The Regulation of Seismic Exploration in the United States

 The U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service has issued an incidental harassment authorization under the Marine Mammal Protection Act to Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, a component of Columbia University, in collaboration with the National Science Foundation, to take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to conducting a marine geophysical survey in the northwest Atlantic Ocean off the North Carolina coast from September 15 through October 31, 2014.

This IHA is noteworthy because it is one of the first issued for Atlantic seismic, and because NMFS responded to many comments opposing this IHA and any other for Atlantic seismic.

Click here to read NMFS’ response to comments.

The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has announced the availability of a draft supplemental environmental impact statement for the remaining proposed Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas lease sales in the Western Planning Area (WPA) of the Gulf of Mexico. Proposed WPA Lease Sales 246 and 248 are tentatively scheduled to be held in 2015 and 2016, respectively.

As part of its Proposed Final Outer Continental Shelf Oil & Gas Leasing Program: 2012-2017, BOEM proposes to offer for oil and gas leasing approximately 21 million acres in the WPA, with the exception of whole and partial blocks within the boundary of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.

The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has prepared a Final Supplemental EIS for proposed OCS oil and gas Lease Sales 235, 241, and 247, which are tentatively scheduled to be held in March 2015, 2016, and 2017, respectively, in the Gulf of Mexico CPA offshore the States of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.

The New Zealand Department of Conservation administers a Code of Conduct for minimizing acoustic disturbance to marine mammals from seismic survey operations  (http://www.doc.govt.nz/conservation/marine-and-coastal/seismic-surveys-code-of-conduct/). A voluntary Code was first implemented in 2006, was revised in 2012, and subsequently became a mandatory requirement under the EEZ permitted activities regulations. The Department has committed to  full review and amendment of the Code to take into account lessons learned during implementation, international best practice, and best available scientific evidence on the effects of seismic surveying.

The U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service MFS has received an application from Bluecrest Alaska Operating, LLC for an Incidental Harassment Authorization to take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to conducting an offshore exploratory drilling program in lower Cook Inlet, AK, during the 2015 open water season. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act , NMFS requests comments on its proposal to issue an IHA to Bluecrest to incidentally take, by Level B harassment only, marine mammals during the specified activity.

NMFS must receive Comments and information on this proposed IHA no later than October 14, 2014.

The U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service has received a request from the U.S. Navy for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to the training activities conducted in the Gulf of Alaska Temporary Maritime Activities Area from April 2016 through April 2021. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act, NMFS seeks information, suggestions, and comments on the Navy’s application for these MMPA regulations.  Comments and information must be received by NMFS no later than October 6, 2014.

Click here to read NMFS’ notice seeking comment.

The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has published a Notice of Availability–and announced Public Meetings and a Comment Period for–BOEM’s Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Proposed GOM Oil and Gas WPA Lease Sales 246 and 248. Written Comments should be submitted to BOEM no later than October 22, 2014,

BOEM will hold public meetings in Texas and Louisiana to solicit comments on the WPA 246/248 Draft Supplemental EIS. These meetings are scheduled as follows:

• Houston, Texas: Tuesday, September 23, 2014, Houston Airport Marriott at George Bush Intercontinental, 18700 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77032, beginning at 1:00 p.m. CDT; and,

Guardian Australia analysis of International Whaling Commission data shows motor yachts, naval vessels and ferries come close behind.

Whales are more likely to to be hit by whale-watching boats than any other identified vessel type, data from the International Whaling Commission shows.

Whale collisions around the world have been collated by the commission in a database which runs from 1885 to 2010.

While the type of vessel is unknown in most incidents, where the boat type was identified the highest number of collisions came from whale-watching vessels. Motor yachts, naval vessels and ferries came close behind.

The U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service has issued an Incidental Harassment Authorization to the United States Geological Survey, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, and National Science Foundation to take marine mammals, by Level B harassment, incidental to conducting a marine geophysical (seismic) survey in the Atlantic Ocean off the Eastern Seaboard, August to September 2014 and April to August 2015.

NMFS’ Federal Register notice of this IHA includes NMFS’ responses to many lengthy comments on the proposed IHA. These comments were filed by Clean Ocean Action; by Natural Resources Defense Council, Humane Society of the United States, Oceana, and Center for Biological Diversity (combined comments); and by the Marine Mammal Commission. The comments are posted online at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/incidental.htm.