National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration September 10, 2021 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS has received a request from the City of Ketchikan, Alaska (COK) for the reissuance of a previously issued incidental harassment authorization (IHA) with the only change being effective dates. The initial IHA authorized take of nine species of marine mammals, by Level A and Level B harassment, incidental to construction associated with the Berth III New Mooring Dolphins Project in Ketchikan, AK. The project has been delayed by one year and none of the work covered in the initial IHA has been conducted. The initial IHA was effective from October 1, 2021, through September 30, 2022. The COK has requested reissuance with new effective dates of October 1, 2022, through September 30, 2023. 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.