The Regulation of Seismic Exploration in the United States

The U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service has received a request from United States Geological Survey forauthorization to take marine mammals incidental to a marine geophysical survey in the northwestAtlantic Ocean. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act, NMFS is requestingcomments on its proposal to issue an incidental harassment authorization to incidentallytake marine mammals during the specified activities. NMFS will consider public commentsprior 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.Comments and information must be received no later than July 2, 2018.

The 8th session of the International Workshop on Detection, Classification, Localization, and Density Estimation of marine mammals using passive acoustics will be held from 4 to 8 June 2018, in Paris, FRANCE.

Scientific topics given by oral presentations and posters will be:

– detection of pulsed and harmonic sounds

– classification of diverse sounds including clicks, whisles and vocalizations

– localization of marine mammals

– estimation of population density

– acoustic propagation models

– innovative engineering including new materials and tools

– big data analytics

– study of sound generator of marine mammals

The Office of National Marine Sanctuaries conducted scoping in association with the Management Plan Review of Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (Sanctuary). Among the actions identified by this scoping was to expand the Sanctuary and apply regulations to the new areas. In order to accomplish this goal, the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries is developing a draft environmental impact statement to expand the network of protected areas within the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary by incorporating selected reefs and banks in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico for their long-term protection and management. This action would extend sanctuary regulations currently in place in the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, as well as several new regulations to the expanded areas.

The U.S. National Marine Service is developing these rules in response to an October 17, 2016, petition from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, to promulgate regulations governing the authorization of take of marine mammals incidental to oil and gas industry geophysical surveys conducted in support of hydrocarbon exploration and development on the Outer Continental Shelf in the Gulf of Mexico from approximately 2018 through 2023.

As of May 23, 2018, the U.S. Office of Management and Budget is still reviewing these proposed rules under Executive Order 12866.

Click here for OMB’s review website.

The International Association of Geophysical Contractors posted the following article on its website:

“International Workshop on Detection, Classification, Localization, and Density Estimation of marine mammals using passive acoustics

 Monday, June 04, 2018 – Friday, June 08, 2018CST

 The 8th session of the International Workshop on Detection, Classification, Localization, and Density Estimation of marine mammals using passive acoustics (DCLDE Workhsop) will be held from 4 to 8 June 2018, in Paris, FRANCE.

Scientific topics given by oral presentations and posters will be:

– detection of pulsed and harmonic sounds

– classification of diverse sounds including clicks, whisles and vocalizations

The International Association of Geophysical Contractors published the following article on its website:

“’Scientist Warn Against Losing A Crucial Research Ship: The National Science Foundation ‘Has Betrayed Us’

By Ben Guarino May 7, 2018

Marine scientists are bracing for the loss of the world-class research vessel Marcus G. Langseth. The National Science Foundation plans to sell the 235-foot ship in 2020, according to a “Dear Colleague” letter published on the agency’s website last month. Without a vessel to replace the Langseth, ocean seismologists fear their field will suffer.

The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management issued a Call for Information and Nominations in the Federal Register on March 30, 2018, covering a proposed sale in the Beaufort Sea Planning Area in late 2019, as included in the 2019-2024 National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Draft Proposed Program, which BOEM announced on January 4, 2018. That notice had a comment period deadline of April 30, 2018. Several stakeholders contacted BOEM and requested additional time to submit a comment.

The U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service has received a request from Hilcorp Alaska, LLC for authorization to take small numbers of marine mammals incidental to the construction and operation of the Liberty Drilling and Production Island

in Foggy Island Bay, Beaufort Sea, Alaska, over the course of five years from the date of issuance. Pursuant to regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act, NMFS is announcing receipt of Hilcorp’s request for the development and implementation of regulations governing the incidental taking of marine mammals.

NMFS invites thepublic to provide information,suggestions, and comments on Hilcorp’sapplication and request.Comments and information mustbe received by NMFS no later than June 8, 2018.

The U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service proposes to issue the Scripps Institution of Oceanography an incidental harassment authorization to incidentally take marine mammals during specified activities.This proposed IHA authorizes Scripps to take marine mammals incidental to a low-energy marine geophysical survey in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act NMFS is requesting comments on this proposal. NMFS must receive any public comments by May 29, 2018.

Click here go for more details and relevant links.

The U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service has issued an incidental harassment authorization to Harvest Alaska, LLC , to incidentally take, by Level Bharassment, eight species of marine mammals incidental to oil and gas pipeline installation activities associated with the Cook Inlet Pipeline Cross Inlet Extension Project,

Cook Inlet, Alaska. The IHA is valid from April 25,2018, through April 24, 2019.

https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-05-02/pdf/2018-09242.pdf