[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 212 (Tuesday, November 3, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67782-67784]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-27978]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R7-ES-2015-N152; FF07CAMM00- FX-FR133707REG00]


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

[[Page 67783]]

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. These letters of authorization are 
available electronically at the following location: http://www.fws.gov/alaska/fisheries/mmm/itr.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Hendrick 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) 786-3479.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 3, 2011, the Service 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 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
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Company                           Activity                    Project             Date issued
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alaska Development and Export   Development........................  North Slope       February 10, 2014.
 Authority.                                                           Liquefied
                                                                      Natural Gas
                                                                      Facility.
Alaska Development and Export   Development........................  North Slope       May 27, 2014.
 Authority.                                                           Liquefied
                                                                      Natural Gas
                                                                      Facility
                                                                      (amended).
Alaska Gasline Development      Exploration........................  North Slope       April 8, 2014.
 Corporation.                                                         Geotechnical
                                                                      drilling.
BP Exploration, Inc...........  Exploration........................  North Prudhoe     June 11, 2014.
                                                                      Seismic Survey.
BP Exploration Alaska Inc.....  Exploration........................  Winter Vibroseis  January 29, 2015.
                                                                      Seismic Survey.
Brooks Range Petroleum          Development........................  Mustang           January 15, 2015.
 Corporation.                                                         Development
                                                                      Program.
Caelus Natural Resources        Development........................  Nuna Development  April 20, 2015.
 Alaska, LLC.                                                         Activities.
ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc....  Exploration........................  Environmental     January 16, 2014.
                                                                      Sampling and
                                                                      Well Plug
                                                                      Abandonment.
ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc....  Exploration & Development..........  North Slope       December 12, 2014.
                                                                      activities.
ExxonMobil Development Company  Exploration........................  Preliminary       May 16, 2014.
                                                                      studies for
                                                                      development of
                                                                      Prudhoe Bay Gas
                                                                      Plant.
ExxonMobil Alaska LNG LLC.....  Exploration........................  Prudhoe Bay Unit  August 6, 2014.
                                                                      Hydrology
                                                                      Studies.
ExxonMobil Development Company  Exploration........................  Prudhoe Bay Unit  December 23, 2014.
                                                                      Field Studies.
ExxonMobil Development Company  Exploration........................  Exploration       January 29, 2015.
                                                                      activities at
                                                                      Point Thomson.
Geokinetics...................  Exploration........................  Caelus and Great  January 14, 2015.
                                                                      Bear 3D Winter
                                                                      Seismic Surveys.
Global Geophysical Services,    Exploration........................  Kad River 3D      January 14, 2015.
 Inc.                                                                 Winter Seismic
                                                                      Surveys.
Global Geophysical Services,    Exploration........................  Schrader Bluff    January 15, 2014.
 Inc.                                                                 3D Seismic
                                                                      Survey.
Hilcorp Alaska, LLC...........  Production.........................  Operations at     November 14, 2014.
                                                                      the Milne
                                                                      Point,
                                                                      Endicott, and
                                                                      Northstar
                                                                      Facilities.
Hilcorp Alaska, LLC...........  Exploration........................  Geotechnical      January 29, 2015.
                                                                      Investigation,
                                                                      Sonar and Scour
                                                                      Survey.
NordAq Energy, Inc............  Exploration........................  Tulimaniq         November 14, 2014.
                                                                      Exploration
                                                                      Drilling
                                                                      Project.
North Slope Borough...........  Development........................  Pipeline          July 28, 2015.
                                                                      upgrades near
                                                                      Barrow.
Olgoonik Specialty              Development........................  Point Lonely,     March 25, 2014.
 Contractors, LLC.                                                    Oliktok Point,
                                                                      and Bullen
                                                                      Point DEW Line
                                                                      Cleanup.
Olgoonik Fairweather, LLC.....  Exploration........................  Environmental     June 11, 2014.
                                                                      Baseline
                                                                      Studies.
Olgoonik Specialty              Development........................  Demolition and    May 29, 2015.
 Contractors, LLC.                                                    Remediation
                                                                      Projects.
Pioneer Natural Resources       Development........................  Nuna Development  February 13, 2014.
 Alaska, Inc.                                                         Project.
Repsol E&P USA Inc............  Exploration........................  Drilling Program  January 29, 2015.
                                                                      in the Colville
                                                                      River area.
SAExploration, Inc............  Exploration........................  North Slope Big   February 11, 2014.
                                                                      Bend 3D Seismic
                                                                      Survey.
SAExploration, Inc............  Exploration........................  Colville River    August 14, 2014.
                                                                      Delta Seismic
                                                                      Survey.
SAExploration, Inc............  Exploration........................  Umingmak 2015     December 23, 2014.
                                                                      Program
                                                                      Horseshoe
                                                                      Winter Seismic
                                                                      Survey.
Shell Exploration and           Production.........................  Ice Overflight    January 14, 2015.
 Production Company.                                                  Surveys.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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

[[Page 67784]]

issued LOAs to the following companies in the Chukchi Sea:

                                      Chukchi Sea Letters of Authorization
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Company                         Activity                  Project               Date issued
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Olgoonik Fairweather, LLC.......  Exploration..................  Environmental       July 23, 2014.
                                                                  Studies.
Shell Exploration and Production  Exploration..................  Ice observation     January 14, 2015.
 Company.                                                         overflights.
Shell Exploration and Production  Exploration..................  Ice observation     January 29, 2015.
 Company.                                                         overflights
                                                                  (amended).
Shell Exploration and Production  Exploration..................  Exploration         June 30, 2015.
 Company.                                                         Drilling Program
                                                                  in the Chukchi
                                                                  Sea.
Shell Exploration and Production  Exploration..................  Exploration         July 24, 2015.
 Company.                                                         Drilling Program
                                                                  in the Chukchi
                                                                  Sea (amended).
TGS.............................  Exploration..................  Seismic Operations  June 28, 2013.
TGS.............................  Exploration..................  Seismic Operations  September 11, 2013.
                                                                  (amended).
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    Dated: October 26, 2015.
Peter J. Probasco,
Acting Regional Director, Alaska Region.
[FR Doc. 2015-27978 Filed 11-2-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-55-P