NOAA Greenlights Whale 'Oopsies' for Alaska Natural Gas Operations
Published Date: 3/30/2026
Notice
Summary
Furie Operating Alaska wants to keep their permission to accidentally disturb marine mammals while working on natural gas in Cook Inlet, Alaska. The government is asking for public comments by April 14, 2026, before renewing this authorization. This renewal won’t change the current activities or costs but keeps the protection rules in place for the animals.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Renewal IHA Allows Rig Moves
NMFS proposes to renew Furie Operating Alaska's incidental harassment authorization (IHA) for natural gas activities in Cook Inlet from September 13, 2026 through September 12, 2027. The renewal would authorize the same Level B harassment takes as the initial Year 2 IHA for identical (or nearly identical) activities and anticipates two rig moves (one in October or November 2026 and one in the early-to-middle 2027 open-water season).
No Pile Driving — No Level A Harassment
Under the proposed renewal, Furie is not proposing to conduct pile driving, and NMFS is not proposing to authorize any Level A harassment; Level A harassment in the initial Year 2 IHA was associated with pile driving. The renewal therefore limits authorized takes to Level B harassment only.
Mitigation, Monitoring, Reporting Rules Stay In Place
The renewal would keep the same mitigation, monitoring, and reporting measures as the initial IHA. Requirements include employing NMFS-approved protected species observers (minimum two on-watch during towing), clearance zones (beluga: as far as PSOs can observe; other species: 1.5 km), pre-activity 30-minute PSO watches (with 15- or 30-minute hold times depending on species), maintaining ~4 knots tug speed, staying at least 2.4 km from the mean lower-low water line of the Sustina River Delta between April 15 and November 15, and helicopter transit at 1,500 feet when practicable. Draft monitoring reports must be submitted within 90 days after pile driving or 60 days prior to a requested subsequent IHA, with final reports due 30 days after NMFS comments.
NMFS Finds No Subsistence Impact; Negligible Takes
NMFS preliminarily determined the authorized Level B takes will have a negligible impact on affected marine mammal species or stocks and concluded Furie's activities will not have an unmitigable adverse impact on subsistence uses. NMFS previously completed an Environmental Assessment with a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) signed on September 12, 2024, and is preparing an EA for this renewal action.
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