🐋Final Rule on Marine Mammal Takes for Port of Alaska Modernization
NMFS, upon request from the Don Young Port of Alaska (POA), hereby promulgates regulations to govern the taking of marine mammals incidental to the Cargo Terminals Replacement (CTR) project at the existing port facility in Anchorage, Alaska over the course of 5 years. These regulations, which allow for the issuance of a Letter of Authorization (LOA) for the incidental take of marine mammals during the specified activities in the specified geographical region (see Description of the Specified Activities section) during the effective dates of the regulations, prescribe the permissible methods of taking and other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on marine mammal species or stocks and their habitat, as well as requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of such taking.
Learn More🌊Southeast Alaska Power Agency License Application Notice
The Department of Energy announces the Southeast Alaska Power Agency's intent to file a license application for the Swan Lake Hydroelectric Project. The notice details regulatory compliance, consultation with environmental and historical agencies, and the traditional licensing process, which is crucial for renewable energy development in Alaska.
Learn More✈️Revocation of Airway Routes in Alaska
This action revokes Colored Federal Airway Green 6 (G-6) and Alaskan Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Range (VOR) Federal Airways V-459 and V-496 in Alaska. The identifier V-459 is also used for a VOR Federal Airway in California. This action revokes the Alaskan V-459, not the V-459 in California. The FAA is taking this action due to the pending decommissioning of the St. Marys, AK, Nondirectional Radio Beacon (NDB) and the Aniak, AK, NDB.
Learn More🦀Economic Data Reporting Requirements for Alaska Crab Fisheries
The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment preceding submission of the collection to OMB.
Learn More🎣Regulatory Changes in Alaska Chinook Salmon Economic Data Report
The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment preceding submission of the collection to OMB.
Learn More🌊NMFS Issues Incidental Harassment Authorization for Ketchikan Project
In accordance with regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) as amended, notification is hereby given that NMFS has issued an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to the City of Ketchikan (COK) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to the Berth III Mooring Dolphins Project in the Port of Ketchikan in the Tongass Narrows, Alaska.
Learn More🎣New Regulation on Pacific Halibut Charter Fishing Stamps
This final rule authorizes fee collection for the Recreational Quota Entity (RQE) Program. A charter halibut stamp (stamp) is required under this final rule for every charter vessel angler, 18 years of age or older, for each charter vessel fishing trip in a given calendar day, or each calendar day during a charter vessel fishing trip that spans multiple days, who intends to catch and retain halibut on a charter vessel in International Pacific Halibut Commission (IPHC) regulatory areas 2C in Southeast Alaska and 3A in South Central Alaska. Persons who hold charter halibut permits (CHPs) must purchase electronic stamps from NMFS. Charter vessel guides are required to validate a stamp for each adult charter vessel angler intending to catch and retain halibut on a charter vessel fishing trip. This final rule is necessary to promote stability and economic viability in the charter halibut fishery and is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the Magnuson- Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the Northern Pacific Halibut Act of 1982 (Halibut Act), and other applicable laws.
Learn More✈️Class E Airspace Modification at Wrangell Airport - Business Impact
This action modifies the Class E airspace extending upward from 700 feet above the surface at Wrangell Airport, Wrangell, AK; removes redundant Class E airspace extending upward from 1,200 feet above the surface; and makes administrative updates to the airport's legal description. In sum, these actions support the safety and management of instrument flight rules (IFR) operations at the airport.
Learn More🎣Fisheries Regulation
NMFS apportions amounts of the non-specified reserve to the initial total allowable catch (ITAC) of Bering Sea (BS) Greenland turbot, BS "other rockfish," BS Pacific ocean perch, and Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI) "other flatfish." This action is necessary to allow the fisheries to continue operating. It is intended to promote the goals and objectives of the fishery management plan for the BSAI management area.
Learn More🐻New Regs for Polar Bear Protection Affecting Oil and Gas Operations
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are revising a portion of our regulations under the Marine Mammal Protection Act pertaining to incidental take of marine mammals. These regulations, codified at 50 CFR part 18, subpart J, authorize the nonlethal, incidental, unintentional take by harassment of small numbers of polar bears from the Southern Beaufort Sea stock and Pacific walruses during year-round oil and gas industry activities in the Beaufort Sea (Alaska and the Outer Continental Shelf) and adjacent northern coast of Alaska. Such take may result from oil and gas exploration, development, production, and transportation activities occurring through August 5, 2026. The revisions made by this final rule authorize incidental Level A harassment of polar bears in addition to the incidental Level B harassment of polar bears and Pacific walruses already authorized. No lethal take is authorized under this rule.
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