[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 106 (Thursday, June 2, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33511-33513]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-11849]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[Docket No. FWS-R7-ES-2021-0171; FF07CAMM00-FX-ES111607MRG01]
Marine Mammals; Letters of Authorization To Take Pacific Walruses
and Polar Bears in the Beaufort Sea, Alaska, and Northern Sea Otters in
Cook Inlet, Alaska, in 2021
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of issuance.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972,
as amended, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued Letters of
Authorization for the nonlethal take of polar bears and Pacific
walruses incidental to oil and gas industry exploration, development,
and production activities in the Beaufort Sea and the adjacent northern
coast of Alaska as well as northern sea otters in Cook Inlet, Alaska,
in 2021. This notice announces the lists of Letters of Authorizations
issued in calendar year 2021. The Letters of Authorization stipulate
conditions and methods that minimize impacts to polar bears, Pacific
walruses, and northern sea otters from these activities.
ADDRESSES:
Document availability: You may view this notice as well as the
Letters of Authorization at https://www.regulations.gov under Docket
No. FWS-R7-ES-2021-0171, or these documents may be requested as
described under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charles Hamilton, Marine Mammal
Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS 341, 1011 East Tudor
Road, Anchorage, Alaska 99503, by email at R7mmmRegulatory@fws.gov or
by telephone at 1-800-362-5148. Individuals in the United States who
are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may
dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay
services. Individuals outside the United States should use the relay
services offered within their country to make
[[Page 33512]]
international calls to the point-of-contact in the United States.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 5, 2016, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (Service) published in the Federal Register a final
rule (81 FR 52276) establishing regulations that allow us to authorize
the nonlethal, incidental, unintentional take of small numbers of polar
bears (Ursus maritimus) and Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus
divergens) during year-round oil and gas industry exploration,
development, and production activities in the Beaufort Sea and adjacent
northern coast of Alaska. These incidental take regulations (ITRs) were
located in subpart J in part 18 of title 50 of the Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) and were effective through August 5, 2021. The rule
prescribed a process under which we issue Letters of Authorization
(LOAs) to applicants conducting activities as described under the
provisions of the regulations.
On August 5, 2021, the Service published in the Federal Register a
new rule (86 FR 42982) that replaced the previous ITRs and expires on
August 5, 2026. This new rule similarly prescribes a process under
which we issue LOAs to applicants conducting activities as described
under the provisions of the regulations.
Each LOA stipulates conditions or methods that are specific to the
activity and location. Holders of the LOAs must use methods and conduct
activities in a manner that minimizes to the greatest extent
practicable adverse impacts on Pacific walruses and polar bears and
their habitat, and on the availability of these marine mammals for
subsistence purposes. No intentional take or lethal incidental take is
authorized under these regulations.
In accordance with section 101(a)(5)(A) of the Marine Mammal
Protection Act (MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) and our regulations at 50
CFR part 18, subpart J, in 2021, we issued LOAs to the companies in the
Beaufort Sea and adjacent northern coast of Alaska shown in table 1.
The Service notes that in August 2021 we issued the following LOAs (21-
01, 21-02, 21-03, 21-04, 21-05, 21-06, 21-07, 21-08). After issuance of
the LOAs, the Service determined that they should be revised to better
reflect requirements pertaining to monitoring potential polar bear
denning activity; therefore, the Service issued corrected LOAs in
October 2021 reflecting this revision. Further, the Service has
received requests from certain LOA holders that their issued LOA be
amended to reflect new activities or a change in existing activities.
The Service includes in the table below all original LOAs, corrected
LOAs, and amended LOAs issued in 2021.
Table 1--Letters of Authorization Issued for Oil and Gas Development Activities in the Beaufort Sea, Alaska, in
2021
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Company Project LOA No.
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Conoco Philips Alaska.................... Oil and gas exploration and 16-13 [2nd Amendment].
development activities of the
Kuparuk and Alpine oilfields
and associated units. * This
LOA was issued under the 2016-
2021 ITRs.
Conoco Philips Alaska.................... Geotechnical survey within the 21-02.
Arctic Slope Regional
Corporation mine site and the
installation of four survey
monuments around the existing
Colville Delta No. 4 gravel
pad. * This LOA was issued
under the 2016-2021 ITRs.
Exxon Mobil/Hilcorp...................... Operational activities in 21-01.
support of the Point Thomson
production facility in the
Point Thomson Unit (PTU) of the
North Slope, Alaska. (Date
issued: 08/05/2021).
Exxon Mobil/Hilcorp...................... Operational activities in 21-01 [Corrected].
support of the Point Thomson
production facility in the PTU
of the North Slope, Alaska.
(Date issued: 10/18/2021).
Exxon Mobil.............................. Operational activities in 21-01 [Amended].
support of the Point Thomson
production facility in the PTU
of the North Slope, Alaska.
(Date issued: 12/09/2021).
Eni U.S. Operating....................... Oil and gas drilling and 21-02.
production on Spy Island
drillsite and Oooguruk
drillsite, maintenance and
operation of wells and
facilities at Oliktok
production pad, and operation
of facilities at Oooguruk tie-
in pad and Nikaitchuq
operations center. (Date
issued: 08/05/2021).
Eni U.S. Operating....................... Oil and gas drilling and 21-02 [Corrected].
production on Spy Island
drillsite and Oooguruk
drillsite, maintenance and
operation of wells and
facilities at Oliktok
production pad, and operation
of facilities at Oooguruk tie-
in pad and Nikaitchuq
operations center. (Date
issued: 10/18/2021).
Oil Search Alaska........................ Constructing and maintaining 21-03.
pads, gravel roads, ice roads,
and a boat launch; drilling and
associated well-testing;
installing temporary
facilities, pipelines, and
culverts; and conducting field
surveys within and adjacent to
the Pikka Unit. (Date issued: 8/
5/2021).
Oil Search Alaska........................ Constructing and maintaining 21-03 [Corrected].
pads, gravel roads, ice roads,
and a boat launch; drilling and
associated well-testing;
installing temporary
facilities, pipelines, and
culverts; and conducting field
surveys within and adjacent to
the Pikka Unit. (Date issued:
10/18/2021).
Glacier Oil and Gas Corporation.......... Ice road construction, 21-04.
exploration, development, and
oil production activities
associated with the Badami
oilfield in the North Slope.
(Date issued: 08/05/2021).
Glacier Oil and Gas Corporation.......... Ice road construction, 21-04 [Corrected].
exploration, development, and
oil production activities
associated with the Badami
oilfield in the North Slope.
(Date issued: 10/18/2021).
Hilcorp.................................. Oil and gas exploration, 21-05.
production, development and
support activities in the Milne
Point, Duck Island (Endicott),
Northstar Island, and Prudhoe
Bay operation areas of the
North Slope. (Date issued: 08/
05/2021).
Hilcorp.................................. Oil and gas exploration, 21-05 [Corrected].
production, development and
support activities in the Milne
Point, Duck Island (Endicott),
Northstar Island, and Prudhoe
Bay operation areas of the
North Slope. (Date issued: 10/
18/2021).
[[Page 33513]]
Conoco Philips Alaska.................... This field-wide LOA is for 21-06.
activities associated with the
operations at the Kuparuk River
Unit, Colville River Unit,
Greater Mooses Tooth Unit, and
surrounding non-unit area.
(Date issued: 08/05/2021).
Conoco Philips Alaska.................... This field-wide LOA is for 21-06 [Corrected].
activities associated with the
operations at the Kuparuk River
Unit, Colville River Unit,
Greater Mooses Tooth Unit, and
surrounding non-unit area.
(Date issued: 10/18/2021).
Conoco Philips Alaska.................... Construction on the Greater 21-07.
Mooses Tooth Two Pad/Mooses
Tooth 7 within the National
Petroleum Reserve--Alaska.
(Date issued: 08/05/2021).
Conoco Phillips Alaska................... Construction on the Greater 21-07 [Corrected].
Mooses Tooth Two Pad/Mooses
Tooth 7 within the National
Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. (Date
issued: 10/18/2021).
Alyeska Pipeline Service Company......... Operation and maintenance of the 21-08.
Trans Alaska Pipeline System,
which extends from Pump Station
1 in the Prudhoe Bay oilfield
to the Valdez Marine Terminal.
(Date issued: 08/18/2021).
Alyeska Pipeline Service Company......... Operation and maintenance of the 21-08 [Corrected].
Trans Alaska Pipeline System,
which extends from Pump Station
1 in the Prudhoe Bay oilfield
to the Valdez Marine Terminal.
(Date issued: 10/18/2021).
Conoco Philips........................... Activities associated with 21-09.
plugging and abandonment of
existing exploration wells
(Scout 1, Cassin 1, and Cassin
6) in the Bear Tooth Unit and
construction and maintenance of
ice pads and ice roads. (Date
issued: 09/15/2021).
Conoco Philips Alaska.................... Activities associated with 21-09 [Amended].
plugging and abandonment of
existing exploration wells
(Scout 1, Cassin 1, and Cassin
6) in the Bear Tooth Unit and
construction and maintenance of
ice pads and ice roads. (Date
issued: 12/01/2021).
SAExploration, Inc....................... Narwhal Phase II Seismic Survey 21-10.
in the National Petroleum
Reserve--Alaska and Kuukpik
Corporation lands. (Date
issued: 12/03/2021).
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* The 2016-2021 ITRs were established by a final rule published at 81 FR 52276, August 5, 2016.
On August 1, 2019, the Service published in the Federal Register a
final rule (84 FR 37716) establishing regulations that allow us to
authorize the nonlethal, incidental, unintentional take of small
numbers of northern sea otters (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) during year-
round oil and gas industry exploration, development, production, and
transportation activities in Cook Inlet, Alaska. The rule established
subpart K in part 18 of title 50 of the CFR and is effective through
August 1, 2024. The rule prescribes a process under which we issue LOAs
to applicants conducting activities as described under the provisions
of the regulations.
Each LOA stipulates conditions or methods that are specific to the
activity and location. Holders of the LOAs must use methods and conduct
activities in a manner that minimizes to the greatest extent
practicable adverse impacts on northern sea otters and their habitat
and on the availability of northern sea otters for subsistence
purposes. No intentional take or lethal incidental take is authorized
under these regulations.
In accordance with section 101(a)(5)(A) of the Marine Mammal
Protection Act (MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) and our regulations at 50
CFR part 18, subpart K, in 2021, we issued an LOA to the following
company in Cook Inlet, Alaska, as shown in table 2.
Table 2--Letter of Authorization Issued for Oil and Gas Development Activities in Cook Inlet, Alaska, in 2021
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Company Project LOA No.
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Hilcorp Alaska........................... Hilcorp's Lower Cook Inlet Outer 21-CI-01.
Continental Shelf geohazard
survey, Lower Cook Inlet
exploratory drilling, North
Cook Inlet Unit subsea well
plug and abandonment activity,
and routine maintenance of
pipelines and platforms in the
Cook Inlet.
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Authority: We issue this notice under the authority of the MMPA (16
U.S.C. 1361 et seq.).
Peter Fasbender,
Assistant Regional Director/Fisheries and Ecological Services, Alaska
Region.
[FR Doc. 2022-11849 Filed 6-1-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P