[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 50, Volume 7]
[Revised as of January 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 50CFR216.187]

[Page 78-79]
 
                    TITLE 50--WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES
 
  CHAPTER II--NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE, NATIONAL OCEANIC AND 
           ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
 
PART 216_REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE TAKING AND IMPORTING OF MARINE 
 
  Subpart Q_Taking of Marine Mammals Incidental to Navy Operations of 
Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System Low Frequency Active (SURTASS LFA 
                              sonar) Sonar
 
Sec. 216.187  Applications for Letters of Authorization.

    (a) To incidentally take marine mammals pursuant to these 
regulations, the U.S. Navy authority conducting the activity identified 
in Sec. 216.180 must apply for and obtain a Letter of Authorization in 
accordance with Sec. 216.106.
    (b) The application for a Letter of Authorization must be submitted 
to the Director, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, at least 60 days 
before the date that either the vessel is scheduled to begin conducting 
SURTASS LFA sonar operations or the previous Letter of Authorization is 
scheduled to expire.
    (c) All applications for a Letter of Authorization must include the 
following information:
    (1) The date(s), duration, and the area(s) where the vessel's 
activity will occur;
    (2) The species and/or stock(s) of marine mammals likely to be found 
within each area;
    (3) The type of incidental taking authorization requested (i.e., 
take by Level A and/or Level B harassment);
    (4) The estimated percentage of marine mammal species/stocks 
potentially affected in each area for the 12-month period of 
effectiveness of the Letter of Authorization; and
    (5) The means of accomplishing the necessary monitoring and 
reporting that will result in increased knowledge of the species and the 
level of taking or impacts on marine mammal populations.
    (d) The National Marine Fisheries Service will review an application 
for a Letter of Authorization in accordance

[[Page 79]]

with Sec. 216.104(b) and, if adequate and complete, issue a Letter of 
Authorization.