[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 180 (Wednesday, September 16, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57836-57837]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-20401]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XA475]


Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; 
Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Construction of the Alaska LNG 
Project in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska

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

ACTION: Notice; reopening of public comment period.

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SUMMARY: The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is reopening the 
public comment period on the notice of a proposed incidental harassment 
authorization (IHA) under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) to 
authorize the taking of marine mammals, by Level A harassment and Level 
B harassment, incidental to construction of the Alaska LNG Project in 
Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. The comment period for the notice of proposed IHA 
that published on July 16, 2020 closed on August 17, 2020. NMFS is 
reopening the public comment period to provide the public with 
additional time to submit information and to comment on this proposed 
IHA.

DATES: Comments and information must be received no later than November 
16, 2020. Comments received between the close of the first comment 
period on August 17, 2020 and the reopening of the comment period on 
September 16, 2020 will be considered timely received.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Jolie Harrison, Chief, 
Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
National Marine Fisheries Service. Written comments should be sent to 
[email protected].
    Instructions: NMFS is not responsible for comments sent by any 
other method, to any other address or individual, or received after the 
end of the comment period. Comments received electronically, including 
all attachments, must not exceed a 25-megabyte file size. Attachments 
to electronic comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word or Excel or 
Adobe PDF file formats only. All comments received are a part of the 
public record and will generally be posted online at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/incidental-take-authorization-alaska-gasline-development-corporation-liquefied-natural-gas-0 without change. 
All personal identifying information (e.g., name, address) voluntarily 
submitted by the commenter may be publicly accessible. Do not submit 
confidential business information or otherwise sensitive or protected 
information.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On July 16, 2020, we published a notice of proposed incidental 
harassment authorization to authorize the taking of marine mammals 
incidental to construction of the Alaska LNG Project in Prudhoe Bay, 
Alaska (85 FR 43382). The proposed IHA allowed for a 30-day public 
comment period, which ended on August 17, 2020. On August 14, 2020, we 
received a request from the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission (AEWC) 
requesting a 60-day extension of the comment period. The request 
indicated that the AEWC required more time to conduct their review and 
provide comments.
    The AEWC reiterates that (1) the Whaling Captains, community 
members, and the thousands of Alaska Natives who depend on the success 
of their harvests for their food security will be directly affected by 
any adverse effects from this project, and that (2) they have a direct 
stake in ensuring that this project is properly and thoroughly 
reviewed. Specifically, they note that in addition to other challenges 
to

[[Page 57837]]

reviewing the proposed IHA within the 30 days initially provided, the 
summer months are a time when many community members engage in a wide 
range of subsistence activities. Given this, and the fact that the 
specified activity the IHA addresses is not scheduled to start until 
2022, NMFS has elected to provide additional time for public comment.
    Due to the timing of the request, it was not feasible to publish a 
notice in the Federal Register announcing a comment period extension 
prior to the close of the initial public comment period. Therefore, we 
are reopening the public comment period from September 16, 2020 until 
November 16, 2020 to receive additional information and comments that 
may be relevant to any aspect of the proposal. Comments and information 
submitted during the prior comment period will be fully considered in 
the preparation of the final IHA and need not be resubmitted.

    Dated: September 11, 2020.
Donna S. Wieting,
Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-20401 Filed 9-15-20; 8:45 am]
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