Taking and Importing Marine Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Rocket Launches at Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA, 11616 [05-4620]

Download as PDF 11616 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 45 / Wednesday, March 9, 2005 / Notices completed, OCRM will place a notice in the Federal Register announcing the availability of the Final Evaluation Findings. Notice is hereby given of the availability of the final evaluation findings for the Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, and Wisconsin Coastal Management Programs (CMPs); and the Waquoit Bay (Massachusetts) National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR). Sections 312 and 315 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (CZMA), as amended, require a continuing review of the performance of coastal states with respect to approval of CMPs and the operation and management of NERRs. The States of Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, and Wisconsin were found to be implementing and enforcing their federally approved coastal management programs, addressing the national coastal management objectives identified in CZMA Section 303(2)(A)– (K), and adhering to the programmatic terms of their financial assistance awards. Waquoit Bay (Massachusetts) NERR was found to be adhering to programmatic requirements of the NERR System. Copies of these final evaluation findings may be obtained upon written request from: Ralph Cantral, Chief, National Policy and Evaluation Division, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, NOS/NOAA, 1305 East-West Highway, 10th Floor, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, or Ralph.Cantral@noaa.gov, (301) 713– 3155, extension 118. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ralph Cantral, Chief, National Policy and Evaluation Division, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, NOS/NOAA, 1305 EastWest Highway, 10th Floor, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, (301) 713– 3155, extension 118. Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog 11.419, Coastal Zone Management Program Administration. Dated: February 24, 2005. Eldon Hout, Director, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management. [FR Doc. 05–4540 Filed 3–8–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–08–P VerDate jul<14>2003 20:21 Mar 08, 2005 Jkt 205001 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [I.D. 020705E] Taking and Importing Marine Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Rocket Launches at Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice of issuance of a Letter of Authorization. AGENCY: SUMMARY: In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), as amended, and implementing regulations, notification is hereby given that a 1–year letter of authorization (LOA) has been issued to the 30th Space Wing, U.S. Air Force to harass seals and sea lions incidental to rocket and missile launches on Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB), California. DATES: March 4, 2005, through March 3, 2006 ADDRESSES: The letter of authorization and supporting documentation are available for review during regular business hours in the following offices: Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910, and the Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Boulevard, Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jolie Harrison, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, (301) 713–2289, or Monica DeAngelis, NMFS, (562) 980–4023. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 101(a)(5)(A) of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) directs NMFS to allow, on request, the incidental, but not intentional, taking of small numbers of marine mammals by U.S. citizens who engage in a specified activity (other than commercial fishing) within a specified geographical region if certain findings are made and regulations are issued. Under the MMPA, the term ‘‘taking’’ means to harass, hunt, capture, or kill or to attempt to harass, hunt, capture or kill marine mammals. Permission may be granted for periods up to 5 years if NMFS finds, after notification and opportunity for public comment, that the taking will have a negligible impact on the species or stock(s) of marine mammals and will not have an unmitigable adverse impact on the availability of the species or stock(s) for subsistence uses. In addition, NMFS must prescribe PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 regulations that include permissible methods of taking and other means effecting the least practicable adverse impact on the species and its habitat and on the availability of the species for subsistence uses, paying particular attention to rookeries, mating grounds, and areas of similar significance. The regulations must include requirements for monitoring and reporting of such taking. Regulations governing the taking of seals and sea lions by harassment incidental to missile and rocket launches, aircraft flight test operations, and helicopter operations at Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA were published on February 06, 2004 (69 FR 5720), and remain in effect until February 06, 2009. Issuance of this letter of authorization is based on a finding, made in the final rulemaking, that the total taking will have no more than a negligible impact on the seal and sea lion populations off the Vandenberg coast and on the Northern Channel Islands. Dated: March 4, 2005. Donna Wieting, Deputy Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 05–4620 Filed 3–8–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–S DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Hydrographic Services Review Panel Meeting National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce. ACTION: Notice of open meeting. AGENCY: SUMMARY: The Hydrographic Services Review Panel (HSRP) was established by the Secretary of Commerce to advise the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere on matters related to the responsibilities and authorities set forth in section 303 of the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998, its amendments, and such other appropriate matters that the Under Secretary refers to the Panel for review and advice. Date and Time: The meeting will be held Thursday, March 31, 2005, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Friday, April 1, 2005, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Location: Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego, One Market Place, San Diego, California 92101; telephone: 619– 232–1234. The times and agenda topics are subject to change. Refer to the Web E:\FR\FM\09MRN1.SGM 09MRN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 45 (Wednesday, March 9, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 11616]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-4620]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 020705E]


Taking and Importing Marine Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals 
Incidental to Rocket Launches at Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of issuance of a Letter of Authorization.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), as 
amended, and implementing regulations, notification is hereby given 
that a 1-year letter of authorization (LOA) has been issued to the 30th 
Space Wing, U.S. Air Force to harass seals and sea lions incidental to 
rocket and missile launches on Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB), 
California.

DATES: March 4, 2005, through March 3, 2006

ADDRESSES: The letter of authorization and supporting documentation are 
available for review during regular business hours in the following 
offices: Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, 
Silver Spring, MD 20910, and the Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean 
Boulevard, Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jolie Harrison, Office of Protected 
Resources, NMFS, (301) 713-2289, or Monica DeAngelis, NMFS, (562) 980-
4023.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 101(a)(5)(A) of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 
1361 et seq.) directs NMFS to allow, on request, the incidental, but 
not intentional, taking of small numbers of marine mammals by U.S. 
citizens who engage in a specified activity (other than commercial 
fishing) within a specified geographical region if certain findings are 
made and regulations are issued. Under the MMPA, the term ``taking'' 
means to harass, hunt, capture, or kill or to attempt to harass, hunt, 
capture or kill marine mammals.
    Permission may be granted for periods up to 5 years if NMFS finds, 
after notification and opportunity for public comment, that the taking 
will have a negligible impact on the species or stock(s) of marine 
mammals and will not have an unmitigable adverse impact on the 
availability of the species or stock(s) for subsistence uses. In 
addition, NMFS must prescribe regulations that include permissible 
methods of taking and other means effecting the least practicable 
adverse impact on the species and its habitat and on the availability 
of the species for subsistence uses, paying particular attention to 
rookeries, mating grounds, and areas of similar significance. The 
regulations must include requirements for monitoring and reporting of 
such taking. Regulations governing the taking of seals and sea lions by 
harassment incidental to missile and rocket launches, aircraft flight 
test operations, and helicopter operations at Vandenberg Air Force 
Base, CA were published on February 06, 2004 (69 FR 5720), and remain 
in effect until February 06, 2009.
    Issuance of this letter of authorization is based on a finding, 
made in the final rulemaking, that the total taking will have no more 
than a negligible impact on the seal and sea lion populations off the 
Vandenberg coast and on the Northern Channel Islands.

    Dated: March 4, 2005.
Donna Wieting,
Deputy Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 05-4620 Filed 3-8-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S

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