DEVELOPMENT CONCERNS

The Cook Inlet beluga whale stock may once have numbered as many as 1,300 but declined dramatically during the last decade. Aerial survey results indicated a decline of 47 percent between 1994 and 1998. In response to this significant decline, NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service designated the Cook Inlet (CI) stock of beluga whales as depleted under the MMPA on May 31, 2000 (65 FR 34590). Surveys from 1999 to 2005 have resulted in point estimates of abundance ranging between 278 and 435 with no significant trend in numbers. Harvests have been severely restricted (0-2 whales annually) from this stock since 1999, but the population has not shown significant response. Other factors are now thought to have the potential to impact the CI belugas. Considerable concern remains regarding the recovery of this stock and the habitat necessary to lead to their recovery.

• Anchorage Port Expansion
• ACS Fiber Optic Cable Project
• Cook Inlet Oil and Gas
     - Seismic - Beluga River, Granite Point
     - National Pollution Discharge Elimination System
  
• Chuitna Coal Project
• Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority
• Knik Arm Ferry
• Port MacKenzie
• Seward Highway
• Ship Creek

ANCHORAGE PORT EXPANSION

• 73 FR 14443, March 18, 2008. Notice of proposed IHA and receipt of application from the Port of Anchorage to take small numbers of marine mammals by Level B harassment. Comment period through April 17, 2008.


• NMFS letter to the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers on NOI to Issue Permit, August 10, 2007



• NMFS letter to the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers on Phase II of the Port of Anchorage Marine Terminal Redevelopment Project, March 4, 2007



• NMFS letter to the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers to advance discussions on the mitigation for the Port of Anchorage Marine Terminal Redevelopment Project, January 2007



• NMFS Response to the Port of Anchorage's Permit Request, March 2006



• Summary of Beluga Whale Monitoring Activities - Port of Anchorage, November - July 2005  (external website)



• Marine Terminal Redevelopment Project at the Port of Anchorage Draft Environmental Assessment  (external website)
• NMFS Response to Draft EA for the Port of Anchorage Marine Terminal Redevelopment Project, December 2004
• NMFS Review of the Draft EA for the Port of Anchorage Marine Terminal Redevelopment Project, September 2004


• Underwater Measurements of Pile-driving Sounds during the Port MacKenzie Dock Modifications, August 2004

• ACS letter to NMFS, February 2008
• Alaska Marine Route map
• Homer to Gulf of Alaska map
• Nikiski to Anchorage map

Seismic

Beluga River 3D Seismic Project

• 72 FR 17118, April 6, 2007. Notice of issuance of IHA's to take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to conducting seismic operations in the northwest portion of Cook Inlet, Alaska, to ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc. and Union Oil Company of California for a period between mid-March and mid-June, 2007.


• Environmental Assessment of the Issuance of Incidental Harassment Authorizations to ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc. and Union Oil Company to Take Marine Mammals by Harassment Incidental to Conducting Seismic Operations in Northwestern Cook Inlet, Alaska, March 2007



• 72 FR 536, January 5, 2007. Notice of proposed authorizations for two incidental take authorizations; request for comments by February 5, 2007.
  
  
• ConocoPhillips Plan of Operations  (external website)
• ConocoPhillips Beluga Seismic Applications  (external website)


Chevron/Union Oil Company Granite Point Onshore/Offshore 3D Seismic Survey

• 72 FR 536, January 5, 2007. Notice of proposed authorizations for two incidental take authorizations; request for comments by February 5, 2007.
  
  
Upper Cook Inlet Seismic Survey

• State of Alaska, Alaska Coastal Management Plan Public Notice, Coastal Consistency Review, January 2007
• State of Alaska, Alaska Coastal Management Plan Review Start-up Letter, January 2007

National Pollution Discharge Elimination System

• 72 FR 30377, May 31, 2007. Reissuance of the NPDES general permit for oil and gas exploration, development and production facilities in Cook Inlet
• Environmental Protection Agency website with final permit and response to comments  (external website)
• NMFS comments to EPA on the NPDES Revised Biological Evaluation, October 2006

• NOAA Fisheries letter to the Environmental Protection Agency about threatened and endangered species in the area of the Chuitna Coal Project, January 2007

• Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) Project  (external website)
• NMFS response letter, August 2006
• Monthly project report for marine fish and mammal studies - June 2006
• Monthly project report for marine fish and mammal studies - April 2006

• Knik Arm Crossing Project  (external website)
• Beluga Reports  (external website)



• Final Environmental Impact Statement, December 2007  (external website)
• EPA comments on Knik Arm Crossing Project, March 2008
• NMFS memo on FEIS, February 2008
• NMFS comments on FEIS, January 2008
• NMFS comments on Draft EIS, November 2006



• 71 FR 49433, August 23, 2006. NMFS has received a request from the Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority (KABATA) for an authorization to take small numbers of marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to construction of the Knik Arm Bridge at the Knik Arm Crossing in Alaska during the period 2007 through 2012.

• Knik Arm Ferry Project  (external website)
• NMFS letter to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, May 2007
• NMFS letter to Anchorage Port Director, January 2007
• NMFS response to the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers Public Notice, November 2006
• NMFS letter to Federal Transit Administration on the Supplemental EA and EFH Assessment, October 2006
• NMFS letter to Port Director, September 2006
      - Matanuska-Susitna Borough response to cancel the public boat launch, October 2006
• NMFS letter to the Federal Transit Administration, April 2003



• Environmental Assessment
• NMFS review of Supplemental Environmental Assessment, October 2006



• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Permit
• NMFS letter on potential impacts, November 2006

• NMFS letter to US Army Corp of Engineers about potential impacts to beluga whales, April 2008
• Port MacKenzie - Knik Arm Bridge and Toll Authority (external website)

• Monitoring beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) distribution and movements in Turnagain Arm along the Seward Highway Final Report

• NMFS comments on Swan Bay Holdings, Inc. proposed construction along Ship Creek, January 2007