Search Results for keywords:"Pennsylvania Fish

Quinebaug Associates, LLC has filed a new major license application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for the Quinebaug-Five Mile Pond Hydroelectric Project located in Windham County, Connecticut. The project consists of two power-generating developments with a combined capacity of 2,181 kilowatts, generating an average of 7,460 megawatt-hours annually. The application includes plans to continue operating in run-of-river mode, maintain minimum water flows for environmental protection, and improve facilities for fish passage. Interested parties have until April 28, 2025, to request additional studies or seek cooperating agency status.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has received a request from the City of Hoonah for authorization to incidentally take marine mammals during the construction of the Hoonah Cargo Dock in Alaska. The activity involves pile driving and removal, which could affect marine mammals. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is seeking public comments on the proposed authorization and a possible one-year renewal. Mitigation measures are proposed to minimize impacts on marine mammals, ensuring the incidental takes are negligible, with monitoring and reporting to be conducted throughout the construction activities.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council is organizing a one-day meeting via webinar for its Reef Fish Advisory Panel on February 24, 2021, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. EST. The panel will review and discuss various topics, including recommendations for fishery management concerning species like Yellowtail Snapper and Greater Amberjack, as well as Red Grouper allocations and fish catch limits. The meeting will also cover topics such as modifications to Vermilion Snapper recreational bag limits and the use of Commercial Electronic Logbooks. Interested parties can register for the meeting through the council's website.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), has announced a public meeting of the Permanent Advisory Committee (PAC) on March 18, 2021. The PAC advises U.S. Commissioners to the Commission for the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPFC). The meeting will discuss the results of the 2020 WCPFC session and U.S. priorities for the 2021 session, focusing on tropical tuna management and other relevant issues. The meeting will be held via web conference, and the public is invited to attend or submit comments by March 13, 2021.

The Coast Guard published a notice detailing its funding for recreational boating safety under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. For fiscal year 2024, the Coast Guard received $15.061 million, with specific amounts set aside for compliance and survey activities. As of September 30, 2024, none of this allocation was spent, but additional funds from past fiscal years have been used, and more money was given to states. The Coast Guard can retain some funds for future projects or reallocate them for state grants.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has finalized a rule that amends the Atlantic Herring Fishery Management Plan to introduce Amendment 8. This rule establishes a new Acceptable Biological Catch (ABC) control rule that considers the role of herring in the ecosystem and prohibits midwater trawling within federal waters inshore from the U.S./Canada border to the Rhode Island/Connecticut border. The aim is to sustainably manage herring resources, addressing both overfishing risks and potential conflicts between different user groups such as commercial fishermen and ecotourism operators, while ensuring herring is available as essential forage for other marine species. These measures respond to the declining herring biomass and are expected to provide both ecological and long-term economic benefits, despite potential short-term economic impacts on the fishing industry.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a 12-month finding regarding a petition from Wyoming to create and remove a distinct population segment for the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem grizzly bear. After reviewing scientific data, they concluded that the grizzly bears in this area do not qualify as a separate listable population. Consequently, the petition to delist these grizzly bears is not warranted. The agency plans to conduct a more comprehensive evaluation of grizzly bear status in the lower-48 states by January 2026.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a 12-month finding regarding a petition to classify and remove the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem (NCDE) grizzly bear population as a separate group from the endangered species list. After reviewing scientific data, they concluded that the NCDE grizzly bears do not qualify as a distinct population segment under the Endangered Species Act, which means they are not eligible for separate classification or delisting. The decision was based on the fact that the grizzly bear population in the area is growing and expanding its range, with bears moving beyond the proposed boundaries. Therefore, the action to establish and remove the NCDE group from protection is not warranted at this time.

In 2020, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Reclamation, and Bonneville Power Administration completed an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the operations of fourteen dams in the Columbia River System. Now, due to new circumstances, these agencies plan to update and supplement this EIS. This includes examining the environmental effects of proposed changes and new information affecting the dams' operations. The aim is to ensure the dams are managed in a way that considers regional energy, tribal needs, and environmental impacts, with public input being sought through virtual meetings and comments.

The U.S. Department of the Interior has announced the adoption of a National Park Service (NPS) categorical exclusion for managing invasive species, which will be used by seven other department bureaus. This decision aims to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of controlling invasive species on federal lands, following proper environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The adopted exclusion, allowing actions such as physical control and use of biological control organisms, means that these bureaus can manage invasive species without requiring a full environmental assessment, unless extraordinary circumstances arise. This step seeks to protect native species and preserve ecosystems across lands managed by these departments.