[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 174 (Thursday, September 11, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44047-44049]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-17469]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XF106]
Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities;
Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Seward Cruise Ship Passenger Dock
and Terminal Facility Project in Seward, Alaska
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; issuance of incidental harassment authorization.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with regulations implementing the Marine Mammal
Protection Act (MMPA) as amended, notification is hereby given that
NMFS has issued an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to
Turnagain Marine Construction (TMC) for authorization to take marine
mammals incidental to Seward Cruise Ship Passenger Dock and Terminal
Facility project in Seward, Alaska.
DATES: This authorization is effective for 1 year from the date of
notification by the IHA-holder, not to exceed 1 year from the date of
issuance (September 5, 2025).
ADDRESSES: Electronic copies of the application and supporting
documents, as well as a list of the references cited in this document,
may be obtained online at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/incidental-take-authorization-turnagain-marine-constructions-seward-cruise-ship-passenger. In case of problems accessing these documents,
please call the contact listed below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jenna Harlacher, Office of Protected
Resources, NMFS, (301) 427-8401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
MMPA Background and Determinations
The MMPA prohibits the ``take'' of marine mammals, with certain
exceptions. Among the exceptions is section 101(a)(5)(D) of the MMPA
(16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) which directs the Secretary of Commerce (as
delegated to NMFS) to allow, upon request, the incidental, but not
intentional, taking by harassment 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 the public has an opportunity to comment on the proposed IHA.
Specifically, NMFS will issue an IHA if it finds that the taking
will have a negligible impact on the species or stock(s) and will not
have an unmitigable adverse impact on the availability of the species
or stock(s) for taking for subsistence uses (where relevant). Further,
NMFS must prescribe the permissible methods of taking and other ``means
of effecting the least [practicable] adverse impact'' on the affected
species or stocks and their habitat, paying particular attention to
rookeries, mating grounds, and areas of similar significance, and on
the availability of such species or stocks for taking for certain
subsistence uses (referred to here as ``mitigation''). NMFS must also
prescribe requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of
such takings. The definitions of key terms, such as ``take,''
``harassment,'' and ``negligible impact,'' can be found in the MMPA and
the NMFS' implementing regulations (see 16 U.S.C. 1362; 50 CFR
216.103).
On July 22, 2025, a notice of NMFS' proposal to issue an IHA to TMC
for take of marine mammals incidental to Seward Cruise Ship Passenger
Dock and Terminal Facility project in Seward, Alaska was published in
the Federal Register (90 FR 34463). In that notice, NMFS indicated the
estimated numbers, type, and methods of incidental take proposed for
each species or stock, as well as the mitigation, monitoring, and
reporting measures that would be required should the IHA be issued. The
Federal Register notice also included analysis to support NMFS'
preliminary conclusions and determinations that the IHA, if issued,
would satisfy the requirements of section 101(a)(5)(D) of the MMPA for
issuance of the IHA. The Federal Register notice included web links to
a draft IHA for review, as well as other supporting documents.
No substantive comments were received during the public comment
period. With the exception of the minor changes described below, there
are no changes to the specified activity, the species taken, type, or
methods of take, or the mitigation, monitoring, or reporting measures
in the proposed IHA notice. No new information that would change any of
the preliminary analyses, conclusions, or determinations in the
proposed IHA notice has become available since that notice was
published and, therefore, the preliminary analyses, conclusions, and
determinations included in the proposed IHA are considered final.
Changes From the Proposed IHA to the Final IHA
Changes have been made to correct typographical errors to table 5,
and due to those changes in table 5, updates have been made to tables
6, 8, and 9 of the proposed Federal Register notice. These tables are
reprinted below. In table 5, there were typographical errors in the
peak source levels for all Down-the-hole drilling (DTH) piles.
Additionally, we revised the RMS source level for DTH driving of the
60- and 72-inch (in) (152.4 centimeters (cm)- and 182.9 cm) piles to be
equal to the 48-in (121.9 cm) source level based on the lack of data
and uncertainty in extrapolation for very large piles. The previous
proxy levels (from 88 FR 19502, March 31, 2023) were estimated before
any acoustic data had been gathered on DTH driving of large piles and
did not represent the most current understanding of DTH sound
production. See below for the revised table 5. As a result of this
change, the Level B harassment zone for DTH driving of 60- and 72-in
piles increased to 34,145 m in table 6 and the maximum harassment zone
has been revised in table 9. In table 8, take by Level B harassment
changed for gray whales (changed from two Level B takes to three Level
B takes) and take by Level A and Level B harassment changed for fin
whales (changed from two Level A and six Level B takes to three Level A
and eight Level B takes) based on the increased Level B isopleth for
60- and 72-in DTH activities. None of these minor changes affect or
change the analysis or the findings in the proposed IHA notice.
[[Page 44048]]
Table 5--Estimates of Mean Underwater Sound Levels Generated During In-Water Vibratory and Impact Pile
Installation and Vibratory Pile Removal
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Proxy sound source levels at 10m
Pile size and -------------------------------------------------
Method type Peak (dB re 1 SEL (dB re 1 RMS SPL (dB re Reference
[mu]Pa) [mu]Pa\2\s) 1 [mu]Pa)
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No Bubble Curtain in use (Unattenuated)
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Vibratory removal............ H-pile......... .............. ............... 160 NMFS, 2023.
Vibratory removal............ 20-in steel .............. ............... 163 U.S. Navy,
pile. 2013.
Vibratory Installation and 36-in steel .............. ............... 166 NMFS, 2023.
removal. pile
(temporary).
Vibratory Installation....... 48-in steel .............. ............... 171 U.S. Navy,
pile. 2013.
Impact Installation.......... 48-in steel 213 179 195 Caltrans, 2020.
pile.
DTH.......................... 36-in steel 194 164 174 Denes et al.,
pile 2019; NMFS,
(temporary). 2022a; Reyff
and Heyvaert,
2019; Reyff,
2020.
DTH.......................... 48-in steel 198 168 178 NMFS
pile. Communication.
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Bubble Curtain in use (Attenuated) \1\
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Vibratory Installation....... 48, 60, 72-in .............. ............... 166 U.S. Navy,
steel pile. 2013.
Impact Installation.......... 48-in steel 208 174 190 Caltrans, 2020.
pile.
Impact Installation.......... 60, 72-in steel 205 180 190 Caltrans, 2020.
pile.
DTH.......................... 48-in steel 193 163 173 NMFS
pile. Communication.
DTH.......................... 60, 72-in steel 193 176 173 NMFS
pile. Communication.
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Note: peak = peak sound level; rms = root mean square; SEL = sound exposure level.
\1\ Attenuated source levels with 5dB reduction due to use of a bubble curtain during these activities
(Caltrans, 2015; Austin et al., 2016).
Table 6--Level A and Level B Harassment Isopleths
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Level A harassment zone (m) Level B
Method Pile size and type ----------------------------------------------------------------- harassment
LF HF VHF PW OW zone (m)
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No Bubble Curtain in use (Unattenuated)
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Vibratory removal.......................... H-pile....................... 17.7 6.8 14.4 22.7 7.6 4,641.6
Vibratory removal.......................... 20-in steel pile............. 9.6 3.7 7.8 12.3 4.1 7,356.4
Vibratory Installation and removal......... 36-in steel pile (temporary). 19.9 7.6 16.2 25.6 8.6 11,659.1
Vibratory Installation..................... 48-in steel pile............. 42.8 16.4 35 55.1 18.5 \1\
25,118.9
Impact Installation........................ 48-in steel pile............. 2,822.4 360.1 4,367.6 2,507.3 934.6 1,359.4
DTH........................................ 36-in steel pile (temporary). 3,145.1 401.3 4867 2794 1,041.5 \1\ 39,811
DTH........................................ 48-in steel pile............. 6151 784.7 9518 5,463.9 2,036.7 \1\ 73,564
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Bubble Curtain in use (Attenuated)
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Vibratory Installation..................... 48-in steel pile............. 17 6.5 13.9 21.9 7.4 11,659.1
Vibratory Installation..................... 60-in steel pile............. 19.9 7.6 16.2 25.6 8.6 11,659.1
Vibratory Installation..................... 72-in steel pile............. 24.1 9.2 19.7 31 10.4 11,659.1
Impact Installation........................ 48-in steel pile............. 1,310 167 2,027.3 1,163.8 433.8 631.0
Impact Installation........................ 60, 72-in steel pile......... 2,716 346.6 4,203.6 2,413.1 899.5 1,000
DTH........................................ 48-in steel pile............. 2,854.8 3,64.2 4,417.9 2,536.1 954.4 \1\ 34,145
DTH........................................ 60-in steel pile............. 14,816.7 1,890.4 22,928.9 13,162.6 4,906.5 \1\ 34,145
DTH........................................ 72-in steel pile............. 19,415.4 2,477.2 30,045.4 1,7247.9 6,429.3 \1\ 34,145
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\1\ These harassment zones extend past than the shoreline of Resurrection Bay, so land masses would block sound transmission and distances would be
truncated.
Table 8--Proposed Take by Stock, Harassment Type, and as a Percentage of Stock Abundance
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Proposed authorized take
-------------------------------- Proposed take
Species Stock Level A Level B as percentage
harassment harassment of stock
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Gray whale........................... Eastern North Pacific... 1 3 <1
Fin whale............................ Northeast Pacific....... 3 8 \1\ <1
Humpback whale \2\................... Hawaii.................. 16 54 <1
Mexico.................. 3 6 \3\ <1
Western North Pacific... 0 1 <1
Killer whale \4\..................... AT1 Transient........... 0 \5\ 7 NA
Gulf, Aleutian, Bering 2 37 6.6
Transient.
ENP Alaska Resident..... 6 148 8.0
Dall's porpoise...................... Alaska.................. 146 374 \6\ UND
Harbor porpoise...................... Gulf of Alaska.......... 57 146 <1
Harbor seal.......................... Prince William Sound.... 517 1,919 5.4
Steller sea lion..................... Western United States... 111 904 2
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\1\ Based on 2,554 animals discussed in SARs, although it's noted that this is likely an underestimate.
\2\ Based on proportion of each distinct population segment (DPS) being in resurrection bay: 89 percent Hawaii,
10 percent Mexico, and 1 percent Western North Pacific (NMFS, 2021).
\3\ Based on 918 animals discussed in SARs, derived from Wade, 2021.
[[Page 44049]]
\4\ Based on a proportion from acoustic monitoring of stocks in Resurrection Bay: 95.7 percent ENP residents,
2.7 percent Gulf/Aleutian/Bering transients, and 1.6 percent AT1 transients (Yurk et al., 2010).
\5\ NMFS considers any exposure of AT1 whales would likely be of a group, here assumed to consist of 7
individuals, due to the small stock size and low likelihood of individual encounters. See the Small Numbers
section of the proposed notice for additional discussion (90 FR 34463, July 22, 2025).
\6\ NMFS does not have an official abundance estimate for this stock, and the minimum population estimate is
considered to be unknown (Young et al., 2023). See Small Numbers of the proposed notice for additional
discussion (90 FR 34463, July 22, 2025).
Table 9--Shutdown Zones and Level B Harassment Zones
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Level A shutdown zone (m) Level B
Method Pile size and type ----------------------------------------------------------------- monitoring
LF HF VHF PW OW zone (m)
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No Bubble Curtain in use
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Vibratory removal.......................... H-pile....................... 20 10 15 25 10 4,645
Vibratory removal.......................... 20-in steel pile............. 10 10 10 15 10 7,360
Vibratory Installation and removal......... 36-in steel pile (temporary). 20 10 20 30 10 11,660
Vibratory Installation..................... 48-in steel pile............. 45 20 35 60 20 * 24,100
Impact Installation........................ 48-in steel pile............. 2,000 365 300 300 300 1,360
DTH........................................ 36-in steel pile (temporary). 2,000 405 300 300 300 * 24,100
DTH........................................ 48-in steel pile............. 2,000 785 300 300 300 * 24,100
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Bubble Curtain in use
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Vibratory Installation..................... 48-in steel pile............. 20 10 15 25 10 11,660
Vibratory Installation..................... 60-in steel pile............. 20 10 20 30 10 11,660
Vibratory Installation..................... 72-in steel pile............. 25 10 20 35 15 11,660
Impact Installation........................ 48-in steel pile............. 1,310 175 300 300 300 635
Impact Installation........................ 60, 72-in steel pile......... 2,000 350 300 300 300 1,000
DTH........................................ 48-in steel pile............. 2,000 365 300 300 300 * 24,100
DTH........................................ 60-in steel pile............. 2,000 1,000 300 300 300 * 24,100
DTH........................................ 72-in steel pile............. 2,000 2,000 300 300 300 * 24,100
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* Differs from table 6 Level B harassment zone because the harassment zone extends past the shoreline of Resurrection Bay, so land masses would block
sound transmission and distances would be truncated.
National Environmental Policy Act
To comply with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA;
42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and NOAA Administrative Order (NAO) 216-6A,
NMFS must review our proposed action (i.e., the issuance of an IHA)
with respect to potential impacts on the human environment.
This action is consistent with categories of activities identified
in Categorical Exclusion B4 (IHAs with no anticipated serious injury or
mortality) of the Companion Manual for NAO 216-6A, which do not
individually or cumulatively have the potential for significant impacts
on the quality of the human environment and for which we have not
identified any extraordinary circumstances that would preclude this
categorical exclusion. Accordingly, NMFS has determined that the
issuance of the IHA qualifies to be categorically excluded from further
NEPA review.
Endangered Species Act
Section 7(a)(2) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA; 16
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) requires that each Federal agency ensures that any
action it authorizes, funds, or carries out is not likely to jeopardize
the continued existence of any endangered or threatened species or
result in the destruction or adverse modification of designated
critical habitat. To ensure ESA compliance for the issuance of IHAs,
NMFS consults internally whenever we propose to authorize take for
endangered or threatened species.
NMFS is authorizing take of the following distinct population
segments: Western U.S. Steller sea lion, Western North Pacific humpback
whale, the Mexico humpback whale, and fin whale, which are listed under
the ESA. The Permit and Conservation Division completed a section 7
consultation with the Alaska Regional Office for the issuance of this
IHA. The Alaska Regional Office's biological opinion states that the
action is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of the
listed species.
Authorization
Accordingly, consistent with the requirements of section
101(a)(5)(D) of the MMPA, NMFS has issued an IHA to TMC for
authorization to take marine mammals incidental to the Seward Cruise
Ship Passenger Dock and Terminal Facility Project in Seward Alaska.
Dated: September 8, 2025.
Kimberly Damon-Randall,
Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-17469 Filed 9-10-25; 8:45 am]
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