[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 206 (Monday, October 26, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57096-57100]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-28601]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 092898C]


Small Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; 
Construction of an Offshore Platform in the Beaufort Sea

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of application and proposed authorization for 
a small take exemption; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: NMFS has received a request from the BP Exploration (Alaska), 
900 East Benson Boulevard, Anchorage, AK 99519 (BPXA) for an 
authorization to take small numbers of marine mammals by harassment 
incidental to construction of an offshore oil platform and subsea 
pipeline at Northstar in the Beaufort Sea in state waters. Under the 
Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its 
proposal to authorize BPXA to incidentally take, by harassment, small 
numbers of marine mammals in the above mentioned area between December 
1, 1998, and November 30, 1999.

DATES: Comments and information must be received no later than November 
25, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the application should be addressed to Michael 
Payne, Chief, Marine Mammal Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3225. A copy of 
the application and a list of references used in this document may be 
obtained by writing to this address or by telephoning one of the 
contacts listed here. A copy of the draft environmental impact 
statement (DEIS) may be obtained by contacting the U.S. Army Engineer 
District, Alaska, Regulatory Branch, P.O. Box 898, Anchorage, AK 99506-
0898.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenneth R. Hollingshead, (301) 713-
2055, Brad Smith, (907) 271-5006.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

     Section 101(a)(5)(A) and (D) of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) 
directs the Secretary of Commerce to allow, upon request, the 
incidental, but not intentional taking of marine mammals by U.S. 
citizens who engage in a specified activity (other than commercial 
fishing) within a specified geographical region if certain findings are 
made and either regulations are issued or, if the taking is limited to 
harassment, a notice of a proposed authorization is provided to the 
public for review.
    Permission may be granted if NMFS finds that the taking will have a 
negligible impact on the species or stock(s) and will not have an 
unmitigable adverse impact on the availability of the species or 
stock(s) for subsistence uses and that the permissible methods of 
taking and requirements pertaining to the

[[Page 57097]]

monitoring and reporting of such taking are set forth.
    On April 10, 1996 (61 FR 15884), NMFS published an interim rule 
establishing, among other things, procedures for issuing incidental 
harassment authorizations (IHAs) under section 101(a)(5)(D) of the MMPA 
for activities in Arctic waters. For additional information on the 
procedures to be followed for this authorization, please refer to that 
document.

Summary of Request

    On August 14, 1998, NMFS received an application from BPXA 
requesting a 1-year authorization for the harassment of small numbers 
of several species of marine mammals incidental to construction of the 
Northstar development in the Alaskan Beaufort Sea. While a brief 
description of the proposed activity is provided here, a more detailed 
description of the activity and the expected impact can be found in the 
application and DEIS (see ADDRESSES).
    BPXA proposes to produce crude oil from the Northstar Unit, which 
is located between 2 and 8 miles (mi)(3.2 and 12.9 kilometers (km)) 
offshore from Pt. Storkersen, AK. This unit is adjacent to the Prudhoe 
Bay industrial complex and is approximately 54 mi (87 km) northeast of 
Nuiqsut, a Native Alaskan community. The proposed construction activity 
during the period of the proposed incidental harassment authorization 
includes the construction of three ice roads, one from either West Dock 
or Pt. McIntyre to a gravel mine site, a second from a gravel mine site 
to Seal Island and a third from the shore crosisng of the pipeline 
following the pipeline route to Seal Island; the construction of a 
gravel island work surface for drilling and oil production facilities; 
and two pipelines, one to transport crude oil and one for gas for field 
injection. NMFS anticipates that this 1-year authorization will not be 
continued into a second year (if necessary to complete construction) 
but will instead be followed by a set of regulations and a Letter of 
Authorization, under section 101(a)(5)(A) of the MMPA, governing 
incidental takes of marine mammals from construction and operations of 
the Northstar Development and other offshore oil and gas developments 
in the U.S. Beaufort Sea. An application for a small take authorization 
under section 101(a)(5)(A) of the MMPA is under development by BPXA.
    Ice-covered Season: Ice road construction will take place during 
the winter, 1998/99. Ice roads constructed inside the barrier islands 
will be bottom-fast while ice roads offshore will be on artificially 
thickened floating ice. Island construction will be at the location of 
the existing man-made Seal Island. It is estimated that approximately 
16,800 large-volume haul trips between the onshore mine site and a 
reload area in the vicinity of Egg Island and 28,500 lighter dump truck 
trips from Egg Island to Seal Island will be necessary to transport 
construction gravel to Seal Island. An additional 300 truck trips will 
be necessary to transport concrete-mat slope protection materials to 
the island.
    Two 10-inch (0.25 m)pipelines are planned. The offshore portions 
will each be 6 mi (9.5 km) in length and will be constructed between 
January and April, 1999. Both pipelines will be buried together in a 
common trench and backfilled. Trenching will be done from thickened ice 
using excavation and construction equipment. This work is expected to 
be completed by the end of April.
    Open-water Season: During the summer 1999, open water season, BPXA 
expects to transport the drill rig(s) and some of the process and 
production modules to Seal Island via ocean-going barges. In addition, 
barges will also be used to support construction during the summer, and 
helicopters will support drill rig installation until ice roads are 
constructed next winter. Up to 75 barge trips are expected between 
Prudhoe Bay and/or Endicott to Seal Island during the open water season 
(July to September, 1999). By August 31, 1999, all island and pipeline 
construction and sheet pile and slope protection installation 
operations are expected to be completed. Operations during September 
will be limited, and barge transport will be limited to waters west of 
Cross Island, minimizing the possibility for interference with 
subsistence hunting.
    Some process and camp modules are scheduled to arrive from 
Anchorage or the Prudhoe Bay area via sealift or local barge service on 
approximately August 15, 1999, with offloading completed by August 21, 
1999. A drill rig is scheduled to be moved by local barge to the island 
for arrival by September 7, 1999, with offloading completed by 
September 30, 1999. Construction activities may continue on the island 
through the autumn and early winter of 1999. Activities on and near the 
island during the period October through December will depend upon 
progress up to that time. Some of the construction activities planned 
for earlier months may need to continue during the autumn.

Description of Habitat and Marine Mammal Affected by the Activity

    A detailed description of the Beaufort Sea ecosystem and its 
associated marine mammals can be found in the DEIS prepared for this 
authorization (Corps of Engineers (Corps), 1998). This information is 
not repeated here but will be considered part of the record of decision 
for this application. A copy of the DEIS is available upon request (see 
ADDRESSES).Marine Mammals
    The Beaufort/Chukchi Seas support a diverse assemblage of marine 
mammals, including bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus), gray whales 
(Eschrichtius robustus), beluga (Delphinapterus leucas), ringed seals 
(Phoca hispida), spotted seals (Phoca largha) and bearded seals 
(Erignathus barbatus). Descriptions of the biology and distribution of 
these species and of others can be found in several documents (e.g., 
Hill et al., 1997) including the BPXA application and the DEIS. Please 
refer to those documents for information on these species. For the 
purpose of making a determination that the taking by this activity will 
have no more than a negligible impact on the species or stock(s) of 
marine mammals and will not have an unmitigable adverse impact on the 
availability of the species or stock(s) of marine mammals for 
subsistence uses, NMFS adopts the information contained in these 
documents as part of its record of decision. In addition to the species 
mentioned in this paragraph, Pacific walrus and polar bears also have 
the potential to be taken. Appropriate applications for taking these 
species under the MMPA have been submitted to the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service by BPXA.

Potential Effects on Marine Mammals

    Sounds and non-acoustic stimuli will be generated by vehicle 
traffic, ice-cutting, pipeline construction, offshore trenching, gravel 
dumping, sheet pile driving, and vessel and helicopter operations. The 
sounds generated from the construction operations and associated 
transportation activities will be detectable underwater and/or in air 
some distance away from the area of the activity, depending upon the 
nature of the sound source, ambient noise conditions, and the 
sensitivity of the receptor. At times, some of these sounds are likely 
to be strong enough to cause an avoidance or other behavioral 
disturbance reaction by small numbers of marine mammals or to cause 
masking of signals important to marine mammals. The type and 
significance of behavioral reaction is likely to depend

[[Page 57098]]

on the species and season, and the behavior of the animal at the time 
of reception of the stimulus, as well as the distance and level of the 
sound relative to ambient conditions.
    In winter and spring, on-ice travel and construction activities 
will displace some ringed seals along the ice road and pipeline 
construction corridors. BPXA plans to begin winter construction 
activities prior to female ringed seals establishing birthing lairs 
beginning in late March. The noise and general human activity will 
displace female seals away from activity areas that could negatively 
affect the female and young, if birth lairs were contstructed there. If 
construction activities are initiated in previously undisturbed areas 
after March 20, BPXA will be required to survey the area(s) to identify 
and avoid ringed seal lairs by a minimum of 50 m (164 ft). Due to 
mitigation and monitoring, it is not expected that any ringed seals 
will be killed or seriously injured during this time.
    During the open-water season, all six species of whales and seals 
could potentially be exposed to vessel or construction noise and to 
other stimuli associated with the planned operations. Vessel traffic is 
known to cause avoidance reactions by whales at certain times 
(Richardson et al., 1995). Pile driving, helicopter operations, and 
possibly other activities may also lead to disturbance of small numbers 
of seals or whales. In addition to disturbance, some limited masking of 
whale calls or other low-frequency sounds potentially relevant to 
bowhead whales could occur.
    BPXA estimates that up to 219 ringed seals and 1 bearded seal may 
be incidentally harassed during the ice-covered period. During the 
open-water season, BPXA estimates that up to 319 ringed seals, 10 
spotted seals, 26 bearded seals, 23 bowhead whales, 10 gray whales, and 
250 beluga whales may be incidentally harassed. Because of residency, 
some ringed seals may be taken by harassment more than once during this 
period. Please refer to the application for the rationale supporting 
these estimated harassment takes of individual animals.

Impacts on Affected Species

    For a discussion on the anticipated effects of ships, boats, 
aircraft, and construction activities at Northstar on marine mammals, 
please refer to the application (BPXA, 1998). NMFS proposes to adopt 
this information as a summarization of the best scientific information 
available on this subject.

Effects of Activities on Habitat

    The Northstar Development area is not known to be an area of 
concentrated mating or feeding of any marine mammal species. 
Anticipated impacts by Northstar construction on the habitat include 
temporarily elevated noise levels, potential bottom disturbance due to 
additional gravel placement on Seal Island and pipeline trenching 
activities, and the permanent loss of approximately 86,130 
m2 (926,250 ft2) of habitat due to island 
reconstruction. These effects will be localized at the site of the 
project.

Effects of Activities on Subsistence Needs

    The disturbance and potential displacement of bowhead whales and 
other marine mammals by sounds from vessel traffic and/or on-island 
construction activities (e.g., impact hammering) are the principle 
concerns related to subsistence use of the area. The harvest of marine 
mammals (mainly bowhead whales, ringed seals, and bearded seals) is 
central to the culture and subsistence economies of the coastal North 
Slope communities (BPXA, 1998). In particular, if elevated noise levels 
are displacing migrating bowhead whales farther offshore, this could 
make the harvest of these whales more difficult and dangerous for 
hunters. The harvest could also be affected if bowheads become more 
skittish when exposed to vessel or impact-hammering noise (BPXA, 1998).
    Construction activities and associated vessel and aircraft 
(helicopter) support are expected to begin in December and continue 
into October 1999, depending upon ice conditions. Few bowhead whales 
approach the Northstar area before the end of August, and subsistence 
whaling generally does not begin until after September 1 and occurs in 
areas well east of the construction site. Therefore, a substantial 
portion of the Northstar development will be completed when no bowhead 
whales are nearby and when no whaling is underway. Insofar as possible, 
vessel and aircraft traffic near areas of particular concern for 
whaling will be completed by BPXA before the end of August. No impact 
hammering will occur during the period when subsistence hunting of 
migrating bowhead whales is underway.
    Nuiqsut is the community closest to the area of the proposed 
activity, and it harvests bowhead whales only during the fall whaling 
season. In recent years, Nuiqsut whalers typically take zero to four 
whales each season (BPXA, 1998). Nuiqsut whalers concentrate their 
efforts on areas north and east of Cross Island, generally in water 
depths greater than 20 m (65 ft). Cross Island, the principle field 
camp location for Nuiqsut whalers, is located approximately 28.2 km 
(17.5 mi) east of the Northstar construction activity area.
    Whalers from the village of Kaktovik search for whales east, north, 
and west of their village. Kaktovik is located approximately 200 km 
(124.3 mi) east of Seal Island. The westernmost reported harvest 
location was about 21 km (13 mi) west of Kaktovik, near 
70o10'N, 144oW (Kaleak, 1996). That site is 
approximately 180 km (112 mi) east of Seal Island.
    Whalers from the village of Barrow search for bowhead whales much 
further from the Northstar area, >250 km (>175 mi) west.
    Effects of Northstar construction on migrating bowheads are not 
expected to extend into the area where Nuqsut hunters usually search 
for bowheads. However, it is recognized that it is difficult to 
determine the maximum distance at which reactions occur (Moore and 
Clark, 1992). As a result, in order to avoid any unmitigable adverse 
impact on subsistence needs and to reduce potential interference with 
the hunt, the timing of various construction activities at Northstar as 
well as barge and aircraft traffic in the Cross Island area will be 
addressed in a Communications and Avoidance Agreement between BPXA and 
North Slope Borough residents. Also, NMFS believes that the monitoring 
plan proposed by BPXA will provide information that will help resolve 
uncertainties about the effects of construction noise on the 
accessibility of bowheads to hunters.
    While Northstar activity has some potential to influence 
subsistence seal hunting activities, the most important sealing area 
for Nuiqsut hunters is off the Colville delta, extending as far west as 
Fish Creek and as far east as Pingok Island (BPXA, 1998). Pingok Island 
is about 24 km (15 mi) west of Northstar. The peak season for seal 
hunting is during the summer months, but some hunting is conducted on 
the landfast ice in late spring. In summer, boat crews hunt ringed, 
spotted and bearded seals (BPXA, 1998). Thus, it is unlikely that 
construction activity will have a significant negative impact on 
Nuiqsut seal hunting.

Mitigation

    Several mitigation measures have been proposed by BPXA to reduce 
harassment takes to the lowest level practicable. These include:

[[Page 57099]]

    (1) BPXA will begin winter construction activities prior to female 
ringed seals establishing the birthing lair in late March to early 
April in order to displace seals away from activities that could 
negatively affect the female and young.
    (2) If construction activities are initiated in previously 
undisturbed areas after March 20, BPXA will survey the area(s) to 
identify and avoid ringed seal lairs by a minimum of 50 m (164 ft).
    (3) BPXA will establish and monitor a 190 dB re 1 Pa 
safety range for seals around the island for those noisier activities.
    (4) While whales are unlikely to approach the island during impact 
hammering or other noisy activities, a 180 dB re 1 Pa safety 
zone will be established and monitored around the island.
    (5) If any marine mammals are observed within their respective 
safety range, operations will cease until such time as the observed 
marine mammals have left the safety zone.
    (6) Project scheduling indicates that impact hammering will not 
occur during the period for subsistence hunting of westward migrating 
bowhead whale.
    (7) Helicopter flights to support Northstar construction will be 
limited to a corridor from Seal Island to the mainland, and, except 
when limited by weather, will maintain a minimum altitude of 1,000 ft 
(305 m).

Monitoring

    Monitoring will employ both marine mammal observations and 
acoustics measurements and recordings. During the open-water period, 
monitoring will consist of (1) acoustic measurements of sounds produced 
by construction activities through hydrophones, seaborne sonobuoys and 
bottom recorders, and (2) observations of marine mammals from an 
elevated platform on Seal Island will be made during periods with and 
without construction underway (see page 94 of application).
    During the ice-covered season, BPXA proposes to continue an ongoing 
(since the spring, 1997) Before-After/Control-Impact Study on the 
distribution and abundance of ringed seals in relation to development 
of the offshore oil and gas resources in the central Beaufort Sea. 
Collection and analysis of data before and after construction is 
expected to provide a reliable method for assessing the impact of oil 
and gas activities on ringed seal distribution in the Northstar 
construction area. Other winter/spring monitoring will include (1) on-
ice searches for ringed seal lairs in areas where construction starts 
in the mid-March through April period, (2) assessment of abandonment 
rates for seal holes, and (3) acoustic measurements of sounds and 
vibrations from construction.
     The monitoring plan will be subject to review by NMFS biologists 
and revised appropriately prior to implementation. Independent peer 
review is not warranted on the on-ice portion of the plan. This work 
has been underway since the winter 1997/98 and on-ice monitoring was 
reviewed during the May, 1998 workshop held in Seattle, WA. The open-
water season monitoring plan however will be reviewed next spring at 
the annual peer-review workshop held in Seattle.

Reporting

    BPXA will provide two initial reports on 1998 activities to NMFS 
within 90 days of completion of each phase of the activity. The first 
report will be due 90 days after the ice roads are no longer usable or 
spring aerial surveys are completed, whichever is later. The second 
report will be forwarded to NMFS 90 days after the formation of ice in 
the central Alaskan Beaufort Sea. These reports will provide summaries 
of the dates and locations of construction activities, details of 
marine mammal sightings, estimates of the amount and nature of marine 
mammal takes, and any apparent effects on accessibility of marine 
mammals to subsistence hunters.
    A draft final technical report will be submitted to NMFS by April 
1, 2000. The final technical report will contain a full description of 
the methods, results, and interpretation of all monitoring tasks. The 
draft final report will be subject to peer review before finalized by 
BPXA.

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

    On June 12, 1998 (63 FR 32207), the Environmental Protection Agency 
noted the availability for public review and comment a DEIS prepared by 
the Corps under NEPA on Beaufort Sea oil and gas development at 
Northstar. Comments on that document were accepted by the Corps until 
August 31, 1998 (63 FR 43699, August 14, 1998). NMFS is a cooperating 
agency, as defined by the Council on Environmental Quality regulations 
(40 CFR 1501.6), on the preparation of this document. This DEIS, which 
supplements information contained in the application, is considered 
part of NMFS' record of decision for determining whether the activity 
proposed for receiving a small take authorization is having a 
negligible impact on affected marine mammal stocks and not having an 
unmitigable adverse impact on subsistence needs. Based upon a review of 
the Final EIS (FEIS) and the comments received on this proposed 
authorization, NMFS will (1) adopt the Corp FEIS, (2) amend the Corps 
FEIS to incorporate relevant comments, suggestions and information, or 
(3) based upon comments received, prepare and release for comment a 
draft Environmental Assessment. NMFS will not issue an IHA until its 
responsibilities under NEPA have been met.

Consultation

    Under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), NMFS will 
complete formal consultation with the Corps on the Beaufort Sea oil and 
gas development project at Northstar. NMFS will also consult with 
itself on the issuance of an incidental harassment authorization for 
this activity. If an authorization to incidentally harass listed marine 
mammals is issued under the MMPA, NMFS will issue an Incidental Take 
Statement under section 7 of the ESA for listed marine mammals.

Conclusions

    NMFS has preliminarily determined that the impact of constructing 
the Northstar Development in the U.S. Beaufort Sea will result, at 
worst, in a temporary modification in behavior by certain species of 
cetaceans and pinnipeds. During the ice-covered season, pinnipeds close 
to the island may be subject to incidental harassment due to the 
localized displacement from construction of ice roads and from 
transportation activities on that road. As cetaceans will not be in the 
area during the ice-covered season, they will not be affected. During 
the open-water season, the principal construction-related activities 
will be helicopter traffic, vessel traffic, and some construction 
activity on Seal Island. Sheet-pile driving is expected to be completed 
prior to whales being present in the area. Sounds from construction 
activities on the island are not expected to be detectable more than 
about 5-10 km (3.1-6.2 mi) offshore of the island. Disturbance to 
bowhead or beluga whales by on-island activities will be limited to an 
area substantially less than that distance. Helicopter traffic will be 
limited to nearshore areas between the mainland and the island and is 
unlikely to approach or disturb whales. Barge traffic will be located 
mainly inshore of the whales and will involve vessels moving slowly, in 
a straight line, and at constant speed. Little disturbance or

[[Page 57100]]

 displacement of whales by vessel traffic is expected. While behavioral 
modifications may be made by these species to avoid the resultant 
noise, this behavioral change is expected to have no more than a 
negligible impact on the animals.
    While the number of potential incidental harassment takes will 
depend on the distribution and abundance of marine mammals (which vary 
annually due to variable ice conditions and other factors) in the area 
of operations, because the proposed activity is in shallow waters 
inshore of the main migration corridor for bowhead whales and far 
inshore of the main migration corridor for belugas, the number of 
potential harassment takings is estimated to be small. In addition, no 
take by injury and/or death is anticipated, and the potential for 
temporary or permanent hearing impairment will be avoided through the 
incorporation of the mitigation measures mentioned in this document. No 
rookeries, areas of concentrated mating or feeding, or other areas of 
special significance for marine mammals occur within or near the 
planned area of operations during the season of operations.
    Because bowhead whales are east of the construction area in the 
Canadian Beaufort Sea until late August/early September, activities at 
Northstar are not expected to impact subsistence hunting of bowhead 
whales prior to that date. Appropriate mitigation measures to avoid an 
unmitigable adverse impact on the availability of bowhead whales for 
subsistence needs will be the subject of consultation between BPXA and 
subsistence users.
    Also, while construction at Northstar has some potential to 
influence seal hunting activities by residents of Nuiqsut, because (1) 
the peak sealing season is during the winter months, (2) the main 
summer sealing is off the Colville Delta), and (3) the zone of 
influence from Northstar on belukha and seals is fairly small, NMFS 
believes that Northstar construction will not have an unmitigable 
adverse impact on the availability of these stocks for subsistence 
uses.

Proposed Authorization

    NMFS proposes to issue an IHA for the taking of marine mammals 
incidental to construction of the Northstar development project in the 
Alaskan Beaufort Sea, provided the previously mentioned mitigation, 
monitoring, and reporting requirements are incorporated. NMFS has 
preliminarily determined that the proposed activity would result in the 
harassment of only small numbers of bowhead whales, gray whales, 
belukha whales, ringed seals, bearded seals, and spotted (largha) 
seals; would have a negligible impact on these marine mammal stocks; 
and would not have an unmitigable adverse impact on the availability of 
marine mammal stocks for subsistence uses.

Information Solicited

    NMFS requests interested persons to submit comments and information 
concerning this request (see ADDRESSES).

    Dated: October 20, 1998.
Hilda Diaz-Soltero,
Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 98-28601 Filed 10-23-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F