50 C.F.R. § 18.124 How do I obtain a Letter of Authorization?
Title 50 - Wildlife and Fisheries
(a) You must be a U.S. citizen as defined in §18.27(c). (b) If you are conducting an oil and gas exploration, development, or production activity in the specified geographic region described in §18.122 that may cause the taking of polar bear or Pacific walrus in execution of those activities and you want nonlethal incidental take authorization under this rule, you must apply for a Letter of Authorization for each exploration activity or a Letter of Authorization for activities in each development or production area. You must submit the application for authorization to our Alaska Regional Director (see 50 CFR 2.2 for address) at least 90 days prior to the start of the proposed activity. (c) Your application for a Letter of Authorization must include the following information: (1) A description of the activity, the dates and duration of the activity, the specific location, and the estimated area affected by that activity, i.e., a Plan of Operation. (2) A site-specific plan to monitor the effects of the activity on the behavior of polar bear and Pacific walrus that may be present during the ongoing activities. Your monitoring program must document the effects to these marine mammals and estimate the actual level and type of take. The monitoring requirements will vary depending on the activity, the location, and the time of year. (3) A site-specific polar bear awareness and interaction plan. (4) A Plan of Cooperation to mitigate potential conflicts between the proposed activity and subsistence hunting, where relevant. This Plan of Cooperation must identify measures to minimize adverse effects on the availability of polar bear and Pacific walrus for subsistence uses if the activity takes place in or near a traditional subsistence hunting area. Some of these measures may include, but are not limited to, mitigation measures described in §18.128.
Title 50: Wildlife and Fisheries
PART 18—MARINE MAMMALS
Subpart J—Nonlethal Taking of Marine Mammals Incidental to Oil and Gas Exploration, Development, and Production Activities in the Beaufort Sea and Adjacent Northern Coast of Alaska
§ 18.124 How do I obtain a Letter of Authorization?
