E8-24514. Letters of Authorization To Take Marine Mammals

AGENCY:

Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice of issuance.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 (MMPA) as amended, notice is hereby given that Letters of Authorization to take polar bears and Pacific walruses incidental to oil and gas industry exploration, development, and production activities in the Beaufort Sea and adjacent northern coast of Alaska have been issued.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. Craig Perham at the Fish and Wildlife Service, Marine Mammals Management Office, 1011 East Tudor Road, Anchorage, Alaska 99503, [phone] or [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A Letter of Authorization has been issued to the following companies in accordance with Fish and Wildlife Service Federal Rules and Regulations (see “Marine Mammals; Incidental Take During Specified Activities” at 71 FR 43926; August 2, 2006) under section 101(a)(5)(A) of the MMPA and the Fish and Wildlife Service implementing regulations at 50 CFR 18.27(f)(3):

Letters of Authorization for 2007

Company	Activity	Project	Date issued
Kerr-McGee Oil and Gas	Development	Nikaitchuq	Oct 26, 2006.
ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc	Exploration	Intrepid	Dec 4, 2006.
Anadarko Petroleum Co	Exploration	Jacob's Ladder	Dec 7, 2006.
Savant Alaska, LLC	Exploration	Kupcake #1	Dec 27, 2006.
ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc	Exploration	Noatak #1, 2, 3	Dec 12, 2006.
ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc	Exploration	Nugget #1, 2	Dec 12, 2006.
ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc	Exploration	Cassin #1, 2, 3	Dec 12, 2006.
ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc	Exploration	Spark Down Dip #9-12	Dec 12, 2006.
ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc	Exploration	Makua	Dec 15, 2006.
Pioneer Natural Resources Alaska, Inc	Development	Oooguruk Project	Dec 21, 2006.
Brooks Range Petroleum Corp	Exploration	Sak River	Dec 27, 2006.
Ukpeagvik Inupiat Corporation	Development	Cape Simpson Industrial Port	Jan 31, 2007.
BP Exploration Alaska, Inc	Exploration	Milne Point seismic	Jan 23, 2007
Shell Offshore, Inc	Exploration	Aerial Reconnaissance	Jan 23, 2007.
Shell Offshore, Inc	Exploration	On-ice seismic	Mar 8, 2007.
Shell Offshore, Inc	Exploration	Open water seismic	July 31, 2007
Shell Offshore, Inc	Exploration	Beaufort Drilling Program	Aug 20, 2008.

Letters of Authorization for 2008

Company	Activity	Project	Date issued
Savant Alaska, LLC	Exploration	Kupcake #1	Dec 4, 2007
Pioneer Natural Resources Alaska, Inc	Development	Oooguruk Project	Dec 4, 2007.
Anadarko Petroleum Co	Exploration	Jacob's Ladder	Dec 3, 2007
Anadarko Petroleum Co	Exploration	Gubik, Chandler	Dec 3, 2007.
Brooks Range Petroleum Corp	Exploration	Tofkat	Dec 3, 2007
Brooks Range Petroleum Corp	Exploration	Gwydyr Bay	Dec 3, 2007.
Veritas DGC Land Inc	Exploration	2008 winter seismic	Jan 8, 2008.
Eni U.S. Operating Co, Inc	Development	Nikaitchuq	Feb 22, 2008.
ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc	Exploration	Char #1	Feb 12, 2008.
ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc	Exploration	Spark Down Dip 9	Feb 12, 2008.
Shell Offshore, Inc	Exploration	Aerial Reconnaissance Program	Jan 28, 2008.
BP Exploration Alaska, Inc	Exploration	Liberty Seismic Program	March 6, 2008.
BP Exploration Alaska, Inc	Remediation	Challenge Island #1	April 11, 2008.
PGS Onshore, Inc	Exploration	OBC Seismic	July 10, 2008.
Shell Offshore, Inc	Exploration	Open water seismic	July 10, 2008.
ExxonMobil Production Co	Development	Point Thomson	Aug 19, 2008.

Dated: September 17, 2008.

Thomas O. Melius,

Regional Director.