Incidental Take Authorization: Orsted Wind Power North America, LLC Marine Site Characterization Surveys off of Delaware

NOAA Fisheries has received a request from Orsted Wind Power North America, LLC, and its designees, Garden State Offshore Energy, LLC and Skipjack Offshore Energy, LLC, for the re-issuance of a previously issued incidental harassment authorization (IHA; 87 FR 30182, May 10, 2022) with the only change being effective dates. The initial IHA authorized take of 16 species of marine mammals, by Level B harassment only, incidental to marine site characterization surveys off the coast of Delaware and along potential export cable routes to landfall locations in Delaware and New Jersey. The project has been delayed and none of the work covered in the initial IHA has been conducted. The initial IHA was effective from May 10, 2022, through May 9, 2023. Orsted has requested re-issuance with new effective dates of May 10, 2023, through May 9, 2024. The scope of the activities and anticipated effects remain the same, authorized take numbers are not changed, and the required mitigation, monitoring, and reporting remains the same as included in the initial IHA. NOAA Fisheries is, therefore, issuing a second identical IHA to cover the incidental take analyzed and authorized in the initial IHA.

NOAA Fisheries has issued an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to the Orsted wind Power North America, LLC for the take of marine mammals incidental to a marine site characterization survey off the coast of Delaware.