United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States National Archives and Records Administration Office of the Federal Register author aut Government Organization text government publication eng FR Regulatory Information 2024_register executive 2024-08-21 article Notices D09002ee1ca9505d9 D09002ee1ca9506d5 United States Department of Commerce originator org United States Government Agency or Subagency United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration originator org United States Government Agency or Subagency NMFS has received a request from Bay State Wind, LLC (Bay State Wind), for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to marine site characterization surveys off the coast of Rhode Island and Massachusetts in the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lease Area OCS-A 0500 and the associated export cable route (ECR) area. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to incidentally take marine mammals during the specified activities. NMFS is also requesting comments on a possible one-time, 1-year renewal that could be issued under certain circumstances and if all requirements are met, as described in the Request for Public Comments section at the end of this notice. NMFS will consider public comments prior to making any final decision on the issuance of the requested MMPA authorization and agency responses will be summarized in the final notice of our decision. 89 FR 67597 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/FR-2024-08-21/2024-18694 2024-18694 fr21au24-33 3510-22-P RTID 0648-XE160 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/FR-2024-08-21/2024-18694 https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-08-21/html/2024-18694.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-08-21/pdf/2024-18694.pdf 17 p. 67597 67613 89 FR 67597 Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Marine Site Characterization Surveys Off Rhode Island and Massachusetts; Federal Register Vol. 89, Issue NOTICE 2024-18694 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 2024-09-20 RTID 0648-XE160 3510-22-P 2024-18694 Notice; proposed incidental harassment authorization; request for comments on proposed authorization and possible renewal.

NMFS has received a request from Bay State Wind, LLC (Bay State Wind), for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to marine site characterization surveys off the coast of Rhode Island and Massachusetts in the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lease Area OCS-A 0500 and the associated export cable route (ECR) area. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to incidentally take marine mammals during the specified activities. NMFS is also requesting comments on a possible one-time, 1-year renewal that could be issued under certain circumstances and if all requirements are met, as described in the Request for Public Comments section at the end of this notice. NMFS will consider public comments prior to making any final decision on the issuance of the requested MMPA authorization and agency responses will be summarized in the final notice of our decision.

Comments and information must be received no later than September 20, 2024. Rachel Hilt, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, (301) 427-8401. Taking or Importing of Marine Mammals: Marine Site Characterization Surveys Off Rhode Island and Massachusetts, ITP.hilt@noaa.gov PR.ITP.MonitoringReports@noaa.gov https://marinemammalscience.org/science-and-publications/list-marine-mammal-species-subspecies https://seamap.env.duke.edu/models/Duke/EC https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/find-species https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-life-distress/active-and-closed-unusual-mortality-events https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/incidental-take-authorizations-other-energy-activities-renewable https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/marine-mammal-acoustic-technical-guidance https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/marine-mammal-stock-assessment-reports-region https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/marine-mammal-stock-assessments https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/new-england-mid-atlantic/consultations/section-7-take-reporting-programmatics-greater-atlantic#offshore-wind-site-assessment-and-site-characterization-activities-programmatic-consultation https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/permit/incidental-take-authorizations-under-marine-mammal-protection-act Vol. 89, no. 162 Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration 2024-08-21 continuing daily deposited born digital 313 p. Table of Contents: AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: KF70.A2 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/FR-2024-08-21 P0b002ee1ca945249 0097-6326 0042-1219 0364-1406 769-004-00000-9 000582072 f:fr21au24 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/FR-2024-08-21 https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-08-21/pdf/FR-2024-08-21.pdf https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-08-21/xml/FR-2024-08-21.xml fdlp 67517 67819 DGPO 2024-08-21 2024-08-21 FR-2024-08-21 machine generated eng FR FR-2024-08-21 89 162