Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to the Interstate Bridge Replacement Project on Interstate 5 Between Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, WA

Résumé

Interstate Bridge Replacement Program (IBRP) applied for authorization to take small numbers of marine mammals incidental to the Interstate Bridge Replacement Project (IBR) on Interstate 5 (I-5) between Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington over the course of 5 years from the date of issuance. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is proposing regulations setting forth permissible methods of taking, other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on such marine mammal stocks (i.e., mitigation measures), and requirements pertaining to monitoring and reporting such takes and requests comments on the proposed regulations. NMFS will consider public comments prior to making any final decision on the promulgation of the requested MMPA regulations, and NMFS's responses to public comments will be summarized in the final notice of our decision.