2010 Commission letters are provided as PDF files below. Download times of large PDFs will vary based on connection speed. Additional information on PDFs.
Please note that Agency responses can be found in Appendix A of the Commission’s 2010-2011 annual report.
Request from Terrie Williams, Ph.D., for amendment of an existing permit.
Request from the U.S. Navy for authorization to take gray whales, bottlenose dolphins, California sea lions, and harbor seals incidental to military training operations at the Silver Strand Training Complex, California.
Request from the U.S. Air Force for authorization to take small numbers of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins incidental to military training operations in the Gulf of Mexico.
Request from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Restoration Center for authorization to take harbor seals incidental to construction activities in Monterey County, California.
Request from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to a marine seismic survey in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.
Request from James T. Harvey, Ph.D., for authorization to conduct research on blue, fin, humpback, and gray whales and to take six other marine mammal species by incidental harassment off California, Oregon, and Washington.
Request from Washington State Department of Natural Resources for authorization to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to removal of pilings and structures in Puget Sound.
Request from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Restoration Center to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to construction activities in Monterey County, California.
Request from Bluewater Wind LLC for authorization to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to pile- driving activities off Delaware and New Jersey.
Request from the U.S. Geological Survey for authorization to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to a marine seismic survey in the Beaufort Sea and Arctic Ocean.
Request from Bruce Mate, Ph.D., for authorization to take gray whales by deliberate harassment and six other marine mammal species by incidental harassment.
Request from the Washington State Department of Transportation for authorization to take various species of seals incidental to replacing the Manette Bridge in Bremerton.
Support for a resolution to develop public service announcements for use on commercial flights to Hawaii on importance of protecting the Hawaiian monk seal.
Request from Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory for authorization to harass marine mammals incidental to seismic surveys off the Northern Mariana Islands.
Proposal rule to revise and add guidelines for scientific peer review pursuant to National Standard 2 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.
Permit request from the National Marine Fisheries Service to reduce shark predation on monk seas pups at French Frigate Shoals by the lethal removal of up to 20 Galapagos sharks.
Request from the U.S. Navy for authorization to take by Level A and B harassment small numbers of 15 species of cetaceans and 5 species of pinnipeds over a five-year period.
Request from the U.S. Air Force for authorization to take small numbers of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins by Level B harassment in the Gulf of Mexico over a five-year period.
Request from Douglas P. Nowacek, Ph.D., for modification of a permit authorizing research on humpback and minke whales under the Antarctic Conservation Act.
Permit request from the Seward Association for the Advancement of Marine Science, Alaska SeaLife Center, regarding the transport and maintenance of marine mammals.
Request from California Department of Transportation for authorization to take small numbers of California sea lions and harbor seals by Level B harassment incidental to retrofitting the Antioch Bridge.
Permit request from John Downer Productions to take by Level B harassment an unspecified number of northern sea otters during filming activities in Kachemak Bay, Alaska.
Request from California Department of Transportation for authorization to take small numbers of California sea lions, harbor seals, and gray whales by Level B harassment incidental to retrofitting the Dumbarton Bridge.
2011 Commission letters are provided as PDF files below. Download times of large PDFs will vary based on connection speed. Additional information on PDFs.
Please note that Agency responses can be found in Appendix A of the Commission’s 2010-2011 annual report.
Request from Peter Tyack, Ph.D., to amend a permit to conduct research on cetaceans in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea by adding procedures, focal species, and a new project in the Pacific Ocean.
Request from the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory for authorization to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to a marine geophysical survey in the waters of the Northern Mariana Islands from February through March 2012.
Permit request from Ann Pabst, Ph.D., for authorization to conduct systematic line transect surveys for marine mammals off the U.S. east coast during a five-year period.
Request from the Northwest Fisheries Science Center for authorization to conduct research on 37 specified cetacean species, unidentified beaked and baleen whales, and pinnipeds.
Request from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for authorization to take Atlantic bottlenose dolphins incidental to blasting operations in the Port of Miami, Florida.
Request from Brandon Southall, Ph.D., to amend a current permit to add potential focal species and increase the number of controlled exposure experiments with cetaceans and pinnipeds in waters off Southern California.
Proposed modifications to the Navy’s letter of authorization governing the taking of marine mammals incidental to military training operations in the Hawaii Range Complex
*See Jan. 17, 2012 letter
Request from the U.S. Marine Corps for authorization to take Atlantic bottlenose dolphins incidental to training exercises at the Cherry Point Range Complex, North Carolina.
Request from the U.S. Navy for authorization to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to a seismic oceanographic survey in the southwestern Indian Ocean.
Request from Shell Offshore, Inc., for authorization to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to offshore exploratory drilling in Camden Bay, Beaufort Sea, Alaska.
Request from Shell Offshore, Inc., for authorization to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to offshore exploratory drilling in Chukchi Sea, Alaska.
Request from the National Marine Mammal Laboratory for a permit amendment to authorize harassment of ribbon, spotted, bearded, and ringed seals during low-level aerial surveys.
Request from the Alaska SeaLife Center to amend its permit authorizing the taking by harassment of up to five captive adult Steller sea lions to study reproductive physiology of individuals from the eastern population.
Request from Daniel Costa, Ph.D., University of California Santa Cruz, for authorization to collect samples from dead pinnipeds at Cape Evans, Backdoor Bay, and Hut Point, Antarctica.
Proposed changes to the Navy’s letters of authorization governing the taking of marine mammals incidental to training exercises conducted in the Virginia Capes, Cherry Point, and Jacksonville Range Complexes
*See Jan. 17, 2012 letter
Request for permit amendment from Paul Ponganis, Ph.D., University of California San Diego, for authorization to study California sea lions and to harass sea lions, harbor seals, northern elephant seals, and fur seals incidental to the research.
Permit request from The Whale Museum for authorization to monitor vessel activities around southern resident killer whales in Washington over a five-year period.
Permit request from John Wise, Ph.D., University of Southern Maine, for authorization to receive, import, and export samples from cetaceans and pinnipeds for scientific research.
Permit application from Thomas Jefferson, Ph.D., Clymene Enterprises, for authorization to conduct research on cetaceans off the California coast over a five-year period.
Application from Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, to lethally remove pinnipeds preying on endangered and threatened stocks of salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River.
Recommendations on the 2011 Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement/Supplemental Overseas Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS) for Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System Low Frequency Active sonar.
2011 Marine Mammal Commission annual meeting follow up on agency response efforts to the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill and ongoing assessment of natural resource damage.
2011 Marine Mammal Commission annual meeting follow up on research and support monitoring programs that continue/extend better management of the Gulf of Mexico’s marine ecosystem.
Recommendations on call for information and nominations and notice of intent to prepare an environmental assessment on commercial wind lease issuance and site characterization for activities in waters off Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
Request from the U.S. Navy for regulations under the Marine Mammal Protection Act authorizing the taking of marine mammals incidental to training, testing, and routine military operations using the Navy’s Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System Low Frequency Active sonar source.
2011 Marine Mammal Commission annual meeting follow up on Louisiana’s response to the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the state’s role in restoration activities.
2011 Marine Mammal Commission annual meeting follow up on Florida’s response to the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the state’s role in restoration activities.
2011 Marine Mammal Commission annual meeting follow up on Alabama’s response to the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the state’s role in restoration activities.
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
See notation at top of page.
2011 Marine Mammal Commission annual meeting follow up on Mississippi’s response to the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill and the state’s role in restoration activities.
Request from Geo-Marine, Inc. for authorization to conduct systematic line transect surveys for marine mammals off the east coast of the United States.
Recommendations on fishery management issues that warrant further consideration and action, particularly related to observer programs, research and relocation trawls, and recreational fishing and boating.
Recommendations on the research and management activities needed to determine the causes of unusual marine mammal mortality events and to prevent or minimize these events’ effects on ecosystems of the northern Gulf of Mexico.
Request from Red Rock Films for authorization to take up to 25 individual polar bears by harassment during filming activities in the North Slope Region and Arctic National Wildlife refuge of Alaska.
Request from Sea to Shore Alliance for authorization to conduct research on West Indian manatees and to export/import samples collected from West African manatees.
Review of the Bureau of Ocean Energy, Management, Regulation, and Enforcement’s draft environmental assessment on Commercial Wind Lease Issuance and Site Characterization Activities on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf.
Request from BP Exploration for new regulations authorizing the take of small numbers of marine mammals incidental to the operation of its Northstar Facility, Alaska.
Transmission of Commission report, “Assessing the Long-term Effects of the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill on Marine Mammals in the Gulf of Mexico: A Statement of Research Needs”.
Request from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement for authorization to take small numbers of cetaceans incidental to oil and gas industry-sponsored surveys.
Requests from the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities and the Aleutians East Borough to renew authorizations to take northern sea otters by harassment.
Proposed rule and request from Alaska Oil and Gas Association for authorization to take polar bears and walruses in the Beaufort Sea and off the adjacent northern coast of Alaska.
Request from Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory to take small numbers of marine mammals incidental to a marine seismic survey in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.
2009 Commission letters are provided as PDF files below. Download times of large PDFs will vary based on connection speed. Additional information on PDFs.
Please note that Agency responses can be found in Appendix A of the Commission’s 2009 Annual Report.
Permit requests (9) from Whitlow Au, Ph.D.; Jim Darling, Ph.D.; Joseph Mobley, Jr.; Adam Pack, Ph.D.; Fred A. Sharpe, Ph.D., Janice Straley; Briana Witteveen, Ph.D., Ann Zoidis, and Rachel Cartwright, Ph.D., for authorization to take by harassment North Pacific humpback whales and various other species of cetaceans for scientific research
Request from Point Reyes Bird Observatory, Conservation Science, for authorization to take small numbers of California sea lions, Pacific harbor seals, northern elephant seals, and Steller sea lions by Level B harassment
Permit request from Robert Pilley for authorization to take by Level B harassment up to 112 Atlantic bottlenose dolphins annually over a two-year period
Permit request from Natalija Lace, University of Southern Mississippi to take by harassment up to seven manatees being maintained for rehabilitation at Lowry Park Zoo, Tampa, Florida
Permit request from Southeast Fisheries Science for authorization to take by Level B harassment and skin and blubber biopsy sampling various numbers of all cetacean species that may occur in study areas in the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea, including blue whales, fin whales, sei whales, humpback whales, sperm whales, and North Atlantic right whales, and to import into the United States tissue samples collected in international waters and in other countries
Planned acquisition by the Department of the Navy of two non-releasable, rehabilitated California sea lions from the Marine Mammal Care Center and the Marine Mammal Center
Permit request from Tom S. Smith, Brigham Young University, for authorization to take by Level B harassment up to 18 polar bears annually over a five-year period
Request from the Sonoma County Water Agency for authorization to take small numbers of Pacific harbor seals, California sea lions, and northern elephant seals by harassment
Permit request from Paul Ponganis, Ph.D., for authorization to take by harassment 10 adult female California sea lions annually to investigate the role of blood oxygen store depletion in the dive behavior and foraging ecology
Permit request from Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies for authorization to take by harassment North Atlantic right whales during aerial and vessel surveys and suction-cup tagging activities
Permit request from Louis L. Jacobs, Southern Methodist University, for authorization to collect and import the remains of mummified pinnipeds for analysis and archiving at the university’s Shuler Museum of Paleontology
Request from Alaska Department of Fish and Game for amendment of an existing permit to conduct research on harbor, spotted, ringed, bearded, and ribbon seals
Request from St. George Reef Lighthouse Preservation Society for authorization to take seals and sea lions incidental to restoration and maintenance of the light station
Permit request from Scott Kraus, Ph.D., for authorization to take by harassment North Atlantic right whales during aerial and vessel surveys, and biopsy sampling
Permit request from Colleen Reichmuth, Ph.D., for authorization to continue perceptual and cognitive evaluations of pinnipeds at Long Marine Laboratory, Santa Cruz, CA
Permit request from NMFS Office of Science and Technology for authorization to take by harassment beaked whales and other odontocetes while studying what characteristics of sound cause behavioral responses in these deep-diving cetaceans
Permit request from Emma Napper, Ph.D., for authorization to take by Level B harassment southern sea otters during filming of mother-pup interactions in Monterey Harbor, CA
Request for permit amendment from the U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, to increase from 500 to 1,500 yearly the number of Pacific walruses to be harassed during research.
Request from the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for authorization to take Atlantic bottlenose dolphins incidental to blasting and dredging at Blount Island, Duval County, FL
Request for permit amendment from Charles Grossman, Ph.D., for authorization to acquire larynxes from necropsied Florida manatees to investigate mechanics of manatee vocalizations
Permit request from University of Alaska Museum for authorization collect, receive, import, and export unspecified numbers of cetacean and pinniped parts
Proposed resolutions, decisions, and agenda items for the 15th Conference of Parties, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
Proposed regulations to authorize the U.S. Navy to take by Level B harassment small numbers of 26 species of marine mammals incidental to military readiness training operations in the Northwest Training Range Complex
Proposed regulations to authorize the U.S. Navy to take by Level A and B harassment small numbers of eight species of marine mammals incidental to military readiness training operations in the Gulf of Mexico Range Complex
Request from United Launch Alliance for renewal of an authorization to take small numbers of pinnipeds incidental to activities related to the Delta IV/Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle, South Vandenberg AFB
Proposed regulations to authorize the U.S. Navy to take small numbers of five species of marine mammals by Level B harassment incidental to military readiness training operations in the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Keyport Range Complex
Permit request from Russell Fielding to import biological specimens from Risso’s spinner, and spotted dolphins and short-finned pilot whales from St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Request from Shell Offshore, Inc., and Shell Gulf of Mexico, Inc., for authorization to take by harassment marine mammals incidental to seismic surveys in the Chukchi Sea
ational Parks Conservation Association/ Sierra Club
See notation at top of page.
Request from University of Illinois, Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, to import biological samples from manatees, dugongs, sea otters, marine otters, walruses, and polar bears
Request from the National Marine Mammal Laboratory for a permit to take polar bears and walruses by harassment incidental to conducting aerial surveys in the Chukchi and Bering Seas
Request from Neptune LNG, LLC, for authorization to take by harassment seals, toothed whales, and baleen whales incidental to operation of a liquefied natural gas port in Massachusetts Bay
Request from Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory for authorization to take by harassment small numbers of marine mammals incidental to a marine seismic survey in the northeast Pacific Ocean
Request from Stacy Kim under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 to launch a remotely operated vehicle under the Ross Ice Shelf, White Island, Antarctica
Proposal to issue regulations to authorize the U.S. Navy to take marine mammals incidental to activities at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City, Florida
Request from Whitlow W. L. Au, Ph.D., for amendment of a permit to tag cetaceans and conduct acoustic playback studies on the effects of noise in cetacean behavior in waters off Hawaii
Request from the U.S. Navy for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to military readiness training operations in the Gulf of Mexico Range Complex
Proposed rule to authorize the Port of Anchorage to harass small numbers of marine mammals incidental to a five-year marine terminal redevelopment project
quest from the Northeast Fisheries Science Center for amendment of a permit authorizing harassment of harbor seals and gray seals incidental to collection of scats and harbor seal pup carcasses
Request from the U.S. Air Force, 30th Space Wing, to harass Pacific harbor seals incidental to proposed scientific research at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California
roposed regulations to authorize the Naval Air Weapons Station to take three species of marine mammals by Level B harassment incidental to launch activities near San Nicolas Island, California
Request from the Navy for promulgation of regulations to authorize the incidental take of marine mammals relative to military readiness training operations in the Marina Islands Range Complex
Request from the Navy for promulgation of regulations to authorize the incidental take of marine mammals relative to military readiness training operations in the Cherry Point Range Complex
Request from the Navy for promulgation of regulations to authorize the incidental take of marine mammals relative to military readiness training operations in the Northwest Training Range Complex
Request from Karen Terio, D.V.M., Ph.D., for a scientific research permit to import samples from up to 200 cetaceans and pinnipeds from locations outside the United States
Request for an incidental harassment authorization from Northeast Gateway Energy Bridge and Algonquin Gas Transmission relative to operating a liquid natural gas port facility and associated pipeline
Request from the Southwest Fisheries Science Center for amendment of permit authorizing harassment of short-beaked and long-beaked common dolphins during vessel and aerial surveys and by bio-sampling
Request from the National Marine Mammal Laboratory for amendment of a permit and a request from LGL Alaska Research Associates for a scientific research permit for work related to Cook Inlet beluga whales
Request from University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine, for a scientific research permit to obtain or receive samples from up to 250 manatees annually
Request from Niladri Basu, Ph.D., for a scientific research permit to obtain and import tissue samples from polar bears taken by indigenous hunters in Canada, Greenland, Norway and Russia
Request from Ross D.E. MacPhee, Ph.D., to modify a permit issued under the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978 to allow collection of marine mammal bones and teeth
Request from Mark Baumgartner, Ph.D., for amendment of a scientific research permit to authorize tagging of several species of large whales in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic Oceans
Request from SeaWorld, Inc., for extension and amendment of permit authorizing permanent maintenance of a non-releasable, rehabilitated Guadalupe fur seal
Petition from Center for Biological Diversity for a ban on importing swordfish and swordfish products from certain countries under section 101(a)(2) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act
Request for an incidental harassment authorization from Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory relative to marine seismic surveys in the South and East China Seas and the Philippines
Request for an incidental harassment authorization from the Port of Anchorage relative to Phase II of a five-year marine terminal redevelopment project
Request for an incidental harassment authorization from the U.S. Navy relative to proposed training activities in the Undersea Warfare Training Range off the U.S. East Coast
Proposed amendment to Animal Welfare Act regulations to add a new section requiring contingency planning and training at research facilities and by dealers, exhibitors, intermediate handlers, and carriers
Request from the U.S. Geological Survey to export frozen tissue samples from northern sea otters found dead or dying along the coasts of Washington and Alaska
Proposed regulations pertaining to the activities of the 30th Space Wing, U.S. Air Force, incidental to activities at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California
2012 Commission letters are provided as PDF files below. Download times of large PDFs will vary based on connection speed. Additional information on PDFs.
Please note that Agency responses can be found in Appendix A of the Commission’s 2012 Annual Report.
Recommendations and rationale to assist the Deepwater Horizon Natural Resource Damage Assessment Trustee Council in developing a restoration plan to address injuries from the oil spill, including those to marine mammals and their habitats.
Permit application from the Alaska SeaLife Center to change the authorization under which non-releasable rehabilitated northern sea otters are being maintained by the facility.
Application from the Partnership for the Interdisciplinary Study of Coastal Oceans (PISCO) at the University of California Santa Cruz to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to rocky intertidal monitoring activities along the California and Oregon coasts.
Permit application from Dan Engelhaupt, Ph.D. for authorization to conduct systematic line transect surveys for marine mammals for five years in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Request from the Navy for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to training and research, development, testing, and evaluation activities from 2014 through 2018 within the Atlantic Fleet Training and Testing study area.
Request from the Navy for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to training and research, development, testing, and evaluation activities from 2014 through 2018 within the Hawaii-Southern California Training and Testing study area.
Permit request from the Northeast Fisheries Science Center for authorization to conduct research on 37 specified cetacean species and unidentified Mesoplodon spp. for five years in waters of the exclusive economic zones of the United States and Canada from Florida to the Scotian Shelf.
Permit request from Mystic Aquarium for authorization to collect, receive, import, and export samples from up to 5,000 cetaceans and 5,000 pinnipeds for five years for scientific research.
Application from Port Dolphin Energy LLC seeking regulations regarding taking of marine mammals incidental to construction and operation of an offshore liquefied natural gas facility, Port Dolphin Deepwater Port, in the Gulf of Mexico.
Request for public comments on a forthcoming environmental impact statement (EIS) that will evaluate Steller sea lion protection measures for Alaska groundfish fisheries.
Request from the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, along with Pacific Gas and Electric Co., for authorization to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to a marine geophysical survey in the vicinity of a nuclear power plant near Morro Bay, California.
Request from the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, along with Pacific Gas and Electric Co., for authorization to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to a marine geophysical survey near a nuclear power plant close to Morro Bay, California.
Request from the PRBO Conservation Science to renew its authorization to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to research activities on Southeast Farallon Island, Año Nuevo Island, and Point Reyes National Seashore, California from November 2012 to November 2013.
Permit request from Sea World Parks and Entertainment, Inc., to import one female captive-born walrus from Kamogawa SeaWorld in Kamogawa, Japan, in March 2013 for public display.
Application from the California Department of Transportation for authorization to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to construction activities associated with replacement of the east span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.
Permit application from Shannon Atkinson, Ph.D., for authorization to acquire and possess samples from northern sea otters for purposes of scientific research over five years.
Permit application from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to collect, receive, import, and export samples from up to 26 species of cetaceans or pinnipeds for purposes of scientific research during a five-year period.
National Marine Fisheries Services’ consideration of National Seafood Coalition proposal to modify regulation aimed at reducing takes of harbor porpoises in the Gulf of Maine.
Application from ION Geophysical for authorization to take small numbers of marine mammals by harassment incidental to a seismic survey in the Alaskan Beaufort and Chukchi Seas between October and December 2012.
Permit application from Robert Pilley to take by Level B harassment up to 196 bottlenose dolphins per year over five years during filming activities to document dolphin strand-feeding behavior in South Carolina and Florida.
Application from the Fish and Wildlife Service for authorization to take small numbers of pinnipeds by harassment incidental to research on bird hazing methods in the Farallon National Wildlife Refuge in California.
National Marine Fisheries Service’s draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for issuing quotas to the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission for a subsistence hunt of bowhead whales between 2012 and 2017-2018.
Permit renewal application from PRBO Conservation Science (formerly Point Reyes Bird Observatory) for research on pinnipeds along the central California coast during for five years.
Application from the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary to take small numbers of pinnipeds by harassment incidental to black abalone research in the Farallon Islands, California.
Request from the Monterey Bay Aquarium for a permit amendment to conduct research on sea otters that have been rescued from the wild, are undergoing rehabilitation, and could be returned to the wild under the Aquarium’s Sea Otter and Conservation Program.
Changes to regulations in subsistence harvesting of northern fur seals on St. Paul Island, Alaska, proposed by the Pribilof Island Community of St. Paul Island and the Aleut Community of St. Paul Island-Tribal Government.
Request from the Honolulu Seawater Air Conditioning, LLC, to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to construction of a seawater air conditioning project in the waters off Honolulu, Hawaii.
Request from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources to take harbor seals by harassment incidental to a habitat restoration project in the Woodard Bay Natural Resource Conservation Area in Puget Sound.
Permit application from Darlene Ketten, Ph.D., to import and export samples from nine species of marine mammals for scientific research over five years.
Draft environmental assessment on Commercial Wind Lease Issuance and Site Assessment Activities on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf Offshore Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
Request from the Washington State Department of Transportation Ferries Division to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to reconstruction of the Port Townsend Ferry Terminal Transfer Span in Puget Sound.
Request for permit amendment from the Southwest Fisheries Science Center to add procedures and surveys to its research on cetaceans, pinnipeds, and sea turtles in the Pacific, Southern, Arctic, and Indian Oceans.
Request from Terrie Williams, Ph.D., to add the use of Evans blue dye and serial blood sampling to current permit authorizing research on non-releasable sea otters or those undergoing rehabilitation at the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Sea Otter and Conservation Program.
Permit application from Todd Robeck, DVM, Ph.D., for authorization to receive, import, and export samples from 14 species of marine mammals for scientific research during a five-year period.
Application from the Air Force for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to precision strike weapon and air-to-surface gunnery missions within Eglin Air Force Base’s Gulf of Mexico Test and Training Range.
Application from United Launch Alliance to renew its authorization to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to Delta Mariner operations, cargo unloading activities, and harbor maintenance activities at south Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, between September 2012 and August 2013.
Draft EIS/OEIS for training and research, development, test, and evaluation activities between January 2014 and January 2019 within the Hawaii-Southern California Training and Testing study areas and their impacts on marine mammals in the central North Pacific Ocean.
Draft EIS/OEIS for training and research, development, test, and evaluation activities between January 2014 and January 2019 within the Atlantic Fleet Training and Testing study areas and their impacts on marine mammals in the western North Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico.
Permit amendment request from The Whale Museum to conduct research on eight cetacean species or stocks, including the southern resident killer whale, in the inland waters of Washington.
Permit amendment request from the Northwest Fisheries Science Center to conduct research on 42 species or groups of marine mammals in the Pacific Ocean over a five-year period.
Permit application from North Slope Borough for authorization to receive, import, and export samples from nine marine mammal species for purposes of scientific research during a five-year period.
Application from the Navy for authorization to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to pile driving and removal during wharf construction in Hood Canal at Naval Base Kitsap in Bangor, Washington.
Permit application from the America’s Cup Event Authority and the Port of San Francisco for authorization to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to construction, helicopter overflights, and firework displays to support the 34th America’s Cup in San Francisco.
Request from Geo-Marine, Inc., to amend a current permit by increasing the number of sei whale takes each year to gain more information on their distribution and habitat use.
Permit application from Robert Garrott, Ph.D., for authorization to conduct research on Weddell seals at Cape Evans, Backdoor Bay, Hut Point, Cape Royds, Terra Nova Bay, and northwest White Island, Antarctica.
Application from the Navy for authorization to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to pile removal during wharf repair at Kitsap Naval Base in Bangor, Washington.
Permit application from Bruce Mate, Ph.D., for authorization to conduct research on cetaceans and pinnipeds in U.S., foreign, and international waters.
Amendments to the Fishery Management Plan for the Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area, and for the Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska.
Permit application from Shannon Atkinson, Ph.D., for authorization to receive, import, and export samples from unidentified cetaceans and pinnipeds for purposes of scientific research and education during a five-year period.
Permit application from Mark Baumgartner, Ph.D., for authorization to study eight mysticete species in the northwest Atlantic, northeast Pacific, and Arctic Oceans during a five-year period.
Application from BP Exploration (Alaska), Inc., for authorization to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to a seismic survey in the Alaskan Beaufort Sea during the 2012 Arctic open-water season
Request from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to amend its current permit to conduct research on Steller sea lions throughout their range in Alaska.
Request from James Hain, Ph.D., to extend a current permit authorizing aerial and vessel surveys of humpback and North Atlantic right whales off the U.S. southeast coast during a five-year period.
Request on behalf of the Columbia River Crossing project, for authorization to take pinnipeds incidental to construction and demolition activities in the Columbia River and North Portland Harbor, Washington and Oregon.
Application from Lamont- Doherty Earth Observatory for authorization to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to three marine geophysical surveys in the Northeast Pacific Ocean from June through July 2012.
Permit application from John Calambokidis for authorization to conduct research on cetaceans and pinnipeds in the eastern North Pacific Ocean during a five-year period.
Permit request from the Pacific Whale Foundation to change its principal investigator in its application to study humpback whales in Hawaii during a five- year period.
Permit amendment request from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to add procedures to its permit to conduct research on walruses throughout their range in Alaska.
Permit renewal request from Edmund Gerstein, Ph.D., for authorization to take Florida manatees by deliberate harassment to test the effectiveness of an acoustic device for alerting them of approaching vehicles.
Request from the Navy for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to military training operations at the Silver Strand Training Complex in San Diego, California.
Permit application from Colleen Reichmuth, Ph.D., for authorization to capture from the wild and maintain in captivity two bearded seals for the purpose of scientific research.
Whether the Service should extend or modify the final rule to implement vessel speed restrictions to reduce the threat of vessel collisions with North Atlantic right whales.
Application from AMEC Environment & Infrastructure, on behalf of Fishermen’s Atlantic City Windfarm, for authorization to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to the installation of wind turbines off the New Jersey coast.
Application from AMEC Environment & Infrastructure, on behalf of Fishermen’s Atlantic City Windfarm, for authorization to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to the installation of wind turbines off the New Jersey coast.
Permit amendment request from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to add procedures to a current permit authorizing research on harbor seals through their range in Alaska.
Permit application by Simon Nash for authorization to take up to 1,300 spinner dolphins per year during filming near Midway Atoll in the Pacific Ocean over five years.
Application from the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to firework displays between 4 July 2012 and 3 July 2017.
Application from Lamont- Doherty Earth Observatory to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to a marine geophysical survey in the central Pacific Ocean in May and June 2012.
Status of exploration and drilling activities in the Arctic and actions that are being or will be taken to prevent, contain, and respond to an oil spill.
National Marine Fisheries Service and Fish and Wildlife Service
See notation at top of page.
Application from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography for authorization to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to a marine geophysical survey to be conducted in the southeastern Pacific Ocean in May 2012.
Review of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management final environmental assessment on Commercial Wind Lease Issuance and Site Assessment Activities on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf, and repeated recommendations from the Commission.
Application from Sonoma County Water Agency to renew its authorization to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to construction and maintenance activities associated with estuary management at the Russian River near Jenner, California.
Permit application from Mote Marine Laboratory for authorization to collect, conduct analyses on, and archive manatee blood samples during a five-year period.
Application from the Navy for authorization to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to testing the AN/AQS-20A Mine Reconnaissance Sonar System (Q-20) in the Gulf of Mexico during a one-year period.
Application from The Whale Museum to amend a permit that authorized monitoring of vessel activities in the state of Washington, by changing its principal investigator.
Application from Glenn VanBlaricom, Ph.D., for an incidental harassment authorization to take seals and sea lions incidental to abalone research on San Nicolas Island, California.
Permit application from Jooke Robbins, Ph.D., for authorization to conduct research on cetaceans in the Gulf of Maine, Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea during a five-year period.
Request from Robin Baird, Ph.D., for authorization to conduct research on 27 specified cetacean species and unidentified Mesoplodon spp. in all U.S. and international waters in the western Atlantic Ocean during a five-year period.
Application from the Lamont- Doherty Earth Observatory for authorization to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to a marine geophysical survey in the northwest Pacific Ocean from March through May 2012.
Application from Ocean Renewable Power Company Maine, LLC, for authorization to take marine mammals by harassment associated with the installation of a tidal energy turbine in Cobscook Bay, Maine.
Permit application from Dorian Houser, Ph.D. for authorization to conduct research on hearing sensitivities of cetaceans in the United States during a five-year period.
Permit application from NHK Enterprises for authorization to take up to 300 killer whales up to three times and 100 gray whales up to two times during filming of the hunting behavior of transient killer whales for TV, internet, DVD and other media.
Permit application from Shane Moore for authorization to take 35 killer whales and 10 gray whales during filming for a National Geographic Channel program.
Application from the Navy seeking authorization to take marine mammals incidental to training, testing, and routine military operations using the Navy’s Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System Low Frequency Active (SURTASS LFA) sonar source.
Permit application from Alejandro Acevedo-Gutierrez, Ph.D., for authorization to conduct research on harbor seals in Washington waters during a five-year period.
Permit application from Gregory Walker, University of Alaska Fairbanks, for authorization to conduct unmanned aerial surveys of Steller sea lion terrestrial habitat from Kodiak Island to Attu Island, Alaska.
Permit application from Kenneth Balcomb, The Center for Whale Research for authorization to conduct research on cetaceans, primarily killer whales, in the eastern North Pacific over a five-year period.
Corrections to 7 and 14 December letters pertaining to authorizations for taking marine mammals incidental to training operations in the Virginia Capes, Cherry Point and Jacksonville Range Complexes, as well as the Hawaii Range Complex.
National Marine Fisheries Service and the Department of the Navy
See notation at top of page.
Permit application from the St. George Reef Lighthouse Preservation Society for authorization to take pinnipeds by harassment incidental to restoration and maintenance on Northwest Seal Rock light station off the coast of Crescent City, California.
2013 Commission letters and agency responses are provided as PDF files below. Download times of large PDFs will vary based on connection speed. Additional information on PDFs.
Application from the Washington State Department of Transportation to take small numbers of marine mammals by harassment incidental to replacement of the Mukilteo Multimodal Ferry Terminal.
Application from the Washington State Department of Transportation to take small numbers of marine mammals by harassment incidental to the replacement of structures at the Bremerton Ferry Terminal.
Application from NE Gateway Energy Bridge L.P. and Algonquin Gas Transmission L.L.C. to take small numbers of marine mammals by harassment incidental to operation, maintenance, and repair of the Northeast Gateway liquefied natural gas port and the Algonquin Pipeline Lateral facilities in Massachusetts Bay.
Application from the U.S. Air Force to take small numbers of marine mammals by harassment incidental to rocket and missile launches, aircraft and helicopter operations, Delta Mariner operations, cargo unloading activities, and harbor maintenance dredging at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
Application from the Gulf of Farallones National Marine Sanctuary to take small numbers of pinnipeds by harassment incidental to black abalone research in the Farrallon Islands, CA.
Application from Blue Point Conservation Science to take small numbers of marine mammals by harassment incidental to seabird and pinniped research in central California.
Application from the Partnership for the Interdisciplinary Study of Coastal Oceans to take small numbers of marine mammals by harassment incidental to conducting rocky intertidal monitoring activities along the California and Oregon coasts.
Temporary regulations regarding the California thresher shark/swordfish drift gillnet (CA DGN) fishery observer requirements and a permit authorizing the taking of three species of whales listed under the Endangered Species Act.
Application from the California Department of Transportation to take small numbers of marine mammals by harassment incidental to construction activities associated with replacement of the east span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.
Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement for training and research, development, test, and evaluation activities within the Mariana Islands Training and Testing study area.
Application from the Navy to take marine mammals incidental to training and research, development, test, and evaluation activities within the Mariana Islands Training and Testing study area.
Proposed rule to amend the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan (78 Fed. Reg. 42654) and the associated draft environmental impact statement (DEIS).
Permit renewal and amendment application from Monterey Bay Aquarium to collect, rescue, transport, relocate, rehabilitate, and release to the wild southern sea otters.
Application from the U.S Navy to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to pile driving in association with a wharf repair project in Mayport, Florida.
90-day finding on a petition to include the killer whale (Orcinus orca) known as Lolita in the endangered species listing for the southern resident killer whale.
Proposed rule regarding deletion of the expiration date of regulations for limiting vessel speed to reduce collisions with North Atlantic right whales.
Programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS) to evaluate the environmental consequences of restoration projects and newly planned projects following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Steller Sea Lion Protection Measures for Groundfish Fisheries in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area.
Initial draft comprehensive restoration plan for the Gulf of Mexico, as required by the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States (RESTORE) Act of 2012.
Application from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography to take small numbers of marine mammals by harassment incidental to a marine geophysical survey in the western tropical Pacific Ocean.
Application from the U.S Navy to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to testing the AN/AQS-20A Mine Reconnaissance Sonar System in the Gulf of Mexico.
Application from the U.S Navy to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to pile driving and removal in association with a wharf construction project in Hood Canal at Naval Base Kitsap in Bangor, Washington.
Application from the Navy to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to pile driving and removal in association with a pier replacement project in San Diego Bay, California.
Application from the U.S Navy to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to pile driving and removal in association with a barge mooring project in Hood Canal at Naval Base Kitsap in Bangor, Washington.
Application from the Air Force to take marine mammals incidental to precision strike weapon and air-to-surface gunnery missions within Eglin Air Force Base’s Gulf of Mexico Test and Training Range.
Application from the U.S. Marine Corps for authorization to take Atlantic bottlenose dolphins incidental to various training exercises at the Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point Range Complex, North Carolina.
Application from the City of San Diego for authorization to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to demolition and reconstruction of the Children’s Pool lifeguard station in La Jolla, California.
Application from the U.S. Navy for authorization to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to military training activities at the Silver Strand Training Complex, California.
Application from the Southwest Fisheries Science Center for authorization to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to fisheries research activities.
Request for comments on the interpretation of the terms (1) “significantly altered from their natural form,” (2) “dwells on the coast,” or (3) “large-scale mass production,” as they pertain to Alaska natives’ taking of sea otters
Application from the Seattle Department of Transportation for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to replacement of the Elliott Bay Seawall in Seattle.
Permit renewal and amendment application from Scripps Institution of Oceanography to conduct research on 35 cetacean species or stocks in the Pacific Ocean and Gulf of Mexico.
Permit renewal application from Samuel Wasser, Ph.D., to collect killer whale fecal samples to investigate hypotheses related to the decline of the southern resident killer whale.
Application from the Office of Naval Research for authorization to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to acoustic technology experiments in the western North Pacific Ocean.
National Marine Fisheries Service and Fish and Wildlife Service
No response necessary.
Application from the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory for authorization to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to a marine geophysical survey in the northeast Atlantic Ocean.
Permit application from Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center to renew and amend a permit to conduct research and enhancement activities on Hawaiian monk seals.
National Marine Fisheries Service and Fish and Wildlife Service
No response necessary.
Proposed rule regarding timing requirements for submitting a site assessment plan or general activities plan for renewable energy projects on the Outer Continental Shelf.
Application from the U.S. Geological Survey to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to a marine geophysical survey to be conducted in the Gulf of Mexico.
Application from Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to a marine geophysical survey to be conducted along the mid-Atlantic Ridge.
Application from the Washington State Department of Transportation Ferries Division to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to replacement of structures at the Orcas Island and Friday Harbor ferry terminals in the San Juan Islands, Washington.
Application from the Washington State Department of Transportation Ferries Division to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to replacement of structures at the Bremerton ferry terminal in Puget Sound, Washington.
Application from the U.S. Navy to take marine mammals incidental to proposed training and testing within the Atlantic Fleet Training and Testing Study Area.
Application from the U.S. Navy to take marine mammals incidental to proposed training and testing within the Hawaii-Southern California Training and Testing Study Area over a five-year period.
Application from Cape Wind Associates for authorization to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to a high-resolution geophysical survey in Nantucket Sound.
Critical habitat and 4(d) rule for Beringia and Okhotsk distinct population segments of the bearded seal; the Arctic, Okhotsk, and Baltic subspecies of the ringed seal; and the Ladoga subspecies of ringed seal.
Application for permit renewal and amendment from the Clark R. Bavin National Fish and Wildlife Forensic Laboratory to acquire, possess, import, and export samples of sea otters, manatees, dugongs, polar bears, walruses and marine otters.
Support for the efforts of the National Marine Fisheries Service to extend the 10-knot speed limit for vessels entering major east coast ports to protect North Atlantic right whales
Permit amendment requests from Joseph Mobley to conduct cetacean research off the U.S. coasts, Hawaii, Guam and the Mariana Islands; from Ann Zoidis, to conduct research on humpback and minke whales in Hawaiian waters; and Jim Darling, Ph.D., to conduct research on humpback whales in Hawaiian waters and humpback and gray whales in waters off Washington and Alaska.
Permit application from Peter Rogers, Ph.D., for authorization to conduct research on stranded cetaceans along U.S. coasts to assess the elastic properties of their head tissues.
Application from the Alaska Oil and Gas Association for authorization to take polar bears and Pacific walruses incidental to oil and gas exploration activities in the Chukchi Sea and the adjacent western coast of Alaska.
Application from St. George Reef Lighthouse Preservation Society to take pinnipeds by harassment incidental to aircraft operations, restoration, and maintenance at the St. George Reef Light Station on Northwest Seal Rock off the coast of Crescent City, California.
Intent to prepare an environmental assessment for an interim policy lease for Southern Company Research and Environmental Affairs to collect renewable energy data off Georgia.
Application from Apache Alaska Corporation for authorization to take small numbers of marine mammals by harassment incidental to a 3D seismic survey in Cook Inlet, Alaska.
A subset of the 2008 Commission letters is provided as PDF files below. Download times of large PDFs will vary based on connection speed (additional information on PDFs). Please contact mmc@mmc.gov to request copies of any letter.
Please note that a complete list of the 2008 Commission letters and agency responses can be found in Appendix A of the Commission’s 2008 Annual Report.
Comments and recommendations on a request for an incidental harassment authorization from Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory
Comments and recommendations on use of the best available science to carry out provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act
Comments and recommendations on proposed regulations related to the taking of marine mammals incidental to the Navy’s Atlantic Fleet Active Sonar Training activities
Comments and recommendations on proposed regulations related to the taking of marine mammals incidental to the Navy’s Southern California Range Complex training activities
Comments and recommendations on a draft environmental assessment related to proposed changes to regulations governing consultation under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act
Comments and recommendations on a request from the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Utilities and the Aleutian East Borough for an incidental harassment authorization
Comments and recommendations on a request from the U.S. Navy seeking a Letter of Authorization relative to activities at its Cherry Point Range Complex
Comments and recommendations on the draft/overseas environmental impact statement examining the individual and cumulative efforts of naval training and exercises in the Gulf of Alaska.
Comments and recommendations on proposed amendments to regulations concerning experimental and exempted fishing permits and scientific research activities under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.
Comments and recommendations on the draft environmental assessment on reducing the impact of California sea lions on salmon near Bonneville Dam, Oregon.
A subset of the 2007 Commission letters is provided as PDF files below. Download times of large PDFs will vary based on connection speed (additional information on PDFs). Please contact mmc@mmc.gov to request copies of any letter.
Please note that a complete list of the 2007 Commission letters and agency responses can be found in Appendix A of the Commission’s 2007 Annual Report.
Comments and recommendations on development of a natural resources science plan for the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, Hawaii.
Comments and recommendations on the advance notice of proposed rulemaking regarding issuance of permits for scientific research and enhancement activities.
Comments and recommendations on research on harmful algal blooms, the effects of anthropogenic sound on marine mammals, and creation of national marine mammal data archives, following the Commission’s 2007 annual meeting.
Comments and recommendations on marine mammal observer programs, health issues related to stock assessments, and alternative methods for managing marine mammal/human interactions, following the Commission’s 2007 annual meeting.
Commending the governors of Washington, Oregon, and California for efforts to implement an ecosystem-based management approach for West Coast marine ecosystems, following the Commission’s 2007 annual meeting.
Comments and recommendations on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement regarding use of the Hawaii Range Complex.
Comments and recommendations regarding the draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for seismic surveys in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, Alaska.
Comments and recommendation regarding draft summary and evaluation of the five-year review of the southern right whale listing under the Endangered Species Act.
Comments and recommendations regarding the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (DPEIS) on NOAA’s Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program.
Comments on a request from the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center for a reserach permit to conduct shark control in the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument.
State of Hawaii Board of Land and Natural Resources
See notation at top of page.
Comments and recommendations regarding a 12-month petition finding and proposed rule to list the polar bear under provisions of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) as a threatened species throughout its range.
Comments and recommendations regarding applications from Oregon, Washington, and Idaho seeking lethal removal authority for pinnipeds preying on salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River.
Comments and recommendations regarding the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement on the effects of permitted scientific research activities on threatened and endangered Steller sea lions and depleted northern fur seals.
Comments and recommendation regarding the Service’s 5-year reviews of the status of fin whales, sperm whales, and southern right whales under the provisions of the Endangered Species Act.
Comments regarding MMC’s interest in working with NMFS to organize and facilitate a meeting to develop a more effective course of action to address the current Hawaiian monk seal recovery crisis.
Comments on efforts by the Indigenous People’s Council for Marine Mammals to secure stable funding for Alaska Native organizations and co-management of marine mammals in Alaska.
Comments and recommendations on a proposed rule to recognize the North Atlantic and North Pacific right whales as separate species consistent with taxonomy used by the scientific community and organizations.
Comments and recommendations regarding the Draft Interim Visitor Services Plan for the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge to assess possible impact on Hawaiian monk seals and spinner dolphins.
Comments on the Service’s proposed review of the status of the Caribbean monk seal under the Endangered Species Act, with the conclusion that the Caribbean monk seal is extinct and should be removed from the list of endangered and threatened species.
Comments and recommendations on the need for the National Marine Mammal Laboratory and other NMFS research facilities to establish Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUCs) as required under the Animal Welfare Act.
A subset of the 2006 Commission letters is provided as PDF files below. Download times of large PDFs will vary based on connection speed (additional information on PDFs). Please contact mmc@mmc.gov to request copies of any letter.
Please note that a complete list of the 2006 Commission letters and agency responses can be found in Appendix A of the Commission’s 2006 Annual Report.
Comments and recommendations regarding a proposed environmental impact statement for the establishment of annual quotas for the subsistence harvest of bowhead whales by Alaska natives.
Comments and recommendations regarding a proposed rule to amend regulations under the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan covering gillnet fishing in the right whale calving grounds off the southeastern United States.
Comments and recommendations regarding proposed guidelines for establishing, revising, and using categorical exclusions under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
Comments and recommendations regarding the U.S. Navy’s intention to evaluate the potential environmental consequences of mine warfare and antisubmarine warfare active sonar training exercises along the U.S. East Coast and Gulf of Mexico.
Comments and recommendations on issues that should be addressed in an environmental impact statement to assess the potential impacts on the human environment that could result from regulations being considered to protect wild Hawaiian spinner dolphins.
Comments and recommendations regarding the portions of the Knik Arm Crossing Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) that pertain to marine mammals.
Comments on the National Marine Fisheries Service’s proposed survey for measuring the preferences of U.S. residents regarding programs for the conservation and recovery of the Steller sea lion
Comments and recommendations on a proposal to issue regulations that would govern the taking of marine mammals incidental to operation of the U.S. Navy’s Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System Low Frequency Active (SURTASS LFA) sonar
Comments and recommendations on a proposed rule to limit vessel speeds to 10 knots in certain areas to reduce collisions between ships and North Atlantic right whales
Comments and recommendations on the application submitted by the U.S. Navy seeking authorization to take small numbers of marine mammals by harassment incidental to conducting Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) antisubmarine warfare training exercises in waters around the Hawaiian Islands
Comments and recommendations regarding the National Marine Fisheries Service’s application for permits in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine Refuge
Comments and recommendations regarding the Administrative Law Judge’s recommended decision concerning long-term regulations to govern the taking by Alaska Natives of Cook Inlet beluga whales
A subset of the 2005 Commission letters is provided as PDF files below. Download times of large PDFs will vary based on connection speed (additional information on PDFs). Please contact mmc@mmc.gov to request copies of any letter.
Please note that a complete list of the 2005 Commission letters and agency responses can be found in Appendix A of the Commission’s 2005 Annual Report.
Draft Environmental Impact Statement for navigation improvements to the Delong Mountain Terminal at Portsite, Alaska
Comments and recommendations on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for navigation improvements to the Delong Mountain Terminal at Portsite, Alaska
Comments and recommendations to the National Marine Fisheries Service’s Pacific Islands Regional Office following the Marine Mammal Commission’s 2004 Annual Meeting
Comments and recommendations to the National Marine Fisheries Service’s Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center following the Marine Mammal Commission’s 2004 Annual Meeting
A subset of the 2004 Commission letters is provided as PDF files below. Download times of large PDFs will vary based on connection speed (additional information on PDFs). Please contact mmc@mmc.gov to request copies of any letter.
Please note that a complete list of the 2004 Commission letters and agency responses can be found in Appendix A of the Commission’s 2004 Annual Report.
Revised Recovery Plan for North Atlantic right whales
