# 2026-12463: Feds Let Gas Firm Disturb Whales for Another Year

2026-12463, Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to HEX Operating, LLC Natural Gas Activities in Cook Inlet, Alaska, is a Federal Register notice from Commerce Department, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration published 2026-06-22, effective 2026-09-13; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-06-29).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12463
- As of: 2026-06-29
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2026-12463
- Title: Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to HEX Operating, LLC Natural Gas Activities in Cook Inlet, Alaska
- Type: Notice
- Agencies: Commerce Department; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- Citation: 91 FR 37088
- Published: 2026-06-22
- Effective: 2026-09-13
- Comments close: not stated
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: yes
- Regulation identifier numbers: none
- Last updated: 2026-06-29

## In one line

Feds Let Gas Firm Disturb Whales for Another Year

## Summary

HEX Operating, LLC got the green light to continue their natural gas work in Cook Inlet, Alaska, from September 2026 to September 2027. This means some marine mammals might get a little disturbed, but the government says it won’t hurt their populations. The renewal keeps things moving smoothly while protecting these ocean neighbors and supporting local activities.

## Abstract

In accordance with the regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), notification is hereby given that NMFS has issued a renewal incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to HEX Operating, LLC (formerly Furie Operating Alaska, LLC (Furie)) to incidentally harass marine mammals incidental to natural gas activities in Cook Inlet, Alaska.

## Effects PRIA read

- Renewal Allows HEX Rig Work: benefit, medium. NMFS issued a renewal Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) allowing HEX Operating, LLC to conduct rig towing and positioning in Cook Inlet, Alaska from September 13, 2026 through September 12, 2027. The renewal authorizes the same number of Level B harassment takes as the initial Year 2 IHA fo…
- New On‑Site Mitigation and Monitoring Rules: cost, medium. HEX must follow specified mitigation and monitoring measures while towing/positioning the rig, including employing a minimum of two NMFS-approved protected species observers (PSOs), conducting 30-minute pre-clearance monitoring before starting activities, establishing 1.5 kilometer clearance zones…
- Tribal Coordination and Subsistence Protections: benefit, low. HEX must coordinate with local Tribes, notify communities of any operational changes, and take actions to avoid or mitigate impacts to subsistence harvests. NMFS determined that the authorized takes will not have an unmitigable adverse impact on the availability of species for subsistence uses.

## Related documents

- [2026-14204](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-14204): Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary; Delay of Effective Date, 2026-07-15
- [2026-14195](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-14195): Rescinding the Definition of “Harm” Under the Endangered Species Act, 2026-07-14
- [2026-07536](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-07536): Taking and Importing Marine Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Geophysical Surveys in the Gulf of America, 2026-04-17
- [2026-05599](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-05599): Deep Seabed Mining: Notice of Receipt of Applications for Deep Seabed Mining Exploration Licenses and Announcement of Public Comment Period…, 2026-03-23
- [2026-04256](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-04256): Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Spatial Fisheries Management; Amendment 15 to the 2006 Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Fi…, 2026-03-04
- [2025-06746](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2025-06746): Rescinding the Definition of “Harm” Under the Endangered Species Act, 2025-04-17

## Sources
- [2026-12463 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/06/22/2026-12463/takes-of-marine-mammals-incidental-to-specified-activities-taking-marine-mammals-incidental-to-hex)
- [2026-12463 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-06-22/pdf/2026-12463.pdf)

## Related
- [Previous: 2026-12462, 2026-2027 Award Year Deadline Dates for Reports and Other Records Associated Wi…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12462)
- [Next: 2026-12464, City of Spokane; Notice of Scoping Comment Sessions and Environmental Site Revi…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12464)
- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12463 (as of 2026-06-29).