✈️Class E Airspace Modification at Wrangell Airport - Business Impact
This action modifies the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at Wrangell Airport, Wrangell, AK; removes redundant Class E airspace extending upward from 1,200 feet above the surface; and makes administrative updates to the airport's legal description. In sum, these actions support the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations at the airport.
Learn More🎣Fisheries Regulation
NMFS apportions amounts of the non-specified reserve to the initial total allowable catch (ITAC) of Bering Sea (BS) Greenland turbot, BS "other rockfish," BS Pacific ocean perch, and Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) "other flatfish." This action is necessary to allow the fisheries to continue operating. It is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the fishery management plan for the BSAI management area.
Learn More🐻New Regs for Polar Bear Protection Affecting Oil and Gas Operations
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are revising a portion of our regulations under the Marine Mammal Protection Act pertaining to incidental take of marine mammals. These regulations, codified at 50 CFR part 18, subpart J, authorize the nonlethal, incidental, unintentional take by harassment of small numbers of polar bears from the Southern Beaufort Sea stock and Pacific walruses during year-round oil and gas industry activities in the Beaufort Sea (Alaska and the Outer Continental Shelf) and adjacent northern coast of Alaska. Such take may result from oil and gas exploration, development, production, and transportation activities occurring through August 5, 2026. The revisions made by this final rule authorize incidental Level A harassment of polar bears in addition to the incidental Level B harassment of polar bears and Pacific walruses already authorized. No lethal take is authorized under this rule.
Learn More⚠️NRC Approves Alternate Waste Disposal Method for ProTechnics
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is issuing a finding of no significant impact (FONSI) and accompanying environmental assessment (EA) for an alternate waste disposal method request from ProTechnics, a division of Core Laboratories LP (ProTechnics), for the disposal of well logging sand-outs or well logging returns containing residual amounts of NRC-licensed materials into Class I disposal wells in North Slope, Alaska. Based on the analysis in the EA, the NRC staff has concluded that there would be no significant impacts to the environment from ProTechnics' proposed exemption request and therefore, a FONSI is appropriate.
Learn More🦦New Regulations for Sea Otter Protection in Marine Construction
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in response to a request under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended, from the U.S. Coast Guard, propose to issue regulations for the nonlethal, incidental, unintentional take by harassment of small numbers of Southcentral Alaska, Southeast Alaska, and Southwest Alaska stocks of northern sea otters (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) during pile driving and marine construction activities in Seward, Sitka, and Kodiak, Alaska. Incidental take of northern sea otters may result from in-water noise generated during pile driving and marine construction activities occurring for a period up to 5 years. This proposed rule would authorize take by harassment only, and no lethal take would be authorized. If this rule is finalized, we will issue letters of authorization for the incidental take of northern sea otters, upon request, for specific activities in accordance with the final rule for a period up to 5 years. We request comments on these proposed regulations.
Learn More🎣Temporary Closure of Pacific Cod Fishing in Gulf of Alaska
NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for Pacific cod by vessels using jig gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the 2025 total allowable catch (TAC) of Pacific cod by vessels using jig gear in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.
Learn More✈️Establishment and Modification of Class E Airspace in Alaska
This action proposes to establish Class E domestic en route airspace (Class E6) within a designated landmass and within 12 miles from a designated coastline associated with the state of Alaska to facilitate the vectoring of instrument flight rules (IFR) aircraft on direct routes where the current en route structure is insufficient or improper within the proposed airspace area. Due to redundancy, this action also proposes to remove two Class E6 airspace areas, remove two Class E airspace areas extending upward from 1,200 feet above the surface, and modify 101 Class E airspace areas extending upward from 700 feet or more above the surface of the earth (Class E5) to remove any portion extending upward from 1,200 feet above the surface due to redundancy. Finally, this action proposes administrative amendments to the legal descriptions of 48 Class E5 airspace areas. This action would support IFR operations while enhancing the safety and management of aircraft operations within the National Airspace System (NAS).
Learn More🐟2025 Harvest Specifications for Cook Inlet Salmon Fisheries
NMFS announces the final 2025 harvest specifications for salmon fishing in the Cook Inlet exclusive economic zone (EEZ) Area. This action is necessary to establish harvest limits for salmon during the 2025 fishing year and to accomplish the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for the Salmon Fisheries in the EEZ off Alaska (Salmon FMP). The intended effect of this action is to conserve and manage the salmon resources in the Cook Inlet EEZ Area in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).
Learn More🎣NOAA Notice on Alaska American Fisheries Act Permits
The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment preceding submission of the collection to OMB.
Learn More🐟NOAA's Notice on Alaska Fisheries Act Reporting Requirements
The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed and continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment preceding submission of the collection to OMB.
Learn More