Section 1 Introduction - National Marine Fisheries Service - NOAA

NBK at Bangor EHW-1 Pile Replacement Project Final Marine Mammal Monitoring Report
Section 1 Introduction
This report summarizes the marine mammal monitoring effort implemented for the Explosives
Handling Wharf #1 Pile Replacement Project (EHW-1 PRP) which occurred from 4 October
through 27 October 2011. The purpose of the EHW-1 PRP was to remove and install piles and
associated structures to maintain the structural integrity of the wharf (DoN 2011). As part of the
United States (U.S.) Navy’s sea-based strategic deterrence mission, the U.S. Navy Strategic
Systems Programs (SSP) directs research, development, manufacturing, test, evaluation, and
operational support of the TRIDENT Fleet Ballistic Missile (TRIDENT) program. SSP currently
utilizes the existing EHW-1 to accomplish its mission. Repairs and maintenance were needed so
that the operational requirements of the TRIDENT program could continue to be met. The
EHW-1 PRP occurred concurrently with a portion of another U.S. Navy project, the Test Pile
Program (TPP). Marine mammal monitoring for the EHW-1 PRP overlapped with Phases 2 and
3 of TPP monitoring. The marine mammal monitoring results from the TPP are presented in a
separate report (HDR 2012).
The marine mammal monitoring performed for this project was conducted to be in compliance
with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) permit and Endangered Species Act (ESA)
consultations for the EHW-1 PRP. This report was prepared by HDR on behalf of the U.S. Navy
as part of the monitoring requirements mandated in the EHW-1 PRP Incidental Harassment
Authorization (IHA) issued by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Headquarters
(HQ) office and the ESA Biological Opinion issued by NMFS Northwest Region (NWR). The
results from this monitoring project are a part of a long-term monitoring effort under the U.S.
Navy’s Marine Species Monitoring Program (Contract # N62470-10-D-3011) issued to HDR.
Data collected under this contract will be incorporated with information from other monitoring
efforts, which the U.S. Navy has conducted, and compiled under the Integrated Comprehensive
Monitoring Program (ICMP). The ICMP was initially developed by the U.S. Navy to assist in
meeting the regulatory requirements for monitoring established under the Final Rules for
U.S. Navy training ranges. The ICMP serves as the overarching structure to coordinate the
collection and synthesis of monitoring data from U.S. Navy training, construction, and research
and development projects.
Section 2 Methods
Project Area
Naval Base Kitsap (NBK) at Bangor, Washington is located on the eastern shoreline of Hood
Canal approximately 20 miles (32.19 kilometers [km]) due west of Seattle, Washington
(Figure 1). NBK at Bangor provides berthing and support services to U.S. Navy submarines and
other fleet assets. EHW-1 is located within the northern portion of NBK at Bangor’s Waterfront
Restricted Area (WRA) (Figure 2). The entire NBK at Bangor waterfront, as well as the
adjacent water areas in the Hood Canal, is restricted to the general public.
Bangor, Washington 1