How do I submit a public comment on Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to U.S. Marine Corps Training?

The public comment window for this decision closed on June 15, 2026. The record of what was at stake stays on this page.

When is the public comment deadline for Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to U.S. Marine Corps Training?

The comment window closed on June 15, 2026.

Do public comments actually change federal decisions?

Yes, when they are substantive. Agencies are legally required to read and respond to substantive comments before finalizing a rule, and specific personal comments about real places and real uses carry far more weight than identical form letters. Courts have overturned rules when agencies ignored substantive comments.

Affects public lands

Oppose Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to U.S. Marine Corps

Taking and Importing Marine Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to U.S. Marine Corps Training Activities at Cherry Point Range Complex, North Carolina

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration· Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, Cherry Point Range ComplexFederal Register 2026-09680 ↗

Wildlife Military MMPA Marine Mammals Coastal

The groups on this fight

4 groups work North Carolina

By footprint, from the same match the STAND matchmaker runs; none is linked to this decision in our record yet. Give straight to them; nothing routes through us.

Appalachian Voices
Works North Carolina: 2 live federal cases across all their work.
Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway
Works North Carolina: north Carolina is one of the 2 states they work in.
Great Smoky Mountains Association
Works North Carolina: north Carolina is one of the 2 states they work in.
North Carolina Outward Bound
Works North Carolina: north Carolina is one of the 4 states they work in.

Every group above is on STAND for Public Lands, with its court record, its filings and who backs it.

NMFS has received a request from the U.S. Marine Corps to authorize incidental harm to marine mammals during training activities at MCAS Cherry Point in North Carolina from 2026 to 2033. The agency is seeking public comment before deciding whether to issue a 7-year Letter of Authorization under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. This affects marine mammal populations in coastal waters near the Cherry Point Range Complex.

In the agency’s own words

NMFS has received a request from the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to training activities at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point, North Carolina over the course of 7 years from 2026 through 2033. Pursuant to regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is announcing receipt of the USMC's request for the promulgation of regulations governing the incidental taking of marine mammals and issuance of a 7-year Letter of Authorization (LOA). NMFS invites the public to provide information, suggestions, and comments on the USMC's application…

Federal Register 2026-09680 ↗

The reporting behind this

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