Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Year 1 of the U.S. Navy Maintenance and Pile Replacement Project in Puget Sound, Washington

Issuing agencies

Abstract

NMFS has received a request from the United States Navy for the re-issuance of a previously issued incidental harassment authorization (IHA) with the only change being effective dates. The initial IHA authorized take of 10 species of marine mammals, by Level A and Level B harassment, incidental to construction associated with the Navy's Naval Facilities Engineering Command Northwest (NAVFAC) Northwest Marine Structure Program (MPR) project in Puget Sound, Washington. The project has been delayed and none of the work covered in the initial IHA has been conducted. The scope of the activities and anticipated effects remain the same, authorized take numbers are not changed, and the required mitigation, monitoring, and reporting remains the same as included in the initial IHA. NMFS is, therefore, issuing a second identical IHA to cover the incidental take analyzed and authorized in the initial IHA.