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. 

National

Table of Contents

An Interactive Map can be viewed that shows recent and in process authorizations.

Authorizations In Process

The following Authorizations are in process:

          Alaska Gasline Development Corporation Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Construction in Cook Inlet, Alaska

          Status Public Comment Date Issued Effective Dates
          In Process Closed -- --

          Summary: NOAA Fisheries has received a request from the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC) for authorization to take, by harassment, marine mammals incidental to constructing an integrated liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Cook Inlet, Alaska, beginning November 2019 and continuing through October 2024. Pursuant to the implementing regulations of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NOAA Fisheries is announcing our receipt of the AGDC’s request for regulations governing the incidental taking of marine mammals.

          ExxonMobil Alaska LNG LLC Geophysical and Geotechnical Program in Cook Inlet, AK 

          Status Public Comment Date Issued Effective Dates
          In Process Closed -- --

          Summary: NOAA Fisheries has received a request from ExxonMobil Alaska LNG LLC for an IHA to take 4 species of marine mammals, by Level B Harassment only, incidental to a geophysical and geotechnical survey in Cook Inlet, Alaska. We invite the public to comment on our proposal to authorize take of small numbers of marine mammals incidental to the proposed activities.

          Active Authorizations

          The following Authorizations are active:

          Dominion Energy Virginia Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) Surveys off Virginia for Site Characterization of the Research Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf OCS-A 0497 Lease Area

          Status Public Comment Date Issued Effective Dates
          Active Closed 7/31/2018 7/31/2018- 7/30/2019

          Summary:  In accordance with the regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act as amended, notification is hereby given that NOAA Fisheries has issued an Incidental Harassment Authorization to Virginia Electric and Power Company d/b/a Dominion Energy Virginia (Dominion) for the take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to high-resolution geophysical (HRG) surveys associated with unexploded ordnance investigation activities off the coast of Virginia in the area of the Research Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Activities on the Outer Continental Shelf Offshore Virginia (OCS-A 0497) and coastal waters where one or more cable route corridors will be established (the Survey Area).

          Bay State Wind LLC Marine Site Characterization Surveys for Renewable Energy off the Coast of Massachusetts in the Area of OCS-A 0500

          Status Public Comment Date Issued Effective Dates
          Active Closed 7/24/2018 7/24/2018- 7/23/2019

          Summary:  In accordance with the regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act as amended, notification is hereby given that NOAA Fisheries has issued an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) to take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to high-resolution geophysical (HRG) survey investigations associated with marine site characterization activities off the coast of Massachusetts in the area of the Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS-A 0500) and along cable routes to the coast of Massachusettes (the Study Area). 

          Deepwater Wind New England LLC Marine Site Characterization Surveys for Renewable Energy off the Coast of Rhode Island and Massachusetts in the Area of OCS-A 0486

          Status Public Comment Date Issued Effective Dates
          Active Closed 6/20/2018 6/13/2018- 6/12/2019

          Summary: In accordance with the regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act as amended, notification is hereby given that NOAA Fisheries has issued an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to Deepwater Wind New England, LLC, for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to marine site characterization surveys off the coast of Rhode Island and Massachusetts in the area of the Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS-A 0486) and along potential submarine cable routes to a landfall location in Rhode Island, Massachusetts or New York.  

            Garden State Offshore Energy Geophysical Survey for Skipjack Wind, Offshore Delaware 

            Status Public Comment Date Issued Effective Dates
            Active Closed 5/15/2018 5/15/2018- 5/14/2019

            Summary: NOAA Fisheries has issued an IHA to Garden State Offshore Energy, LLC, for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to marine site characterization surveys off the coast of Delaware as part of the Skipjack Wind Project 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 submarine cable routes to a landfall location in Maryland or Delaware. 

            Statoil Wind Site Characterization Surveys Offshore New York 

            Status Public Comment Date Issued Effective Dates
            Active Closed 4/24/2018 4/24/2018- 4/23/2019

            Summary: NOAA Fisheries has issued an IHA to Statoil Wind U.S. LLC (Statoil) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to marine site characterization surveys off the coast of New York as part of the Empire Wind Project in the area of the Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS-A 0512) (Lease Area) and coastal waters where one or more cable route corridors will be established. 

             

            Expired Authorizations

            For information and documents related to expired Authorizations, please contact us.

            Applicant Activity Authorization Type Effective Dates
            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

            Last updated by Office of Protected Resources on 09/14/2018

            More About This Topic

            NOAA Announces a New Partnership with Leading Recreational Fishing Organizations

            Teaming Up for Entangled Whales

            Make Way for Whale Week 2019

            A group of bowhead whales off the coast of Alaska.