Federal Register #2026-21597

Renewed marine mammal harassment authorization for Seward cruise ship dock pile work

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service renewed an incidental harassment authorization for remaining construction at the Seward Cruise Ship Passenger Dock and Terminal Facility in Alaska. - Government buyer: U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Office of Protected Resources. - Authorization recipient: Turnagain Marine Services (TMC). This is a regulatory authorization, not a procurement solicitation or contract award; no vendor products or services are being solicited. - Authorized construction: Install and remove eight temporary 36-inch steel piles and install eight permanent 48-inch steel piles using vibratory and impact pile driving and down-the-hole drilling. Work is expected to take up to 12 construction days. - Key requirements: Protected-species observer monitoring, pre-start clearance, shutdowns and other mitigation when marine mammals enter specified zones, soft starts for impact pile driving, and monitoring and incident reporting. A bubble curtain is not required under the renewal. - OEMs and products: No OEMs or commercial products are identified.

Description

The National Marine Fisheries Service issued Turnagain Marine Services a renewal incidental harassment authorization for marine mammals affected by the Seward Cruise Ship Passenger Dock and Terminal Facility project in Seward, Alaska. The remaining work includes installation and removal of eight temporary 36-inch steel piles and installation of eight permanent 48-inch steel piles, using vibratory and impact piling and down-the-hole drilling over 12 construction days. The authorization is valid from September 25, 2026, through September 20, 2027, and includes marine mammal monitoring, mitigation, and reporting requirements.

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