Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission's Marine Facilities Replacement Program in North Puget Sound, Washington

Commerce Department / National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS has received a request from the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission (State Parks) for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to the Marine Facilities Replacement Program (MFRP) in North Puget Sound in Western Washington (WA) over the course of 5 years from the date of effectiveness. NMFS is proposing incidental take regulations setting forth permissible methods of taking, other means of effecting the least practicable adverse impact on such marine mammal stocks (i.e., mitigation measures), and requirements pertaining to monitoring and reporting such takes, and requests comments on the proposed regulations. NMFS will consider public comments before making any final decision on promulgating the requested MMPA regulations.