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Draft EA Consist of a Corresponding Program at a Different Time with Issuance of an Associated IHA and the No Action Alternative, with No IHA and No Seismic Survey

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Draft EA Consist of a Corresponding Program at a Different Time with Issuance of an Associated IHA and the No Action Alternative, with No IHA and No Seismic Survey Draft Environmental Assessment of a Low-Energy Marine Geophysical Survey by the R/V Roger Revelle in the Northeastern Pacific Ocean, September 2017 Prepared for Scripps Institution of Oceanography 8602 La Jolla Shores Drive La Jolla, CA. 92037 and National Science Foundation Division of Ocean Sciences 4201 Wilson Blvd., Suite 725 Arlington, VA 22230 by LGL Ltd., environmental research associates 22 Fisher St., POB 280 King City, Ont. L7B 1A6 Submitted 20 March 2017 Revised 8 May 2017 LGL Report FA0114-2 Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................................................... iv LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................................................. v ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................................... vi LIST OF ACRONYMS ................................................................................................................................... viii I. PURPOSE AND NEED .................................................................................................................................. 1 Mission of NSF................................................................................................................................... 1 Purpose of and Need for the Proposed Action ................................................................................... 1 Background of NSF-funded Marine Seismic Research ...................................................................... 2 Regulatory Setting .............................................................................................................................. 2 II. ALTERNATIVES INCLUDING PROPOSED ACTION ..................................................................................... 2 Proposed Action ................................................................................................................................. 2 (1) Project Objectives and Context .......................................................................................... 2 (2) Proposed Activities ............................................................................................................. 2 (3) Monitoring and Mitigation Measures ................................................................................. 6 Alternative 1: Alternative Survey Timing ....................................................................................... 12 Alternative 2: No Action Alternative .............................................................................................. 12 Alternatives Considered but Eliminated from Further Analysis ...................................................... 14 (1) Alternative E1: Alternative Location ............................................................................... 14 (2) Alternative E2: Use of Alternative Technologies ............................................................. 14 III. AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT .................................................................................................................... 14 Oceanography ................................................................................................................................... 15 Protected Areas ................................................................................................................................. 16 (1) Critical Habitat for ESA-listed Species ............................................................................ 16 (2) Other Protected Areas ...................................................................................................... 19 Marine Mammals .............................................................................................................................. 21 (1) Mysticetes ......................................................................................................................... 23 (2) Odontocetes ...................................................................................................................... 29 (3) Pinnipeds .......................................................................................................................... 40 Draft Environmental Assessment for Northeastern Pacific, 2017 Page ii Table of Contents Sea Turtles ........................................................................................................................................ 45 (1) Leatherback Turtle ........................................................................................................... 45 Seabirds ............................................................................................................................................ 46 (1) Short-tailed Albatross ....................................................................................................... 47 (2) Western Snowy Plover ..................................................................................................... 47 (3) Marbled Murrelet ............................................................................................................. 48 Fish ................................................................................................................................................... 49 (1) ESA-listed Species ........................................................................................................... 49 (2) Essential Fish Habitat ....................................................................................................... 49 (3) Habitat Areas of Particular Concern ................................................................................. 52 (4) Critical Habitat ................................................................................................................. 55 (5) Fisheries............................................................................................................................ 55 IV. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES...................................................................................................... 56 Proposed Action ............................................................................................................................... 56 (1) Direct Effects on Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles and Their Significance .................. 56 (2) Mitigation Measures ......................................................................................................... 71 (3) Potential Numbers of Marine Mammals Exposed to Various Received Sound Levels .......................................................................................................................... 72 (4) Conclusions for Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles ......................................................... 77 (5) Direct Effects on Invertebrates, Fish, Fisheries, and EFH and Their Significance .......... 78 (6) Direct Effects on Seabirds and Their Significance ........................................................... 82 (7) Indirect Effects on Marine Mammals, Sea Turtles, Seabirds, Fish, and Their Significance ................................................................................................................. 82 (8) Cumulative Effects ........................................................................................................... 82 (9) Unavoidable Impacts ........................................................................................................ 86 (10) Coordination with Other Agencies and Processes .......................................................... 86 Alternative Action: Another Time .................................................................................................... 86 No Action Alternative ...................................................................................................................... 86 V. LIST OF PREPARERS ............................................................................................................................... 87 VI. LITERATURE CITED .............................................................................................................................. 88 Draft Environmental Assessment for Northeastern Pacific, 2017 Page iii List of Figures LIST OF FIGURES Page FIGURE 1. Locations of the proposed low-energy seismic surveys in the northeastern Pacific Ocean, September 2017. ..................................................................................................... 3 FIGURE 2. Modeled deep-water received sound exposure levels (SELs) from the two 45-in3 GI guns planned for use during the proposed surveys in the northeast Pacific Ocean at a 3-m tow depth. ................................................................................................................. 9 FIGURE 3. Critical habitat for ESA-listed seabirds near the proposed project area in the northeastern Pacific. .......................................................................................................... 18 FIGURE 4. EFH for groundfish species in Washington and Oregon. ................................................. 51 FIGURE 5. EFH for Coastal Pelagic species in Washington and Oregon. .......................................... 52 FIGURE 6. Groundfish HAPC in Washington, Oregon, and California. ...........................................
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