Title 50

SECTION 218.140

218.140 Specified activity and geographical region.

§ 218.140 Specified activity and geographical region.

(a) Regulations in this subpart apply only to the U.S. Navy (Navy) for the taking of marine mammals that occurs in the area described in paragraph (b) of this section and that occurs incidental to the activities listed in paragraph (c) of this section.

(b) The taking of marine mammals by the Navy under this subpart may be authorized in Letters of Authorization (LOAs) only if it occurs within the NWTT Study Area. The NWTT Study Area is composed of established maritime operating and warning areas in the eastern North Pacific Ocean region, including areas of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Puget Sound, and Western Behm Canal in southeastern Alaska. The Study Area includes air and water space within and outside Washington state waters, and outside state waters of Oregon and Northern California. The eastern boundary of the Offshore Area portion of the Study Area is 12 nautical miles (nmi) off the coastline for most of the Study Area starting south of W-237, including southern Washington, Oregon, and Northern California. The Offshore Area includes the ocean all the way to the coastline only along that part of the Washington coast that lies beneath the airspace of W-237 and the Olympic Military Operations Area. The Quinault Range Site is a defined area of sea space where training and testing is conducted. The Quinault Range Site coincides with the boundaries of W-237A and also includes a surf zone component. The surf zone component extends north to south 5 nmi along the eastern boundary of W-237A, extends approximately 3 nmi to shore along the mean lower low water line, and encompasses 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) of shoreline at Pacific Beach, Washington. The Study Area includes four existing range complexes and facilities: the Northwest Training Range Complex (NWTRC), the Keyport Range Complex, the Carr Inlet Operations Area, and the Southeast Alaska Acoustic Measurement Facility (SEAFAC). In addition to these range complexes, the Study Area also includes Navy pierside locations where sonar maintenance and testing occurs as part of overhaul, modernization, maintenance, and repair activities at Naval Base Kitsap, Bremerton; Naval Base Kitsap, Bangor; and Naval Station Everett.

(c) The taking of marine mammals by the Navy is only authorized if it occurs incidental to the Navy conducting training and testing activities, including:

(1) Anti-submarine warfare;

(2) Mine warfare;

(3) Surface warfare;

(4) Unmanned systems;

(5) Vessel evaluation; and

(6) Other training and testing activities.

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