Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Effects of Oil and Gas Activities in the Arctic Ocean, 2513-2514 [2012-823]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 11 / Wednesday, January 18, 2012 / Notices tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES potential recordings with suction cup sensors or subcutaneous pin electrodes on up to 15 individuals of each species of cetacean. Research will occur in waters or on beaches in the U.S. and in rehabilitation facilities in the U.S. over a five-year period. No non-target species would be affected. In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), an initial determination has been made that the activity proposed is categorically excluded from the requirement to prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement. Concurrent with the publication of this notice in the Federal Register, NMFS is forwarding copies of the application to the Marine Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors. Documents may be reviewed in the following locations: 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; Northwest Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way NE., BIN C15700, Bldg. 1, Seattle, WA 98115–0700; phone (206) 526–6150; fax (206) 526–6426; Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802–1668; phone (907) 586–7221; fax (907) 586–7249; Southwest Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802–4213; phone (562) 980–4001; fax (562) 980–4018; Pacific Islands Region, NMFS, 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Room 1110, Honolulu, HI 96814–4700; phone (808) 944–2200; fax (808) 973–2941; Northeast Region, NMFS, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930; phone (978) 281–9328; fax (978) 281– 9394; and Southeast Region, NMFS, 263 13th Avenue South, Saint Petersburg, FL 33701; phone (727) 824–5312; fax (727) 824–5309. Dated: January 10, 2012. P. Michael Payne, Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2012–821 Filed 1–17–12; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P VerDate Mar<15>2010 16:07 Jan 17, 2012 Jkt 226001 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XA936 Marine Mammals; File No. 17011 National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice; receipt of application. AGENCY: Notice is hereby given that NHK Enterprises, Inc., Nature & Science Programs, 5–20 Kamiyama-cho, Ogawa Bldg., Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan has applied in due form for a permit to conduct commercial or educational photography of Eastern North Pacific gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) and killer whales (Orcinus orca). DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or before February 17, 2012. ADDRESSES: The application 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 Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802–1668; phone (907) 586–7221; fax (907) 586–7249. Written comments on this application should be submitted to the Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, at the address listed above. Comments may also be submitted by facsimile to (301) 713–0376, or by email to NMFS.Pr1Comments@noaa.gov. Please include File No. 17011 in the subject line of the email comment. Those individuals requesting a public hearing should submit a written request to the Chief, Permits and Conservation Division at the address listed above. The request should set forth the specific reasons why a hearing on this application would be appropriate. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joselyd Garcia-Reyes or Laura Morse, (301) 427–8401. 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). Section 104(c)(6) provides for photography for educational or commercial purposes involving nonendangered and non-threatened marine mammals in the wild. SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 2513 NHK Enterprises requests a photography permit to film gray whale and killer whale interactions in the Aleutian Islands from Unimak Pass to Sand Point, Alaska. Filmmakers plan to obtain footage using a 100-ft boat, a 21ft aluminum skiff, and a helicopter. Up to 100 gray whales and 300 killer whales may be approached and filmed during the life of the permit. Species that could be incidentally harassed during filming activities include: 60 White-sided dolphins (Lagenorhyncus obliquidens), 20 harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena), 60 harbor seals (Phoca vitulina), 40 Northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus), and 40 Dall’s porpoises (Phocoenoides dalli). Filming would occur over a one month session between April 15th and June 15th. Footage would be used to create a film that would document the hunting behavior of transient killer whales and to document the food chain that develops from this predation. The film would be shared with the Japanese public through television broadcast, Internet broadcast, and other publications (e.g. photographic book), and DVD. The permit would be valid for five years from the date of issuance. In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), an initial determination has been made that the activity proposed is categorically excluded from the requirement to prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement. Concurrent with the publication of this notice in the Federal Register, NMFS is forwarding copies of the application to the Marine Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors. Dated: January 11, 2012. Tammy Adams, Acting Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2012–822 Filed 1–17–12; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XA934 Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Effects of Oil and Gas Activities in the Arctic Ocean National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. AGENCY: E:\FR\FM\18JAN1.SGM 18JAN1 2514 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 11 / Wednesday, January 18, 2012 / Notices Notice of extension of comment period; notice of public meetings. ACTION: On December 30, 2011, notice was published in the Federal Register that NMFS had released for public comment the ‘‘Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Effects of Oil and Gas Activities in the Arctic Ocean.’’ Based on several written requests received by NMFS, the public comment period for this DEIS has been extended by 15 days. Additionally, on December 30, 2011, NMFS announced that public meetings would be held in January and February 2012. This notice provides additional updates on the DEIS public meeting schedule. DATES: All comments and written statements must be postmarked no later than Tuesday, February 28, 2012. ADDRESSES: Written comments and statements on the DEIS must be postmarked by February 28, 2012. Comments on the DEIS may be submitted by: • Email: arcticeis.comments@ noaa.gov • Mail: Office of Protected Resources, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20190 • Fax: (301) 713–0376 • Public Meetings: Oral and written comments will be accepted during the upcoming public meetings. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION, Public Meetings (below) for more information. Comments sent via email, including all attachments, must not exceed a 25megabyte file size. Information on this project can also be found on the Protected Resources Web page at: https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/ eis/arctic.htm. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Candace Nachman, Jolie Harrison, or Michael Payne, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, at (301) 427–8401 or via email at arcticeis.comments@ noaa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Additional information on the content of the DEIS can be found in the Notice of Availability (76 FR 82275, December 30, 2011). tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: Public Meetings Comments will be accepted at public meetings and during the public comment period, and must be postmarked by February 28, 2012 (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). We request that you include in your comments: (1) Your name, address, and affiliation (if any); and (2) background documents to support your comments as appropriate. The dates, times, and locations of the DEIS public meetings (incorrectly VerDate Mar<15>2010 16:07 Jan 17, 2012 Jkt 226001 described as scoping meetings in the Notice of Availability Federal Register document (76 FR 82275, December 30, 2011)) will be announced in local media. Public meetings will be held in the communities of Barrow, Kaktovik, Kivalina, Kotzebue, Nuiqsut, Point Hope, Point Lay, and Wainwright between January 30 and February 10, 2012. The exact dates, times, and locations will be announced in advance through local media. A DEIS public meeting will also be held in Anchorage at the Loussac Public Library in the Wilda Marston Theater located at 3600 Denali Street, Anchorage, AK on Monday, February 13, 2012, from 12–2 p.m. Comments will be accepted at all public meetings, as well as during the public comment period and can be submitted via the methods described earlier in this document (see ADDRESSES). Special Accommodations These meetings are accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or auxiliary aids should be directed to Erin Green by telephone at (907) 562–3366 or by email at erin.green@urs.com at least 7 days before the scheduled meeting date. Dated: January 11, 2012. James H. Lecky, Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2012–823 Filed 1–17–12; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY National Ocean Council—National Ocean Policy Draft Implementation Plan Council on Environmental Quality. ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments. AGENCY: On July 19, 2010, President Obama signed Executive Order 13547 establishing a National Policy for the Stewardship of the Ocean, our Coasts, and the Great Lakes (National Ocean Policy). As part of the President’s charge for Federal agencies to implement the National Ocean Policy, the National Ocean Council developed actions to achieve the Policy’s nine priority objectives, and to address some of the most pressing challenges facing the ocean, our coasts, and the Great Lakes. Collectively, the actions are encompassed in a single draft National Ocean Policy Implementation Plan (Implementation Plan). The draft SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Implementation Plan describes more than 50 actions the Federal Government will take to improve the health of the ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes, which support tens of millions of jobs, contribute trillions of dollars a year to the national economy, and are essential to public health and national security. The draft Implementation Plan will ensure the Federal Government targets limited resources more effectively to deliver demonstrable results for the American people, including predictability for users, more efficient and coordinated decision-making, and improved sharing of data and technology. For each action, the Implementation Plan outlines key milestones, identifies responsible agencies, and indicates the expected timeframe for completion. Experts from the National Ocean Council’s member departments, agencies, and offices developed the actions in the draft Implementation Plan with significant input from national, regional, and local stakeholders and the general public. The development process included public comment periods from January through April 2011 and June through July 2011, and 12 regional listening sessions around the country. Next, public comments on the draft Implementation Plan will inform the preparation of the final plan. We welcome your general input, and also pose the following questions: • Does the draft Implementation Plan reflect actions you see are needed to address the nine priorities for the ocean, coasts, and the Great lakes? • What is the most effective way to measure outcomes and to detect whether a particular action in the Implementation Plan has achieved its intended outcome? Would a report card format be useful? Comments received will be collated and posted on the National Ocean Council Web site. The final Implementation Plan is expected in the spring of 2012. DATES: The National Ocean Council must receive comments by midnight, February 27, 2012. ADDRESSES: The draft Implementation Plan and additional information can be found at https://www.WhiteHouse.gov/ oceans. Comments should be submitted electronically to https:// www.WhiteHouse.gov/oceans. Comments may also be sent in writing to ‘‘ATTN: National Ocean Council’’ by fax to (202) 456–0753, or by mail to National Ocean Council, 722 Jackson Place NW., Washington, DC 20503. Heightened security measures in force E:\FR\FM\18JAN1.SGM 18JAN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 11 (Wednesday, January 18, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2513-2514]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-823]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XA934


Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Effects of Oil and Gas 
Activities in the Arctic Ocean

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

[[Page 2514]]


ACTION: Notice of extension of comment period; notice of public 
meetings.

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

SUMMARY: On December 30, 2011, notice was published in the Federal 
Register that NMFS had released for public comment the ``Draft 
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Effects of Oil and Gas 
Activities in the Arctic Ocean.'' Based on several written requests 
received by NMFS, the public comment period for this DEIS has been 
extended by 15 days. Additionally, on December 30, 2011, NMFS announced 
that public meetings would be held in January and February 2012. This 
notice provides additional updates on the DEIS public meeting schedule.

DATES: All comments and written statements must be postmarked no later 
than Tuesday, February 28, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and statements on the DEIS must be 
postmarked by February 28, 2012. Comments on the DEIS may be submitted 
by:
     Email: arcticeis.comments@noaa.gov
     Mail: Office of Protected Resources, 1315 East-West 
Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20190
     Fax: (301) 713-0376
     Public Meetings: Oral and written comments will be 
accepted during the upcoming public meetings. See SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION, Public Meetings (below) for more information.
    Comments sent via email, including all attachments, must not exceed 
a 25-megabyte file size. Information on this project can also be found 
on the Protected Resources Web page at: https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/eis/arctic.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Candace Nachman, Jolie Harrison, or 
Michael Payne, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, at (301) 427-8401 
or via email at arcticeis.comments@noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Additional information on the content of the 
DEIS can be found in the Notice of Availability (76 FR 82275, December 
30, 2011).

Public Meetings

    Comments will be accepted at public meetings and during the public 
comment period, and must be postmarked by February 28, 2012 (see FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). We request that you include in your 
comments: (1) Your name, address, and affiliation (if any); and (2) 
background documents to support your comments as appropriate.
    The dates, times, and locations of the DEIS public meetings 
(incorrectly described as scoping meetings in the Notice of 
Availability Federal Register document (76 FR 82275, December 30, 
2011)) will be announced in local media. Public meetings will be held 
in the communities of Barrow, Kaktovik, Kivalina, Kotzebue, Nuiqsut, 
Point Hope, Point Lay, and Wainwright between January 30 and February 
10, 2012. The exact dates, times, and locations will be announced in 
advance through local media. A DEIS public meeting will also be held in 
Anchorage at the Loussac Public Library in the Wilda Marston Theater 
located at 3600 Denali Street, Anchorage, AK on Monday, February 13, 
2012, from 12-2 p.m. Comments will be accepted at all public meetings, 
as well as during the public comment period and can be submitted via 
the methods described earlier in this document (see ADDRESSES).

Special Accommodations

    These meetings are accessible to people with disabilities. Requests 
for sign language interpretation or auxiliary aids should be directed 
to Erin Green by telephone at (907) 562-3366 or by email at 
erin.green@urs.com at least 7 days before the scheduled meeting date.

    Dated: January 11, 2012.
James H. Lecky,
Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-823 Filed 1-17-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

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