CFR > Title 50 - Wildlife and Fisheries > CHAPTER II—NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE, NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE > SUBCHAPTER C—MARINE MAMMALS (Parts 216–229) > PART 216—REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE TAKING AND IMPORTING OF MARINE MAMMALS > SUBPART S—-Taking of Marine Mammals Incidental to Explosive Severance Activities Conducted During Offshore Structure Removal Operations on the Outer Continental Shelf in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico > 216.217—Requirements for monitoring and reporting.

216.217—Requirements for monitoring and reporting.

(a) Holders of Letters of Authorization issued for activities described in § 216.211(a) are required to cooperate with the National Marine Fisheries Service, and any other Federal, state or local agency with regulatory authority over the offshore oil-and-gas activities for the purpose of monitoring the impacts of the activity on marine mammals.
(b) (1) Table 1 summarizes the required mitigation and monitoring survey modes, duration and zones for all blasting scenarios of marine mammal impact zones for implementation of surface and aerial monitoring requirements depending upon charge weight and severance scenario.
(2) Holders of Letters of Authorization must fully comply with the relevant mitigation and monitoring program for the explosive-severance activity described in subparagraph (c) of this paragraph that corresponds to the holder of the Letter of Authorization's blast scenario shown in Table 1.
Table 1. Blast Categories, Mitigation Scenarios, Survey and Time Requirements For All Explosive Severance Scenarios.1
Blasting Category Configuration (Charge wt/ placement) Species Delineation Zone Mitgation Scenario Impact Zone Radius Pre Det Surface Survey (min) Pre Det Aerial Survey (min) Pre Det Acoustic Survey (min) Post Det Surface Survey (min) Post Det Aerial Survey (min) Post Post Det Aerial Survey (Yes/No) Waiting Period (min)
BML Shelf (<200 m) A1 261 m 60 N/A N/A 30 N/A No 30
Very- (0-10 lb) Slope (>200 m) A2 (856 ft) 90 N/A N/A 30 N/A No 30
Small AML Shelf (<200 m) A3 293 m 60 N/A N/A 30 N/A No 30
(0-5 lb) Slope (>200 m) A4 (961 ft) 90 N/A N/A 30 N/A No 30
BML Shelf (<200 m) B1 373 m 90 30 N/A N/A 30 No 30
Small (>10-20 lb) Shelf (>200 m) B2 (1,224 ft) 90 30 N/A N/A 30 No 30
AML Shelf (<200 m) B3 522 m 90 30 N/A N/A 30 No 30
(>5-20 lb) Slope (>200 m) B4 (1,714 ft) 90 30 N/A N/A 30 No 30
BML Shelf (<200 m) C1 631 m 90 30 N/A N/A 30 No 30
Standard (>20-80 lb) Slope (>200 m) C2 (2,069 ft) 90 30 120 N/A 30 No 30
AML Shelf (<200 m) C3 829 m 90 45 N/A N/A 30 No 30
(>20-80 lb) Slope (>200 m) C4 (2,721 ft) 90 60 150 N/A 30 Yes 45
BML Shelf (<200 m) D1 941 m 120 45 N/A N/A 30 No 30
Large (>80-200 lb) Slope (>200 m) D2 (3,086 ft) 120 60 180 N/A 30 Yes 45
AML Shelf (<200 m) D3 1,126 m 120 60 N/A N/A 30 No 30
(>80-200 lb) Slope (>200 m) D4 (3,693 ft) 150 60 210 N/A 30 Yes 45
BML Shelf (<200 m) E1 1,500 m 150 90 N/A N/A 45 No 45
Specialty (>200-500 lb) Slope (>200 m) E2 (4,916 ft) 180 90 270 N/A 45 Yes 45
AML Shelf (<200 m) E3 1,528 m 150 90 N/A N/A 45 No 45
(>200-500 lb) Slope (>200 m) E4 (5,012 ft) 180 90 270 N/A 45 Yes 45
1 Severance of subsea structures that do not penetrate the sea surface will follow the mitigation scenario for above mudline (AML) detonations even if charges are placed below mudline.
(c) Holders of Letters of Authorization must ensure that the following monitoring programs are conducted as appropriate for the required monitoring scenario.
(1) Surface monitoring survey. A surface monitoring survey must be conducted for the length of time that corresponds to the relevant explosive severance scenario. Surface monitoring surveys are to be conducted from the highest vantage point and/or other location(s) that provide the best, clear view of the entire impact zone. These vantage points may be on the structure being removed or proximal surface vessels (i.e., crewboats, derrick barges, etc.). Surface surveys are restricted to daylight hours only, and the monitoring will cease if the designated lead observer determines that weather or marine conditions are not adequate for visual observations.
(2) Aerial monitoring survey. Aerial surveys are required for all explosive severance scenarios except monitoring scenarios A1-A4. Aerial monitoring surveys are to be conducted from helicopters running standard low-altitude search patterns over the extent of the impact zone that corresponds to the appropriate explosive severance scenario. Aerial surveys will be restricted to daylight hours only (defined as “legal sunrise” to “legal sunset”), and cannot begin until the requisite surface monitoring survey has been completed. Aerial surveys will cease if the designated lead observer determines that weather or marine conditions are not adequate for visual observations, or when the pilot/removal supervisor determines that helicopter operations must be suspended.
(3) Acoustic monitoring survey.
(i) Acoustic monitoring surveys are required to be conducted on all Standard, Large, and Specialty blasting scenarios conducted at slope (>200 m (656 ft)) locations (i.e., scenarios C2, C4, D2, D4, E2, and E4).
(ii) Persons conducting acoustic surveys will be required to comply with NMFS-approved passive acoustic monitoring protocols and use approved devices and technicians.
(iii) Acoustic surveys will be run concurrent with requisite pre-detonation surveys, beginning with the surface observations and concluding at the finish of the aerial surveys when the detonation(s) is allowed to proceed.
(4) Post-detonation surface monitoring survey. A 30-minute post-detonation surface survey must be conducted by the trained company observer for scenarios A1 - A4 immediately upon conclusion of the detonation.
(5) Post-detonation aerial monitoring survey. For scenarios B1-D4, a 30-minute aerial survey must be conducted immediately upon conclusion of the detonation. For scenarios E1-E4, a 45-minute aerial survey must be conducted immediately upon conclusion of the detonation.
(6) Post-post-detonation aerial monitoring survey. Post-post-detonation aerial monitoring surveys must be conducted for scenarios C4, D2, D4, E2 and E4 within 2-7 days after detonation activities conclude, by either helicopter or fixed-wing aircraft. Observations are to start at the removal site and proceed leeward and outward of wind and current movement. Any distressed, shocked, injured or dead marine mammals will be noted in the survey report, and if possible, tracked and collected after notifying the National Marine Fisheries Service within the time requirements stated in § 216.217(f).
(7) If unforeseen conditions or events occur during an explosive severance operation that may necessitate additional monitoring not specified in this paragraph, the designated NMFS lead observer will contact the appropriate National Marine Fisheries Service and Minerals Management Service personnel as detailed in the Letter of Authorization for additional guidance.
(d) Holders of Letters of Authorization must conduct all monitoring and research required under the Letter of Authorization. Any monitoring or research measures proposed to be contained in a Letter of Authorization that are not specified in this subpart or not considered an emergency requirement under § 216.218(d), will first be subject to public notice and comment through publication in the Federal Register, as provided by § 216.219(c).
(e) Reporting (1) A report summarizing the results of structure removal activities, mitigation measures, monitoring efforts, and other information as required by a Letter of Authorization, must be submitted to the Director, Office of Protected Resources, within 30 days of completion of the removal activity.
(2) The National Marine Fisheries Service will accept the NMFS observer report as the activity report required by subparagraph (1) of this paragraph if all requirements for reporting contained in the Letter of Authorization are provided to the NMFS observer before the NMFS observer's report is submitted to the PROP Manager.
(3) If a marine mammal is found shocked, injured, or dead, the Holder of the Letter of Authorization, or designee, must report the incident to the National Marine Fisheries Service Southeast Regional Office, at the earliest opportunity.