Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Phase 2 Construction of the Vineyard Wind 1 Offshore Wind Project Off Massachusetts

摘要

NMFS has received a request from Vineyard Wind LLC (Vineyard Wind) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to the completion of the construction of a commercial wind energy project offshore Massachusetts in the northern portion of Lease Area OCS-A 0501. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to incidentally take marine mammals during the specified activities; which consists of a subset of activities for which take was authorized previously, but which Vineyard Wind did not complete within the effective dates of the previous IHA. NMFS will consider public comments prior to making any final decision on the issuance of the requested MMPA authorization and agency responses will be summarized in the final notice of our decision. The IHA would be valid for 1 year from date of issuance.