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The National Marine Fisheries Service, upon request from the United States Navy (Navy), plans to propose regulations to govern the unintentional taking of marine mammals incidental to pier construction at the Naval Submarine Base in New London, CT. The proposed regulations will set forth the permissible methods of taking; means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on the affected species or stocks and their habitats and, if applicable, on their availability for taking for subsistence uses (i.e., mitigation); and requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of such taking. Letters of Authorization issued under the regulations would authorize the take of marine mammals incidental to the specified activities for a 5-year period. The Navy's proposed pier construction activity include the demolition of Pier 32 and Pier 10 and construction of a new Pier 32 at Naval Submarine Base New London, Groton, Connecticut. Two species of marine mammals may be present in the Thames River near SUBASE; harbor seal and gray seal, could be affected as a result of exposure to construction noise. Expected impacts are limited to temporary behavioral disturbance.