diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index e94f212..09a3633 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-akgfmaps 4.0.0 (Planned release: January 2, 2025)
+akgfmaps 4.0.0 (Planned release: January 3, 2025)
 ----------------------------------------------------------------
 
 This significant update replaces outdated shapefiles from multiple
@@ -6,32 +6,33 @@ survey regions and standardizes spatial data structures across
 regions. This update is expected to break backwards compatibility,
 but will allow long-term harmonization of survey spatial products.
 
-Major changes to shapefiles:
+MAJOR CHANGES TO SHAPEFILES
 
-  1) Field names for STRATUM, STATIONID, and GRIDID fields have been
-    standardized across shapefiles and regions.
+  1) Field names for STRATUM, STATIONID, and GRIDID fields have
+     been standardized across shapefiles and regions.
   2) Added an AREAID fields to stratum shapefiles that correspond
-    with AREAIDs in AFSC/RACE/GAP's GAP_PRODUCTS schema.
+     with AREAIDs in AFSC/RACE/GAP's GAP_PRODUCTS schema.
   2) Removed precalculated areas and perimeters from shapefiles to
-    address area calculation errors and inconsistencies.
+     address area calculation errors and inconsistencies.
   3) Replaced 1998 GEBCO bathymetry linestring shapefiles with
-    a single file generated from the best available bathymetry, i.e.,
-    a combination of 2024 GEBCO and 100-m resolution bathymetry
-    from Zimmerman et al. (2019, 2021)
+     a single file generated from the best available bathymetry,
+     i.e., a combination of 2024 GEBCO and 100-m resolution
+     bathymetry from Zimmerman et al. (2019, 2021).
   4) Replaced EBS Slope stratum shapefiles with one dervied from
-    newer bathymetry. EBS shelf and slope stratum boundaries were
-    recalculated to snap together.
+     newer bathymetry. EBS shelf and slope stratum boundaries were
+     redefined to remove both gaps and overlap.
   5) Replace deprecated 1998 Alaska Department of Natural
-    Resources coastline shapefile (1:63,360 scale) with a version
-    released in 2017.
+     Resources coastline shapefile (1:63,360 scale) with a version
+     released in 2017.
   6) Closed erroneous gap through the middle of Wrangel Island
-    (Russia) at 180 W/E.
+     (Russia) at 180 W/E.
   7) Removed eastern land areas from Canada shapefile.
 
 FUNCTIONALITY CHANGES
 
 - The use.survey.bathymetry argument in get_base_layers() is now
- deprecated.
+  deprecated because they are unnecessary now that EBS bathymetry
+  files have been updated.
 
 
 akgfmaps 3.5.0 (March 19, 2024)