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Pacific Council Habitat Committee flags BOEM leasing, Columbia River NEPA changes and heat‑wave impacts on rockfish
Summary
The council’s Habitat Committee outlined potential federal offshore leasing, recent federal policy changes affecting Columbia River environmental review, several ongoing hydropower and river restoration actions, and new research showing marine heat waves reduce reproduction and delay maturity in nearshore black rockfish.
The Pacific Fishery Management Council’s Habitat Committee on June 15 briefed the full council on emerging habitat issues including a new Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) five‑year Outer Continental Shelf leasing process for 2025–2030, and a presidential memorandum that disrupted planned environmental review for the Columbia River System.
The committee’s chair, Dr. Scott Hapel, told the council the Habitat Committee met virtually June 2 and “the habitat committee met virtually 06/02/2025 to discuss current habitat related issues.” He said BOEM has issued a request for information on the new leasing program and that “the 45‑day public comment period closes 06/16/2025.”
Why it matters: the BOEM request outlines planned areas across the Pacific, Alaska and Gulf regions and asks about uses of the seabed including…
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