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:
Kitty Hawk Wind, LLC Marine Site Characterization Surveys off of North Carolina and Virginia
| Status | Public Comment | Date Issued | Effective Dates |
| In Process | Closed | -- | -- |
Summary: NOAA Fisheries has received a request from Kitty Hawk Wind for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to marine site characterization surveys offshore of North Carolina.
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 |
| In Process | Closed | -- | -- |
Summary: NOAA Fisheries received a request from South Fork Wind, LLC (South Fork Wind) to take marine mammals incidental to construction of a commercial wind energy project southeast of Rhode Island, within the Rhode Island-Massachusetts Wind Energy Area (RI/MA WEA).
Active Authorizations
The following Authorizations are active:
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 |
| In Process | Closed | -- | 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.
Ocean Wind, LLC Marine Site Characterization Surveys off of New Jersey
| Status | Public Comment | Date Issued | Effective Dates |
| Active | Closed | 5/10/2021 | 5/10/2021 - 5/9/2022 |
Summary: NOAA Fisheries has issued an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to Ocean Wind, LLC to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment only, marine mammals during marine site characterization surveys off of New Jersey in the area of Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf Lease Area OCS-A 0498 and potential export cable routes to landfall locations in New Jersey.
Renewal of Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, LLC Marine Site Characterization Surveys off of New Jersey and New York
| Status | Public Comment | Date Issued | Effective Dates |
| In Process | Closed | 4/16/2021 | 4/20/2021- 4/19/2022 |
Summary: NOAA Fisheries has issued a Renewal incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to Atlantic Shores, LLC to incidentally harass marine mammals during marine site characterization surveys off the coast of New York and New Jersey, Atlantic Ocean.
Modification to Dominion Energy Virginia Marine Site Characterization Surveys off of Coastal Virginia (2021)
| Status | Public Comment | Issued Date | Effective Dates |
| In Process | Closed | 4/12/2021 | 4/12/2021- 8/27/2021 |
Summary: NOAA Fisheries has issued a modified incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to Dominion Energy Virginia to incidentally harass marine mammals incidental to marine site characterization surveys conducted in the areas of the Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Offshore Virginia (Lease No. OCS-A-0483) as well as in coastal waters where an export cable corridor will be established in support of the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Commercial (CVOW Commercial) Project.
Skipjack Offshore Energy, LLC Marine Site Characterization Surveys Offshore of Delaware
| Status | Public Comment | Date Issued | Effective Dates |
| Active | Closed | 4/5/2021 | 4/5/2021- 4/4/2022 |
Summary: NOAA Fisheries has issued an incidental harassment authorization to Skipjack Offshore Energy, LLC to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment only, marine mammals during marine site characterization surveys offshore of Delaware in the area of the Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS-A 0519) and along potential submarine cable routes to a landfall location in Delaware.
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.
Modification to Dominion Energy Virginia Marine Site Characterization Surveys off of Coastal Virginia (2020)
| Status | Public Comment | Date Issued | Effective Dates |
| Active | Closed | 12/11/2020 | 12/11/2020 - 8/27/2021 |
Summary: NOAA Fisheries has issued a modified incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to Dominion Energy Virginia (Dominion) to incidentally harass marine mammals incidental to marine site characterization surveys conducted in the areas of the Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Offshore Virginia (Lease No. OCS-A-0483) as well as in coastal waters where an export cable corridor will be established in support of the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Commercial (CVOW Commercial) Project.
Ørsted Wind Power North America, LLC Site Characterization Survey off New York to Massachusetts
| Status | Public Comment | Date Issued | Effective Dates |
| Active | Closed | 9/25/2020 | 9/25/2020 - 9/24/2021 |
Summary: NOAA Fisheries has issued an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to Ørsted Wind Power North America, LLC, (Ørsted) to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment only, marine mammals during marine site characterization surveys in coastal waters from New York to Massachusetts in the areas of the Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS-A 0486/0517, OCS-A 0487, and OCS-A 0500) and along potential export cable routes to shoreline locations from New York to Massachusetts.
Equinor Wind, LLC Marine Site Characterization Surveys off of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey
| Status | Public Comment | Issued Date | Effective Dates |
| Active | Closed | 9/20/2020 | 9/20/2020 - 9/19/2021 |
Summary: NOAA Fisheries has issued an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to Equinor Wind, LLC to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment only, marine mammals during site characterization surveys off the coast in the Atlantic Ocean in the area of the Commercial Leases of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS-A 0520 and OCS-A 0512) and along potential submarine cable routes to a landfall location in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York or New Jersey.
Dominion Energy Virginia Marine Site Characterization Surveys off of Coastal Virginia
| Status | Public Comment | Issued Date | Effective Dates |
| Active | Closed | 8/28/2020 | 8/28/2020 - 8/27/2021 |
Summary: NOAA Fisheries has issued an IHA to Dominion Energy Virginia to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment only, marine mammals during marine site characterization surveys in the areas of the Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Offshore Virginia (Lease No. OCS-A-0483) as well as in coastal waters where an export cable corridor will be established in support of the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Commercial Project.
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.
Annova LNG Common Infrastructure LNG Terminal Construction in the Brownsville Ship Channel in Cameron County, Texas
| Status | Public Comment | Issued Date | Effective Dates |
| Active | Closed | 6/29/2020 | 3/1/2021 - 2/28/2022 |
Summary: NOAA Fisheries has issued an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to Annova LNG Common Infrastructure, authorizing the take of small numbers of marine mammals incidental to the construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in the Brownsville Ship Channel, Texas.
Jordan Cove Energy Project, Coos Bay, OR
| Status | Public Comment | Issued Date | Effective Dates |
| Active | Closed | 1/31/2020 | 10/1/2020 - 9/30/2021 |
Summary: NOAA Fisheries has issued an incidental harassment authorization to Jordan Cove Energy Project, LP (JCEP) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to pile driving associated with construction of the Jordan Cove Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) terminal and ancillary projects.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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
