[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 87 (Thursday, May 5, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Page 26726]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-09661]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XB992]


Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; 
Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Marine Site Characterization 
Surveys Off New Jersey and New York for Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, 
LLC; Correction

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

ACTION: Notice; issuance of an incidental harassment authorization; 
correction.

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SUMMARY: On April 22, 2022, a notice was published in the Federal 
Register announcing the issuance of an incidental harassment 
authorization (IHA) for take of marine mammals incidental to marine 
site characterization surveys off New Jersey. That document 
inadvertently omitted some text in NMFS' response to public comment 13. 
This document only corrects this error; all other information is 
unchanged.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kelsey Potlock, Office of Protected 
Resources, NMFS, (301) 427-8421.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    NMFS published a notice in the Federal Register on April 22, 2022 
(87 FR 24103) announcing that an IHA had been issued to Atlantic 
Shores, LLC, authorizing the take of marine mammals incidental to 
marine site characterization surveys off of New Jersey, effective from 
April 20, 2022 through April 19, 2023. NMFS refers the reader to the 
April 22, 2022, Federal Register notice (87 FR 24103) for background 
information concerning the IHA.

Correction

    On page 24108 in the section for NMFS' response to Comment 13 is 
corrected to read as follows:
    Comment 13: Oceana and LBI recommended increasing the Exclusion 
Zone to either 1,000 m or 2,500 m, respectively, for NARWs.
    Response: NMFS notes that the 500 m Exclusion Zone for NARWs 
exceeds the modeled distance to the largest 160 dB Level B harassment 
isopleth distance (141 m during sparker use) by a substantial margin. 
Commenters do not provide a compelling rationale for why the Exclusion 
Zone should be even larger. Given that these surveys are relatively low 
impact and that, regardless, NMFS has prescribed a NARW Exclusion Zone 
that is significantly larger (500 m) than the conservatively estimated 
largest harassment zone (141 m), NMFS has determined that the Exclusion 
Zone is appropriate. Further, Level A harassment is not expected to 
result, even in the absence of mitigation, given the characteristics of 
the sources planned for use. As described in the Mitigation section, 
NMFS has determined that the prescribed mitigation requirements are 
sufficient to effect the least practicable adverse impact on all 
affected species or stocks

    Dated: April 29, 2022.
Kimberly Damon-Randall,
Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-09661 Filed 5-4-22; 8:45 am]
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