Endangered Species Act Section 7 Biological Opinion: Issuance of Incidental Harassment Authorization under section 101(a)(5)(a) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and Authorization under Nationwide Permits 5 and 6 under section 404 of the Clean Water Act to ExxonMobil Alaska LNG LLC for Alaska LNG Geophysical & Geotechnical Program in the Waters of Cook Inlet, 2015

This opinion considers the effects of the authorization of an IHA to take marine mammals by harassment under the MMPA incidental to conducting a geophysical and geotechnical surveys in Cook Inlet, Alaska between August 14, 2015 and November 30, 2015. The activities outlined in this analysis have the potential to take marine mammals by “Level B” harassment as a result of marine habitat disturbance and sound energy introduced to the marine environment.