Commerce Department, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NMFS has received a request from the United States Coast Guard (USCG), on behalf of the United States Navy (Navy), for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to construction activities associated with the project Homeporting USCG Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPCs) at Naval Station (NAVSTA) Newport, Rhode Island (RI). Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue two consecutive 1-year incidental harassment authorizations (IHAs) to incidentally take marine mammals during the specified activities. NMFS is also requesting comments on possible one- time, 1-year renewals for each IHA that could be issued under certain circumstances and if all requirements are met, as described in the Request for Public Comments section at the end of this notice. NMFS will consider public comments prior to making any final decision on the issuance of the requested MMPA authorizations and agency responses will be summarized in the final notice of our decision.
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 Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [RTID 0648-XF437] AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice; proposed incidental harassment authorizations; request for comments on proposed authorizations and possible renewals. SUMMARY: NMFS has received a request from the United States Coast Guard (USCG), on behalf of the United States Navy (Navy), for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to construction activities associated with the project Homeporting USCG Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPCs) at Naval Station (NAVSTA) Newport, Rhode Island (RI). Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue two consecutive 1-year incidental harassment authorizations (IHAs) to incidentally take marine mammals during the specified activities. NMFS is also requesting comments on possible one-time, 1-year renewals for each IHA that could be issued under certain circumstances and if all requirements are met, as described in the Request for Public Comments section at the end of this notice. NMFS will consider public comments prior to making any final decision on the issuance of the requested MMPA authorizations and agency responses will be summarized in the final notice of our decision. DATES: Comments and information must be received no later than March 25, 2026. ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to the Permits and…
Citation: 91 FR 8441
