Interior Department, Fish and Wildlife Service
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in response to a request under the Marine Mammal Protection Act from the Bureau of Land Management, propose to authorize nonlethal incidental take by harassment of small numbers of Southern Beaufort Sea (SBS) polar bears (Ursus maritimus) for 1 year from the date of issuance of the incidental harassment authorization (IHA). The applicant requested this authorization for take by harassment that may result from activities associated with oil well plugging and reclamation, soil sampling, snow trail, pad, and airstrip construction, and summer cleanup activities in the North Slope Borough of Alaska between Wainwright and Oliktok. This proposed authorization, if finalized, will be for up to 12 takes of polar bears by Level B harassment. No Level A harassment or lethal take is requested, expected, or proposed to be authorized. We invite comments on the proposed IHA, the application package, draft environmental assessment, and related documents from the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies.
Document Headings Document headings vary by document type but may contain the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document the number of the CFR title and the number of each part the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to the agency docket number / agency internal file number the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions See the Document Drafting Handbook for more details. Department of the Interior Fish and Wildlife Service [Docket No. FWS-R7-ES-2024-0147; FXES111607MRG01-256-FF07CAMM00] AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of receipt of application; proposed incidental harassment authorization; notice of availability of draft environmental assessment; request for comments. SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in response to a request under the Marine Mammal Protection Act from the Bureau of Land Management, propose to authorize nonlethal incidental take by harassment of small numbers of Southern Beaufort Sea (SBS) polar bears ( Ursus maritimus ) for 1 year from the date of issuance of the incidental harassment authorization (IHA). The applicant requested this authorization for take by harassment that may result from activities associated with oil well plugging and reclamation, soil sampling, snow trail, pad, and airstrip construction, and summer cleanup activities in the North Slope Borough of Alaska between Wainwright and Oliktok. This proposed authorization, if finalized, will be for up to 12 takes of polar bears by Level B harassment. No Level A harassment or lethal take is requested, expected, or proposed to be authorized. We invite comments on the proposed IHA, the application package, draft environmental assessment, and related documents from the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies. DATES: Comments must be received by February 12, 2025. ADDRESSES: Document availability: You may view d…
Citation: 90 FR 2718
