Marine Mammals; File No. 763-1845, 26073-26074 [E6-6718]
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 85 / Wednesday, May 3, 2006 / Notices
introduce quieter techniques and
equipment.
Monitoring
As part of its 2002 application, Boeing
provided a proposed monitoring plan
for assessing impacts to harbor seals
from the activities at south VAFB harbor
and for determining when mitigation
measures should be employed. NMFS
proposes the same plan for this IHA.
A NMFS-approved and VAFBdesignated biologically trained observer
will monitor the area for pinnipeds
during all harbor activities. During
nighttime activities, the harbor area will
be illuminated, and the monitor will use
a night vision scope. Monitoring
activities will consist of:
(1) Conducting baseline observation of
pinnipeds in the project area prior to
initiating project activities.
(2) Conducting and recording
observations on pinnipeds in the
vicinity of the harbor for the duration of
the activity occurring when tides are
low enough for pinnipeds to haul out
(2 ft, 0.61 m, or less).
(3) Conducting post-construction
observations of pinniped haul-outs in
the project area to determine whether
animals disturbed by the project
activities return to the haul-out.
Monitoring results from previous
years of these activities have been
reviewed and incorporated into the
analysis of potential effects in this
document, as well as the take estimates.
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Reporting
Boeing will notify NMFS 2 weeks
prior to initiation of each activity. After
each activity is completed, Boeing will
provide a report to NMFS within 90
days. This report will provide dates and
locations of specific activities, details of
seal behavioral observations, and
estimates of the amount and nature of
all takes of seals by harassment or in
other ways. In addition, the report will
include information on the weather, the
tidal state, the horizontal visibility, and
the composition (species, gender, and
age class) and locations of haul-out
group(s). In the unanticipated event that
any cases of pinniped injury or
mortality are judged to result from these
activities, this will be reported to NMFS
immediately.
Endangered Species Act
This action will not affect species
listed under the Endangered Species Act
(ESA) that are under the jurisdiction of
NMFS. VAFB formally consulted with
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) in
1998 on the possible take of southern
sea otters during Boeing’s harbor
activities at south VAFB. A Biological
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17:19 May 02, 2006
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Opinion was issued in August 2001.
The activities covered by this IHA are
analyzed in that Biological Opinion, and
this IHA does not modify the action in
a manner that was not previously
analyzed.
National Environmental Policy Act
In 2001, the USAF prepared an
Environmental Assessment (EA) for
Harbor Activities Associated with the
Delta IV Program at Vandenberg Air
Force Base. In 2005, NMFS prepared an
EA supplementing the information
contained in the USAF EA and issued
a Finding of No Significant Impact on
the issuance of an IHA for Boeing’s
harbor activities in accordance with
section 6.01 of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration
Administrative Order (NAO) 216–6
(Environmental Review Procedures for
Implementing the National
Environmental Policy Act, May 20,
1999). The proposed activity is within
the scope of NMFS’2005 EA and FONSI.
Preliminary Conclusions
NMFS proposes to issue an IHA to
Boeing for harbor activities related to
the Delta IV/EELV to take place at south
VAFB over a 1–year period. The
proposal to issue this IHA is contingent
upon adherence to the previously
mentioned mitigation, monitoring, and
reporting requirements. NMFS has
preliminarily determined that the
impact of harbor activities related to the
Delta IV/EELV at VAFB, including:
transport vessel operations, cargo
movement activities, harbor
maintenance dredging, and kelp habitat
mitigation would result in the Level B
Harassment only of small numbers of
Pacific harbor seals, California sea lions,
and northern elephant seals; would
have no more than a negligible impact
on these marine mammal stocks; and
would not have an unmitigable adverse
impact on the availability of marine
mammal stocks for subsistence uses.
Northern fur seals, Guadalupe fur seals,
and Steller sea lions are unlikely to be
found in the area and, therefore, will not
be affected. While behavioral
modifications may be made by harbor
seals and California sea lions to avoid
the resultant acoustic and visual
stimuli, there is no potential for largescale movements, such as stampedes,
since these species haul out in such
small numbers near the site (maximum
number of harbor seals hauled out in
one day estimated at 43 seals, averaging
at 21 seals per day, maximum number
of California sea lions hauled out in one
day is estimated at six). The effects of
Boeing’s harbor activities are expected
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26073
to be limited to short-term and localized
behavioral changes.
Due to the localized nature of these
activities, the number of marine
mammals potentially taken by Level B
harassment is estimated to be small. In
addition, no take by injury or death is
anticipated or authorized, and the
potential for temporary or permanent
hearing impairment is unlikely given
the low noise levels expected at the site.
No rookeries, mating grounds, areas of
concentrated feeding, or other areas of
special significance for marine
mammals occur within or near south
VAFB harbor.
Information Solicited
NMFS requests interested persons to
submit comments and information
concerning this request (see ADDRESSES).
Prior to submitting comments, NMFS
recommends readers review NMFS’
responses to those comments on this
activity submitted previously (see 67 FR
63151, May 23, 2002, 68 FR 36540, June
18, 2003, 69 FR 29696, May 25, 2004,
and 70 FR 30697, May 27, 2005).
Dated: April 27, 2006.
Wanda L. Cain,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6–6717 Filed 5–2–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[I.D. 042706D]
Marine Mammals; File No. 763–1845
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; receipt of application.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that
the Smithsonian National Zoological
Park (SNZP), 3001 Connecticut Avenue
NW, Washington, DC 20008 (John Berry,
Responsible Party), has applied in due
form for a permit to conduct research on
Weddell seals (Leptonychotes
weddelliis) and import and re-export
marine mammal specimens for scientific
research.
DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail
comments must be received on or before
June 2, 2006.
ADDRESSES: The application and related
documents are available for review
upon written request or by appointment
in the following office(s):
Permits, Conservation and Education
Division, Office of Protected Resources,
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03MYN1
jlentini on PROD1PC65 with NOTICES
26074
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 85 / Wednesday, May 3, 2006 / Notices
NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room
13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone
(301)713–2289; fax (301)427–2521; and
Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West
Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach,
CA 90802–4213; phone (562)980–4001;
fax (562)980–4018.
Written comments or requests for a
public hearing on this application
should be mailed to the Chief, Permits,
Conservation and Education Division,
F/PR1, Office of Protected Resources,
NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room
13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Those
individuals requesting a hearing should
set forth the specific reasons why a
hearing on this particular request would
be appropriate.
Comments may also be submitted by
facsimile at (301)427–2521, provided
the facsimile is confirmed by hard copy
submitted by mail and postmarked no
later than the closing date of the
comment period.
Comments may also be submitted by
e-mail. The mailbox address for
providing email comments is
NMFS.Pr1Comments@noaa.gov. Include
in the subject line of the e-mail
comment the following document
identifier: File No. 763–1845.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Amy Sloan or Tammy Adams,
(301)713–2289.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
subject permit is requested under the
authority of the Marine Mammal
Protection Act of 1972, as amended
(MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), and the
Regulations Governing the Taking and
Importing of Marine Mammals (50 CFR
part 216).
The SNZP proposes to test the
hypothesis that food intake is important
to the energetics of lactation in Weddell
seals in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica,
over a 2–year period. Researchers would
repeatedly capture two groups of up to
50 mother-pup pairs each (Treatment
and Control) for weighing,
administering isotopes, collecting blood
and milk samples, and application/
removal of time-depth recorders and
radio transmitters. Thus, researchers
would determine water turnover,
maternal energy expenditure, changes in
body composition, milk nutrient
transfer, maternal and pup diving
behavior, and the onset of feeding by
mothers and pups. Researchers would
compare the Treatment group to the
minimally handled Control group,
captured only twice (at the beginning
and end of lactation), for collection of
samples, weighing, and isotope
administration. Ontogeny of foraging
would be monitored in pups from both
experimental groups (Postweaning
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17:19 May 02, 2006
Jkt 208001
group). Up to 80 mother-pup pairs
(Cross-sectional group) would be
captured once per season to examine
incidence of feeding during lactation.
The applicant proposes to salvage tissue
samples from seals that die naturally.
Samples collected from Weddell seals
and opportunistic samples from nonendangered marine mammals obtained
legally by others would be imported
into the U.S. and re-exported for
scientific analysis. The applicant has
requested a 5–year permit.
Concurrent with the publication of
this notice in the Federal Register,
NMFS is forwarding copies of this
application to the Marine Mammal
Commission and its Committee of
Scientific Advisors.
Dated: April 27, 2006.
Stephen L. Leathery,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education
Division, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6–6718 Filed 5–2–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–S
PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
Submission for OMB Review;
Comment Request
The United States Patent and
Trademark Office (USPTO) has
submitted to the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) for clearance the
following proposal for collection of
information under the provisions of the
Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C.
chapter 35).
Agency: United States Patent and
Trademark Office (USPTO).
Title: Madrid Protocol.
Form Number(s): PTO–2131, PTO–
2132, PTO–2133.
Agency Approval Number: 0651–
0051.
Type of Request: Revision of a
currently approved collection.
Burden: 1,008 hours annually.
Number of Respondents: 4,308
responses per year.
Avg. Hours Per Response: The USPTO
estimates that it will take the public
approximately two minutes to one hour
(0.03 to 1.0 hours) to complete the
information in this collection, including
the time to gather the necessary
information, prepare the forms or
documents, and submit the completed
request.
Needs and Uses: The Madrid Protocol
is an international treaty that allows a
trademark owner to seek registration in
any of the participating countries by
filing a single international application.
The public uses this collection to
submit applications for international
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registration and related requests to the
USPTO under the Madrid Protocol. This
collection contains electronic forms for
filing the Application for International
Registration (PTO–2131), Subsequent
Designation (PTO–2132), and Response
to a Notice of Irregularity (PTO–2133)
online through the USPTO web site. The
USPTO is adding one petition to this
collection, the Petition to Review
Refusal to Certify an International
Application. No form is provided for
this petition.
Affected Public: Individuals or
households, businesses or other forprofits, not-for-profit institutions, farms,
the Federal Government, and state, local
or tribal governments.
Frequency: On occasion.
Respondent’s Obligation: Required to
obtain or retain benefits.
OMB Desk Officer: David Rostker,
(202) 395–3897.
Copies of the above information
collection proposal can be obtained by
any of the following methods:
• E-mail: Susan.Brown@uspto.gov.
Include ‘‘0651–0051 copy request’’ in
the subject line of the message.
• Fax: 571–273–0112, marked to the
attention of Susan Brown.
• Mail: Susan K. Brown, Records
Officer, Office of the Chief Information
Officer, Architecture, Engineering and
Technical Services, Data Architecture
and Services Division, U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450,
Alexandria, VA 22313–1450.
Written comments and
recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be sent on
or before June 2, 2006 to David Rostker,
OMB Desk Officer, Room 10202, New
Executive Office Building, 725 17th
Street NW., Washington, DC 20503.
Dated: April 26, 2006.
Susan K. Brown,
Records Officer, USPTO, Office of the Chief
Information Officer, Architecture,
Engineering and Technical Services, Data
Architecture and Services Division.
[FR Doc. E6–6652 Filed 5–2–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–16–P
COMMITTEE FOR THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE
AGREEMENTS
Adjustment of Import Limits for Certain
Cotton, Wool and Man-Made Fiber
Textiles and Textile Products
Produced or Manufactured in the
Socialist Republic of Vietnam
April 27, 2006
Committee for the
Implementation of Textile Agreements
(CITA).
AGENCY:
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 3, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26073-26074]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-6718]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[I.D. 042706D]
Marine Mammals; File No. 763-1845
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; receipt of application.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the Smithsonian National
Zoological Park (SNZP), 3001 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC
20008 (John Berry, Responsible Party), has applied in due form for a
permit to conduct research on Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddelliis)
and import and re-export marine mammal specimens for scientific
research.
DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail comments must be received on or
before June 2, 2006.
ADDRESSES: The application and related documents are available for
review upon written request or by appointment in the following
office(s):
Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of Protected
Resources,
[[Page 26074]]
NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910;
phone (301)713-2289; fax (301)427-2521; and
Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long
Beach, CA 90802-4213; phone (562)980-4001; fax (562)980-4018.
Written comments or requests for a public hearing on this
application should be mailed to the Chief, Permits, Conservation and
Education Division, F/PR1, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315
East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Those
individuals requesting a hearing should set forth the specific reasons
why a hearing on this particular request would be appropriate.
Comments may also be submitted by facsimile at (301)427-2521,
provided the facsimile is confirmed by hard copy submitted by mail and
postmarked no later than the closing date of the comment period.
Comments may also be submitted by e-mail. The mailbox address for
providing email comments is NMFS.Pr1Comments@noaa.gov. Include in the
subject line of the e-mail comment the following document identifier:
File No. 763-1845.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy Sloan or Tammy Adams, (301)713-
2289.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject permit is requested under the
authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended
(MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), and the Regulations Governing the
Taking and Importing of Marine Mammals (50 CFR part 216).
The SNZP proposes to test the hypothesis that food intake is
important to the energetics of lactation in Weddell seals in McMurdo
Sound, Antarctica, over a 2-year period. Researchers would repeatedly
capture two groups of up to 50 mother-pup pairs each (Treatment and
Control) for weighing, administering isotopes, collecting blood and
milk samples, and application/removal of time-depth recorders and radio
transmitters. Thus, researchers would determine water turnover,
maternal energy expenditure, changes in body composition, milk nutrient
transfer, maternal and pup diving behavior, and the onset of feeding by
mothers and pups. Researchers would compare the Treatment group to the
minimally handled Control group, captured only twice (at the beginning
and end of lactation), for collection of samples, weighing, and isotope
administration. Ontogeny of foraging would be monitored in pups from
both experimental groups (Postweaning group). Up to 80 mother-pup pairs
(Cross-sectional group) would be captured once per season to examine
incidence of feeding during lactation. The applicant proposes to
salvage tissue samples from seals that die naturally. Samples collected
from Weddell seals and opportunistic samples from non-endangered marine
mammals obtained legally by others would be imported into the U.S. and
re-exported for scientific analysis. The applicant has requested a 5-
year permit.
Concurrent with the publication of this notice in the Federal
Register, NMFS is forwarding copies of this application to the Marine
Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors.
Dated: April 27, 2006.
Stephen L. Leathery,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-6718 Filed 5-2-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S?>
