Marine Mammals; Incidental Take During Specified Activities

This final rule reinstates our existing rule issued Thursday, January 28, 1999 (64 FR 4328), and codified at 50 CFR Part 18, Subpart J to authorize the incidental, unintentional take of small numbers of polar bears and Pacific walrus during oil and gas industry (Industry) exploration, development, and production operations in the Beaufort Sea and adjacent northern coast of Alaska. This final rule authorizes incidental, unintentional take of small numbers of polar bears and Pacific walrus only for activities covered by our existing regulations at 50 CFR Part 18, Subpart J; incidental take resulting from any subsea pipeline activities located offshore in the Beaufort Sea is not authorized. This final rule reinstates regulations at 50 CFR Part 18, Subpart J effective through March 31, 2000.