Marine Mammals; File No. 781-1824, 77782 [2011-32084]
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 240 / Wednesday, December 14, 2011 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XZ66
Marine Mammals; File No. 781–1824
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit
amendment.
AGENCY:
Notice is hereby given that a
major amendment to Permit No. 781–
1824–01 has been issued to the
Northwest Fisheries Science Center
(NWFSC, Dr. M. Bradley Hanson,
Principal Investigator), 2725 Montlake
Blvd. East, Seattle, Washington 98112–
2097.
ADDRESSES: The permit amendment and
related documents are available for
review upon written request or by
appointment in the following offices:
Permits and Conservation Division,
Office of Protected Resources, NMFS,
1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705,
Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone (301)
427–8401; fax (301) 713–0376; and
Northwest Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand
Point Way NE., BIN C15700, Bldg. 1,
Seattle, WA 98115–0700; phone (206)
526–6150; fax (206) 526–6426.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Laura Morse or Amy Sloan, (301) 427–
8401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On
November 9, 2010, notice was published
in the Federal Register (75 FR 68757)
that a request for an amendment to
Permit No. 781–1824–01 to conduct
research on cetacean species in the
eastern North Pacific off the coast of
Washington, Oregon, and California for
scientific research had been submitted
by the above-named applicant. The
requested permit amendment has been
issued under the authority of the Marine
Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as
amended (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), the
regulations governing the taking and
importing of marine mammals (50 CFR
part 216), the Endangered Species Act of
1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531
et seq.), and the regulations governing
the taking, importing, and exporting of
endangered and threatened species
(50 CFR parts 222–226).
The permit amendment authorizes an
increase in the number of Southern
Resident killer whales (SRKW, Orcinus
orca) suction cup tagged (from 10 to 20
animals annually) and allows satellite
tagging of six SRKW with dart tags
annually.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
15:14 Dec 13, 2011
Jkt 226001
An environmental assessment (EA)
analyzing the effects of the permitted
activities on the human environment
was prepared in compliance with the
National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). Based on
the analyses in the EA, NMFS
determined that issuance of the permit
would not significantly impact the
quality of the human environment and
that preparation of an environmental
impact statement was not required. That
determination is documented in a
Finding of No Significant Impact
(FONSI), signed on November 22, 2011.
As required by the ESA, issuance of
this permit was based on a finding that
such permit: (1) Was applied for in good
faith; (2) will not operate to the
disadvantage of such endangered
species; and (3) is consistent with the
purposes and policies set forth in
section 2 of the ESA.
Dated: December 8, 2011.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division,
Office of Protected Resources, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011–32084 Filed 12–13–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XT57
Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to
Specified Activities; Marine
Geophysical Survey in the
Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands, February to March
2012
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; proposed Incidental
Harassment Authorization; request for
comments.
AGENCY:
NMFS has received an
application from the Lamont-Doherty
Earth Observatory of Columbia
University (L–DEO) for an Incidental
Harassment Authorization (IHA) to take
marine mammals, by harassment,
incidental to conducting a marine
geophysical (seismic) survey in the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands (CNMI), a commonwealth in a
political union with the U.S., February
to March, 2012. Pursuant to the Marine
Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS
is requesting comments on its proposal
to issue an IHA to L–DEO to
incidentally harass, by Level B
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00017
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
harassment only, 22 species of marine
mammals during the specified activity.
Comments and information must
be received no later than January 13,
2012.
DATES:
Comments on the
application should be addressed to P.
Michael Payne, Chief, Permits and
Conservation Division, Office of
Protected Resources, National Marine
Fisheries Service, 1315 East-West
Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. The
mailbox address for providing email
comments is ITP.Goldstein@noaa.gov.
NMFS is not responsible for email
comments sent to addresses other than
the one provided here. Comments sent
via email, including all attachments,
must not exceed a 10-megabyte file size.
All comments received are a part of
the public record and will generally be
posted to https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/
permits/incidental.htm#applications
without change. All Personal Identifying
Information (for example, name,
address, etc.) voluntarily submitted by
the commenter may be publicly
accessible. Do not submit confidential
business information or otherwise
sensitive or protected information.
A copy of the application containing
a list of the references used in this
document may be obtained by writing to
the above address, telephoning the
contact listed here (see FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT) or visiting the
Internet at: https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/
pr/permits/incidental.htm#applications.
The National Science Foundation
(NSF), which is providing funding to L–
DEO to conduct the survey, has
prepared a draft ‘‘Environmental
Assessment Pursuant to the National
Environmental Policy Act, 42 U.S.C.
4321 et seq. and Executive Order 12114
Marine Seismic Survey in the
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands, 2012’’ (EA). NSF’s EA
incorporates an ‘‘Environmental
Assessment of a Marine Geophysical
Survey by the R/V Marcus G. Langseth
in the Commonwealth of the Northern
Mariana Islands, February-March 2012,’’
prepared by LGL Ltd., Environmental
Research Associates (LGL), on behalf of
NSF and L–DEO, which is also available
at the same Internet address. Documents
cited in this notice may be viewed, by
appointment, during regular business
hours, at the aforementioned address.
ADDRESSES:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Howard Goldstein or Jolie Harrison,
Office of Protected Resources, NMFS,
(301) 427–8401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
E:\FR\FM\14DEN1.SGM
14DEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 240 (Wednesday, December 14, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 77782]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-32084]
[[Page 77782]]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XZ66
Marine Mammals; File No. 781-1824
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit amendment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that a major amendment to Permit No.
781-1824-01 has been issued to the Northwest Fisheries Science Center
(NWFSC, Dr. M. Bradley Hanson, Principal Investigator), 2725 Montlake
Blvd. East, Seattle, Washington 98112-2097.
ADDRESSES: The permit amendment and related documents are available for
review upon written request or by appointment in the following offices:
Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS,
1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone
(301) 427-8401; fax (301) 713-0376; and Northwest Region, NMFS, 7600
Sand Point Way NE., BIN C15700, Bldg. 1, Seattle, WA 98115-0700; phone
(206) 526-6150; fax (206) 526-6426.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Morse or Amy Sloan, (301) 427-
8401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On November 9, 2010, notice was published in
the Federal Register (75 FR 68757) that a request for an amendment to
Permit No. 781-1824-01 to conduct research on cetacean species in the
eastern North Pacific off the coast of Washington, Oregon, and
California for scientific research had been submitted by the above-
named applicant. The requested permit amendment has been issued under
the authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended
(16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), the regulations governing the taking and
importing of marine mammals (50 CFR part 216), the Endangered Species
Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), and the
regulations governing the taking, importing, and exporting of
endangered and threatened species (50 CFR parts 222-226).
The permit amendment authorizes an increase in the number of
Southern Resident killer whales (SRKW, Orcinus orca) suction cup tagged
(from 10 to 20 animals annually) and allows satellite tagging of six
SRKW with dart tags annually.
An environmental assessment (EA) analyzing the effects of the
permitted activities on the human environment was prepared in
compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). Based on the analyses in the EA, NMFS determined
that issuance of the permit would not significantly impact the quality
of the human environment and that preparation of an environmental
impact statement was not required. That determination is documented in
a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), signed on November 22,
2011.
As required by the ESA, issuance of this permit was based on a
finding that such permit: (1) Was applied for in good faith; (2) will
not operate to the disadvantage of such endangered species; and (3) is
consistent with the purposes and policies set forth in section 2 of the
ESA.
Dated: December 8, 2011.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-32084 Filed 12-13-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
