2026-02960: Marine Mammals; Proposed Incidental Harassment Authorization for the Southern Beaufort Sea Stock of Polar Bears During Legacy Well Remediation Activities, North Slope of Alaska; Draft Environmental Assessment

Summary

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in response to a request under the Marine Mammal Protection Act from the Bureau of Land Management, propose to authorize nonlethal incidental take by harassment of small numbers of Southern Beaufort Sea (SBS) polar bears (Ursus maritimus) for 1 year from the date of issuance of the incidental harassment authorization (IHA). The applicant requested this authorization for take by harassment that may result from activities associated with oil well plugging and reclamation, soil sampling, snow trail, pad, and airstrip construction, and summer cleanup activities in the North Slope Borough of Alaska between western Smith Bay and Oliktok. This proposed authorization, if finalized, will be for up to 10 takes of polar bears by Level B harassment. No Level A harassment or lethal take is requested, expected, or proposed to be authorized. We invite comments on the proposed IHA and accompanying draft environmental assessment from the public, Tribes, and local, State, and Federal agencies.

The agency’s own summary, as published.