Good morning Colleagues, On April 22, 2024, NOAA Fisheries announced the proposed incidental harassment authorization (IHA) related to the construction of the Vineyard Wind Offshore Wind Project Phase 2 offshore Massachusetts for a 30-day public comment period.
As required by the MMPA, the proposed IHA includes mandatory mitigation measures to be undertaken by the wind developer that ensure the “least practicable adverse impact” on marine mammals and their habitat, as well as monitoring and reporting measures to better understand those impacts. NOAA Fisheries determined that underwater noise generated by the project’s activities over a one-year period may harass marine mammals. NOAA Fisheries has preliminarily determined that the number and manner of “take,” in the form of harassment, that is proposed to be authorized in an IHA, would have a negligible impact on all affected marine mammal species and stocks. Impacts to a small number of North Atlantic right whales are expected to be limited to short-term behavioral disturbance (Level B harassment). No mortality or serious injury of any marine mammal species is proposed or anticipated to occur incidental to the specified activity. This regulatory action is part of NOAA’s ongoing work to ensure the nation’s deployment of offshore wind energy is done in a manner that avoids and minimizes impacts to protected resources and their habitats. NOAA Fisheries is committed to careful review and use of the best available scientific information in satisfying the requirements of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Documents associated with this proposed action are available on our website. *https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/incidental-take-authorization-vineyard-wind-1-llc-construction-vineyard-wind-offshore-wind <https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/incidental-take-authorization-vineyard-wind-1-llc-construction-vineyard-wind-offshore-wind>* Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns. Thank you, Jessica Taylor -- Jessica Taylor, M.E.M. (she/her) Senior Analyst, ESA/MMPA Support Services Contractor with Ocean Associates, Inc. Permits and Conservation Division Office of Protected Resources, NOAA Fisheries 1315 East-West Highway Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301) 427-8475 Email: jessica.tay...@noaa.gov
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