View all text of Subpart CC [§ 217.280 - § 217.289]

§ 217.282 - Permissible methods of taking.

Under the LOA, issued pursuant to §§ 216.106 and 217.286, LOA Holder, and those persons it authorizes or funds to conduct activities on its behalf, may incidentally, but not intentionally, take marine mammals within the vicinity of BOEM Lease Area OCS-A 0512 Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development, along export cable routes, and at the two sea-to-shore transition points located at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, in Brooklyn, NY (Empire Wind 1), and Long Island, NY (Empire Wind 2), in the following ways, provided LOA Holder is in complete compliance with all terms, conditions, and requirements of the regulations in this subpart and the appropriate LOA:

(a) By Level B harassment associated with the acoustic disturbance of marine mammals by impact pile driving (WTG and OSS foundation installation), impact and vibratory pile driving during cable landfall and marina activities, and HRG site characterization surveys;

(b) By Level A harassment associated with the acoustic disturbance of marine mammals by impact pile driving of WTG and OSS foundations;

(c) Take by mortality (death) or serious injury of any marine mammal species is not authorized; and

(d) The incidental take of marine mammals by the activities listed in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section is limited to the following species:

Table 1 to Paragraph (d)

Marine mammal species Scientific name Stock Fin whaleBalaenoptera physalusWestern North Atlantic. Humpback whaleMegaptera novaeangliaeGulf of Maine. Minke whaleBalaenoptera acutorostrataCanadian Eastern Coastal. North Atlantic right whaleEubalaena glacialisWestern North Atlantic. Sei whaleBalaenoptera borealisNova Scotia. Atlantic spotted dolphinStenella frontalisWestern North Atlantic. Atlantic white-sided dolphinLagenorhynchus acutusWestern North Atlantic. Bottlenose dolphinTursiops truncatusWestern North Atlantic, offshore. Bottlenose dolphinTursiops truncatusWestern North Atlantic, coastal. Short-beaked common dolphinDelphinus delphisWestern North Atlantic. Harbor porpoisePhocoena phocoenaGulf of Maine/Bay of Fundy. Long-finned pilot whaleGlobicephala melasWestern North Atlantic. Short-finned pilot whaleGlobicephala macrorhynchusWestern North Atlantic. Risso's dolphinGrampus griseusWestern North Atlantic. Sperm whalePhyseter macrocephalusNorth Atlantic. Gray sealHalichoerus grypusWestern North Atlantic. Harbor sealPhoca vitulinaWestern North Atlantic. Harp sealPagophilus groenlandicusWestern North Atlantic.