The JIP on E&P Sound and Marine life has issued a Requests for Proposals call on the following topic:
Comparison of low visibility real-time monitoring techniques and identification of potential areas of further development for the detection of marine mammals at sea during E&P activities offshore
The RFP document can be downloaded from:
http://www.soundandmarinelife.org/media/54253/jip22_phiii_rfp14-02_lowviscomp_30sept2014.pdf
The final date for submissions is 31 October 2014.
On September 25, 2014, the U.S. Marine Mammal Commission and the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service held a “Congressional Briefing– Increasing awareness of ocean sound: Impacts of shipping on marine mammals.” The Briefing was held at the U.S. National Capitol Visitor Center in Washington, D.C. The Senate Commerce Committee hosted the briefing.
The presenters were Jason Gedamke, NMFS; Christopher Clark, Cornell University; Joseph Cox, Chamber of Shipping of America; and Michael Jasny, Natural Resources Defense Council.
Whales are safe from seismic testing, an outspoken oil boss declared yesterday as he described various environmental regulations as excessive.
In 40 years there had been no recorded environmental harm from the activity, Octanex director and lawyer of 25 years James Willis told the New Zealand Petroleum Summit in Auckland yesterday.
“Given that all is involved is a ship with an airgun sailing up and down a predetermined route at slow speeds, that’s hardly surprising,” he said.
Now an operator must adhere to costly requirements including lodging a marine mammal impact assessment, have onboard a marine mammal observer and carry acoustic monitoring equipment.
The U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service has issued an incidental harassment authorization under the Marine Mammal Protection Act to Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, a component of Columbia University, in collaboration with the National Science Foundation, to take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to conducting a marine geophysical survey in the northwest Atlantic Ocean off the North Carolina coast from September 15 through October 31, 2014.
This IHA is noteworthy because it is one of the first issued for Atlantic seismic, and because NMFS responded to many comments opposing this IHA and any other for Atlantic seismic.
Click here to read NMFS’ response to comments.
The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has announced the availability of a draft supplemental environmental impact statement for the remaining proposed Outer Continental Shelf oil and gas lease sales in the Western Planning Area (WPA) of the Gulf of Mexico. Proposed WPA Lease Sales 246 and 248 are tentatively scheduled to be held in 2015 and 2016, respectively.
As part of its Proposed Final Outer Continental Shelf Oil & Gas Leasing Program: 2012-2017, BOEM proposes to offer for oil and gas leasing approximately 21 million acres in the WPA, with the exception of whole and partial blocks within the boundary of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.
The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has prepared a Final Supplemental EIS for proposed OCS oil and gas Lease Sales 235, 241, and 247, which are tentatively scheduled to be held in March 2015, 2016, and 2017, respectively, in the Gulf of Mexico CPA offshore the States of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.
The New Zealand Department of Conservation administers a Code of Conduct for minimizing acoustic disturbance to marine mammals from seismic survey operations (http://www.doc.govt.nz/conservation/marine-and-coastal/seismic-surveys-code-of-conduct/). A voluntary Code was first implemented in 2006, was revised in 2012, and subsequently became a mandatory requirement under the EEZ permitted activities regulations. The Department has committed to full review and amendment of the Code to take into account lessons learned during implementation, international best practice, and best available scientific evidence on the effects of seismic surveying.
The U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service MFS has received an application from Bluecrest Alaska Operating, LLC for an Incidental Harassment Authorization to take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to conducting an offshore exploratory drilling program in lower Cook Inlet, AK, during the 2015 open water season. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act , NMFS requests comments on its proposal to issue an IHA to Bluecrest to incidentally take, by Level B harassment only, marine mammals during the specified activity.
NMFS must receive Comments and information on this proposed IHA no later than October 14, 2014.
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The U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service has received a request from the U.S. Navy for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to the training activities conducted in the Gulf of Alaska Temporary Maritime Activities Area from April 2016 through April 2021. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act, NMFS seeks information, suggestions, and comments on the Navy’s application for these MMPA regulations. Comments and information must be received by NMFS no later than October 6, 2014.
Click here to read NMFS’ notice seeking comment.
