Incidental Taking of Marine Mammals; Taking of Marine Mammals Incidental to the Explosive Removal of Offshore Structures in the Gulf of Mexico, 23845-23846 [E9-11942]

Download as PDF dwashington3 on PROD1PC60 with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 97 / Thursday, May 21, 2009 / Notices years, nonetheless, the projects proposed are largely continuations of ongoing research. They are: Project 1 – Adult Spring/Summer and Fall Chinook Salmon and Summer Steelhead Ground and Aerial Spawning Ground Surveys; Project 2 – Cryopreservation of Spring/ Summer Chinook Salmon and Summer Steelhead Gametes; Project3 – Adult Chinook Salmon Abundance Monitoring Using Video Weirs, Acoustic Imaging, and PIT tag Detectors in the South Fork Salmon River; Project 4 – Snorkel, Seine, Fyke Net, Minnow Trap, and Electrofishing Surveys and Collection of Juvenile Chinook Salmon and Steelhead; and Project 5 – Juvenile Anadromous Salmonid Emigration Studies Using Rotary Screw Traps. Under these tasks, listed adult and juvenile salmon would be variously (a) observed/harassed during fish population and production monitoring surveys; (b) captured (using seines, trawls, traps, hook-and-line angling equipment, and electrofishing equipment) and anesthetized; (c) sampled for biological information and tissue samples, (d) PIT-tagged or tagged with other identifiers, (e) and released. The CRITFC does not intend to kill any of the fish being captured, but a small percentage may die as a result of the research activities. The research has many purposes and would benefit listed salmon and steelhead in different ways. However, in general, the studies are part of ongoing efforts to monitor the status of listed species in the Snake River basin and to use those data to inform decisions about land and fisheries management actions and to help prioritize and plan recovery measures for the listed species. Under the proposal, the studies would continue to benefit listed species by generating population abundance estimates, allowing comparisons to be made between naturally reproducing populations and those being supplemented with hatchery fish, and helping preserve listed salmon and steelhead genetic diversity. This notice is provided pursuant to section 10(c) of the ESA. NMFS will evaluate the application, associated documents, and comments submitted to determine whether the application meets the requirements of section 10(a) of the ESA and Federal regulations. The final permit decision will not be made until after the end of the 30–day comment period. NMFS will publish notice of its final action in the Federal Register. VerDate Nov<24>2008 13:08 May 20, 2009 Jkt 217001 Dated: May 15, 2009. Angela Somma, Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. E9–11943 Filed 5–20–09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–S DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XP19 Incidental Taking of Marine Mammals; Taking of Marine Mammals Incidental to the Explosive Removal of Offshore Structures in the Gulf of Mexico AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice; issuance of letters of authorization. SUMMARY: In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and implementing regulations, notification is hereby given that NMFS has issued one-year Letters of Authorization (LOA) to take marine mammals incidental to the explosive removal of offshore oil and gas structures (EROS) in the Gulf of Mexico. DATES: These authorizations are effective from May 13, 2009 through May 12, 2010. ADDRESSES: The applications and LOAs are available for review by writing to P. Michael Payne, Chief, Permits, Conservation, and Education Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service, 1315 EastWest Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910–3235 or by telephoning the contact listed here (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT), or online at: https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/ incidental.htm. Documents cited in this notice may be viewed, by appointment, during regular business hours, at the aforementioned address. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Howard Goldstein or Ken Hollingshead, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 301–713–2289. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 101(a)(5)(A) of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) directs the NMFS to allow, upon request, the incidental, but not intentional, taking of small numbers of marine mammals by United States citizens who engage in a specified activity (other than commercial fishing) within a specified geographical region, if certain findings are made by NMFS PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 23845 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. Authorization for incidental taking, in the form of annual LOAs, may be granted by NMFS for periods up to five 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 (where relevant). 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 (i.e., mitigation), and on the availability of the species for subsistence uses, paying particular attention to rookeries, mating rounds, and areas of similar significance. The regulations also must include requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of such taking. Regulations governing the taking incidental to EROS were published on June 19, 2008 (73 FR 34889), and remain in effect through July 19, 2013. For detailed information on this action, please refer to that Federal Register notice. The species that applicants may take in small numbers during EROS activities are bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis), pantropical spotted dolphins (Stenella attenuata), Clymene dolphins (Stenella clymene), striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba), spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris), rough-toothed dolphins (Steno bredanensis), Risso’s dolphins (Grampus griseus), melonheaded whales (Peponocephala electra), pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus), and sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus). Pursuant to these regulations, NMFS has issued LOAs to McMoRan Oil & Gas LLC, Maritech Resources, Inc., and Dynamic Offshore Resources NS, LLC. Issuance of the LOAs are based on a finding made in the preamble to the final rule that the total taking by these activities (with monitoring, mitigation, and reporting measures) will result in no more than a negligible impact on the affected species or stock(s) of marine mammals and will not have an unmitigable adverse impact on subsistence uses. NMFS also finds that the applicant will meet the requirements contained in the implementing regulations and LOA, including monitoring, mitigation, and reporting requirements. E:\FR\FM\21MYN1.SGM 21MYN1 23846 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 97 / Thursday, May 21, 2009 / Notices Dated: May 14, 2009. James H. Lecky, Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. E9–11942 Filed 5–20–09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–S DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Telecommunications and Information Administration Online Safety and Technology Working Group Meeting AGENCY: National Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. ACTION: Notice of Public Meeting. SUMMARY: This notice announces the first public meeting of the Online Safety and Technology Working Group (OSTWG). The meeting will be held on June 4, 2009, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street SW., Washington, DC 20554. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joe Gattuso at (202) 482–0977 or jgattuso@ntia.doc.gov; and/or visit NTIA’s Web site at https:// www.ntia.doc.gov. DATES: dwashington3 on PROD1PC60 with NOTICES SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background: NTIA established the OSTWG pursuant to Section 214 of the Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act (the Act). The OSTWG is composed of representatives of relevant sectors of the business community, public interest groups, and other appropriate groups and Federal agencies. The members were selected for their expertise and experience in online safety issues, as well as their ability to represent the views of the various industry stakeholders. According to the Act, the OSTWG is tasked with evaluating industry efforts to promote a safe online environment for children. The Act requires the OSTWG report its findings and recommendations to the Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information and to Congress within one (1) year after its first meeting. Matters to Be Considered: This will be the first meeting of the OSTWG. The primary purpose of this initial meeting is to organize the OSTWG and establish future agendas and work schedule. Time and Date: The meeting will be held on June 4, 2009, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The VerDate Nov<24>2008 13:08 May 20, 2009 Jkt 217001 times and the agenda topics are subject to change. The meeting will be webcast. Please refer to NTIA’s web site, https:// www.ntia.doc.gov, for the most up-todate meeting agenda and webcast information. Place: The meeting will be held at the Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street SW, Washington, DC 20554. The meeting will be open to the public and press on a first-come, firstserved basis. Space is limited. The public meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Individuals requiring special services, such as sign language interpretation or other ancillary aids, are asked to notify Mr. Gattuso, at (202) 482–0977 or jgattuso@ntia.doc.gov, at least five (5) business days before the meeting. Dated: May 18, 2009. Kathy D. Smith, Chief Counsel, National Telecommunications and Information Administration. [FR Doc. E9–11918 Filed 5–20–09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–60–S ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION Sunshine Act Notice AGENCY: U.S. Election Assistance Commission. ACTION: Notice of Public Meeting for EAC Board of Advisors. DATE AND TIME: Tuesday, June 2, 2009, 8 a.m.–5:30 p.m. and Wednesday, June 3, 2009, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. and Thursday, June 4, 2009, 9 a.m.–12 Noon. PLACE: Hamilton Crowne Plaza Hotel, Oasis Room at the Sphinx Club, 1315 K Street, Washington, DC 20005, phone number (202) 682–0111. PURPOSE: The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) Board of Advisors, as required by the Help America Vote Act of 2002, will meet to receive updates on EAC program activities. The Board will receive updates on comments received regarding the Elections Operation Assessment Project. The Board will receive updates on the proposed next iteration of the Voluntary Voting System Guidelines. The Board will discuss proposed updates and improvements to the 2005 Voluntary Voting System Guidelines. The Board will discuss and consider a committee recommendation on the proposed Draft EAC Report to Congress on Election Day Data Grants Program. The Board will hear committee reports, elect officers and consider other administrative matters. This Meeting will be open to the public. PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 PERSON TO CONTACT FOR INFORMATION: Bryan Whitener, Telephone: (202) 566– 3100. Gracia M. Hillman, Vice-Chair, U.S. Election Assistance Commission. [FR Doc. E9–11987 Filed 5–19–09; 11:15 am] BILLING CODE 6820–KF–P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. RM93–11–000] Revisions to Oil Pipeline Regulations Pursuant to the Energy Policy Act of 1992; Notice of Annual Change in the Producer Price Index for Finished Goods May 14, 2009. The Commission’s regulations include a methodology for oil pipelines to change their rates through use of an index system that establishes ceiling levels for such rates. The Commission bases the index system, found at 18 CFR 342.3, on the annual change in the Producer Price Index for Finished Goods (PPI–FG), plus one point three percent (PPI+1.3). The Commission determined in an ‘‘Order Establishing Index for Oil Price Change Ceiling Levels’’ issued March 21, 2006, that PPI+1.3 is the appropriate oil pricing index factor for pipelines to use.1 The regulations provide that the Commission will publish annually, an index figure reflecting the final change in the PPI–FG, after the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes the final PPI–FG in May of each calendar year. The annual average PPI–FG index figures were 166.6 for 2007 and 177.1 for 2008.2 Thus, the percent change (expressed as a decimal) in the annual average PPI–FG from 2007 to 2008, plus 1.3 percent, is positive 0.076025.3 Oil pipelines must multiply their July 1, 2008, through June 30, 2009, index ceiling levels by 1 114 FERC ¶ 61,293 at P 2 (2006). of Labor Statistics (BLS) publishes the final figure in mid-May of each year. This figure is publicly available from the Division of Industrial Prices and Price Indexes of the BLS, at (202) 691– 7705, and in print in August in Table 1 of the annual data supplement to the BLS publication Producer Price Indexes via the Internet at https:// www.bls.gov/ppi/home.htm. To obtain the BLS data, scroll down to ‘‘PPI Databases’’ and click on ‘‘Top Picks’’ of the Commodity Data (Producer Price Index—PPI). At the next screen, under the heading ‘‘Producer Price Index/PPI Commodity Data,’’ select the first box, ‘‘Finished goods—WPUSOP3000,’’ then scroll all the way to the bottom of this screen and click on Retrieve data. 3 [177.1 ¥ 166.6] / 166.6 = 0.063025 + .013 = 0.076025. 2 Bureau E:\FR\FM\21MYN1.SGM 21MYN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 97 (Thursday, May 21, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23845-23846]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-11942]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XP19


Incidental Taking of Marine Mammals; Taking of Marine Mammals 
Incidental to the Explosive Removal of Offshore Structures in the Gulf 
of Mexico

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

ACTION: Notice; issuance of letters of authorization.

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

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and 
implementing regulations, notification is hereby given that NMFS has 
issued one-year Letters of Authorization (LOA) to take marine mammals 
incidental to the explosive removal of offshore oil and gas structures 
(EROS) in the Gulf of Mexico.

DATES: These authorizations are effective from May 13, 2009 through May 
12, 2010.

ADDRESSES: The applications and LOAs are available for review by 
writing to P. Michael Payne, Chief, Permits, Conservation, and 
Education Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine 
Fisheries Service, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3235 
or by telephoning the contact listed here (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT), or online at: https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/incidental.htm. Documents cited in this notice may be viewed, by 
appointment, during regular business hours, at the aforementioned 
address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Howard Goldstein or Ken Hollingshead, 
Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 301-713-2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 101(a)(5)(A) of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 
1361 et seq.) directs the NMFS to allow, upon request, the incidental, 
but not intentional, taking of small numbers of marine mammals by 
United States citizens who engage in a specified activity (other than 
commercial fishing) within a specified geographical region, if certain 
findings are made by NMFS 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.
    Authorization for incidental taking, in the form of annual LOAs, 
may be granted by NMFS for periods up to five 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 (where 
relevant). 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 (i.e., 
mitigation), and on the availability of the species for subsistence 
uses, paying particular attention to rookeries, mating rounds, and 
areas of similar significance. The regulations also must include 
requirements pertaining to the monitoring and reporting of such taking. 
Regulations governing the taking incidental to EROS were published on 
June 19, 2008 (73 FR 34889), and remain in effect through July 19, 
2013. For detailed information on this action, please refer to that 
Federal Register notice. The species that applicants may take in small 
numbers during EROS activities are bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops 
truncatus), Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis), pantropical 
spotted dolphins (Stenella attenuata), Clymene dolphins (Stenella 
clymene), striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba), spinner dolphins 
(Stenella longirostris), rough-toothed dolphins (Steno bredanensis), 
Risso's dolphins (Grampus griseus), melon-headed whales (Peponocephala 
electra), pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus), and sperm whales 
(Physeter macrocephalus).
    Pursuant to these regulations, NMFS has issued LOAs to McMoRan Oil 
& Gas LLC, Maritech Resources, Inc., and Dynamic Offshore Resources NS, 
LLC. Issuance of the LOAs are based on a finding made in the preamble 
to the final rule that the total taking by these activities (with 
monitoring, mitigation, and reporting measures) will result in no more 
than a negligible impact on the affected species or stock(s) of marine 
mammals and will not have an unmitigable adverse impact on subsistence 
uses. NMFS also finds that the applicant will meet the requirements 
contained in the implementing regulations and LOA, including 
monitoring, mitigation, and reporting requirements.


[[Page 23846]]


    Dated: May 14, 2009.
James H. Lecky,
Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. E9-11942 Filed 5-20-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.