Open for comment · closes November 16
Defend Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Russian River Estuary
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration · Russian River Estuary, CA
- What
- NMFS has received a request from the Sonoma County Water Agency to authorize the incidental taking of small numbers of marine mammals during Russian River Estuary management activities in Sonoma County, California. The authorization, if granted, would cover a five-year period and would be governed by regulations developed under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. NMFS is currently seeking public comment on the application, so conservation professionals and the public can weigh in before any rules are finalized.
- Where
- Russian River Estuary, CA
- How much
- The record holds no figure for this fight yet; the agency’s own words are under Case.
- By when
- Comments to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration by November 16, 2026.Date from Federal Register ↗, read October 15, 2026.
What to ask forAll 3 points →
Please account for the impacts on fish, wildlife, and the habitat they depend on.
Where these four lines come from
- WhatOur summary of the Federal Register 2026-21072 ↗. Check it against the agency’s own words under Case.
- WhereThe places and states the notice names, as PLAN read them.
- How muchNo verified figure is on the record for this fight.
- By whenNovember 16, 2026, from Federal Register, the document’s comment close date (federalregister.gov) ↗. Read October 15, 2026.
- Read from PLAN’s record October 15, 2026.
Two ways to be heard on this, and both count. Comment for the legal record, then call the members who answer to you.
Comment nowWhat to say
Make these points, in your own words
- I oppose this action as proposed, and I ask the agency to weigh the specific harms below.
- Please account for the impacts on fish, wildlife, and the habitat they depend on.
- Please account for the threats to clean water and the communities downstream.
Name the place: this decision affects Russian River Estuary and the people who use and value it.
Say something only you can say. The law requires the agency to consider and respond to substantive comments, and specifics are what make a comment substantive.
Affects public lands
NMFS has received a request from the Sonoma County Water Agency to authorize the incidental taking of small numbers of marine mammals during Russian River Estuary management activities in Sonoma County, California. The authorization, if granted, would cover a five-year period and would be governed by regulations developed under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. NMFS is currently seeking public comment on the application, so conservation professionals and the public can weigh in before any rules are finalized.
In the agency’s own words
NMFS has received a request from the Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA) for authorization to take small numbers of marine mammals incidental to Russian River Estuary management activities in Sonoma County, California over the course of five years from the date of issuance. Pursuant to regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is announcing receipt of the SCWA's request for the development and implementation of regulations governing the incidental taking of marine mammals. NMFS invites the public to provide information, suggestions, and comments on the SCWA's application and request.
The groups on this fight
4 groups predicted likely to care in California
Predicted likely to care is a guess from the group's sourced work in California, with no link to this decision. Give straight to them; nothing routes through us.
- California Wilderness Coalition
Predicted likely to care · a guess
Chuckwalla National Monument, California: Spent years building the designation campaign with Tribal nations and now defends the monument as an intervenor in federal court.
- Friends of the Desert Mountains
Predicted likely to care · a guess
Sand to Snow National Monument, California: Coachella Valley land conservancy that helped establish Sand to Snow and worked with The Wildlands Conservancy on acquisitions inside the monument footprint.
- Friends of the Inyo
Predicted likely to care · a guess
Bodie Hills, California: Runs the Eastern Sierra opposition to the gold exploration projects around the Bodie Wilderness Study Area and hosts the Bodie Hills Conservation Partnership's donation and newsletter operations.
- Los Padres ForestWatch
Predicted likely to care · a guess
Los Padres National Forest, California: Has led opposition to oil drilling in the Los Padres region for two decades and is fighting the plan to reopen 400,000 acres to leasing.
Every group above is on STAND for Public Lands, with its court record, its filings and who backs it.
Who signs it
The notice names no signer PLAN could read. PLAN names a decision-maker only when the document names one.
The ground
This fight isn’t bound to a map place in PLAN’s record yet. The notice names Russian River Estuary (CA); none is a unit on the threatened lands map, so there’s no place page to open or watch.
Who holds the vote
PLAN’s record doesn’t tie a member of Congress to this fight yet. The scorecard grades the votes and bills that decide public lands; nothing joins a vote or a bill to this decision, so there’s no member to name here without guessing.
See how your members vote ↗Calling your two senators and your representative is the Call door on this page.
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