NOAA Authorizes Incidental Marine Mammal Harassment for Kensington Dock Repairs in Alaska
AI-generated summary for informational purposes only. Not legal advice. See the original source for the authoritative text.
NOAA allows Coeur Alaska, Inc. to incidentally disturb small numbers of marine mammals during repair work at the Kensington Dock in Berners Bay, Alaska. The authorization covers harassment only, not intentional harm or killing, and lasts up to one year from notice by the company, within one year of issuance on June 16, 2026. The practical impact is narrow. Coeur can proceed with dock repairs if it follows NOAA’s required limits and mitigation measures to reduce harm to marine mammals and their habitat. Environmental teams, construction contractors, and local subsistence users should track compliance conditions tied to the authorization.
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Key Changes
- Authorizes Coeur Alaska to incidentally harass small numbers of marine mammals during the Kensington Dock Repair Project
- Limits the authorization to one year and to non-intentional harassment only
- Requires NOAA-prescribed mitigation and operating conditions to reduce impacts on marine mammals, habitat, and subsistence uses
Obligations
What this law requires
Coeur Alaska, Inc. may only incidentally take marine mammals by harassment during the Kensington Dock Repair Project; intentional taking, injury, or killing of marine mammals is not authorized.
Coeur Alaska, Inc. must limit authorized marine mammal takes to the specified activity and geographic region: the Kensington Dock Repair Project in Berners Bay, Alaska.
Coeur Alaska, Inc. must conduct the dock repair work under the incidental harassment authorization for no more than 1 year from its notification date, and in no case beyond 1 year from issuance on June 16, 2026.
Coeur Alaska, Inc. and its contractors must follow NOAA/NMFS mitigation and compliance conditions required by the incidental harassment authorization to reduce impacts to marine mammals and their habitat.