[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 63 (Wednesday, April 2, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18528-18529]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-07316]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XD203


Taking and Importing Marine Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals 
Incidental to U.S. Air Force Launches, Aircraft and Helicopter 
Operations, and Harbor Activities Related To Launch Vehicles From 
Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB), California

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

ACTION: Notice of issuance of a Letter of Authorization.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), as 
amended, and implementing regulations, notification is hereby given 
that a Letter of Authorization (LOA) has been issued to the U.S. Air 
Force (USAF) to take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to 
launches, aircraft and helicopter operations from VAFB launch complexes 
and Delta Mariner operations, cargo unloading activities, and harbor 
maintenance dredging in support of the Delta IV/Evolved Expendable 
Launch Vehicle (EELV) launch activity on south VAFB.

DATES: Effective from March 26, 2014, through March 26, 2019.

ADDRESSES: The LOA and supporting documentation may be obtained by 
writing to Jolie Harrison, Supervisor, Incidental Take Program, Permits 
and Conservation Division, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 
East West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910, calling the contact listed 
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, or visiting the Internet at: 
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/incidental.htm. Documents cited in 
this notice may also be viewed, by appointment, during regular business 
hours at the above address.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    Section 101(a)(5)(A) of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) directs 
the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) 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 regulations are issued. Under the MMPA, the term 
``take'' means to harass, hunt, capture, or kill or to attempt to 
harass, hunt, capture, or kill any marine mammal.
    Authorization for incidental takings may 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 certain subsistence uses, 
and that the permissible methods of taking and requirements pertaining 
to the mitigation, monitoring and reporting of such taking 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.''
    The National Defense Authorization Act of 2004 (NDAA) (Pub. L. 108-
136) removed the ``small numbers'' and ``specified geographical 
region'' limitations and amended the definition of ``harassment'' as it 
applies to a ``military readiness activity'' to read as follows 
(Section 3(18)(B) of the MMPA): ``(i) Any act that injures or has the 
significant potential to injure a marine mammal or marine mammal stock 
in the wild [Level A Harassment]; or (ii) any act that disturbs or is 
likely to disturb a marine mammal or marine mammal stock in the wild by 
causing disruption of natural behavioral patterns, including, but not 
limited to, migration, surfacing, nursing, breeding, feeding, or 
sheltering, to a point where such behavioral patterns are abandoned or 
significantly altered [Level B Harassment].'' Because the USAF's 
activities constitute military readiness activities, they are not 
subject to the small numbers or specified geographic region 
limitations.
    Regulations governing the take of five species of marine mammals, 
by Level B harassment, incidental to launches, aircraft and helicopter 
operations, and harbor activities related to vehicles from VAFB were 
issued on February 24, 2014 (79 FR 10016). These regulations are 
effective from March 26, 2014, through March 26, 2019. The species 
which are

[[Page 18529]]

authorized for taking by Level B harassment are: Pacific harbor seals; 
California sea lions; northern elephant seals; northern fur seals; and 
Steller sea lions. For detailed information on this action, please 
refer to the final rule (79 FR 10016, February 24, 2014). These 
regulations include mitigation, monitoring, and reporting requirements 
for the incidental take of marine mammals during the specified 
activities.
    This LOA is effective from March 26, 2014, through March 26, 2019, 
and authorizes the incidental take of the five marine mammal species 
listed above that may result from launches, aircraft and helicopter 
operations, and harbor activities related to vehicles from VAFB, 
California.
    The USAF states that these activities may result in take of marine 
mammals from noise or visual disturbance from rocket and missile 
launches, as well as from the use of heavy equipment during the Delta 
Mariner (or similar vessel) off-loading operations, cargo movement 
activities, increased presence of personnel, and harbor maintenance 
dredging. The USAF launch and aircraft activities create two types of 
noise: continuous (but short-duration) noise, due mostly to combustion 
effects of aircraft and launch vehicles; and impulsive noise, due to 
sonic boom effects. Launch operations are the major source of noise on 
the marine environment from VAFB. The operation of launch vehicle 
engines produces significant sound levels. Generally, noise is 
generated from four sources during launches: (1) Combustion noise from 
launch vehicle chambers; (2) jet noise generated by the interaction of 
the exhaust jet and the atmosphere; (3) combustion noise from the post-
burning of combustion products; and (4) sonic booms. Launch noise 
levels are highly dependent on the type of first-stage booster and the 
fuel used to propel the vehicle. Therefore, there is a great similarity 
in launch noise production within each class size of launch vehicles. 
The noise generated by VAFB activities will result in the incidental 
harassment of pinnipeds, both behaviorally and in terms of 
physiological (auditory) impacts.
    Acoustic and visual stimuli generated by the use of heavy equipment 
during the Delta Mariner (or similar vessel) off-loading operations and 
harbor dredging and the increased presence of personnel may have the 
potential to cause Level B harassment of any pinnipeds hauled out in 
the VAFB harbor. This disturbance from acoustic and visual stimuli is 
the principal means of marine mammal taking associated with these 
activities.
    Take of marine mammals will be minimized through the implementation 
of the following mitigation measures: (1) All aircraft and helicopter 
flight paths must maintain a minimum distance of 1,000 ft (305 m) from 
recognized seal haul-outs and rookeries (e.g., Point Sal, Purisima 
Point, Rocky Point), except in emergencies or for real-time security 
incidents (e.g., search-and-rescue, fire-fighting) which may require 
approaching pinniped haul-outs and rookeries closer than 1,000 ft (305 
m); (2) for missile and rocket launches, unless constrained by other 
factors including human safety, national security concerns or launch 
trajectories, holders of LOAs must schedule launches to avoid, whenever 
possible, launches during the harbor seal pupping season of March 
through June; (3) the USAF must avoid, whenever possible, launches 
which are predicted to produce a sonic boom on the NCI during harbor 
seal, elephant seal, California sea lion, and northern fur seal pupping 
seasons; and (4) if post-launch surveys determine that an injurious or 
lethal take of a marine mammal has occurred, the launch procedure and 
the monitoring methods must be reviewed, in cooperation with NMFS, and 
appropriate changes must be made through modification to an LOA, prior 
to conducting the next launch of the same vehicle under that LOA. To 
minimize marine mammal takes during harbor activities, the following 
mitigation measures will be implemented: (1) If activities occur during 
nighttime hours, turn on lighting equipment before dusk. The lights 
would remain on for the entire night to avoid startling pinnipeds; (2) 
initiate operations before dusk; (3) keep construction noises at a 
constant level (i.e., not interrupted by periods of quiet in excess of 
30 minutes) while pinnipeds are present; (4) if activities cease for 
longer than 30 minutes and pinnipeds are in the area, initiate a 
gradual start-up of activities to ensure a gradual increase in noise 
levels; (5) a qualified observer would visually monitor the harbor 
seals on the beach adjacent to the harbor and on rocks for any flushing 
or other behaviors as a result of the activities; (6) the Delta Mariner 
(or similar vessel) and accompanying vessels would enter the harbor 
only when the tide is too high for harbor seals to haul-out on the 
rocks; reducing speed to 1.5 to 2 knots (1.5-2 nm/hr; 2.8-3.7 km/hr) 
once the vessel is within 3 mi (4.83 km) of the harbor. The vessel 
would enter the harbor stern first, approaching the wharf and moorings 
at less than 0.75 knot (1.4 km/hr); and (7) explore alternate dredge 
methods and introduce quieter techniques and equipment as they become 
available.
    Through this LOA, the USAF is required to monitor for marine 
mammals. The USAF is required to submit an annual report to NMFS by 
March 1 of each year. The report will include data collected from the 
monitoring program. Additional information on the mitigation, 
monitoring, and reporting requirements can be found in the final rule 
(79 FR 10016, February 26, 2014). The USAF is also required to submit a 
comprehensive report, which shall provide full documentation of 
methods, results, and interpretation of all monitoring during the 
period of effectiveness of this LOA.

    Dated: March 26, 2014.
Donna S. Wieting,
Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-07316 Filed 4-1-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P