Four North Atllantic right whales.
North Atlantic right whale mother and calf. Credit: Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute, taken under NOAA permit #20556-01.
Incidental Take Authorizations for Other Energy Activities (Renewable/LNG)
This page lists Incidental Take Authorizations for energy activities other than oil and gas (including renewable energy activities and LNG). Applications are typically posted once public review is initiated.
An Interactive Map can be viewed that shows recent and in process authorizations.
Authorizations In Process
The following Authorizations are in process:
Vineyard Northeast, LLC Marine Site Characterization Surveys offshore from Massachusetts to New Jersey
| Status | Public Comment | Issued Date | Effective Dates |
| In Process | 6/21/2022 | -- | -- |
Summary: NOAA Fisheries has received a request from Vineyard Northeast, LLC for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to marine site characterization surveys offshore from Massachusetts to New Jersey, including the area of Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf Lease Areas OCS-A 0522 and OCS-A 0544 and potential offshore export cable corridor routes to landfall locations.
NextEra Energy Transmission MidAtlantic Holdings, LLC Marine Site Characterization Surveys off New Jersey
| Status | Public Comment | Date Issued | Effective Dates |
| In Process | 6/8/2022 | -- | -- |
Summary: NOAA Fisheries has received a request from NextEra Energy Transmission MidAtlantic Holdings, LLC (NEETMA) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to high-resolution geophysical (HRG) site characterization surveys off the coast of New Jersey. NOAA Fisheries is requesting comments on its proposal to issue an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to incidentally take marine mammals during the specified activities. NOAA Fisheries is also requesting comments on a possible one-time, one-year Renewal that could be issued under certain circumstances and if all requirements are met. NOAA Fisheries will consider public comments prior to making any final decision on the issuance of the requested authorization and agency responses will be summarized in the final notice of our decision.
Dominion Energy Marine Site Characterization Surveys off of Coastal Virginia
| Status | Public Comment | Date Issued | Effective Dates |
| In Process | Closed | -- | -- |
Summary: NOAA Fisheries has received a request from Virginia Electric and Power Company doing business as Dominion Energy Virginia (Dominion Energy) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to marine site characterization surveys off of Virginia in support of the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Commercial Project.
Revolution Wind, LLC Construction of the Revolution Wind Energy Facility Offshore of Rhode Island
| Status | Public Comment | Date Issued | Effective Dates |
| In Process | Closed | -- | -- |
Summary: NOAA Fisheries has received a request from Revolution Wind, LLC, a subsidiary of Ørsted Wind Power North America, LLC’s, for authorization to take small numbers of marine mammals incidental to construction and operation activities associated with the Revolution Wind Offshore Wind Farm in Revolution Wind’s lease area on the Outer Continental Shelf (OSC-A 0468) offshore of Rhode Island over the course of 5 years beginning in 2023. NOAA Fisheries is announcing receipt of Revolution Wind’s request for the development and implementation of regulations governing the incidental taking of marine mammals and issuance of a Letter of Authorization.
Ocean Wind, LLC Construction of the Ocean Wind 1 Wind Energy Facility Offshore of New Jersey
| Status | Public Comment | Date Issued | Effective Dates |
| In Process | Closed | -- | -- |
Summary: NOAA Fisheries has received a request from Ocean Wind, LLC, a subsidiary of Orsted Wind Power North America, LLC, for authorization to take small numbers of marine mammals incidental to construction activities associated with the Ocean Wind 1 wind energy facility in the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s Lease Area Outer Continental Shelf (OCS)-A-0498 Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf off of New Jersey over the course of 5 years beginning in 2023. NOAA Fisheries is announcing receipt of Ocean Wind’s request for the development and implementation of regulations governing the incidental taking of marine mammals.
Active Authorizations
The following Authorizations are active:
Ocean Wind II, LLC Marine Site Characterization Surveys off of New Jersey
| Status | Public Comment | Date Issued | Effective Dates |
| Active | Closed | 5/9/2022 | 5/10/2022 - 5/9/2023 |
Summary: NOAA Fisheries has issued an IHA to Ocean Wind II, LLC (Ocean Wind II), an affiliate of Orsted Wind Power North America LLC (Orsted), to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment, marine mammals during marine site characterization surveys off New Jersey in and around the area of Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf Lease Area (OCS)-A 0532.
Orsted Wind Power North America, LLC Marine Site Characterization Surveys off of Delaware
| Status | Public Comment | Date Issued | Effective Dates |
| Active | Closed | 5/6/2022 | 5/10/2022 - 5/9/2023 |
Summary: 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.
Renewal of Ocean Wind, LLC Marine Site Characterization Surveys off of New Jersey
| Status | Public Comment | Date Issued | Effective Dates |
| Active | Closed | 5/9/2022 | 5/10/2022 - 5/9/2023 |
Summary: NOAA Fisheries has issued a Renewal incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to Ocean Wind LLC to incidentally harass marine mammals incidental to marine site characterization survey activities off the coast of New Jersey in the areas of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS)-A 0498 and federal and state waters along potential export cable routes to landfall locations between Raritan Bay (part of the New York Bight) and Delaware Bay.
Kitty Hawk Wind Marine Site Characterization Surveys, North Carolina and Virginia
| Status | Public Comment | Date Issued | Effective Dates |
| Active | Closed | 4/20/2022 | 8/1/2022 - 7/31/2023 |
Summary: NOAA Fisheries has issued an Incidental Harassment Authorization to Kitty Hawk Wind, LLC, to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment, marine mammals during marine site characterization surveys off North Carolina and Virginia in and around the area of Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf Lease Area (OCS)-A 0508.
Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, LLC Marine Site Characterization Surveys off New Jersey and New York
| Status | Public Comment | Date Issued | Effective Dates |
| Active | Closed | 4/18/2022 | 4/20/2022 - 4/19/2023 |
Summary: NOAA Fisheries has issued an IHA to Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, LLC to incidentally harass marine mammals during marine site characterization surveys off New Jersey and New York.
Renewal of Ørsted Wind Power North America, LLC Site Characterization Survey off New York to Massachusetts
| Status | Public Comment | Date Issued | Effective Dates |
| Active | Closed | 3/3/2022 | 3/3/2022 - 9/24/2022 |
Summary: NOAA Fisheries has issued a Renewal incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to Ørsted to incidentally harass marine mammals incidental to marine site characterization surveys offshore from New York to Massachusetts.
South Fork Wind, LLC Construction of the South Fork Offshore Wind Project off of Rhode Island and Massachusetts
| Status | Public Comment | Date Issued | Effective Dates |
| Active | Closed | 12/21/2021 | 11/15/2022-11/14/2023 |
Summary: NOAA Fisheries has issued an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to South Fork Wind, LLC to take, by Level A harassment and Level B harassment, marine mammals during construction of a commercial wind energy project offshore New York, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.
Vineyard Wind 1 Marine Site Characterization Surveys off of Massachusetts and Rhode Island
| Status | Public Comment | Date Issued | Effective Dates |
| Active | Closed | 7/21/2021 | 7/21/2021 - 7/20/2022 |
Summary: NOAA Fisheries has issued an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to Vineyard Wind 1 to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment only, marine mammals during marine site characterization surveys off of Massachusetts and Rhode Island in the area of Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf Lease Area OCS-A 0501 and along the Offshore Export Cable Corridor.
Renewal of Vineyard Wind LLC Marine Site Characterization Surveys off of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York
| Status | Public Comment | Date Issued | Effective Dates |
| Active | Closed | 7/15/2021 | 7/15/2021 - 6/20/2022 |
Summary: NOAA Fisheries has issued a Renewal incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to Vineyard Wind, LLC to incidentally harass marine mammals incidental to marine site characterization survey activities off the coast of Massachusetts in the areas of the Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS-A 0501 and OCS-A 0522) and along potential submarine cable routes to landfall locations in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York.
Modification to Proposed Mayflower Wind Energy LLC Marine Site Characterization Surveys off of Massachusetts
| Status | Public Comment | Date Issued | Effective Dates |
| Active | Closed | 7/1/2021 | 7/1/2021 - 6/30/2022 |
Summary: NOAA Fisheries has issued an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to Mayflower Wind Energy LLC (Mayflower) to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment only, marine mammals during site characterization surveys off the coast of Massachusetts and Rhode Island in the area of the Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS-A 0521) and along a potential submarine cable route to landfall at Falmouth, Massachusetts and Narragansett Bay.
Garden State Offshore Energy, LLC Marine Site Characterization Surveys off of Delaware and New Jersey
| Status | Public Comment | Date Issued | Effective Dates |
| Active | Closed | 6/11/2021 | 6/11/2021 - 6/10/2022 |
Summary: NOAA Fisheries has issued an IHA to Garden State Offshore Energy, LLC to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment, marine mammals incidental to marine site characterization surveys offshore of Delaware and New Jersey in the area of the Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS-A 0482) and along potential export cable routes to landfall locations in Delaware and New Jersey.
Vineyard Wind 1 LLC Construction of the Vineyard Wind Offshore Wind Project, Massachusetts
| Status | Public Comment | Date Issued | Effective Dates |
| Active | Closed | 5/21/2021 | 5/1/2023 - 4/30/2024 |
Summary: NOAA Fisheries has issued an IHA to Vineyard Wind 1, LLC to take marine mammals incidental to construction of a commercial wind energy project offshore Massachusetts.
Alaska Gasline Development Corporation Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Construction in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska
| Status | Public Comment | Date Issued | Effective Dates |
| Active | Closed | 2/16/2021 | 7/1/2023 - 6/30/2024 |
Summary: NOAA Fisheries has issued an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation to incidentally harass, by Level A and Level B harassment, marine mammals during a particular activity (West Dock facility construction) associated with construction of the Alaska Liquefied Natural Gas Project in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska.
Alaska Gasline Development Corporation Liquefied Natural Gas Construction in Cook Inlet, Alaska
| Status | Public Comment | Date Issued | Effective Dates |
| Active | Closed | 8/17/2020 | 1/1/2021 - 12/31/2025 |
Summary: NOAA Fisheries has issued regulations under the Marine Mammal Protection Act for the taking of marine mammals incidental to the Alaska Liquefied Natural Gas project in Cook Inlet, Alaska, over the course of five years (2021-2025). These regulations allow NOAA Fisheries to issue a Letter of Authorization for the incidental take of marine mammals during the specified construction activities carried out during the rule’s period of effectiveness, set forth the permissible methods of taking, set forth other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on marine mammal species or stocks and their habitat, and set forth requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of the incidental take.
Withdrawn and Inactive
For documents related to withdrawn applications for Authorization and inactive Authorizations, please contact us.
| Applicant | Activity | Authorization Type | Effective Dates |
| ExxonMobil Alaska LNG LLC | Geophysical and Geotechnical Program in Cook Inlet, AK | IHA | -- |
Expired Authorizations
For information and documents related to expired Authorizations, please contact us.
| Applicant | Activity | Authorization Type | Effective Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ocean Wind, LLC | IHA | 5/10/2021 - 5/9/2022 | |
| Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, LLC | Renewal of Marine Site Characterization Surveys off of New Jersey and New York | IHA | 4/20/2021- 4/19/2022 |
| Skipjack Offshore Energy, LLC | Marine Site Characterization Surveys Offshore of Delaware | IHA | 4/5/2021- 4/4/2022 |
| Annova LNG Common Infrastructure | LNG Terminal Construction in the Brownsville Ship Channel in Cameron County, Texas | IHA | 3/1/2021 - 2/28/2022 |
| Kitty Hawk Wind, LLC | Marine Site Characterization Surveys off of North Carolina and Virginia | IHA | 7/23/2021 -10/31/2021 |
| Orsted Wind Power North America | Site Characterization off MA to NY | IHA | 9/25/2020 - 9/24/2021 |
| Equinor Wind, LLC | Site Characterization off MA, RI, CT, NY, NJ | IHA | 9/20/2020 - 9/19/2021 |
| Jordan Cove Energy Project LP | Jordan Cove Project, Coos Bay, OR | IHA | 10/1/2020 - 9/30/ 2021 |
| Dominion Energy Virginia | Marine Site Characterization Surveys off of Coastal Virginia (2021) | IHA | 4/12/2021 - 8/27/2021 |
| Mayflower Wind Energy, LLC | IHA | 7/23/2020 - 7/22/2021 | |
| Rio Grande LNG LLC | LNG Terminal Construction in the Brownsville Ship Channel in Cameron County, Texas | IHA | 7/1/2020 - 6/30/2021 |
| Vineyard Wind, LLC | Reissuance of Marine Site Characterization Surveys off of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York | IHA | 6/21/2020 - 6/20/2021 |
| Dominion Energy Virginia | Offshore Wind Construction Activities off of Virginia | IHA | 5/15/2020 - 5/14/2021 |
| Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, LLC |
Marine Site Characterization Surveys off of New Jersey and New York |
IHA | 4/20/2020 - 4/19/2021 |
| Vineyard Wind, LLC | Marine Site Characterization Surveys off of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York | IHA | 6/1/2020- 5/31/2021 |
| Skipjack Offshore Energy, LLC |
Marine Site Characterization Surveys off of Delaware and Maryland |
IHA | 11/25/2019- 11/24/2020 |
| Ørsted Wind Power LLC | Site Characterization Surveys for Renewable Energy off the Coast of New England in the Areas of OCS-A 0486, OCS-A 0487, and OCS-A 0500 | IHA | 9/26/2019 - 9/25/2020 |
| Avangrid Renewables LLC | Marine Site Characterization Surveys for Renewable Energy off the Coast of North Carolina in the area of OCS-A508 | IHA | 6/1/2019 - 5/31/2020 |
| Equinor Wind US LLC | Renewal of Wind Site Characterization Surveys Offshore New York | IHA | 4/25/2019 - 4/24/2020 |
| Dominion Energy Virginia | Unexploded Ordnance Surveys off Virginia for Site Characterization of the OCS-A 0497 Lease Area for Renewable Energy Development | IHA | 7/31/2018 - 7/30/2019 |
| Bay State Wind LLC | Marine Site Characterization Surveys off the Coast of Massachusetts | IHA | 7/24/2018 - 7/23/2019 |
| Deepwater Wind New England LLC | Site Characterization Surveys off the Coast of Rhode Island and Massachusetts | IHA | 6/13/2018 - 6/12/2019 |
| Garden State Offshore Energy, LLC | Geophysical Survey for Skipjack Wind, Offshore Delaware | IHA | 5/15/2018- 5/14/2019 |
| Statoil Wind U.S. LLC | Wind Site Characterization Surveys Offshore New York | IHA | 4/24/2018- 4/23/2019 |
| Deepwater Wind, LLC | Marine Site Characterization Surveys, Offshore NY | IHA | 6/16/2017 - 6/15/2018 |
| Ocean Wind, LLC | Marine Site Characterization Surveys, Offshore NJ | IHA | 6/8/2017- 6/7/2018 |
| Port Dolphin Deepwater Port | LNG Construction and Operation near Tampa Bay, FL | LOA | 6/01/2013 - 5/31/2018 |
| Northeast Gateway Energy Bridge, L.P. and Algonquin Gas Transmission, L.L.C. | Port and Algonquin Pipeline Operation, Maintenance and Repair in Massachusetts Bay (2016-2017) | IHA | 12/23/2016-12/22/2017 |
| Neptune LNG, LLC | Decommissioning of Neptune Deepwater Port, MA (2016-2017) | IHA | 10/07/2016-10/06/2017 |
| DONG Energy Massachusetts LLC | Geophysical and Geotechnical Surveys Offshore Massachusetts (2016-2017) | IHA | 8/13/2016-8/12/2017 |
| Deepwater Wind | Block Island Wind Farm Cable Installation Off Block Island, RI (2016-2017) | IHA | 5/31/2016-5/30/2017 |
| Neptune LNG, LLC | Liquefied Natural Gas Facility Operation and Maintenance off Massachusetts (2011-2016) | LOA | 07/11/2011- 07/10/2016 |
| ExxonMobil Alaska LNG LLC (AK LNG) | Geophysical and Geotechnical Program in Cook Inlet, AK (2015) | IHA | 8/14/2015-8/13/2016 |
| Northeast Gateway Energy Bridge, L.P. and Algonquin Gas Transmission, L.L.C. | LNG Port Operations and Maintenance and Repair in Massachusetts Bay (2015-16) | IHA | 12/23/2015-12/22/2016 |
| Northeast Gateway Energy Bridge, L.P. and Algonquin Gas Transmission, L.L.C. | LNG Port Operations and Maintenance/ Repair in Massachusetts Bay, MA | IHA | 12/22/2014- 12/21/2015 |
| Deepwater Wind Block Island, LLC | Block Island Wind Farm Construction off Rhode Island | IHA | 10/31/2014- 10/30/2015 |
| Deepwater Wind Block Island Transmission, LLC | Block Island Transmission System (BITS) Construction off Rhode Island | IHA | 11/01/2014- 10/31/2015 |
| Cape Wind Associates | High Resolution Geophysical Survey in Nantucket Sound, MA | IHA | 04/25/2014- 04/24/2015 |
More Information
- Incidental Take Authorization under the MMPA
- Apply for an Incidental Take Authorization
- Explore Incidental Take Authorizations for construction activities
- Explore Incidental Take Authorizations for military readiness activities
- Explore Incidental Take Authorizations for oil and gas activities
- Explore Incidental Take Authorizations for research and other activities
Four North Atllantic right whales.
North Atlantic right whale mother and calf. Credit: Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute, taken under NOAA permit #20556-01.
