Biological Opinion on Furie’s Offshore Oil and Gas Exploration Drilling in the Kitchen Lights Unit of Cook Inlet, Alaska, 2017–2021
May 31, 2017
Biological opinion on the effects of oil and gas exploratory drilling in the Kitchen Lights Unit of Cook Inlet on endangered and threatened species and designated critical habitat.
This opinion considers the effects of offshore oil and gas exploratory drilling in the Kitchen Lights Unit of Cook Inlet, along with associated ancillary activities. These actions have the potential to affect:
- the endangered Cook Inlet beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas)
- the endangered western North Pacific distinct population segment (DPS) humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)
- the threatened Mexico DPS humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)
- the endangered western DPS Steller sea lion (Eumatopias jubatus)
- the endangered fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus)
- designated critical habitat for Cook Inlet beluga whales and Steller sea lions
Action Agency: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), Alaska District
NMFS Consultation Number: AKR-2016-9600