November 3, 2016

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) Mid-Atlantic Regional Planning Body (MidA RPB) submitted its Mid-Atlantic Regional Ocean Action Plan to the National Ocean Council for certification on November 3. The MidA RPB Action Plan is part of an ongoing effort to fulfill the National Ocean Policy Implementation Plan established by the Obama Administration in 2010.

The plan addresses key ocean challenges and establishes nine regional planning bodies, including the MidA RPB. Objectives set forth by the MidA RPB Action Plan include continued protection of ocean ecosystems off the coasts of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. The plan includes engagement with stakeholders for undersea critical infrastructure interests, such as submarine cables and pipelines, and acts to enhance support for ocean research and monitoring. The plan promotes sustainable fishing practices through enhanced collaboration between federal, state, and tribal entities as well as various fishery management councils.

The National Ocean Council will decide whether or not to certify the plan as soon as December 3, 2016.

Sources: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Federal Register, the White House Office of the Press Secretary