0648-BB38 201510 The Regulatory Plan and the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions 0648 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA 0600 Department of Commerce DOC Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Conducting Geological and Geophysical Exploration of Mineral and Energy Resources on the Outer Continental Shelf in the Gulf of Mexico

On April 18, 2011, the National Marine Fisheries Service received an application from the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), and Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), for the promulgation of regulations and the subsequent issuance of Letters of Authorization to take marine mammals incidental to oil and gas industry sponsored seismic surveys for purposes of geological and geophysical exploration on the Outer Continental Shelf in the Gulf of Mexico from approximately 2012 through 2017. BOEM states that underwater activities associated with sound sources (i.e., airguns, boomers, sparkers, and chirpers) may expose marine mammals in the area to noise and pressure.

]]> Economically Significant Previously Published in The Unified Agenda Long-Term Actions Yes No 50 CFR 217 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq. No NPRM 01/00/2017 No Businesses Federal No Yes No No Donna Wieting Director, Office of Protected Resources 0648 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA 301 427-8400 National Marine Fisheries Service, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring MD 20910