[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 60 (Friday, March 28, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17564-17565]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-06976]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R7-FHC-2014-N022; FF07CAMM00-FX-FR133707PB000]


Marine Mammals; Letters of Authorization to Take Pacific Walrus 
and Polar Bears, Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, Alaska

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), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) has 
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. These letters of authorization stipulate 
conditions and methods that minimize impacts to polar bears and Pacific 
walrus from these activities.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Craig Perham at the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, Marine Mammals Management Office, 1011 East Tudor 
Road, MS 341, Anchorage, AK 99503; (800) 362-5148 or (907) 786-3810.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 3, 2011, we published in the 
Federal Register a final rule (76 FR 47010) 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 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.
    Each LOA stipulates conditions or methods that are specific to the 
activity and location. Holders of LOAs must use methods and conduct 
activities in a manner that minimizes to the greatest extent 
practicable adverse impacts on Pacific walrus and polar bears and their 
habitat, and on the availability of these marine mammals for 
subsistence purposes. Intentional take and lethal incidental take are 
prohibited.
    In accordance with section 101(a)(5)(A) of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361 
et seq.) and our regulations at 50 CFR part 18, subpart J, we issued 
LOAs 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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Alyeska Pipeline Service       Production......  Trans-Alaska Pipeline Operation &     December 1, 2013.
 Company.                                         Maintenance.
BP Exploration Alaska, Inc...  Development.....  Liberty Development Project.........  March 18, 2013.
BP Exploration Alaska, Inc...  Exploration.....  Foggy Island Geotechnical Survey....  July 3, 2013.
CGG Land US, Inc.............  Exploration.....  Winter Seismic Survey...............  January 2, 2014.
ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc...  Development.....  Alpine Drillsite Expansion..........  December 5, 2013.
ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc...  Exploration.....  NPR-A Exploration...................  December 5, 2013.
Eni US Operating Co., Inc....  Production......  Nikaitchuq Development Project......  August 2, 2013.
ExxonMobil Production Company  Development.....  Point Thomson Project...............  February 1, 2013.
ExxonMobil Production Company  Development.....  Point Thomson Project...............  January 24, 2014.
Great Bear Petroleum, LLC....  Exploration.....  Great Bear Exploration and            September 30, 2013.
                                                  Evaluation Program.
Olgoonik Development, LLC....  Development.....  Camp Lonely Cleanup Project.........  April 17, 2013.
Olgoonik Fairweather, LLC....  Exploration.....  Beaufort Sea Baseline Environmental   August 1, 2013.
                                                  Studies.
Olgoonik Fairweather, LLC....  Exploration.....  Marine Fish Transboundary Cruise      August 13, 2013.
                                                  Environmental Studies Program.
Pioneer Natural Resources      Development.....  Nuna Development Program............  April 24, 2013.
 Alaska, Inc..
Repsol E&P USA, Inc..........  Exploration.....  Colville River Delta Winter Drilling  March 6, 2013.
Repsol E&P USA, Inc..........  Exploration.....  Colville River Delta Winter Drilling  December 1, 2013.
SAExploration, Inc., LLC.....  Exploration.....  Colville River Delta 3-D Seismic      July 1, 2013.
                                                  Survey.
SAExploration, Inc., LLC.....  Exploration.....  North Slope Winter 3-D Seismic        January 1, 2014.
                                                  Survey.
Veritas......................  Exploration.....  Winter/Spring Dalton 3-D Seismic      February 1, 2013.
                                                  Survey.
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    On June 12, 2013, we published in the Federal Register a final rule 
(78 FR 35364) 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, 2018. The process under which we issue LOAs to 
applicants and the requirements that the holders of LOAs must follow is 
the same as described above for LOAs issued under 50 CFR 18, subpart J.
    In accordance with section 101(a)(5)(A) of the MMPA and our 
regulations at 50 CFR 18, subpart I, we issued LOAs to the following 
companies in the Chukchi Sea:

                                      Chukchi Sea Letters of Authorization
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           Company                 Activity                     Project                       Date issued
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Olgoonik Fairweather, LLC....  Exploration.....  Chukchi Sea Baseline Environmental    August 1, 2013.
                                                  Studies Program.

[[Page 17565]]

 
Shell Offshore, Inc..........  Exploration.....  Chukchi Sea Open Water Marine Survey  June 28, 2013.
                                                  Program.
TGS..........................  Exploration.....  2-D Marine Seismic Survey...........  June 28, 2013.
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    Dated: March 21, 2014.
Geoffrey L. Haskett,
Regional Director, Alaska Region.
[FR Doc. 2014-06976 Filed 3-27-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P