Section 217.235 - [Effective 1/1/2025] [Effective until 12/31/2029] Requirements for monitoring and reporting(a) The Navy shall submit a Marine Mammal Monitoring Plan to NMFS for approval in advance of construction. Marine mammal monitoring must be conducted in accordance with the conditions in this section and the NMFS-approved Marine Mammal Monitoring Plan.(b) Monitoring must be conducted by qualified, NMFS-approved PSOs, in accordance with the following conditions: (1) PSOs must be independent of the activity contractor (e.g., employed by a subcontractor) and have no other assigned tasks during monitoring periods;(2) At least one PSO must have prior experience performing the duties of an observer during construction activity pursuant to a NMFS-issued incidental take authorization;(3) Other observers may substitute other relevant experience, education (i.e., degree in biological science or related field), or training for prior experience performing the duties of an observer during construction activity pursuant to a NMFS-issued incidental take authorization;(4) One observer must be designated as lead observer or monitoring coordinator. The lead observer must have prior experience performing the duties of a PSO during construction activity pursuant to a NMFS-issued incidental take authorization;(5) Observers must be approved by NMFS prior to beginning any activity subject to any issued LOA;(6) For all pile driving activities, a minimum of two observers shall be stationed at the best vantage points practicable. One of these observers must be positioned to monitor for marine mammals and implement shutdown/delay procedures;(7) The Navy shall monitor the harassment zones to the maximum extent practicable and the entire shutdown zones. The Navy shall monitor at least a portion of the Level B harassment zone on all pile driving days;(8) The Navy shall conduct hydroacoustic data collection in accordance with an Acoustic Monitoring Plan that must be approved by NMFS in advance of construction;(9) The shutdown/monitoring zones may be modified with NMFS' approval following NMFS' acceptance of an acoustic monitoring report;(10) The Navy must submit a draft monitoring report to NMFS within 90 calendar days of the completion of each construction year. A draft comprehensive five-year summary report must also be submitted to NMFS within 90 days of the end of the Project. The reports must detail the monitoring protocol and summarize the data recorded during monitoring. Final annual reports and the final comprehensive report must be prepared and submitted within 30 days following resolution of any NMFS comments on the draft report. If no comments are received from NMFS within 30 days of receipt of the draft report, the report must be considered final. If comments are received, a final report addressing NMFS comments must be submitted within 30 days after receipt of comments. The reports must at minimum contain the informational elements described below (as well as any additional information described in the Marine Mammal Monitoring Plan), including: (i) Dates and times (begin and end) of all marine mammal monitoring;(ii) Construction activities occurring during each daily observation period, including the number and type of piles that were driven or removed and by what method (i.e., impact or vibratory), total duration of driving time for each pile (vibratory) and number of strikes for each pile (impact);(iii) PSO locations during marine mammal monitoring;(iv) Environmental conditions during monitoring periods (at beginning and end of PSO shift and whenever conditions change significantly), including Beaufort sea state and any other relevant weather conditions including cloud cover, fog, sun glare, and overall visibility to the horizon, and estimated observable distance;(v) Upon observation of a marine mammal, the following information:(A) Name of PSO who sighted the animal(s) and PSO location and activity at time of sighting;(C) Identification of the animal(s) (e.g., genus/species, lowest possible taxonomic level, or unidentified), PSO confidence in identification, and the composition of the group if there is a mix of species;(D) Distance and location of each observed marine mammal relative to the pile being driven for each sighting;(E) Estimated number of animals (min/max/best estimate);(F) Estimated number of animals by cohort (adults, juveniles, neonates, group composition, etc.);(G) Animal's closest point of approach and estimated time spent within the harassment zone; and(H) Description of any marine mammal behavioral observations (e.g., observed behaviors such as feeding or traveling), including an assessment of behavioral responses thought to have resulted from the activity (e.g., no response or changes in behavioral state such as ceasing feeding, changing direction, flushing, or breaching);(vi) Number of marine mammals detected within the harassment zones, by species; and(vii) Detailed information about implementation of any mitigation (e.g., shutdown and delays), a description of specific actions that ensued, and resulting changes in behavior of the animal(s), if any.(11) The Holder must submit all PSO data electronically in a format that can be queried such as a spreadsheet or database (i.e., digital images of data sheets are not sufficient);(12) The Navy must report hydroacoustic data collected as required by a LOA issued under §§ 216.106 of this chapter and 217.236 and as discussed in the Navy's Acoustic Monitoring Plan approved by NMFS;(13) In the event that personnel involved in the construction activities discover an injured or dead marine mammal, the Navy shall report the incident to the Office of Protected Resources (OPR), NMFS, and to the Greater Atlantic Region New England/Mid-Atlantic Regional Stranding Coordinator as soon as feasible. If the death or injury was clearly caused by the specified activity, the Navy must immediately cease the specified activities until NMFS is able to review the circumstances of the incident and determine what, if any, additional measures are appropriate to ensure compliance with the terms of the authorization. The Navy must not resume their activities until notified by NMFS. The report must include the following information:(i) Time, date, and location (latitude/longitude) of the first discovery (and updated location information if known and applicable);(ii) Species identification (if known) or description of the animal(s) involved;(iii) Condition of the animal(s) (including carcass condition if the animal is dead);(iv) Observed behaviors of the animal(s), if alive;(v) If available, photographs or video footage of the animal(s); and(vi) General circumstances under which the animal was discovered. 89 FR 81864 , 1/1/2025through 12/31/2029