Biological Opinion - Issuance of a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Permit and Incidental Harassment Authorization for Harvest Alaska LLC Cook Inlet Pipeline Cross-Inlet Extension Project

This Opinion considers the effects to ESA-listed species from the proposed issuance of an IHA and Corps Letter of Permission authorizing the Cook Inlet Pipeline Cross-Inlet Extension Project, which is one component of Harvest LLC's current plans to modify pipeline infrastructure in Cook Inlet and which also includes additional onshore infrastructure and conversion of existing pipeline service across Cook Inlet. Accordingly, this Opinion analyzes Harvest LLC's current project plan for pipeline infrastructure in Cook Inlet. This project includes:

• (a) construction of two new pipelines from the Tyonek platform to the west side of Cook Inlet (the Cook Inlet Pipeline Cross-Inlet Extension component of the CIPL Project)
• (b) reconfiguration of oil and gas flows across and around Cook Inlet, including a gas to oil conversion of one existing cross-inlet pipeline (the Cook Inlet Gathering System (CIGGS) A- Marine Pipeline Conversion component of the CIPL Project) (see Section 2 for project description)

The project analyzed in the Opinion is hereinafter referred to as the Cook Inlet Pipeline Project, or CIPL Project.

Action agencies: NOAA Fisheries and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Alaska District