On behalf of the Natural Resources Defense Council, All Our Energy, Connecticut Audubon Society, Coastal Research and Education Society of Long Island—CRESLI, Conservation Law Foundation, Defenders of Wildlife, Friends of the Bay, Healthy Ocean Coalition, Mass Audubon, National Wildlife Federation, Nassau Hiking & Outdoor Club, New Jersey Audubon, NY4WHALES, Save the Sound, Science Museum of Long Island, South Shore Audubon Society, Surfrider Foundation, Transition Town Port Washington, and Turtle Rescue of the Hamptons, Inc., we respectfully submit these comments on the proposed rule to promulgate a five-year (2024-2029) Incidental Take Regulation and issue an associated Letter of Authorization to Empire Offshore Wind, LLC. for incidental take of marine mammals resulting from the construction of the Empire Wind Project offshore of New York, in Commercial Lease Area OCS-A-0512.
Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to the Empire Wind Project, Offshore New York
Activity
Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) filed 1 comment on this docket between May 16, 2023 and May 16, 2023. 5 other organizations filed here. The comment window closed 1170d ago.
What Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) filed (1)
Abstract
NMFS has received a request from Empire Offshore Wind, LLC (Empire Wind), a 50/50 joint venture between Equinor and BP p.l.c., for Incidental Take Regulations (ITR) and an associated Letter of Authorization (LOA). The requested regulations would govern the authorization of take, by Level A harassment and/or Level B harassment, of small numbers of marine mammals over the course of 5 years (2024-2029) incidental to construction of the Empire Wind Project offshore New York in a designated lease area on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS-A-512). Project activities likely to result in incidental take include impact pile driving, vibratory pile driving and removal, and site assessment surveys using high-resolution geophysical (HRG) equipment. As required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS requests comments on its proposed rule. NMFS will consider public comments prior to making any final decision on the promulgation of the requested incidental take authorization (ITA) and issuance of the LOA; agency responses to public comments will be summarized in the final notice of our decision. The proposed regulations, if issued, would be effective January 22, 2024 through January 21, 2029.
View on regulations.gov →Co-filers (5)
See everyone who commented →- Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)THIS ORG1 filing · confidence 97%
- Eastern Dive Boat Associationtrade assoc.3 filings · confidence 85%
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- Defend Brigantine Beach INCunverified attribution1 filing · confidence 70%
- Lido Beach Civic Association; Inc.trade assoc.1 filing · confidence 85%
- New York League of Conservation Voterstrade assoc.1 filing · confidence 85%