[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 20 (Wednesday, January 30, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6303-6305]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-02000]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XC300


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Supplemental Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement on the Effects of Oil and Gas Activities in the Arctic 
Ocean

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

ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare a Supplemental Draft Environmental 
Impact Statement.

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SUMMARY: The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announces its 
intent to prepare a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
(DEIS) that would include an analysis of the environmental impacts of 
issuing Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) Incidental Take 
Authorizations (ITAs) to the oil and gas industry for the taking of 
marine mammals incidental to offshore exploration activities (e.g., 
seismic surveys and exploratory drilling) in Federal and state waters 
of the U.S. Chukchi and Beaufort Seas off Alaska. The Department of the 
Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the North Slope 
Borough are cooperating agencies on this EIS. The Environmental 
Protection Agency is serving as a consulting agency, and NMFS is 
coordinating with the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission pursuant to our 
co-management agreement under the MMPA.

DATES: Effective January 30, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Information on this project can be found on the Office of 
Protected Resources Web page at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/eis/arctic.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Payne, Jolie Harrison, or 
Candace Nachman, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, (301) 427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    Sections 101(a)(5)(A) and (D) of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) 
direct the Secretary of Commerce to allow, upon request, the 
incidental, but not intentional taking of small numbers 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 proposed

[[Page 6304]]

authorization is provided to the public for review. The term ``take'' 
under the MMPA means ``to harass, hunt, capture, or kill, or attempt to 
harass, hunt, capture, or kill any marine mammal.'' Except with respect 
to certain activities not pertinent here, the MMPA defines 
``harassment'' as ``any act of pursuit, torment, or annoyance which (i) 
has the potential to injure a marine mammal or marine mammal stock in 
the wild [Level A harassment]; or (ii) has the potential to disturb a 
marine mammal or marine mammal stock in the wild by causing disruption 
of behavioral patterns, including, but not limited to, migration, 
breathing, nursing, breeding, feeding, or sheltering [Level B 
harassment].''
    Authorization for incidental take shall be granted if NMFS finds 
that the taking will have a negligible impact on the species or 
stock(s), will not have an unmitigable adverse impact on the 
availability of the species or stock(s) for subsistence uses (where 
relevant), and if the permissible methods of taking and requirements 
pertaining to the mitigation, monitoring, and reporting of such takings 
are set forth. NMFS has defined ``negligible impact'' in 50 CFR 216.103 
as `` * * * an impact resulting from the specified activity that cannot 
be reasonably expected to, and is not reasonably likely to, adversely 
affect the species or stock through effects on annual rates of 
recruitment or survival.''

Summary of 2011 Draft Environmental Impact Statement

    On February 8, 2010, NMFS, as lead agency, announced its intent to 
prepare an EIS analyzing the impacts to the human environment from the 
issuance of MMPA ITAs for the take of marine mammals incidental to oil 
and gas industry exploration activities in the U.S. Arctic Ocean and 
BOEM's proposed action of issuing geological & geophysical (G&G) 
permits and authorization of ancillary activities in the U.S. Arctic 
Ocean under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) (75 FR 6175). 
The 60-day public scoping period ended on April 9, 2010.
    On December 30, 2011, NMFS published a Notice of Availability of 
the Draft EIS in the Federal Register (76 FR 82275). The Draft EIS 
includes an analysis of the proposed actions identified in the 2010 NOI 
(i.e., NMFS' issuance of MMPA ITAs for take of marine mammals 
incidental to G&G surveys, ancillary activities, and exploratory 
drilling in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas and BOEM's issuance of G&G 
permits and authorizations of ancillary activities in the Chukchi and 
Beaufort Seas), the anticipated environmental impacts, and other 
measures to minimize the impacts associated with these activities. The 
60-day public comment period closed on February 28, 2012.
    In light of comments received on the Draft EIS, NMFS and BOEM 
determined that the Final EIS would benefit from the inclusion of 
additional alternatives for analysis that cover a broader range of 
potential levels of exploratory drilling scenarios in the Beaufort and 
Chukchi Seas. The alternatives are based upon the agencies' analysis of 
additional information, including the comments and information 
submitted by stakeholders during the Draft EIS public comment period. 
Incorporating these alternatives is intended to facilitate 
consideration of a broader range of possible future offshore activity, 
thus addressing comments on the Draft EIS and extending the 
applicability of the document. Revisions to the document will also 
incorporate information in response to comments received from the 
public regarding other issues, such as analysis of potential mitigation 
measures.

Alternatives

    The alternatives analyzed in the 2011 Draft EIS are summarized in 
the Draft EIS Notice of Availability (76 FR 82275, December 30, 2011). 
However, as noted previously NMFS and BOEM have concluded that 
additional activity level scenarios should be considered in a 
Supplemental Draft EIS. Consistent with the 2011 Draft EIS, the 
alternatives will assess a reasonable range of G&G, ancillary, and 
exploratory drilling activities expected to occur, as well as a 
reasonable range of mitigation measures, in order to accurately assess 
the potential consequences of issuing ITAs under the MMPA and permits 
under the OCSLA. Each alternative includes an analysis of a suite of 
standard and additional mitigation measures that have been identified 
to help reduce impacts to marine mammals and to ensure no unmitigable 
adverse impact on the availability of marine mammals for subsistence 
uses.
    The primary difference between the upcoming Supplemental Draft EIS 
and the 2011 Draft EIS will be in the treatment of alternatives. In 
particular, NMFS and BOEM will analyze an additional alternative that 
considers up to four exploratory drilling programs in the Beaufort Sea 
and up to four exploratory drilling programs in the Chukchi Sea per 
year. In the 2011 Draft EIS, the maximum level of exploratory drilling 
considered in the alternatives was two exploratory drilling programs in 
the Beaufort Sea and two exploratory drilling programs in the Chukchi 
Sea per year. Table 1 outlines the activity levels to be considered in 
each action alternative. Activity levels noted are a maximum for each 
alternative.

    Table 1--Levels of G&G, Ancillary, and Exploratory Drilling Activities Proposed for Consideration in the
    Alternatives in the Supplemental Draft EIS on the Effects of Oil and Gas Activities in the Arctic Ocean.
     Activity Levels Noted Are a Maximum, and any Combination up to That Amount Could Be Allowed Under Each
                                                   Alternative
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                                                      Site clearance and
                                     2D/3D Seismic      shallow hazards     On-ice seismic        Exploratory
                                        surveys             surveys             surveys            drilling
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Alternative 1 (No Action).......  0.................  0.................  0.................  0
Alternative 2 (Level 1).........  4 in Beaufort.....  3 in Beaufort.....  1 in Beaufort.....  1 in Beaufort
                                  3 in Chukchi......  3 in Chukchi......  0 in Chukchi......  1 in Chukchi.
Alternative 3 (Level 2).........  6 in Beaufort.....  5 in Beaufort.....  1 in Beaufort.....  2 in Beaufort
                                  5 in Chukchi......  5 in Chukchi......  0 in Chukchi......  2 in Chukchi.
Alternative 4 (Level 3).........  6 in Beaufort.....  5 in Beaufort.....  1 in Beaufort.....  4 in Beaufort
                                  5 in Chukchi......  5 in Chukchi......  0 in Chukchi......  4 in Chukchi.
Alternative 5 (Level 3 with       6 in Beaufort.....  5 in Beaufort.....  1 in Beaufort.....  4 in Beaufort
 required time/area closures).    5 in Chukchi......  5 in Chukchi......  0 in Chukchi......  4 in Chukchi.

[[Page 6305]]

 
Alternative 6 (any level with     6 in Beaufort.....  5 in Beaufort.....  1 in Beaufort.....  Any level up to
 required use of alternative      5 in Chukchi......  5 in Chukchi......  0 in Chukchi......   the maximum, as
 technologies).                                                                                the technology
                                                                                               only relates to
                                                                                               seismic surveys.
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    Alternatives 5 and 6 differ from Alternatives 2, 3, and 4 in the 
fact that each one considers required mitigation measures not 
contemplated in the other action alternatives. Certain time/area 
closures considered for mitigation on a case-by-case basis under the 
other action alternatives would be required under Alternative 5. The 
time/area closures would be for specific areas important to biological 
productivity, life history functions for specific species of concern, 
and subsistence activities. Activities would not be permitted to occur 
in any of the time/area closures during the specific identified 
periods. Additionally, buffer zones around these time/area closures 
could potentially be included.
    In addition to contemplating the same suite of standard and 
additional mitigation measures analyzed in the other action 
alternatives, Alternative 6 also includes specific additional 
mitigation measures that focus on the use of alternative technologies 
that have the potential to augment or replace traditional airgun-based 
seismic exploration activities in the future.
    Although NMFS is not soliciting comments and information from the 
public at this time, the agencies will use the information submitted by 
the public on the Draft EIS to inform the content and analysis in the 
Supplemental Draft EIS. The public will then have the opportunity to 
comment on the Supplemental Draft EIS upon its publication. 
Additionally, the public will have the opportunity to comment on any 
applications received under the MMPA as part of this action.

    Dated: January 24, 2013.
Helen M. Golde,
Acting Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-02000 Filed 1-25-13; 4:15 pm]
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