0648-BB38 202104 Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions 0648 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA 0600 Department of Commerce DOC Taking and Importing Marine Mammals: Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Geophysical Surveys Related to Oil and Gas Activities in the Gulf of Mexico

The National Marine Fisheries Service is taking this action in response to an October 17, 2016, petition from the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI), Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), to promulgate regulations governing the authorization of take of marine mammals incidental to oil and gas industry geophysical surveys conducted in support of hydrocarbon exploration and development on the Outer Continental Shelf in the Gulf of Mexico from approximately 2021 through 2026.

]]> Economically Significant Previously Published in The Unified Agenda Completed Actions Yes No 50 CFR 217 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq. Judicial Final 12/01/2020 Court settlement agreement and litigation stay expires December 1, 2020. Yes NPRM 06/22/2018 83 FR 29212 NPRM Comment Period End 08/21/2018 Final Rule 01/19/2021 86 FR 5322 Final Rule; Correction 04/09/2021 86 FR 18476 Final Rule; Correction Effective 04/09/2021 Final Rule Effective 04/19/2021 Yes Businesses Federal No Yes Yes No Catherine Marzin Acting Director, Office of Protected Resources 0648 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA 301 427-8400 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring MD 20910