Murkowski Pushes Back Against Unwelcome NOAA “Holiday Surprise”
Draft Guidance is Complex and needs more time for Shareholder Review
WASHINGTON, D.C. – With the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration having opened a one month comment season on an important issue between Christmas and New Year’s – when most Alaskans were attending to personal matters – Senator Lisa Murkowski today sent a letter to NOAA (see attached) pushing for more time.
On December 27th, NOAA released its Draft Guidance for Assessing the Effects of Anthropogenic Sound on Marine Mammals, which seeks to improve understanding of acoustical impacts on marine mammals. There are only 18 days remaining and Murkowski believes that an extra two months would be preferable, so that more Alaskans gain gather information to participate.
“This is a very complex issue that will have a significant effect on Alaskans and NOAA decided to unveil its own holiday surprise of sophisticated research when most Americans were understandably focused on family matters,” said Murkowski. “I believe more time is needed to ensure that stakeholders, including coastal communities, not only are aware of this document have a chance to review this document and provide their input.”
