Notice of the Availability of a Draft Environmental Assessment, 5753-5754 [07-532]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 25 / Wednesday, February 7, 2007 / Notices whether the information will have practical utility. • Evaluate the accuracy of the agency’s estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used. • Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected. • Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submissions of responses. Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection. Agency: Bureau of Labor Statistics. Title: Report on Occupational Employment and Wages. OMB Number: 1220–0042. Affected Public: Business or other forprofit, Not-for-profit institutions, Federal Government, State, Local, or Tribal Government. Total Respondents: 315,900. Frequency: Semi-annually. Total Responses: 315,900. Average Time Per Response: 45 minutes. Estimated Total Burden Hours: 236,925. Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $00.00. Total Burden Cost (operating/ maintenance): $00.00. Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget approval of the information collection request; they also will become a matter of public record. Signed at Washington, DC, this 2nd day of February, 2007. Cathy Kazanowski, Chief, Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics. [FR Doc. E7–1984 Filed 2–6–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4510–24–P Meeting of National Council on the Humanities The National Endowment for the Humanities, NFAH. ACTION: Notice of meeting. sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES AGENCY: Pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Public L. 92–463, as amended) notice is hereby given that the National Council on the 21:36 Feb 06, 2007 Jkt 211001 A. Minutes of the Previous Meeting B. Reports 1. Introductory Remarks. 2. Staff Report. 3. Congressional Report. 4. Budget Report. 5. Reports on Policy and General Matters: a. Education Programs, b. Federal/State Partnership, c. Preservation and Access, d. Digital Humanities Initiative, e. Public Programs, f. Research Programs, g. Jefferson Lecture. The remainder of the proposed meeting will be given to the consideration of specific applications and will be closed to the public for the reasons stated above. Further information about this meeting can be obtained from Heather Gottry, Acting Advisory Committee Management Officer, National Endowment for the Humanities, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20506, or by calling (202) 606–8322, TDD (202) 606–8282. Advance notice of any special needs or accommodations is appreciated. Heather C. Gottry, Acting Advisory Committee Management Officer. [FR Doc. E7–2004 Filed 2–6–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7536–01–P NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION Committee Meetings (Open to the Public) Notice of the Availability of a Draft Environmental Assessment Policy Discussion AGENCY: 9 a.m.–10:30 a.m. Education Programs—Room M–07 Federal/State Partnership—Room 510 Preservation and Access—Room 415 Public Programs—Room 420 Research Programs—Room 315 (Closed to the Public) Discussion of Specific Grant Applications and Programs Before the Council 10:30 a.m. until Adjourned Education Programs—Room M–07 Federal/State Partnership—Room 510 Preservation and Access—Room 415 Public Programs—Room 420 Research Programs—Room 315 2 p.m.–4 p.m. Jefferson Lecture—Room 527 NATIONAL FOUNDATION ON THE ARTS AND THE HUMANITIES VerDate Aug<31>2005 Humanities will meet in Washington, DC on February 22–23, 2007. The purpose of the meeting is to advise the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities with respect to policies, programs, and procedures for carrying out his functions, and to review applications for financial support from and gifts offered to the Endowment and to make recommendations thereon to the Chairman. The meeting will be held in the Old Post Office Building, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC. A portion of the morning and afternoon sessions on February 22–23, 2007, will not be open to the public pursuant to subsections (c)(4), (c)(6) and (c)(9)(B) of section 552b of Title 5, United States Code because the Council will consider information that may disclose: trade secrets and commercial or financial information obtained from a person and privileged or confidential; information of a personal nature the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy; and information the premature disclosure of which would be likely to significantly frustrate implementation of proposed agency action. I have made this determination under the authority granted me by the Chairman’s Delegation of Authority dated July 19, 1993. The agenda for the sessions on February 22, 2007 will be as follows: 5753 The morning session of the meeting on February 23, 2007 will convene at 9 a.m., in the first floor Council Room M– 09, and will be open to the public, as set out below. The agenda for the morning session will be as follows: PO 00000 Frm 00079 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 National Science Foundation. Notice of availability of a draft Environmental Assessment for proposed activities in the Indian Ocean. ACTION: SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) gives notice of the availability of a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for proposed activities in the Indian Ocean. The Division of Ocean Sciences in the Directorate for Geosciences (GEO/OCE) has prepared a draft Environmental Assessment for a low-energy marine seismic survey by the Research Vessel Roger Revelle in the northeastern Indian Ocean, in international waters (1600– 5100 meters depth) roughly between 5° N and 25° S, along ~90° E during May– August 2007. The draft Environmental Assessment is available for public review for a 30-day period. DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before March 9, 2007. ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft Environmental Assessment are available E:\FR\FM\07FEN1.SGM 07FEN1 5754 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 25 / Wednesday, February 7, 2007 / Notices upon request from; Dr. William Lang, National Science Foundation, Division of Ocean Sciences, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Suite 725, Arlington, VA 22230. Telephone: (703) 292–7857. The draft is also available on the agency’s Web site at https://www.nsf.gov/geo/oce/pubs/ Scripps_NE_Indian_Ocean_EA.pdf. The Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO), with research funding from the NSF, plans to conduct scientific research at nine sites in international waters on the Ninety East Ridge in the northeastern Indian Ocean for ~55 days during May–August 2007. Research activities will include rock-dredging and magnetic, bathymetric, and seismic surveys. The seismic survey will use a towed array of two generator/injector (GI) airguns, totaling an air discharge volume of 90 in3. The GI guns will be used for ~49 h at each of 5 sites on the Ninety East Ridge in water depths of 1600 to 5100 meters. The results will be used to study the morphology, structure, and tectonics of ridge volcanoes, to infer the magmatic evolution of the ridge, and to survey broad characteristics of subseafloor in order to refine the planning of an Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) drilling proposal. SIO has applied for the issuance of an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) from the National Marine Fisheries Services (NMFS) to authorize the incidental harassment of small numbers of marine mammals during the seismic survey. The information in this Environmental Assessment supports the IHA permit application process, provides information on marine species not covered by the IHA, and addresses the requirements of Executive Order 12114, ‘‘Environmental Effects Abroad of Major Federal Actions’’. Alternatives addressed in this EA consist of a corresponding seismic survey at a different time, along with issuance of an associated IHA; and the no action alternative, with no IHA and no seismic survey. Numerous species of cetaceans and sea turtles occur in the northeastern Indian Ocean. Several of the species are listed as Endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA), including humpback, sei, fin, blue, and sperm whales. Other species of special concern that could occur in the area include the endangered (under the ESA) leatherback and hawksbill turtles, and the threatened (under the ESA) loggerhead, olive ridley, and green turtles. The potential impacts of the seismic survey would be primarily a result of the operation of small airguns, although sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: VerDate Aug<31>2005 21:36 Feb 06, 2007 Jkt 211001 a multi-beam sonar and a sub-bottom profiler will also be operated. Impacts may include increased marine noise and resultant avoidance behavior by marine mammals, sea turtles, and fish; and other forms of disturbance. The operations of the project vessel during the study would also cause a minor increase in the amount of vessel traffic. An integral part of the planned survey is a monitoring and mitigation program designed to minimize the impacts of the proposed activities on marine mammals and sea turtles that may be present during the proposed research, and to document the nature and extent of any effects. Injurious impacts to marine mammals and sea turtles have not been proven to occur near airgun arrays; however, the planned monitoring and mitigation measures would minimize the possibility of such effects should they otherwise occur. Protection measures designed to mitigate the potential environmental impacts will include the following: A minimum of one dedicated marine mammal observer maintaining a visual watch during all daytime airgun operations, and two observers for 30 min. before start up. The small size of the airguns, restricting their use to deep (1600–5100 m) water, and ramp-up and shut-down procedures are also inherent mitigation measures. SIO and its contractors are committed to apply those measures in order to minimize disturbance of marine mammals and sea turtles, and also to minimize the risk of injuries or of other environmental impacts. With the planned monitoring and mitigation measures, unavoidable impacts to each of the species of marine mammal that might be encountered are expected to be limited to short-term localized changes in behavior and distribution near the seismic vessel. At most, such effects may be interpreted as falling within the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) definition of ‘‘Level B Harassment’’ for those species managed by NMFS. No long-term or significant effects are expected on individual marine mammals, or the populations to which they belong, or their habitats. The agency is currently consulting with the NMFS regarding species within their jurisdiction potentially affected by this proposed activity. Copies of the draft EA, titled ‘‘Environmental Assessment of Planned Low-Energy Marine Seismic Survey by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in the Northeast Indian Ocean, May– August 2007,’’ are available upon request from: Dr. William Lang, National Science Foundation, Division PO 00000 Frm 00080 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 of Ocean Sciences, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Suite 725, Arlington, VA 22230. Telephone: (703) 292–7857 or at the agency’s Web site at: https:// www.nsf.gov/oce/pubs/Scripps NE_Indian_Ocean_EA.pdf. The NSF invites interested members of the public to provide written comments on this draft EA. Alexander Shor, Program Director, Environmental Operations, Division of Ocean Sciences, National Science Foundation. [FR Doc. 07–532 Filed 2–6–07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7555–01–M NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). ACTION: Notice of pending NRC action to submit an information collection request to OMB and solicitation of public comment. AGENCY: SUMMARY: The NRC is preparing a submittal to OMB for review of continued approval of information collections under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35). Information pertaining to the requirement to be submitted: 1. The title of the information collection: NRC Form 136, ‘‘Security Termination Statement’’, NRC Form 237, ‘‘Request for Access Authorization’’, NRC Form 277, ‘‘Request for Visit’’. 2. Current OMB approval number: 3150–0049, NRC Form 136, 3150–0050, NRC Form 237, 3150–0051, NRC Form 277. 3. How often the collection is required: On occasion. 4. Who is required or asked to report: NRC Form 136, any employee of 68 licensees and 7 contractors, who have been granted an NRC access authorization; NRC Form 237, any employee of approximately 68 licensees and 7 contractors who will require access authorization. NRC Form 277, any employee of 2 current NRC contractors who holds an NRC access authorization, and needs to make a visit to NRC, other contractors/licensees or government agencies in which access to classified information will be involved or unescorted area access is desired. 5. The number of annual respondents: NRC Form 136: 75. E:\FR\FM\07FEN1.SGM 07FEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 25 (Wednesday, February 7, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5753-5754]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-532]


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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION


Notice of the Availability of a Draft Environmental Assessment

AGENCY: National Science Foundation.

ACTION: Notice of availability of a draft Environmental Assessment for 
proposed activities in the Indian Ocean.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) gives notice of the 
availability of a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for proposed 
activities in the Indian Ocean.
    The Division of Ocean Sciences in the Directorate for Geosciences 
(GEO/OCE) has prepared a draft Environmental Assessment for a low-
energy marine seismic survey by the Research Vessel Roger Revelle in 
the northeastern Indian Ocean, in international waters (1600-5100 
meters depth) roughly between 5[deg] N and 25[deg] S, along ~90[deg] E 
during May-August 2007. The draft Environmental Assessment is available 
for public review for a 30-day period.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before March 9, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the draft Environmental Assessment are available

[[Page 5754]]

upon request from; Dr. William Lang, National Science Foundation, 
Division of Ocean Sciences, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Suite 725, Arlington, VA 
22230. Telephone: (703) 292-7857. The draft is also available on the 
agency's Web site at https://www.nsf.gov/geo/oce/pubs/Scripps_NE_
Indian_Ocean_EA.pdf.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Scripps Institution of Oceanography 
(SIO), with research funding from the NSF, plans to conduct scientific 
research at nine sites in international waters on the Ninety East Ridge 
in the northeastern Indian Ocean for ~55 days during May-August 2007. 
Research activities will include rock-dredging and magnetic, 
bathymetric, and seismic surveys. The seismic survey will use a towed 
array of two generator/injector (GI) airguns, totaling an air discharge 
volume of 90 in3. The GI guns will be used for ~49 h at each 
of 5 sites on the Ninety East Ridge in water depths of 1600 to 5100 
meters. The results will be used to study the morphology, structure, 
and tectonics of ridge volcanoes, to infer the magmatic evolution of 
the ridge, and to survey broad characteristics of subseafloor in order 
to refine the planning of an Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) 
drilling proposal.
    SIO has applied for the issuance of an Incidental Harassment 
Authorization (IHA) from the National Marine Fisheries Services (NMFS) 
to authorize the incidental harassment of small numbers of marine 
mammals during the seismic survey. The information in this 
Environmental Assessment supports the IHA permit application process, 
provides information on marine species not covered by the IHA, and 
addresses the requirements of Executive Order 12114, ``Environmental 
Effects Abroad of Major Federal Actions''. Alternatives addressed in 
this EA consist of a corresponding seismic survey at a different time, 
along with issuance of an associated IHA; and the no action 
alternative, with no IHA and no seismic survey.
    Numerous species of cetaceans and sea turtles occur in the 
northeastern Indian Ocean. Several of the species are listed as 
Endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA), including 
humpback, sei, fin, blue, and sperm whales. Other species of special 
concern that could occur in the area include the endangered (under the 
ESA) leatherback and hawksbill turtles, and the threatened (under the 
ESA) loggerhead, olive ridley, and green turtles.
    The potential impacts of the seismic survey would be primarily a 
result of the operation of small airguns, although a multi-beam sonar 
and a sub-bottom profiler will also be operated. Impacts may include 
increased marine noise and resultant avoidance behavior by marine 
mammals, sea turtles, and fish; and other forms of disturbance. The 
operations of the project vessel during the study would also cause a 
minor increase in the amount of vessel traffic. An integral part of the 
planned survey is a monitoring and mitigation program designed to 
minimize the impacts of the proposed activities on marine mammals and 
sea turtles that may be present during the proposed research, and to 
document the nature and extent of any effects. Injurious impacts to 
marine mammals and sea turtles have not been proven to occur near 
airgun arrays; however, the planned monitoring and mitigation measures 
would minimize the possibility of such effects should they otherwise 
occur.
    Protection measures designed to mitigate the potential 
environmental impacts will include the following: A minimum of one 
dedicated marine mammal observer maintaining a visual watch during all 
daytime airgun operations, and two observers for 30 min. before start 
up. The small size of the airguns, restricting their use to deep (1600-
5100 m) water, and ramp-up and shut-down procedures are also inherent 
mitigation measures. SIO and its contractors are committed to apply 
those measures in order to minimize disturbance of marine mammals and 
sea turtles, and also to minimize the risk of injuries or of other 
environmental impacts.
    With the planned monitoring and mitigation measures, unavoidable 
impacts to each of the species of marine mammal that might be 
encountered are expected to be limited to short-term localized changes 
in behavior and distribution near the seismic vessel. At most, such 
effects may be interpreted as falling within the Marine Mammal 
Protection Act (MMPA) definition of ``Level B Harassment'' for those 
species managed by NMFS. No long-term or significant effects are 
expected on individual marine mammals, or the populations to which they 
belong, or their habitats. The agency is currently consulting with the 
NMFS regarding species within their jurisdiction potentially affected 
by this proposed activity.
    Copies of the draft EA, titled ``Environmental Assessment of 
Planned Low-Energy Marine Seismic Survey by the Scripps Institution of 
Oceanography in the Northeast Indian Ocean, May-August 2007,'' are 
available upon request from: Dr. William Lang, National Science 
Foundation, Division of Ocean Sciences, 4201 Wilson Blvd., Suite 725, 
Arlington, VA 22230. Telephone: (703) 292-7857 or at the agency's Web 
site at: https://www.nsf.gov/oce/pubs/Scripps NE--Indian--Ocean--EA.pdf. 
The NSF invites interested members of the public to provide written 
comments on this draft EA.

Alexander Shor,
Program Director, Environmental Operations, Division of Ocean Sciences, 
National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 07-532 Filed 2-6-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-M
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