Federal Register #0648-BN61

Regulatory Authorization for U.S. Navy SURTASS LFA Sonar Operations—No Procurement Involved

This opportunity concerns regulatory authorization for U.S. Navy sonar operations, not a procurement action. - Government Buyer: - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Office of Protected Resources - No Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) or commercial vendors are named or involved - No products or commercial services are being procured - Activity Covered: - Authorization for the U.S. Navy to conduct Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System (SURTASS) Low Frequency Active (LFA) sonar training and testing - Activities occur in the western and central North Pacific Ocean and eastern Indian Ocean - Covers 43 marine mammal species, including 10 listed under the Endangered Species Act - Notable Requirements: - Mitigation measures: 22-km coastal standoff, Offshore Biologically Important Areas (OBIAs) restrictions, real-time monitoring, and activity-based mitigation - Annual reporting and adaptive management provisions - Activities classified as military readiness under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) - No contract value, product line items, or service line items relevant to commercial procurement

Description

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), upon request from the U.S. Department of the Navy, issues regulations under the Marine Mammal Protection Act to govern the incidental taking of marine mammals during Navy training and testing activities using SURTASS Low Frequency Active sonar systems in specified ocean regions. These regulations allow issuance of Letters of Authorization for incidental take during specified activities and timeframes from August 2026 through August 2033. The rule prescribes permissible methods of taking, mitigation measures to minimize adverse impacts on marine mammals and their habitat, and monitoring and reporting requirements. The Navy's activities are considered military readiness activities under the MMPA as amended by the National Defense Authorization Acts of 2004 and 2019.

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