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On June 25, 2024, NOAA Fisheries announced proposed regulations to govern the harassment of marine mammals incidental to construction of the SouthCoast Wind Project offshore Massachusetts. The public comment period on the proposed regulations is open from June 27 to July 29, 2024.
As required by the MMPA, the proposed regulations include mandatory mitigation measures to be undertaken by the wind developer that will ensure the “least practicable adverse impact” on marine mammals and their habitat, as well as monitoring and reporting measures to better understand those impacts.
NOAA Fisheries has preliminarily determined that the number and manner of “take,” in the form of harassment, proposed to be allowed, would have a negligible impact on all affected marine mammal species and stocks. Impacts to a small number of North Atlantic right whales are expected to be limited to short-term behavioral disturbance (Level B harassment). No mortality or serious injury of any marine mammal is expected or proposed to be allowed.
This regulatory action is part of NOAA’s ongoing work to ensure the nation’s deployment of offshore wind energy is done in a manner that avoids and minimizes impacts to protected resources and their habitats.
Documents associated with this proposed action will be available on our website tomorrow.
NOAA Fisheries is committed to careful review and use of the best available scientific information in satisfying the requirements of the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
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