The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has released the final guidance for creating new Regional Ocean Partnerships (ROPs), as authorized by the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023. Coastal states, including territories and Indian Tribes, can form these partnerships to manage ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources. The guidance outlines the application process, including the necessary elements for a new ROP, who can apply, and how to submit applications to NOAA. Existing ROPs, like the Gulf of Mexico Alliance, are not affected by this new guidance.
Simple Explanation
The U.S. government has created a new set of rules to help states and tribes work together to take care of our oceans and lakes, and they can ask a group called NOAA for permission to join the program. But the rules don't tell us how much money they'll have, and getting everyone to agree might take a long time.