[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 215 (Monday, November 7, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68777-68778]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-28739]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R7-FHC-2011-N188; FF07CAMM00-FXFR13370700000L5-123]


Letters of Authorization To Take Marine Mammals

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the 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 was effective until August 2, 2011. New 
regulations were issued on August 3, 2011 (76 FR 47010), effective 
through August 3, 2016. 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 (16 U.S.C. 1361 et 
seq.) and our regulations at 50 CFR 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       January 20, 2011.
                                                         Project.
BP Exploration Alaska, Inc.......  Development........  Red Dog 1 Plug   January 20, 2011.
                                                         and Abandonment Project.
Brooks Range Petroleum             Exploration........  North Tarn Exploration    January 1, 2011.
 Corporation.                                            Program.
Brooks Range Petroleum             Exploration........  North Tarn Summer Clean   July 22, 2011.
 Corporation.                                            Up and Field Studies.
ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc.......  Exploration........  Hydrate Production Test,  January 3, 2011.
                                                         Ignik Sikumi I, Prudhoe
                                                         Bay Unit.
ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc.......  Exploration........  West Kuparuk 3D Seismic   January 3, 2011.
                                                         Exploration Program.
ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc.......  Development........  Puviaq 1 Plug    January 10, 2011.
                                                         and Abandonment Program.
Eni US Operating Co., Inc........  Development........  Nikaitchuq Development    May 15, 2011.
                                                         Program.
ExxonMobil Production Company....  Development........  Point Thomson...........  February 1, 2011.
ExxonMobil Production Company....  Exploration........  Seafloor Sediment         July 11, 2011.
                                                         Sampling Program.
FEX L.P..........................  Development........  Plug and Abandonment      January 10, 2011.
                                                         Project, Aklaqyaaq
                                                         1, Aklaq
                                                         2, and Aklaq
                                                         6 Wells.
Marsh Creek, LLC.................  Development........  Corrective Action         February 11, 2011.
                                                         Activities, Umiat Test
                                                         Well No. 9.
North Slope Borough..............  Development........  Gas Fields Well Drilling  April 15, 2011.
                                                         Program.
Olgoonik Fairweather, LLC........  Exploration........  Beaufort Sea Acoustic     July 15, 2011.
                                                         Monitoring Recorder
                                                         Deployment and
                                                         Retrieval Project.
Olgoonik Fairweather, LLC........  Exploration........  Central Beaufort Sea      July 15, 2011.
                                                         Fisheries Cruise
                                                         Environmental Studies
                                                         Program.
Pioneer Natural Resources Alaska,  Development........  Nuna Pre-Development      April 15, 2011.
 Inc.                                                    Project.
Savant Alaska, LLC...............  Development........  Badami Unit               February 7, 2011.
                                                         Redevelopment Project.
Shell Offshore, Inc..............  Development........  Beaufort Sea Ice          January 10, 2011.
                                                         Observation and On-Ice
                                                         Argos Data Buoy
                                                         Deployment Program.
Shell Offshore, Inc..............  Exploration........  Beaufort Sea Open Water   June 10, 2011.
                                                         Marine Survey Program
                                                         and Onshore
                                                         Environmental Baseline
                                                         Study Activities.
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[[Page 68778]]

    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 18, subpart I, 
we issued an LOA to the following companies in the Chukchi Sea:

                                      Chukchi Sea Letters of Authorization
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             Company                     Activity                Project                    Date issued
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shell Offshore, Inc..............  Exploration........  Chukchi Sea Ice           January 10, 2011.
                                                         Observation Flights
                                                         Program.
Shell Offshore, Inc..............  Exploration........  Chukchi Sea Coastal       May 15, 2011.
                                                         Marine and Onshore
                                                         Environmental Baseline
                                                         Study.
Shell Offshore, Inc..............  Exploration........  Chukchi Sea Baseline      July 29, 2011.
                                                         Environmental Studies
                                                         Program.
Statoil USA E&P, Inc.............  Exploration........  Chukchi Sea Shallow       June 20, 2011.
                                                         Hazards Survey Project.
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    Dated: October 5, 2011.
E. LaVerne Smith,
Acting Regional Director, Alaska Region.
[FR Doc. 2011-28739 Filed 11-4-11; 8:45 am]
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