Fish and Wildlife Service December 26, 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in response to a request under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended, 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. 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 the Wainwright and Oliktok Areas. This proposed authorization, if finalized, will be for up to 18 takes of polar bears by Level B harassment and up to 3 takes of polar bears by non-serious Level A harassment. No serious Level A or lethal take is requested, expected, or proposed to be authorized.