1018-BH25 202304 Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions 1018 United States Fish and Wildlife Service FWS 1000 Department of the Interior DOI Marine Mammals; Incidental Take of Polar Bears in the Southern Beaufort Sea; Oil and Gas Exploration Activities by Armstrong Oil & Gas, Inc.

This rulemaking action would authorize the incidental take of small numbers of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) along the Alaskan coast of the South Beaufort Sea during oil and gas exploration activities for 5 years. The Marine Mammal Protection Act directs FWS to issue regulations for up to 5 years to allow the incidental unintentional take of small number of marine mammals for specified activities (other than commercial fishing) in specific geographical areas provided certain findings are made.

]]> Substantive, Nonsignificant First Time Published in The Unified Agenda Proposed Rule Stage No No 50 CFR 18 16 U.S.C. 1371(a)(5)(A) No NPRM 06/00/2023 No None No No No Sierra Franks Regulatory Program Branch Manager, Marine Mammal Management, Alaska 1018 United States Fish and Wildlife Service FWS 907 268-0577 sierra_franks@fws.gov 1011 East Tudor Road, Anchorage AK 99503