Notice2022-15208
Taking and Importing Marine Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Testing and Training Operations in the Eglin Gulf Test and Training Range
Primary source
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Published
July 18, 2022
Issuing agencies
Commerce DepartmentNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Abstract
NMFS has received a request from the United States (U.S.) Department of the Air Force (USAF) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to testing and training military operations proposed to be conducted in the Eglin Gulf Test and Training Range (EGTTR) from 2023-2030 in the Gulf of Mexico. Pursuant to regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is announcing receipt of the Eglin Air Force Base (AFB) request for the development and implementation of regulations governing the incidental taking of marine mammals. NMFS invites the public to provide information, suggestions, and comments on the Navy's application and request.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 136 (Monday, July 18, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 136 (Monday, July 18, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42711-42714]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-15208]
[[Page 42711]]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XC161]
Taking and Importing Marine Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals
Incidental to Testing and Training Operations in the Eglin Gulf Test
and Training Range
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; receipt of application for Letter of Authorization;
request for comments and information.
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SUMMARY: NMFS has received a request from the United States (U.S.)
Department of the Air Force (USAF) for authorization to take marine
mammals incidental to testing and training military operations proposed
to be conducted in the Eglin Gulf Test and Training Range (EGTTR) from
2023-2030 in the Gulf of Mexico. Pursuant to regulations implementing
the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is announcing receipt of
the Eglin Air Force Base (AFB) request for the development and
implementation of regulations governing the incidental taking of marine
mammals. NMFS invites the public to provide information, suggestions,
and comments on the Navy's application and request.
DATES: Comments and information must be received no later than August
17, 2022.
ADDRESSES: Comments on the application should be addressed to Jolie
Harrison, Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service and should be sent to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#125b46423c4273677e7b7c77527c7d73733c757d64"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="86cfd2d6a8d6e7f3eaefe8e3c6e8e9e7e7a8e1e9f0">[email protected]</span></a>.
Instructions: NMFS is not responsible for comments sent by any
other method, to any other address or individual, or received after the
end of the comment period. Comments received electronically, including
all attachments, must not exceed a 25-megabyte file size. All comments
received are a part of the public record and will generally be posted
online at <a href="http://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/incidental-take-authorizations-construction-activities">www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/incidental-take-authorizations-construction-activities</a> without change.
All personal identifying information (e.g., name, address) voluntarily
submitted by the commenter may be publicly accessible. Do not submit
confidential business information or otherwise sensitive or protected
information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rob Pauline, Office of Protected
Resources, NMFS, (301) 427-8401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Availability
Electronic copies of the Navy's application and separate monitoring
plan may be obtained online at: <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/incidental-take-authorizations-military-readiness-activities">https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/incidental-take-authorizations-military-readiness-activities</a>.
In case of problems accessing these documents, please call the
contact listed above.
Background
Sections 101(a)(5)(A) and (D) of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.)
direct the Secretary of Commerce (as delegated to NMFS) to allow, upon
request, the incidental, but not intentional, taking of small numbers
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.
An authorization for incidental takings shall be granted if NMFS
finds that the taking will have a negligible impact on the species or
stock(s), will not have an unmitigable adverse impact on the
availability of the species or stock(s) for subsistence uses (where
relevant), and if the permissible methods of taking and requirements
pertaining to the mitigation, monitoring and reporting of such takings
are set forth.
NMFS has defined ``negligible impact'' in 50 CFR 216.103 as ``. . .
an impact resulting from the specified activity that cannot be
reasonably expected to, and is not reasonably likely to, adversely
affect the species or stock through effects on annual rates of
recruitment or survival.''
The MMPA states that the term ``take'' means to harass, hunt,
capture, kill or attempt to harass, hunt, capture, or kill any marine
mammal.
Except with respect to certain activities not pertinent here, the
MMPA defines ``harassment'' as: any act of pursuit, torment, or
annoyance which (i) has the potential to injure a marine mammal or
marine mammal stock in the wild (Level A harassment); or (ii) has the
potential to disturb a marine mammal or marine mammal stock in the wild
by causing disruption of behavioral patterns, including, but not
limited to, migration, breathing, nursing, breeding, feeding, or
sheltering (Level B harassment).
The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2004
(Pub. L. 108-136) removed the ``small numbers'' and ``specified
geographical region'' limitations indicated above and amended the
definition of ``harassment'' as it applies to a ``military readiness
activity'' to read as follows (Section 3(18)(B) of the MMPA): (i) Any
act that injures or has the significant potential to injure a marine
mammal or marine mammal stock in the wild (Level A Harassment); or (ii)
Any act that disturbs or is likely to disturb a marine mammal or marine
mammal stock in the wild by causing disruption of natural behavioral
patterns, including, but not limited to, migration, surfacing, nursing,
breeding, feeding, or sheltering, to a point where such behavioral
patterns are abandoned or significantly altered (Level B Harassment).
On August 13, 2018, the 2019 NDAA (Pub. L. 115-232) amended the MMPA to
allow incidental take regulations for military readiness activities to
be issued for up to seven years. The proposed action may incidentally
expose marine mammals occurring in the vicinity of testing and training
operations to elevated levels of underwater sounds in the form of
airborne, surface and subsurface detonations of various military
munitions, thereby resulting in incidental take, by Level A and Level B
harassment. Therefore, the DAF requests authorization to incidentally
take marine mammals.
Summary of Request
On June 17, 2022 NMFS received an adequate and complete application
from the Eglin AFB requesting authorization for the take of marine
mammals, by Level A and B harassment, incidental to testing and
training operations (all categorized as military readiness activities).
Proposed missions would include be air-to-surface operations that
involve firing live or inert munitions, including missiles, bombs, and
gun ammunition, from aircraft at targets on the water surface. The
types of targets used vary by mission and primarily include stationary,
remotely controlled, and towed boats, inflatable targets, and marker
flares. Live munitions used in the EGTTR are set to detonate either in
the air a few feet above the water surface (airburst detonation),
instantaneously upon contact with the water or target (surface
detonation), or approximately 5 to 10 feet (1.5 to 3 meters) below the
water surface (subsurface detonation). Therefore, Eglin AFB requests
authorization to take three species of marine mammals that may occur in
this
[[Page 42712]]
area, Rice's whale (Balaenoptera ricei) Atlantic bottlenose dolphins
(Tursiops truncatus) and Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella
frontalis).
Eglin AFB is also proposing to create and use a new, separate area
within the EGTTR that would be used for live missions in addition to
the existing live impact area (LIA). Referred to as the East LIA, it is
located approximately 40 nautical miles southeast of the existing LIA.
The requested regulations will be valid for seven years, from 2023
through 2030.
NMFS issued incidental take regulations and a subsequent Letter of
Authorization (LOA) to Eglin AFB for similar specified activities on
February 8, 2018 (83 FR 5545). Prior to issuing the 5-year LOA in 2018,
NMFS had issued multiple LOAs and 1 year incidental harassment
authorizations (IHA) to Eglin AFB for take of marine mammals incidental
to similar specified activities. Monitoring reports submitted to NMFS
as a condition of the previously-issued LOAs and incidental take
authorizations are available online at: <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/incidental-take-authorizations-military-readiness-activities">https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/incidental-take-authorizations-military-readiness-activities</a>.
Specified Activities
Eglin AFB proposes the following actions in the EGTTR which would
be conducted in the existing LIA and potentially in the proposed East
LIA, depending on the mission type and objectives: (1) 52rd Weapons
Evaluation Group missions that involves air-to-ground Weapons System
Evaluation Program (WSEP) known as Combat Hammer which tests various
types of munitions against small target boats and air-to-air missile
testing known as Combat Archer; (2) The Air Force Special Operations
Command (AFSOC) proposes to continue training missions in the EGTTR
primarily involving air-to-surface gunnery, bomb, and missile exercises
including AC-130 gunnery training, CV-22 training, and bomb and missile
training; (3) 96th Operations Group missions including AC-130 gunnery
testing against floating marker targets on the water surface and MQ-9
air-to-surface testing; (3) 780th Test Squadron Precision Strike
Weapons testing including air-launched cruise missile tests, Air-to-air
missile tests, Longbow and Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) testing;
Spike Non-Line-of-Sight (NLOS) air-to-surface missile testing, Patriot
missile testing, Hypersonic Weapon Testing, sink at-sea live-fire
training exercises (SINKEX), and testing using live and inert munitions
against targets on the water surface; and (4) Naval School Explosive
Ordnance Disposal (NAVSCOLEOD) training missions that involve students
diving and placing small explosive charges adjacent to inert mines.
During these activities, ordnances may be delivered by multiple
types of aircraft, including bombers and fighter aircraft. Net
explosive weights (NEW) of the live munitions range from 0.1 to 945
pounds (lb). A summary of munitions proposed for missions in the EGTTR
is shown in Table 1.
Table 1--Summary of Proposed Munitions for Missions in the EGTTR
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net explosive Annual
User group Type Category weight Destination scenario quantity
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
53 WEG............................... AGR-20....................... Rocket.................. 9.1 Surface................. 12
AGM-158D JASSM XR............ Missile................. 240.26 Surface................. 4
AGM-158B JASSM ER............ Missile................. 240.26 Surface................. 3
AGM-158A JASSM............... Missile................. 240.26 Surface................. 3
AGM-65D...................... Missile................. 150 Surface................. 5
AGM-65G2..................... Missile................. 145 Surface................. 5
AGM-65H2..................... Missile................. 150 Surface................. 5
AGM-65K2..................... Missile................. 145 Surface................. 4
AGM-65L...................... Missile................. 150 Surface................. 5
AGM-114 N-6D with TM......... Missile................. 29.1 Surface................. 4
AGM-114 N-4D with TM......... Missile................. 29.94 Surface................. 4
AGM-114 R2 with TM (R10)..... Missile................. 27.41 Surface................. 4
AGM-114 R-9E with TM (R11)... Missile................. 27.38 Surface................. 4
AGM-114Q with TM............. Missile................. 20.16 Surface................. 4
CBU-105D..................... Bomb.................... 108.6 HOB..................... 8
GBU-53/B (GTV)............... Bomb.................... \a\ 0.34 HOB/Surface............. 8
GBU-39 SDB (GTV)............. Bomb.................... \a\ 0.39 Surface................. 4
AGM-88C w/FTS................ Missile................. \a\ 0.70 Surface................. 2
AGM-88B w/FTS................ Missile................. \a\ 0.70 Surface................. 2
AGM-88F w/FTS................ Missile................. \a\ 0.70 Surface................. 2
AGM-88G w/FTS................ Missile................. \a\ 0.70 Surface................. 2
AGM-179 JAGM................. Missile................. 27.47 Surface................. 4
GBU-69....................... Bomb.................... 6.88 Surface................. 2
GBU-70....................... Bomb.................... 6.88 Surface................. 1
AGM-176...................... Missile................. 8.14 Surface................. 4
GBU-54 KMU-572C/B............ Bomb.................... 193 Surface................. 1
AIM-120C3.................... Missile................. 117.94 HOB/Surface............. 4
AIM-120B..................... Missile................. 102.65 HOB..................... 18
AIM-9X Blk I................. Missile................. 60.25 HOB..................... 7
AIM-9X Blk I................. Missile................. 67.9 HOB/Surface............. 10
AIM-9X Blk II................ Missile................. 60.25 HOB..................... 24
AIM-9M-9..................... Missile................. 60.55 HOB..................... 90
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inert Munitions
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ADM-160B MALD................ Missile................. N/A N/A..................... 4
ADM-160C MALD-J.............. Missile................. N/A N/A..................... 4
ADM-160C-1 MALD-J............ Missile................. N/A N/A..................... 4
ADM-160D MALD-J.............. Missile................. N/A N/A..................... 4
GBU-10....................... Bomb.................... N/A N/A..................... 8
GBU-12....................... Bomb.................... N/A N/A..................... 32
GBU-49....................... Bomb.................... N/A N/A..................... 16
GBU-24/B (84)................ Bomb.................... N/A N/A..................... 16
GBU-24A/B (109).............. Bomb.................... N/A N/A..................... 2
GBU-31B(v)1.................. Bomb.................... N/A N/A..................... 16
[[Page 42713]]
GBU-31C(v)1.................. Bomb.................... N/A N/A..................... 16
GBU-31B(v)3.................. Bomb.................... N/A N/A..................... 2
GBU-31C(v)3.................. Bomb.................... N/A N/A..................... 2
GBU-32C...................... Bomb.................... N/A N/A..................... 8
GBU-38B...................... Bomb.................... N/A N/A..................... 4
GBU-38C w/BDU-50 (No TM)..... Bomb.................... N/A N/A..................... 4
GBU-38C...................... Bomb.................... N/A N/A..................... 10
GBU-54 KMU-572C/B............ Bomb.................... N/A N/A..................... 4
GBU-54 KMU-572B/B............ Bomb.................... N/A N/A..................... 4
GBU-69....................... Bomb.................... N/A N/A..................... 2
BDU-56A/B.................... Bomb.................... N/A N/A..................... 4
PGU-27 (20 mm)............... Gun Ammunition.......... 0.09 N/A..................... 16,000
PGU-15 (30 mm)............... Gun Ammunition.......... N/A N/A..................... 16,000
PGU-25 (25 mm)............... Gun Ammunition.......... N/A N/A..................... 16,000
ALE-50....................... Decoy System............ N/A N/A..................... 6
AIM-260A JATM................ Missile................. N/A N/A..................... 4
PGU-27 (20 mm)............... Gun Ammunition.......... N/A N/A..................... 80,000
PGU-23 (25 mm)............... Gun Ammunition.......... N/A N/A..................... 6,000
MJU-7A/B Flare............... Flare................... N/A N/A..................... 1,800
R-188 Chaff.................. Chaff................... N/A N/A..................... 6,000
R-196 (T-1) Chaff............ Chaff................... N/A N/A..................... 1,500
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Live Munitions
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AFSOC................................ 105 mm HE (FU)............... Gun Ammunition.......... 4.7 Surface................. 750
105 mm HE (TR)............... Gun Ammunition.......... 0.35 Surface................. 1,350
30 mm HE..................... Gun Ammunition.......... 0.1 Surface................. 35,000
AGM-176 Griffin.............. Missile................. 4.58 HOB..................... 100
AGM-114R9E/R2 Hellfire....... Missile................. 20.0 HOB..................... 70
2.75-inch Rocket (including Rocket.................. 2.3 Surface................. 400
APKWS).
GBU-12....................... Bomb.................... 198.0/298.0 Surface................. 30
Mk-81 (GP 250 lb)............ Bomb.................... 151.0 Surface................. 30
GBU-39 (SDB I)............... Bomb.................... 37.0 HOB..................... 30
GBU-69....................... Bomb.................... 36.0 HOB..................... 40
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inert Munitions
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
.50 caliber.................. Gun Ammunition.......... N/A N/A..................... 30,000
GBU-12....................... Bomb.................... N/A N/A..................... 30
MkK-81 (GP 250 lb)........... Bomb.................... N/A N/A..................... 30
BDU-50....................... Bomb.................... N/A N/A..................... 30
BDU-33....................... Bomb.................... N/A N/A..................... 50
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Live Munitions
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
96 OG................................ AGM-176 Griffin.............. Missile................. 4.58 Surface................. 10
AGM-114 Hellfire............. Missile................. 20.0 Surface................. 10
GBU-39 (SDB I)............... Bomb.................... 37.0 Surface................. 6
GBU-39 (LSDB)................ Bomb.................... 37.0 Surface................. 10
105 mm HE (FU)............... Gun Ammunition.......... 4.7 Surface................. 60
105 mm HE (TR)............... Gun Ammunition.......... 0.35 Surface................. 60
30 mm HE..................... Gun Ammunition.......... 0.1 Surface................. 99
AGM-114R Hellfire............ Missile................. 20.0 Surface................. 36
AIM-9X....................... Missile................. 7.9 HOB..................... 1
GBU-39B/B LSDB............... Bomb.................... 37.0 Surface................. 2
AGM-158 (JASSM).............. Missile................. 240.26 Surface................. 2
GBU-39 (SDB I)............... Bomb.................... 37.0 HOB/Surface............. 2
GBU-39 (SDB I) Simultaneous Bomb.................... 74.0 HOB/Surface............. 2
Launch \b\.
GBU-53 (SDB II).............. Bomb.................... 22.84 HOB/Surface............. 2
AGM-114L Longbow............. Missile................. 35.95 HOB..................... 6
AGM-179A JAGM................ Missile................. 27.47 HOB..................... 8
Spike NLOS................... Missile................. 34.08 Surface................. 3
PAC-2........................ Missile................. \c\ 145.0 N/A (drone target)...... 2
PAC-3........................ Missile................. \c\ 145.0 N/A (drone target)...... 2
HACM......................... Hypersonic Weapon....... \e\ 350 Surface................. 1
PrSM......................... Hypersonic Weapon....... \e\ 46 HOB..................... 2
SINKEX....................... Vessel Sinking Exercise. Not Available Not Available........... 2
GBU-10, 24, or 31 (QUICKSINK) Bomb.................... 945 Subsurface.............. 4 to 8
2,000 lb bomb with JDAM kit.. Bomb.................... 945 or less HOB..................... 2
Inert GBU-39 (LSDB) with live Bomb.................... 0.4 HOB/Surface............. 4
fuze.
Inert GBU-53 (SDB II) with Bomb.................... 0.4 HOB/Surface............. 4
live fuze.
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Inert Munitions
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GBU-39B/B LSDB............... Bomb.................... N/A N/A..................... 2
GBU-49....................... Bomb.................... N/A N/A..................... 10
GBU-48....................... Bomb.................... N/A N/A..................... 1
AGM-158 (JASSM).............. Missile................. N/A N/A..................... 4
GBU-39 (SDB I)............... Bomb.................... N/A N/A..................... 4
GBU-39 (SDB I) Simultaneous Bomb.................... N/A N/A..................... 4
Launch.
GBU-53 (SDB II).............. Bomb.................... N/A N/A..................... 1
[[Page 42714]]
AIM-260 JATM--Inert.......... Missile................. N/A N/A..................... 6
AIM-9X--Inert................ Missile................. N/A N/A..................... 10
AIM-120 AMRAAM--Inert........ Missile................. N/A N/A..................... 15
PrSM--Inert.................. Hypersonic Weapon....... N/A N/A..................... 2
SiAW AARGM-ER................ Missile................. N/A N/A..................... 7
Multipurpose Booster......... Booster................. N/A N/A..................... 1
JDAM ER...................... Bomb.................... N/A N/A..................... 3
Navy HAAWC................... Torpedo................. N/A N/A..................... 2
Mk-84 (GP 2,000 lb) \c\...... Bomb.................... N/A N/A..................... 9
NAVSCOLEOD........................... Underwater Mine Charge....... Charge.................. \d\ 20 Subsurface.............. 32
Floating Mine Charge......... Charge.................. \d\ 5 Surface................. 80
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\a\ Warhead replaced by FTS/TM. Identified 1 NEW is for the FTS.
\b\ NEW is doubled for simultaneous launch.
\c\ Assumed for impact analysis.
\d\ Estimated.
\e\ NEW at impact/detonation 53 WEG = 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group; 780 TS = 780th Test Squadron; 96 OG = 96th Operations Group; AARGMER = Advanced
Anti-Radiation Guided Missile--Extended Range; ABMS = Advanced Battle Management System; ADM = American Decoy Missile; AFSOC = Air Force Special
Operations Command; AGM = Air-to-Ground Missile; AIM = Air Intercept Missile; ALE = Ammunition Loading Equipment; AMRAAM = Advanced Medium-Range Air-
to-Air Missile; APKWS = Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System; BDU = Bomb Dummy Unit; C-RAM = Counter, Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar; CBU = Cluster
Bomb Unit; EGTTR = Eglin Gulf Test and Training Range; ER = Extended Range; FTS = Flight Termination System; FU = Full Up; GBU = Guided Bomb Unit; GP
= General Purpose; GTV = Guided Test Vehicle; HAAWC = High Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare Weapon Capability; HACM = Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile;
HE = High Explosive; HOB = height of burst; JDAM = Joint Direct Attack Munition; JAGM = Joint Air-to-Ground Missile; JASSM = Joint Air-to-Surface
Standoff Missile; JATM = Joint Advanced Tactical Missile; LAICRM = Large Aircraft Infrared Counter Measure; lb = pound(s); LSDB = Laser Small-Diameter
Bomb; MALD = Miniature Air-Launched Decoy; MJU = Mobile Jettison Unit; Mk = Mark; mm = millimeter(s); N/A = not applicable; NLOS = Non-Line-of-Sight;
NAVSCOLEOD = Naval School Explosive Ordnance Disposal; PAC = Patriot Advanced Capability; PGU = Projectile Gun Unit; SDB = Small-Diameter Bomb; SiAW =
Stand-in Attack Weapon; SRI = Santa Rosa Island; TA = Test Area; TBD = to be determined; TM = telemetry; TR = Training Round.
Information Solicited
Interested persons may submit information, suggestions, and
comments concerning the USAF's request (see ADDRESSES). NMFS will
consider all information, suggestions, and comments related to the
request during the development of proposed regulations governing the
incidental taking of marine mammals by the USAF, if appropriate.
Dated: July 12, 2022.
Catherine Marzin,
Deputy Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-15208 Filed 7-15-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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