(a) A Letter of Authorization issued under Sec. Sec. 216.106 of this chapter and 218.176 for the activity identified in Sec. 218.170(c) will be renewed upon:
(1) Notification to NMFS that the activity described in the application submitted under Sec. 218.175 will be undertaken and that there will not be a substantial modification to the desired work, mitigation, or monitoring undertaken during the upcoming period of validity;
(2) Timely receipt of the monitoring reports required under Sec. 218.174(b); and
(3) A determination by NMFS that the mitigation, monitoring and reporting measures required under Sec. 218.173 and the Letter of Authorization issued under Sec. 216.106 of this chapter and Sec. 218.176, were undertaken and will be undertaken during the upcoming period of validity of a renewed Letter of Authorization.
(b) If a request for a renewal of a Letter of Authorization issued under Sec. Sec. 216.106 and 218.177 indicates that a substantial modification to the described work, mitigation or monitoring undertaken during the upcoming season will occur, the NMFS will provide the public a period of 30 days for review and comment on the request. Public comment on renewals of Letters of Authorization are restricted to:
(1) New cited information and data indicating that the determinations made in this document are in need of reconsideration, and
(2) Proposed changes to the mitigation and monitoring requirements contained in these regulations or in the current Letter of Authorization.
(c) A notice of issuance or denial of a renewal of a Letter of Authorization will be published in the Federal Register.
(d) NMFS, in response to new information and in consultation with the Navy, may modify the mitigation or monitoring measures in subsequent LOAs if doing so creates a reasonable likelihood of more effectively accomplishing the goals of mitigation and monitoring set forth in the preamble of these regulations. Below are some of the possible sources of new data that could contribute to the decision to modify the mitigation or monitoring measures:
(1) Results from the Navy's monitoring from the previous year (either from Keyport Range Complex Study Area or other locations).
(2) Findings of the Monitoring Workshop that the Navy will convene in 2011 (Sec. 218.174(i)).
(3) Compiled results of Navy funded research and development (R&D;) studies (presented pursuant to the ICMP (Sec. 218.174(d)).
(4) Results from specific stranding investigations (either from the Keyport Range Complex Study Area or other locations).
(5) Results from the Long Term Prospective Study described in the preamble to these regulations.
(6) Results from general marine mammal and sound research (funded by the Navy (described below) or otherwise).
(7) Any information which reveals that marine mammals may have been taken in a manner, extent or number not authorized by these regulations or subsequent Letters of Authorization. [76 FR 20274, Apr. 12, 2011, as amended at 77 FR 4925, Feb. 1, 2012]