# 2026-11645: Feds Consider Polar Bear Harassment Permit for BP Cleanup 2026-11645, Marine Mammals; Proposed Incidental Harassment Authorization for the Southern Beaufort Sea Stock of Polar Bears in the Prudhoe Bay Area of the North Slope Borough, Alaska; Draft Environmental Assessment, is a Federal Register notice from Interior Department, Fish and Wildlife Service published 2026-06-10, effective 2026-06-01; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-06-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-11645 - As of: 2026-06-17 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Document number: 2026-11645 - Title: Marine Mammals; Proposed Incidental Harassment Authorization for the Southern Beaufort Sea Stock of Polar Bears in the Prudhoe Bay Area of the North Slope Borough, Alaska; Draft Environmental Assessment - Type: Notice - Agencies: Interior Department; Fish and Wildlife Service - Citation: 91 FR 35250 - Published: 2026-06-10 - Effective: 2026-06-01 - Comments close: 2026-07-10 - Significant: no - Touches household money: yes - Regulation identifier numbers: none - Last updated: 2026-06-17 ## In one line Feds Consider Polar Bear Harassment Permit for BP Cleanup ## Summary The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is considering a request from BP to allow a small number of Southern Beaufort Sea polar bears to be disturbed (but not harmed) during cleanup and monitoring work near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, from June 2026 to May 2027. This plan aims to protect polar bears while letting BP do important environmental work. Public comments are open until July 10, 2026, so everyone can share their thoughts! ## Abstract We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in response to a request under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended, from BP America Production Company and BP Remediation Management (collectively BP), propose to authorize nonlethal, incidental take by harassment of small numbers Southern Beaufort Sea (SBS) polar bears (Ursus maritimus) between June 1, 2026, and May 31, 2027. The applicant requested this authorization for take by harassment that may result from activities associated with drone site surveys, surface water monitoring, removal of solid waste (debris), backfill activities, and revegetation activities at Foggy Island Bay State No.1 gravel pad, in the Prudhoe Bay area of the North Slope Borough, Alaska. This proposed authorization, if finalized, will be for up to three takes of polar bears by Level B harassment only. No take by injury or mortality is requested, expected, or proposed to be authorized. We invite comments on the proposed incidental harassment authorization and the accompanying draft environmental assessment from the public, Tribes, and local, State, and Federal agencies. ## Effects PRIA read - IHA Authorizes Limited Disturbance: benefit, low. The Fish and Wildlife Service proposes to authorize BP to incidentally disturb (Level B harassment only) up to three Southern Beaufort Sea polar bears between June 1, 2026 and May 31, 2027. Most field operations will occur during a roughly 10-day window beginning sometime between June 1, 2026 and n… - Subsistence Use Protected; Community Notification: benefit, low. The Service preliminarily finds that up to three Level B takes would be negligible and would not have an unmitigable adverse impact on Alaska Native subsistence harvest. BP must notify the Village of Kaktovik and the Village of Nuiqsut of planned activities and, if concerns are raised, develop a Pl… - Required Mitigation Measures for Operations: cost, low. BP must implement mitigation during operations including daily road and drone surveys for polar bears, avoiding operations if bears are observed, drone flight altitude limits (survey flights between 61 m and 122 m above ground level), use of trained bear guards and a trained scientist on each airbo… - Reporting and Pause After Unauthorized Take: cost, low. The proposed authorization includes reporting requirements for all polar bear interactions and requires BP to cease activities following incidents of unauthorized take so long as it is safe to do so, pending reporting and investigation. ## Related documents - [2026-14629](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-14629): Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Regulations for Designating Critical Habitat, 2026-07-21 - [2026-14633](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-14633): Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Regulations Pertaining to Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants, 2026-07-21 - [2026-14299](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-14299): Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Revised Designation of Critical Habitat for the Contiguous U.S. Distinct Population Segment…, 2026-07-16 - [2026-14195](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-14195): Rescinding the Definition of “Harm” Under the Endangered Species Act, 2026-07-14 - [2026-12955](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12955): Process for Authorizing Seasonal Migratory Game Bird Hunting, 2026-06-26 - [2026-12951](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12951): Process for Authorizing Seasonal Migratory Game Bird Hunting, 2026-06-26 ## Sources - [2026-11645 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/06/10/2026-11645/marine-mammals-proposed-incidental-harassment-authorization-for-the-southern-beaufort-sea-stock-of) - [2026-11645 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-06-10/pdf/2026-11645.pdf) ## Related - [Previous: 2026-11644, Notice of Request for Revision to and Extension of Approval of an Information C…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-11644) - [Next: 2026-11646, Pricing for the FIFA World Cup 2026 TM Commemorative Coin Program and the 2026…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-11646) - [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-11645 (as of 2026-06-17).