On November 26, 2020, the European Union approved a deal with the United States that eliminates tariffs on all U.S. lobsters for the next five years, with the possibility of permanent elimination in the future.
The National Sea Grant Law Center (NSGLC) is pleased to announce that the application period for its 2021 summer research associate program is now open. The eight-week, full-time paid internship seeks to provide a law student with research and professional development opportunities in the field of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes law. During the internship, the research associate will function as an integral component of the Law Center’s staff, assisting with publications, preparation of memorandum of law, and other ongoing projects.
At the end of December, Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (H.R. 133), which President Trump signed into law December 27, 2020. The $2.3 trillion spending bill included regular appropriations for a variety of federal agencies and a number of other pieces of legislation. At over 5,593 pages, it was the longest bill ever passed by Congress.
In October of 2020, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a proposed rule establishing standards for incidental discharges from vessels in waters of the United States. This is the first proposed rule to come out of the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act (VIDA), which was signed into law by President Trump in December 2018.
On December 14, 2020, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed amendments to a part of the Clean Water Act (CWA) regulation. The regulations pertain to enforcement standards for state and tribal programs under the CWA.