Title 50

SECTION 217.80

217.80 Specified activity and specified geographical region.

§ 217.80 Specified activity and specified geographical region.

(a) Regulations in this subpart apply only to the incidental taking of those marine mammals specified in paragraph (b) of this section by the United States Air Force, Headquarters 96th Air Base Wing, Eglin Air Force Base, and those persons who engage in activities described in paragraphs (a)(1) through (7) of this section and the area set forth in paragraph (b) of this section.

(1) NEODS missions involving underwater detonations of small, live explosive charges adjacent to inert mines in order to disable the mine function,

(2) Live training events occurring eight times annually, averaging one event occurring every 6 to 7 weeks,

(3) Four of the training events involving 5-lb charges, and four events involving 10-lb charges,

(4) Up to 20 5-lb detonations and twenty 10-lb detonations annually, for a total of 40 detonations,

(5) The five charges occurring for each training event shall be detonated individually with a maximum separation time of 20 minutes between each detonation,

(6) Mine shapes and debris shall be recovered and removed from the Gulf of Mexico waters when training is completed, and

(7) Each training team has two days to complete their entire evolution (i.e., detonation of five charges). If operations cannot be completed on the first live demolition day, the second live demolition day shall be utilized to complete the evolution.

(b) The incidental take of marine mammals at Eglin Air Force Base, within the Eglin Military Complex, including three sites in the Eglin Gulf Test and Training Range at property off Santa Rosa Island, Florida, in the northern Gulf of Mexico, under the activity identified in paragraph (a) of this section, is limited to the following species: Atlantic bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus).

(1) The latitude/longitude of corners of W-151 in the Eglin Gulf Test and Training Range are:

(i) 30.24006° North, −86.808838° West

(ii) 29.539011° North, −84.995536° West

(iii) 28.03949° North, −85.000147° West

(iv) 28.027598° North, −85.199395° West

(v) 28.505304° North, −86.799043° West

(2) The latitude/longitude of corners of W-151A in the Eglin Gulf Test and Training Range are:

(i) 30.24006° North, −86.808838° West

(ii) 30.07499° North, −85.999327° West

(iii) 29.179968° North, −85.996341° West

(iv) 29.384439° North, −86.802579° West

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