[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 143 (Tuesday, July 27, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44010-44011]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-18394]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R7-FHC-2010-N108; 71490-1351-0000-L5]


Letters of Authorization To Take Marine Mammals

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of issuance.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, 
as amended (MMPA), we, the Fish and Wildlife Service, have issued 
letters of authorization for the nonlethal take of polar bears and 
Pacific walrus incidental to oil and gas industry exploration, 
development, and production activities in the Beaufort Sea and the 
adjacent northern coast of Alaska and incidental to oil and gas 
industry exploration activities in the Chukchi Sea and the adjacent 
western coast of Alaska.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Craig Perham at the Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Marine Mammals Management Office, 1011 East Tudor Road, 
Anchorage, AK 99503; (800) 362-5148 or (907) 786-3810.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 2, 2006, we published in the 
Federal Register a final rule (71 FR 43926) establishing regulations 
that allow us to authorize the nonlethal, incidental, unintentional 
take of small numbers of polar bears and Pacific walrus during year-
round oil and gas industry exploration, development, and production 
activities in the Beaufort Sea and adjacent northern coast of Alaska. 
The rule established subpart J in part 18 of title 50 of the Code of 
Federal Regulations (CFR) and is effective until August 2, 2011. The 
rule prescribed a process under which we issue letters of authorization 
(LOAs) to applicants conducting activities as described under the 
provisions of the regulations. In accordance with section 101(a)(5)(A) 
of the MMPA and our regulations at 50 CFR part 18, subpart J, we issued 
an LOA to each of the following companies in the Beaufort Sea and 
adjacent northern coast of Alaska:

Beaufort Sea, Letters of Authorization

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             Company                     Activity                Project                    Date issued
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BP Exploration Alaska, Inc.......  Development........  Liberty Development       04 January 2010.
                                                         Project.
Brooks Range Petroleum Corp......  Exploration........  North Shore and Sak       05 January 2010.
                                                         River Exploration
                                                         Programs.
Brooks Range Petroleum Corp......  Exploration........  North Tarn Exploration    09 February 2010.
                                                         Program.
ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc.......  Exploration........  Seismic Exploration       20 January 2010.
                                                         Program--Alpine 3D.
ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc.......  Development........  West Mikkelsen State      20 January 2010.
                                                         1.
Eni US Operating Co. Inc.........  Development........  Nikaitchuq Development    25 February 2010.
                                                         Program.
ExxonMobil Production Company....  Development........  Point Thomson...........  20 January 2010.
Marsh Creek, LLC.................  Development........  Drew Point Test Well      03 February 2010.
                                                         1.
Savant Alaska, LLC...............  Development........  Badami Unit               29 January 2010.
                                                         Redevelopment Project.
Shell Offshore, Inc..............  Development........  On-Ice Argos Data Buoy    04 January 2010.
                                                         Deployment Program.
Shell Offshore, Inc..............  Exploration........  Beaufort Open Water       19 May 2010.
                                                         Marine Survey Program.
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    On June 11, 2008, we published in the Federal Register a final rule 
(73 FR 33212) establishing regulations that allow us to authorize the 
nonlethal, incidental, unintentional take of small numbers of polar 
bears and Pacific walrus during year-round oil and gas industry 
exploration activities in the Chukchi Sea and adjacent western coast of 
Alaska. The rule established subpart I of 50 CFR part 18 and is 
effective until June 11, 2013. The rule prescribed a process under 
which we issue LOAs to applicants conducting activities as described 
under the provisions of the regulations. In accordance with section 
101(a)(5)(A) of the MMPA and our regulations at 50 CFR part 18, subpart 
I, we issued an LOA to the following company in the Chukchi Sea:

Chukchi Sea, Letters of Authorization

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              Company                      Activity                  Project                  Date issued
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shell Offshore, Inc...............  Exploration..........  Chukchi Open Water Marine   19 May 2010.
                                                            Survey Program.
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[[Page 44011]]

    For information on other recent LOAs issued under 50 CFR part 18, 
subparts I and J, see our notices published in the Federal Register on 
December 8, 2009 (74 FR 64710), and October 15, 2008 (73 FR 61158 and 
61159).

    Dated: July 6, 2010.
Timothy R. Jennings,
Acting Regional Director.
[FR Doc. 2010-18394 Filed 7-26-10; 8:45 am]
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