[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 164 (Wednesday, August 24, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 57888]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-20251]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XE497


Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; 
Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to BlueCrest Alaska Operating LLC 
Drilling Activities at Cosmopolitan State Unit, Alaska, 2016

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

ACTION: Notice; withdrawal of an Incidental Harassment Authorization 
(IHA) application.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that BlueCrest Alaska Operating, LLC 
(BlueCrest) has withdrawn its application for an IHA to take marine 
mammals, by harassment, incidental to conducting an oil and gas 
production drilling program in lower Cook Inlet, AK, on State of Alaska 
Oil and Gas Lease 384403 under the program name of Cosmopolitan State 
during the 2016 open water season. Accordingly, NMFS has withdrawn its 
related proposed IHA.

ADDRESSES: An electronic copy of the application, proposed IHA Federal 
Register notice, NMFS' Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment (EA) 
for activities in Cook Inlet, and a list of the references used in this 
document may be obtained online at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/incidental.htm. In case of problems accessing these documents, 
please call the contact listed below. Documents cited in this notice 
may also be viewed, by appointment, during regular business hours, at 
the aforementioned address.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 28, 2015 NMFS received an IHA 
application from BlueCrest for the taking of marine mammals incidental 
to an oil and gas production drilling program in lower Cook Inlet, AK, 
during the 2016 open water season. NMFS determined that the application 
was adequate and complete on April 12, 2016. The requested IHA would 
authorize take, by Level B harassment only, of nine marine mammal 
species as a result from the specified activity. NMFS published a 
notice of the proposed IHA in the Federal Register (81 FR 35548) on 
June 2, 2016. On July 21, 2016, NMFS accepted notice from BlueCrest 
withdrawing their IHA application for the proposed action due to their 
decision to forego operations in Cook Inlet at this time due to 
economic reasons. Therefore, NMFS has withdrawn its proposed IHA for 
the action.

    Dated: August 19, 2016.
Donna S. Wieting,
Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-20251 Filed 8-23-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P