[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 166 (Tuesday, August 31, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48751-48753]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-18770]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[Docket No. FWS-R7-ES-2021-0002; FF07CAMM00-FX-ES111607MRG01]


Marine Mammals; Letters of Authorization To Take Pacific Walrus 
and Polar Bears in the Beaufort Sea, Alaska, in 2019 and 2020 and 
Northern Sea Otters in Cook Inlet, Alaska in 2019 and 2020

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, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has issued Letters of 
Authorization for the nonlethal take of polar bears and Pacific 
walruses incidental to oil and gas industry exploration, development, 
and production activities in the Beaufort Sea and the adjacent northern 
coast of Alaska as well as northern sea otters in Cook Inlet, Alaska, 
in 2019 and 2020. This notice announces a list of the Letters of 
Authorizations that were issued in calendar years 2019 and 2020. The 
Letters of Authorization stipulate conditions and methods that minimize 
impacts to polar bears, Pacific walruses, and northern sea otters from 
these activities.

ADDRESSES: Document availability: You may view this notice as well as 
the Letters of Authorization at http://www.regulations.gov under Docket 
No. FWS-R7-ES-2021-0002, or these documents may be requested as 
described under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charles Hamilton, Marine Mammal 
Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS 341, 1011 East Tudor 
Road, Anchorage, Alaska 99503, by email at [email protected] or 
by telephone at 1-800-362-5148. Persons who use a telecommunications 
device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 
1-800-877-8339, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 5, 2016, the U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service published in the Federal Register a final rule (81 FR 
52276) establishing regulations that allow us to authorize the 
nonlethal, incidental, unintentional take of small numbers of polar 
bears (Ursus maritimus) and Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus 
divergens) 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 5, 2021. The rule prescribed a process under which we 
issue Letters of Authorization (LOA) 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 the LOAs must use methods and conduct 
activities in a manner that minimizes to the greatest extent 
practicable adverse impacts on Pacific walruses 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 under these regulations.
    In accordance with section 101(a)(5)(A) of the Marine Mammal 
Protection Act (MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) and our regulations at 50 
CFR part 18, subpart J, in 2019 and 2020 we issued LOAs to each of the 
companies in the Beaufort Sea and adjacent northern coast of Alaska 
shown below in table 1.

[[Page 48752]]



                                 Table 1--Beaufort Sea Letters of Authorization
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Year                    Company            Activity              Project               LOA #
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2019...........................  Caelus Natural     Close-out and      Transferring ownership  16-11 [amended].
                                  Resources          amendment.         of Oooguruk to Eni
                                  Alaska, LLC.                          U.S. Operation
                                                                        Company, Inc., and
                                                                        Nuna to
                                                                        ConocoPhillips
                                                                        Alaska, Inc.
2019...........................  ConocoPhillips     Acquisition......  ConocoPhillips Alaska,  16-13 [amended].
                                  Alaska, Inc.                          Inc., acquired Nuna
                                                                        from Caelus.
2019...........................  ConocoPhillips     Exploration and    Geotechnical surveys    18-14 [amended].
                                  Alaska, Inc.       development.       and installation at
                                                                        the proposed Willow
                                                                        airstrip; in support
                                                                        of development in the
                                                                        Bear Tooth Unit.
2019...........................  Oil Search Alaska  Exploration and    Pikka field             19-01 [amended].
                                                     support services.  exploratory drilling,
                                                                        environmental
                                                                        surveys, and
                                                                        transportation
                                                                        activities.
2019...........................  Peak Oilfield      Support services.  Transportation          19-02.
                                  Service Company,                      activities on the
                                  LLC.                                  North Slope.
2019...........................  SAExploration....  Exploration......  Seismic activities in   19-03.
                                                                        the Prudhoe Bay Unit.
2019...........................  TGS-NOPEC          Exploration......  3D seismic activities   19-04.
                                  Geophysical                           in the Beaufort Sea;
                                  Company.                              north of the Colville
                                                                        River Delta.
2019...........................  BEM Systems,       Remediation......  Former United States    19-05.
                                  Incorporated.                         Air Force Bullen
                                                                        Point Short Range
                                                                        Radar Station.
2019...........................  BP Exploration     Demobilization...  Liberty oil rig         19-06.
                                  (Alaska), Inc.                        demobilization and
                                                                        removal.
2019...........................  Chevron            Support services.  Debris removal at the   19-07.
                                  Environmental                         former Kalubik Creek
                                  Management                            No. 1 wellsite on the
                                  Company.                              North Slope.
2019...........................  Eni U.S.           Exploration,       Nakaitchuq and          19-08.
                                  Operation          development, and   Oooguruk oilfields.
                                  Company, Inc.      production.
2019...........................  Peak Oilfield      Support services.  Transportation          19-09.
                                  Service Company,                      activities on the
                                  LLC.                                  North Slope.
2019...........................  SAExploration....  Support services.  Summer cleanup and      19-10.
                                                                        flyovers on the North
                                                                        Slope.
2019...........................  PRA                Production and     Monitoring the Hydrate  19-11a.
                                  Petrotechnical     research.          01 well in Kuparuk.
                                  Resources of
                                  Alaska.
2019...........................  Brooks Range       Development......  Mustang on the North    19-11b.
                                  Petroleum                             Slope of Alaska.
                                  Corporation.
2019...........................  Hilcorp Alaska,    Support services.  Arctic cod monitoring   19-12.
                                  LLC.                                  associated with the
                                                                        Liberty Project.
2019...........................  ConocoPhillips     Development......  Greater Mooses Tooth    19-14.
                                  Alaska, Inc.                          Two (MT7; GMT2).
2019...........................  SAExploration....  Exploration and    Seismic surveys and     19-15.
                                                     support services.  cleanup activities on
                                                                        the North Slope.
2019...........................  ConocoPhillips     Exploration......  Appraisal well          19-16.
                                  Alaska, Inc.                          drilling at Willow.
2019...........................  SAExploration....  Exploration and    Winter seismic and      19-17.
                                                     support services.  cleanup activities
                                                                        associated with
                                                                        Willow, Narwhal, and
                                                                        Kuukpik.
2019...........................  ConocoPhillips     Exploration,       Geotechnical surveys;   19-18.
                                  Alaska, Inc.       development, and   installation of
                                                     support services.  equipment and gravel/
                                                                        ice road development;
                                                                        sampling at Willow.
2019...........................  ConocoPhillips     Exploration and    Fiord West Kuparuk      19-19.
                                  Alaska, Inc.       development.       Pilot Program.
2020...........................  Hilcorp Alaska,    Acquisition......  Hilcorp Alaska, LLC,    16-14 [amended].
                                  LLC.                                  acquired all of BP
                                                                        Exploration (Alaska),
                                                                        Inc.'s interests and
                                                                        assets.
2020...........................  Olgoonik           Production.......  Plug and abandonment,   20-01.
                                  Construction                          surface remediation
                                  Services.                             with the Simpson
                                                                        Wells Remediation
                                                                        Project.
2020...........................  Alyeska Pipeline   Production.......  Operation and           20-02.
                                  Service Company.                      maintenance of the
                                                                        Trans-Alaska Pipeline
                                                                        System.
2020...........................  Oil Search Alaska  Exploration,       Geotechnical boring,    20-03
                                                     development,       surveys, cleanup,       [corrected].
                                                     support services.  installation of
                                                                        facilities and
                                                                        pipelines, and gravel
                                                                        farming at the Pikka
                                                                        Development.
2020...........................  ConocoPhillips     Development......  Greater Mooses Tooth    20-04.
                                  Alaska, Inc.                          Two (MT7; GMT2).
2020...........................  Peak Oilfield      Support services.  Transportation          20-05
                                  Service Company,                      activities on the       [corrected].
                                  LLC.                                  North Slope.
2020...........................  Jade Energy, LLC.  Development and    Maritime barging and    20-06 [corrected]
                                                     support services.  tundra ice road
                                                                        construction in the
                                                                        Point Thomson Unit.
2020...........................  Olgoonik           Remediation......  Permanent plugging,     20-07.
                                  Construction                          abandonment, and
                                  Services.                             surface remediation
                                                                        for the Fish Creek
                                                                        and Inigok Legacy
                                                                        Wells Remediation
                                                                        Project.
2020...........................  ConocoPhillips     Development,       Construction of an ice  20-09.
                                  P&A Program.       support services.  road, transportation,
                                                                        and cleanup
                                                                        activities in the
                                                                        National Petroleum
                                                                        Reserve--Alaska.
2020...........................  Emerald House,     Support services.  Transportation          20-10.
                                  LLC.                                  activities to the
                                                                        Peregrine Lease Block
                                                                        within the National
                                                                        Petroleum Reserve--
                                                                        Alaska.
2020...........................  ConocoPhillips     Development......  Construction for        20-11.
                                  Willow.                               Willow.

[[Page 48753]]

 
2020...........................  Northern Energy    Acquisition,       Northern Energy         20-14.
                                  Services.          close out, and     Services acquired
                                                     support services.  Peak Oilfield Service
                                                                        Company, LLC;
                                                                        transportation
                                                                        activities on the
                                                                        North Slope.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    On August 1, 2019, the Service published in the Federal Register a 
final rule (84 FR 37716) establishing regulations that allow us to 
authorize the nonlethal, incidental, unintentional take of small 
numbers of northern sea otters (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) during year-
round oil and gas industry exploration, development, production, and 
transportation activities in the Cook Inlet of Alaska. The rule 
established subpart K in part 18 of title 50 of the CFR and is 
effective through August 1, 2024. The rule prescribed a process under 
which we issue 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 the LOAs must use methods and conduct 
activities in a manner that minimizes to the greatest extent 
practicable adverse impacts on northern sea otters and their habitat, 
and on the availability of northern sea otters for subsistence 
purposes. Intentional take and lethal incidental take are prohibited 
under these regulations.
    In accordance with section 101(a)(5)(A) of the Marine Mammal 
Protection Act (MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) and our regulations at 50 
CFR part 18, subpart K, in 2019 and 2020 we issued LOAs to each of the 
following companies in the Cook Inlet of Alaska shown below in table 2.

                                  Table 2--Cook Inlet Letters of Authorization
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Year                     Company            Activity               Project               LOA #
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2019...........................  Hilcorp Alaska,     Exploration.......  3D seismic surveys in          19-CI-01
                                  LLC.                                    the Cook Inlet.
2019...........................  Hilcorp Alaska,     Production........  Routine maintenance            19-CI-02
                                  LLC.                                    activities on
                                                                          platforms and
                                                                          pipelines in the Cook
                                                                          Inlet.
2020...........................  Hilcorp Alaska,     Exploration.......  Geotechnical surveys in        20-CI-01
                                  LLC.                                    the Lower Cook Inlet.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Authority: We issue this notice under the authority of the MMPA (16 
U.S.C. 1361 et seq.).

Karen Cogswell,
Acting Regional Director, Alaska Region.
[FR Doc. 2021-18770 Filed 8-30-21; 8:45 am]
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