The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is seeking comment on a proposed rule to authorize the U.S. oil industry to harass small numbers of marine mammals while constructing and operating an offshore oil and gas platform at the Northstar development in the Beaufort Sea off Alaska.

The oil industry proposes to produce crude oil from the Northstar Unit, which is located between two and eight miles offshore. The unit is adjacent to the Prudhoe Bay industrial complex, and is about 54 miles northeast of Nuiqsut, a Native Alaskan community.

An incidental harassment authorization under the Marine Mammal Protection Act is required because construction and operations of the project could potentially "harass" or disturb marine mammals in the area.

Workers will construct three ice roads, a gravel island work surface for drilling and production, and two pipelines. The project includes the transport and installation of the drilling rig.

During the winter, plowing and ice cutting for construction of ice roads will generate noise. Vehicle traffic and pipeline construction on the ice road, offshore trenching for the pipeline and gravel dumping will create further sounds. During the summer, noise will come from pile driving, barge and helicopter activity and oil and gas facility generators and gas flaring.

The sounds will be detectable underwater and in the air some distance away from the area of activity, depending on the nature of the sound, natural noise conditions and the sensitivity of the animal receiving the sound. At times, some of these sounds are likely to be strong enough to potentially disturb nearby marine mammals. The type and significance of harassment will depend on the behavior of the animal when the noise is heard as well as the distance and level of the sound relative to conditions.

The incidental taking of small numbers of marine mammals is authorized provided NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service can determine, based on the best science available, that these takings will have no more than a negligible impact on the affected species and stocks of marine mammals.

The U.S. Army Engineer District, Alaska, has prepared a final environmental impact statement on the Northstar project. A copy of that document may be obtained by writing to that agency at P.O. Box 898, Anchorage, AK 99506.

NOAA Fisheries will be accepting comments on the proposed rule through
Dec. 21, 1999. Comments should be addressed to Donna Wieting, Chief, Marine Mammal Division, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3225. A copy of the industry application may obtained by contacting the same office.