K. Reaser (DOI) Jed Wright (USFWS) (Historical Atlas of Force Meeting ............................... 24 Hilary Smith (DOI) USGS Humboldt Bay and Eel Coastal Technical Assistance .............. 26 BOEM Murulee Byappanahalli River Delta) (USGS) Rory Stansbury (Island Rescuing Cold Turtles ......................... 30 Marjorie Weisskohl (BOEM) BSEE Heather Dewar (USGS) Conservation) Wounded Nature ................................ 30 NPS Pam Fuller (USGS) Kevin Richards (Hawai‘i Nutrients in the Everglades ............... 31 Jamie Hoover (NPS) Paul Hershberger (USGS) Emergency Management The Surfing Bison ................................. 32 Charles Morris (NPS) Jamie Jones (USGS) Agency) USFWS Heidi Koontz(USGS) LCC Network Subscribe or Contribute to Samantha Brooke (USFWS) Marisa Lubeck (USGS) Jake Emmert (Moody NEWSWAVE! Isaac Burke (USFWS) W. Scott McBride (USGS) Gardens Aquarium) If you have any questions, Christopher Eng (USFWS) Matt Neilson (USGS) Scott Comings (The Nature Meredith Nevers (USGS) Conservancy) comments, or want to receive Holly Freifeld (USFWS) Susan Guiteras (USFWS) Jeff Peters (USGS) David Brankovits (WHOI) NEWSWAVE by email, contact: John Pohlman (USGS) Cole Goco (illustrator) Ann Tihansky: [email protected] Ryan Hagerty (USFWS) Jennifer Koches (USFWS) Dorothy F. Sifuentes (USGS) Jay Amberg (photographer) For more information, contact: Robby Kohley (USFWS) Andrea Toran (USGS) HP Hartmann Liza Johnson, Ocean, Great Lakes Stefan Kropidlowski (USFWS) Nate Wood (USGS) (photographer) and Coasts Coordinator David B. Ledig (USFWS) Thierry Work (USGS) Carl Johnson (photographer) NOAA Greg Lasley (photographer) Office of Policy Analysis, Roy W. Lowe (USFWS) Ilana Nimz (USFWS) American Littoral Society Jacob Pohlman 1849 C Street, NW, Mail Stop 3530 Zack Toyle (American Littoral (photographer) Washington, D.C. 20240 Tom MacKenzie (USFWS) Joe Milmoe (USFWS) Society) David Smith (photographer) Telephone: 202–208–1378 Lauri Munroe Hultman Ayla Fox (The Coastal Shaun Wolfe (photographer) [email protected] (USFWS) Institute-URI) 2 NEWSWAVE • Spring 2018 New Review Process for Offshore Energy Permits By BSEE In March, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) implemented a new quality-assurance process for reviewing and assessing its permitting systems to help make offshore energy operations more responsible and efficient. The goals of the new process are to reflect current permits and inform best practices for future offshore energy permitting. “We owe it to the American people to ensure that our permit processes are efficient and decision-making practices are consistent,” said Scott BSEE implemented a new quality-assurance process to increase safety and reliability of offshore Angelle, BSEE Director. “Taking energy operations. Photo credit: BSEE these actions now will promote BSEE’s effective monitoring of permit review and assess permitting pro- involve permit reviews and on-site processes and provide an avenue to cesses used within BSEE for consis- visits, as applicable. progress towards overall improve- tency, timeliness, and efficiency. Care- ments such as decreased processing Read the press release: https://www. fully selected teams of BSEE staff delays.” bsee.gov/newsroom/latest-news/ will complete this quality-assurance statements-and-releases/press- The new directive, issued by BSEE’s process by developing assessment releases/bsee-implements-new- Office of Offshore Regulatory Pro- plans and completing assessments that quality-assurance grams, requires BSEE to periodically Secretary Zinke Moves Forward to Improve Safety Offshore In March, Secretary Zinke it's done safely,” Secretary Zinke them to scrutiny to determine where announced new initiatives, includ- told the CERAWeek attendees. “As improvements are needed.” ing risk-based inspections and more part of the Trump administration’s Since his arrival in 2017, Angelle time for physical inspections, to push for safety in energy develop- has called for BSEE to embrace a strengthen the Federal offshore oil ment, we are working hard to do our process of change management. and gas inspection program. Zinke’s job smarter and ensure industry is “The six initiatives we are announc- announcement