[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 215 (Wednesday, November 6, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Page 88014]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-25813]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XE431]


Taking and Importing Marine Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals 
Incidental to Ice Roads and Ice Trails Construction and Maintenance 
Activities on Alaska's North Slope

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice; issuance of revised Letter of Authorization.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), as 
amended, its implementing regulations, and NMFS' MMPA Regulations for 
Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to ice road and ice trail 
construction, maintenance, and operation in Alaska's North Slope, 
notification is hereby given that NMFS has issued a revised Letter of 
Authorization (LOA) to Hilcorp Alaska, LLC (Hilcorp), in place of Eni 
US Operating Co. Inc. (Eni), for the take of marine mammals incidental 
to specified construction and maintenance activities.

DATES: The LOA is effective through November 30, 2025.

ADDRESSES: The LOA, original LOA request, request for transferal, and 
supporting documentation are available online at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/incidental-take-authorization-hilcorp-alaska-and-eni-ice-road-and-ice-trail-construction-and. In case of 
problems accessing these documents, please call the contact listed 
below (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jenna Harlacher, Office of Protected 
Resources, NMFS, (301) 427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The MMPA prohibits the ``take'' of marine mammals with certain 
exceptions. Sections 101(a)(5)(A) and (D) of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361 
et seq.) direct the Secretary of Commerce (as delegated to NMFS) to 
allow, upon request, the incidental, but not intentional, taking of 
small numbers of marine mammals by U.S. citizens who engage in a 
specified activity (other than commercial fishing) within a specified 
geographical region if certain findings are made and either regulations 
are issued or, if the taking is limited to harassment, a notice of a 
proposed incidental take authorization (ITA) may be provided to the 
public for review.
    Authorization for incidental takings shall be granted if NMFS finds 
that the taking will have a negligible impact on the species or 
stock(s) and will not have an unmitigable adverse impact on the 
availability of the species or stock(s) for taking for subsistence uses 
(where relevant). Further, NMFS must prescribe the permissible methods 
of taking and other ``means of effecting the least practicable adverse 
impact'' on the affected species or stocks and their habitat, paying 
particular attention to rookeries, mating grounds, and areas of similar 
significance, and on the availability of such species or stocks for 
taking for certain subsistence uses (referred to in shorthand as 
``mitigation''); and requirements pertaining to the mitigation, 
monitoring and reporting of such takings are set forth. The definitions 
of all applicable MMPA statutory terms cited above are included in the 
relevant sections below.
    NMFS issued regulations in 2020 that govern the taking of marine 
mammals incidental to ice road and ice trail construction, maintenance, 
and operation in Alaska's North Slope. The regulations, which are 
effective through November 30, 2025, were issued in response to an 
application from Hilcorp Alaska, LLC (Hilcorp) and Eni US Operating Co. 
Inc. (Eni) (85 FR 83451, December 22, 2020). Under those regulations, 
NMFS issued LOAs to Hilcorp and Eni (85 FR 83451). Description of the 
activities, as well as analysis related to the issuance of those LOAs, 
is available in the proposed and final rules (85 FR 2988, January 17, 
2020; 85 FR 83451, December 22, 2020).

Summary of Request

    On October 4, 2024, Hilcorp requested the transfer of Eni's LOA to 
Hilcorp because Hilcorp was expected to become the owner and operator 
of the Unit previously owned and operated by Eni as of November 1, 
2024. Eni confirmed this in an October 23, 2024, letter to NMFS. 
Hilcorp agrees to comply with the terms, conditions, stipulations, and 
restrictions of the original LOA to Eni. No other changes were 
requested. The revised LOA remains effective through November 30, 2025.
    The revised LOA sets forth only a change in the LOA holder's name. 
There are no other changes to the LOA as described in the December 22, 
2020, final rule and notice of issuance of LOAs (85 FR 83451).

Authorization

    NMFS is changing the name of the holder of the LOA from ``Eni'' to 
``Hilcorp''.

    Dated: November 1, 2024.
Kimberly Damon-Randall,
Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-25813 Filed 11-5-24; 8:45 am]
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