74 FR 234 pgs. 64710-64711 - Letters of Authorization To Take Marine Mammals

Type: NOTICEVolume: 74Number: 234Pages: 64710 - 64711
Docket number: [FWS-R9-FHC-2009-N166; 71490-1351-0000-L5]
FR document: [FR Doc. E9-29182 Filed 12-7-09; 8:45 am]
Agency: Interior Department
Sub Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service
Official PDF Version:  PDF Version

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R9-FHC-2009-N166; 71490-1351-0000-L5]

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, as amended (MMPA), we, the Fish and Wildlife Service, have issued letters of authorization to take polar bears and Pacific walrus incidental to oil and gas industry exploration, development, and production activities in the Beaufort Sea and adjacent northern coast of Alaska and incidental to oil and gas industry exploration activities in the Chukchi Sea and adjacent western coast of Alaska.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Craig Perham at the Fish and Wildlife Service, Marine Mammals Management Office, 1011 East Tudor Road, Anchorage, AK 99503; (800) 362-5148 or (907) 786-3810.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

On August 2, 2006, we published in the Federal Register (71 FR 43926) a final rule establishing regulations that allow us to authorize the nonlethal, incidental, unintentional take of small numbers of polar bears and Pacific walrus during year-round oil and gas industry exploration, development, and production activities in the Beaufort Sea and adjacent northern coast of Alaska for 5 years from date of issuance of that rule. In accordance with that rule, section 101(a)(5)(A) of the MMPA, and our regulations at 50 CFR part 18, subpart J, we issued a letter of authorization (LOA) to the following companies in the Beaufort Sea and adjacent northern coast of Alaska.

Company Activity Project Date issued
Denali-the Alaska Pipeline Group Exploration 2008 Hydrology study Sept 15, 2008.
Brooks Range Petroleum Corp Exploration North Shore Sak River Nov 1, 2008.
Pioneer Natural Resources Alaska, Inc Production Oooguruk Project Dec 15, 2008.

Company Activity Project Date issued
BP Exploration Alaska, Inc Development Liberty Development Jan 7, 2009.
Shell Offshore, Inc Exploration On-ice Buoy Deployment Jan 8, 2009.
ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc Exploration Pioneer #1 Jan 15, 2009.
ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc Exploration Grandview 1 East Jan 15, 2009.
ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc Development CD5 Satellite Develop Jan 15, 2009.
Savant Alaska, LLC Exploration Badami Redevelopment Jan 16, 2009.
BP Exploration Alaska, Inc Development Challenge Is. well removal Jan 15, 2009.
BP Exploration Alaska, Inc Exploration Winter seismic Jan 15, 2009.
Brooks Range Petroleum Corp Exploration East Shore Jan 15, 2009.
Brooks Range Petroleum Corp Exploration West Shore Jan 15, 2009.
Brooks Range Petroleum Corp Exploration UltraStar Jan 15, 2009.
Anadarko Petroleum Co Exploration Gubik, Chandler, Wolf Cr Feb 3, 2009.
Kupik-Veritas DGC Land Inc Exploration SOI 3D seismic Feb 4, 2009.
Kupik-Veritas DGC Land Inc Exploration Point Thomson 3D seismic Feb 4, 2009.
Eni U.S, Operating Co, Inc Development Nikaitchuq Feb 20, 2009.
ExxonMobil Production Co Development Point Thomson Feb 4, 2009.
Marsh Creek, LLC Development Umiat Test Well 9 Remediation Feb 24, 2009.
Marsh Creek, LLC Development Atigaru Point Test Well Remediation Feb 24, 2009.
UltraStar Exploration, LLC Exploration Dewline Deep Mar 26, 2009.
Alyeska Pipeline Service Co Production Trans-Alaska Pipeline Mar 26, 2009.
Shell Offshore, Inc Exploration Scientific Data Device Deployment Program Sept 3, 2009.

On June 11, 2008, we published in the Federal Register (73 FR 33212) a final rule establishing regulations that allow us to authorize the nonlethal, incidental, unintentional take of small numbers of polar bears and Pacific walrus during year-round oil and gas industry exploration activities in the Chukchi Sea and adjacent western coast of Alaska for 5 years from date of issuance of that rule. In accordance with that rule, section 101(a)(5)(A) of the MMPA, and our regulations at 50 CFR part 18, subpart I, we issued a letter of authorization (LOA) to the following companies in the Chukchi Sea.

Company Activity Project Date issued
Shell Exploration and Production Co Exploration Marine Survey Program July 16, 2009.
ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc Exploration Site Clearance and Environmental Studies Program Aug 6, 2009.

Dated: November 6, 2009.

Geoffrey L. Haskett,

Regional Director, Alaska Region.

[FR Doc. E9-29182 Filed 12-7-09; 8:45 am]

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