Notice2022-09661
Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Marine Site Characterization Surveys Off New Jersey and New York for Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, LLC; Correction
Primary source
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Published
May 5, 2022
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
On April 22, 2022, a notice was published in the Federal Register announcing the issuance of an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) for take of marine mammals incidental to marine site characterization surveys off New Jersey. That document inadvertently omitted some text in NMFS' response to public comment 13. This document only corrects this error; all other information is unchanged.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 87 (Thursday, May 5, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 87 (Thursday, May 5, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Page 26726]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-09661]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XB992]
Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities;
Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Marine Site Characterization
Surveys Off New Jersey and New York for Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind,
LLC; Correction
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; issuance of an incidental harassment authorization;
correction.
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SUMMARY: On April 22, 2022, a notice was published in the Federal
Register announcing the issuance of an incidental harassment
authorization (IHA) for take of marine mammals incidental to marine
site characterization surveys off New Jersey. That document
inadvertently omitted some text in NMFS' response to public comment 13.
This document only corrects this error; all other information is
unchanged.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kelsey Potlock, Office of Protected
Resources, NMFS, (301) 427-8421.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
NMFS published a notice in the Federal Register on April 22, 2022
(87 FR 24103) announcing that an IHA had been issued to Atlantic
Shores, LLC, authorizing the take of marine mammals incidental to
marine site characterization surveys off of New Jersey, effective from
April 20, 2022 through April 19, 2023. NMFS refers the reader to the
April 22, 2022, Federal Register notice (87 FR 24103) for background
information concerning the IHA.
Correction
On page 24108 in the section for NMFS' response to Comment 13 is
corrected to read as follows:
Comment 13: Oceana and LBI recommended increasing the Exclusion
Zone to either 1,000 m or 2,500 m, respectively, for NARWs.
Response: NMFS notes that the 500 m Exclusion Zone for NARWs
exceeds the modeled distance to the largest 160 dB Level B harassment
isopleth distance (141 m during sparker use) by a substantial margin.
Commenters do not provide a compelling rationale for why the Exclusion
Zone should be even larger. Given that these surveys are relatively low
impact and that, regardless, NMFS has prescribed a NARW Exclusion Zone
that is significantly larger (500 m) than the conservatively estimated
largest harassment zone (141 m), NMFS has determined that the Exclusion
Zone is appropriate. Further, Level A harassment is not expected to
result, even in the absence of mitigation, given the characteristics of
the sources planned for use. As described in the Mitigation section,
NMFS has determined that the prescribed mitigation requirements are
sufficient to effect the least practicable adverse impact on all
affected species or stocks
Dated: April 29, 2022.
Kimberly Damon-Randall,
Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-09661 Filed 5-4-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on May 5, 2022.
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