SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Sections 101(a)(5)(A) and (D) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) direct the Secretary of Commerce (as delegated to ( printed page 52674) 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 authorization is provided to the public for review.

An authorization for incidental takings shall be granted if NMFS finds that the taking will have a negligible impact on the species or stock(s), will not have an unmitigable adverse impact on the availability of the species or stock(s) for subsistence uses (where relevant), and if the permissible methods of taking and requirements pertaining to the mitigation, monitoring and reporting of such takings are set forth.

NMFS has defined “negligible impact” in 50 CFR 216.103 as an impact resulting from the specified activity that cannot be reasonably expected to, and is not reasonably likely to, adversely affect the species or stock through effects on annual rates of recruitment or survival.

The MMPA states that the term “take” means to harass, hunt, capture, kill or attempt to harass, hunt, capture, or kill any marine mammal.

Except with respect to certain activities not pertinent here, the MMPA defines “harassment” as any act of pursuit, torment, or annoyance which (i) has the potential to injure a marine mammal or marine mammal stock in the wild (Level A harassment); or (ii) has the potential to disturb a marine mammal or marine mammal stock in the wild by causing disruption of behavioral patterns, including, but not limited to, migration, breathing, nursing, breeding, feeding, or sheltering (Level B harassment).

Summary of Request

On March 14, 2025, NMFS published final notice of our issuance of an IHA authorizing take of marine mammals incidental to the Cargo Dock Project (90 FR 12131). The effective dates of that IHA were September 1, 2025, through August 31, 2026. On May 11, 2026, Hoonah informed NMFS that the project was delayed. None of the work identified in the initial IHA ( e.g., impact and vibratory pile installation, down-the-hole (DTH) drilling) has occurred. Hoonah submitted a request that we reissue an identical IHA that would be effective from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2027, in order to conduct the construction work that was analyzed and authorized through the previously issued IHA. Therefore, re-issuance of the IHA is appropriate.

Summary of Specified Activity and Anticipated Impacts

The planned activities (including mitigation, monitoring, and reporting), authorized incidental take, and anticipated impacts on the affected stocks are the same as those analyzed and authorized through the previously issued IHA.

The purpose of Hoonah's project is to install a dock that will enable barges to land, unload, and load during all tidal conditions and seasons. The project is needed to allow for the safe, reliable, and economical transport of freight to and from Hoonah, which is only accessible by air and sea. The location, timing, and nature of the activities, including the types of equipment planned for use, are identical to those described in the initial IHA. The mitigation and monitoring are also as prescribed in the initial IHA.

Species that are expected to be taken by the planned activity include humpback whale ( Megaptera novaeangliae), minke whale ( Balaenoptera acutorostrata), killer whale ( Orcinus orca), Pacific white-sided dolphin ( Lagenorhynchus obliquidens), Dall's porpoise ( Phocoenoides dalli), harbor porpoise ( Phocoena phocoena), harbor seal ( Phoca vitulina), and Steller sea lion ( Eumetopias jubatus). A description of the methods and inputs used to estimate take anticipated to occur and, ultimately, the take that was authorized is found in the previous documents referenced above. The data inputs and methods of estimating take are identical to those used in the initial IHA. NMFS has reviewed recent Stock Assessment Reports, information on relevant Unusual Mortality Events, and recent scientific literature, and determined that no new information affects our original analysis of impacts or take estimate under the initial IHA.

We refer to the documents related to the previously issued IHA, which include the Federal Register notice of the issuance of the initial 2025 IHA for Hoonah's construction work (90 FR 12131, March 14, 2025), Hoonah's application, the Federal Register notice of the proposed IHA (90 FR 1084, January 7, 2025), and all associated references and documents.

Determinations

Hoonah will conduct activities as analyzed in the initial 2025 IHA. As described above, the number of authorized takes of the same species and stocks of marine mammals are identical to the numbers that were found to meet the negligible impact and small numbers standards and authorized under the initial IHA, and no new information has emerged that would change those findings. The re-issued IHA includes identical required mitigation, monitoring, and reporting measures as the initial IHA, and there is no new information suggesting that our analysis or findings should change.

Based on the information contained here and in the referenced documents, NMFS has determined the following: (1) the required mitigation measures will effect the least practicable impact on marine mammal species or stocks and their habitat; (2) the authorized takes will have a negligible impact on the affected marine mammal species or stocks; (3) the authorized takes represent small numbers of marine mammals relative to the affected stock abundances; and (4) Hoonah's activities will not have an unmitigable adverse impact on taking for subsistence purposes as no subsistence uses of marine mammals are affected by this action.

National Environmental Policy Act

To comply with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and NOAA Administrative Order (NAO) 216-6A, NMFS must review our proposed action ( i.e., issuance of the IHA) with respect to potential impacts on the human environment.

This action is consistent with categories of activities identified in CE B4 of the Companion Manual for NAO 216-6A, which do not individually or cumulatively have the potential for significant impacts on the quality of the human environment and for which we have not identified any extraordinary circumstances that would preclude this categorical exclusion. Accordingly, NMFS determined that the issuance of the initial IHA qualified to be categorically excluded from further NEPA review. NMFS has determined that the application of this categorical exclusion remains appropriate for this reissued IHA.

Endangered Species Act

Section 7(a)(2) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA: 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) requires that each Federal agency ensure that any action it authorizes, funds, or carries out is not likely to jeopardize the continued existence of any endangered or threatened species or result in the destruction or adverse modification of designated critical habitat. To ensure ESA compliance for the issuance of ( printed page 52675) IHAs, NMFS consults internally whenever we propose to authorize take of endangered or threatened species.

The effects of this proposed Federal action were adequately analyzed in NMFS' Biological Opinion for the Hoonah Cargo Dock project, dated February 20, 2025, which concluded that the take NMFS proposed to authorize through this IHA would not jeopardize the continued existence of any endangered or threatened species or destroy or adversely modify any designated critical habitat.

Authorization

NMFS has issued an IHA to Hoonah for in-water construction activities associated with the specified activity from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2027. All previously described mitigation, monitoring, and reporting requirements from the initial 2025 IHA are incorporated.

91 FR 52673