Environmental assessment, issuance of an incidental harassment authorization to Fishermen's Atlantic City Windfarm, LLC to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to pile driving off New Jersey Issuance of an incidental harassment authorization to Fishermen's Atlantic City Windfarm, LLC to take marine mammals by harassment incidental to pile driving off New Jersey

"The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has received an application from Fishermen's Atlantic City Windfarm, LLC (Fishermen's) for an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) to take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to pile driving in New Jersey state waters. Fishermen's construction activities, which have the potential to behaviorally disturb marine mammals, warrant an incidental take authorization from NMFS under section 101(a)(5)(D) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended (MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1631 et seq.). The proposed action considered in this Environmental Assessment (EA) is NMFS' issuance of a 1-year IHA under section 101(a)(5)(D) of the MMPA, for the taking, by Level B harassment only, of small numbers of marine mammals incidental to pile driving off New Jersey. This EA, titled 'Issuance of an Incidental Harassment Authorization to Fishermen's Atlantic City Windfarm, LLC to Take Marine Mammals by Harassment Incidental to Pile Driving off New Jersey' (hereinafter, EA), addresses the impacts on the human environment that would result from issuance of this IHA for MMPA Level B takes of marine mammals during pile driving, taking into account the mitigation measures required in the IHA"--Pages 3-4.