[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 145 (Wednesday, July 29, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40504-40505]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-20279]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 041598A]
Taking and Importing of Marine Mammals; Offshore Seismic
Activities in the Beaufort Sea
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of withdrawal of an application for an incidental
harassment authorization.
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SUMMARY: On July 6, 1998, NMFS was notified by BP Exploration (Alaska)
(BPXA) that BPXA would not be conducting seismic surveys for oil and
gas exploration in the U.S. Beaufort Sea during the 1998 open-water
season. As a result, BPXA has requested NMFS to withdraw its
application for an incidental harassment authorization under the Marine
Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and, by this document, NMFS is noting that
withdrawal.
[[Page 40505]]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenneth R. Hollingshead, Office of
Protected Resources, NMFS, (301) 713-2055, Brad Smith, Western Alaska
Field Office, NMFS, (907) 271-5006.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Sections 101(a)(5)(A) and (D) of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.)
directs the Secretary of Commerce to allow, upon request, the
incidental, but not intentional, taking 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 either regulations are issued or, if the taking is limited to
harassment, a notice of a proposed authorization is provided to the
public for review.
Permission may be granted if NMFS 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 subsistence uses and that the permissible methods of
taking and requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of
such taking are set forth.
Application
On March 26, 1998, NMFS received an application from BPXA
requesting a 1-year renewal of its authorization for the harassment of
small numbers of several species of marine mammals incidental to
conducting seismic surveys during the open water season in the Beaufort
Sea between Harrison Bay and Camden Bay/Flaxman Island, AK.
Weather permitting, the survey was expected to take place between
approximately July 1 and October 20, 1998. A detailed description of
the work proposed for 1998 is contained in the application and need not
be repeated here. A notice of receipt of the application and proposed
authorization was published on May 6, 1998 (63 FR 25015), and a 30-day
public comment period was provided on the application and proposed
authorization. Several comments were received during the 30-day comment
period. While those comments no longer require response by NMFS,
because similar comments were submitted during the review and comment
period for an IHA application by Western Geophysical for seismic
operations in the U.S. Beaufort Sea, readers are encouraged to review
the authorization notice for that applicant elsewhere in this issue of
the Federal Register.
Dated: July 22, 1998.
Patricia A. Montanio,
Deputy Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 98-20279 Filed 7-28-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
