NOAA Fisheries is proposing to issue seven-year regulations under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) to govern the incidental take of marine mammals by the U.S. Navy’s in the Atlantic Fleet Training and Testing (AFTT) Study Area. The regulations would be valid from the publication date of the final rule (if issued) through November 13, 2025. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) was recently amended to allow for seven-year authorizations under the MMPA for military readiness activities. The Navy’s activities qualify as military readiness activities pursuant to the MMPA. This seven-year rule and subsequent Letters of Authorization would replace the existing five-year rule published on November 14, 2018 (83 FR 57076) and Letters of Authorization. NOAA Fisheries’ proposed regulations and the subsequent Letters of Authorization include identical required mitigation and monitoring measures that are expected to reduce adverse impacts to marine mammals as those required under the existing five-year final rule and Letters of Authorization. The Navy’s activities are likely to result in the incidental take of marine mammals by exposing them to sonar, in-water detonations, airguns, and pile driving/removal activities. The proposed takes authorized by this action are Level B behavioral disturbance and Temporary Threshold Shift takes and Level A Permanent Threshold Shift and Injury. A small number of serious injury or mortality takes are also proposed for this action from ship shock trials (explosives) and vessel strikes. The AFTT Study Area includes existing range complexes and additional areas located in the Atlantic Ocean along the eastern coast of North America, in portions of the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, at Navy pier-side locations and port transit channels, near civilian ports, and in bays, harbors, and inland waterways. The Study Area covers approximately 2.6 million square nautical miles of ocean area and includes designated Navy operating areas and special use airspace. *The comments due date is 06-12-2019. * Please visit our AFTT webpage for more information <https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/incidental-take-authorization-us-navy-atlantic-fleet-training-and-testing-aftt-along> about this action or https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/node/23111 for more information on NOAA’s incidental take program under the MMPA. Best Regards, Kate Goggin HQ Office of Protected Resources Communications Specialist (301) 427-8400 Main (301) 427-8411 Direct Kate.Goggin@noaa.gov