Endangered and Threatened Species; Initiation of 5-Year Review for the North Atlantic Right Whale and the North Pacific Right Whale, 16538-16539 [2012-6575]
Download as PDF
16538
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 55 / Wednesday, March 21, 2012 / Notices
2010, through April 30, 2011.1 On
January 18, 2012, we published a notice
in the Federal Register extending the
deadline for the preliminary results to
March 31, 2012.2
erowe on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Extension of Time Limit for Preliminary
Results
Section 751(a)(3)(A) of the Tariff Act
of 1930, as amended (the Act), requires
the Department to complete the
preliminary results within 245 days
after the last day of the anniversary
month of an order for which a review
is requested. If it is not practicable to
complete the review within this time
period, section 751(a)(3)(A) of the Act
allows the Department to extend the
time limit for the preliminary results to
a maximum of 365 days after the last
day of the anniversary month.
We determine that it is not practicable
to complete the preliminary results of
these reviews within the original time
limit because there are concurrent cases
before Office 1 (the office responsible
for the AFB orders) with numerous
complex issues. Furthermore, these
concurrent cases have fully extended
deadlines that are proximate to the
current deadline in these reviews
making it impracticable for Office 1 to
complete these ball-bearings reviews
within the current deadline. For
example, Office 1 has the antidumping
duty investigations on certain steel nails
from the United Arab Emirates and
certain stilbenic optical brightening
agents from Taiwan, the countervailing
duty investigations on circular welded
carbon-quality steel pipe from India, the
Sultanate of Oman, the United Arab
Emirates, and the Socialist Republic of
Vietnam, and in the antidumping duty
administrative review of freshwater
crawfish tail meat from the People’s
Republic of China, all of which involve
complex issues and all of which have
fully extended deadlines which are
within two weeks of the current
deadline for the preliminary results in
these reviews. Therefore, we are
1 See Initiation of Antidumping and
Countervailing Duty Administrative Reviews and
Request for Revocation in Part, 76 FR 37781 (June
28, 2011). See also Ball Bearings and Parts Thereof
From Japan and the United Kingdom: Revocation of
Antidumping Duty Orders, 76 FR 41761 (July 15,
2011), where we revoked the antidumping duty
orders with respect to ball bearings and parts
thereof from Japan and the United Kingdom. In the
Federal Register notice we indicated that, as a
result of the revocation, the Department is
discontinuing all unfinished administrative reviews
immediately and will not initiate any new
administrative reviews of the orders.
2 See Ball Bearings and Parts Thereof from
France, Germany, and Italy: Extension of Time
Limit for Preliminary Results of Antidumping Duty
Administrative Reviews, 77 FR 2511 (January 18,
2012).
VerDate Mar<15>2010
15:15 Mar 20, 2012
Jkt 226001
extending the time period for issuing
the preliminary results of these reviews
by an additional 60 days, which is 365
days after the last day of the anniversary
month, until May 30, 2012.
This notice is published in
accordance with section 751(a)(3)(A) of
the Act and 19 CFR 351.213(h)(2).
Dated: March 14, 2012.
Gary Taverman,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Antidumping and Countervailing Duty
Operations.
[FR Doc. 2012–6817 Filed 3–20–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–DS–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XB085
Endangered and Threatened Species;
Initiation of 5-Year Review for the
North Atlantic Right Whale and the
North Pacific Right Whale
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of initiation of 5-year
reviews; request for information.
AGENCY:
NMFS announces a 5-year
review of North Atlantic right whale
(Eubalaena glacialis) and North Pacific
right whale (Eubalaena japonica) under
the Endangered Species Act of 1973
(ESA), as amended. A 5-year review is
based on the best scientific and
commercial data available at the time of
the review; therefore, we are requesting
submission of any such information on
these whales that has become available
since the last status review in 2006.
DATES: To allow us adequate time to
conduct this review, we must receive
your information no later than April 20,
2012. However, we will continue to
accept new information about any listed
species at any time.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
on this document, identified by NOAA–
NMFS–2012–0057, by any of the
following methods:
• Electronic Submissions: Submit all
electronic public comments via the
Federal e-Rulemaking Portal
www.regulations.gov. To submit
comments via the e-Rulemaking Portal,
first click the ‘‘submit a comment’’ icon,
then enter NOAA–NMFS–2012–0057 in
the keyword search. Locate the
document you wish to comment on
from the resulting list and click on the
‘‘Submit a Comment’’ icon to the right
of that line.
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00024
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
• Mail or hand-delivery: Angela
Somma, National Marine Fisheries
Service, Office of Protected Resources,
Endangered Species Division, 1325 East
West Highway, Silver Spring, MD
20910.
Instructions: Comments must be
submitted by one of the above methods
to ensure that the comments are
received, documented, and considered
by NMFS. Comments sent by any other
method, to any other address or
individual, or received after the end of
the comment period, may not be
considered. All comments received are
a part of the public record and will
generally be posted for public viewing
on www.regulations.gov without change.
All personal identifying information
(e.g., name, address, etc.) submitted
voluntarily by the sender will be
publicly accessible. Do not submit
confidential business information, or
otherwise sensitive or protected
information. NMFS will accept
anonymous comments (enter ‘‘N/A’’ in
the required fields if you wish to remain
anonymous). Attachments to electronic
comments will be accepted in Microsoft
Word or Excel, WordPerfect, or Adobe
PDF file formats only.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Larissa Plants, Office of Protected
Resources, 301–427–8471, or Shannon
Bettridge, Office of Protected Resources
301–427–8437.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section
4(c)(2)(A) of the ESA requires that we
conduct a review of listed species at
least once every five years. The
regulations in 50 CFR 424.21 require
that we publish a notice in the Federal
Register announcing species currently
under active review. This notice
announces our active review of right
whales, currently listed as endangered.
To ensure that the 5-year review is
complete and based on the best
available scientific and commercial
information, we are soliciting new
information from the public,
governmental agencies, Tribes, the
scientific community, industry,
environmental entities, and any other
interested parties concerning the status
of right whales. Categories of requested
information include: (1) Species biology
and demographics (population trends,
distribution, abundance, genetics, etc.);
(2) habitat conditions (amount,
distribution, suitability, quality, etc.);
(3) conservation measures that have
been implemented that benefit the
species; (4) status and trends of threats;
and (5) other new information, data, or
corrections including, but not limited
to, taxonomic or nomenclatural changes,
identification of erroneous information
E:\FR\FM\21MRN1.SGM
21MRN1
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 55 / Wednesday, March 21, 2012 / Notices
contained in the list of threatened and
endangered species, and improved
analytical methods, if any. Any new
information will be considered during
the 5-year review and will also be useful
in evaluating the ongoing recovery
programs for these whales.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.
Dated: March 12, 2012.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office
of Protected Resources, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012–6575 Filed 3–20–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XB084
Incidental Taking of Marine Mammals;
Taking of Marine Mammals Incidental
to the Explosive Removal of Offshore
Structures in the Gulf of Mexico
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; issuance of Letters of
Authorization (LOA).
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Marine Mammal Protection Act
(MMPA) and implementing regulations,
notification is hereby given that NMFS
has issued one-year LOAs 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 March 16, 2012 through
March 15, 2013.
ADDRESSES: The application and LOAs
are available for review by writing 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–
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 Jolie Harrison,
Office of Protected Resources, NMFS,
301–427–8401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section
101(a)(5)(A) of the MMPA (16 U.S.C.
erowe on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
15:15 Mar 20, 2012
Jkt 226001
1361 et seq.) directs the Secretary of
Commerce (who has delegated the
authority to 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 and
regulations are issued. Under the
MMPA, the term ‘‘take’’ means to
harass, hunt, capture, or kill or to
attempt to harass, hunt, capture, or kill
any marine mammal.
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 notice and
opportunity for public comment, that
the total taking over the five-year period
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 of 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 of
marine mammals incidental to EROS
were published on June 19, 2008 (73 FR
34875), 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), shortfinned pilot whales (Globicephala
macrorhynchus), and sperm whales
(Physeter macrocephalus). NMFS
received requests for LOAs from W&T
Offshore, Inc. (W&T Offshore) and W&T
Energy VI, L.L.C. (W&T Energy) for
activities covered by EROS regulations.
W&T Offshore and W&T Energy have
not conducted any EROS activities to
date.
PO 00000
Frm 00025
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
16539
Pursuant to these regulations, NMFS
has issued an LOA to W&T Offshore and
W&T Energy. Issuance of the LOAs is
based on a finding made in the
preamble to the final rule that the total
taking over the five-year period (with
monitoring, mitigation, and reporting
measures) will have 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 will review
reports to ensure that the applicants are
in compliance with meeting the
requirements contained in the
implementing regulations and LOA,
including monitoring, mitigation, and
reporting requirements.
Dated: March 14, 2012.
James H. Lecky,
Director, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012–6821 Filed 3–20–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XB098
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management
Council; Public Meeting
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Council to convene a public
meeting.
AGENCY:
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery
Management Council will convene a
meeting of the Socioeconomic Scientific
and Statistical Committee.
DATES: The meeting will be 9 a.m. to
5 p.m. on Thursday, April 5, 2012.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at
the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management
Council, 2203 North Lois Avenue, Suite
1100, Tampa, FL 33607; telephone:
(813) 348–1630.
Council address: Gulf of Mexico
Fishery Management Council, 2203 N.
Lois Avenue, Suite 1100, Tampa, FL
33607.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Dr. Assane Diagne, Economist; Gulf of
Mexico Fishery Management Council;
telephone: (813) 348–1630.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Gulf
of Mexico Fishery Management Council
(Council) will convene the
Socioeconomic Scientific and Statistical
Committee to discuss socioeconomic
issues related to allocation and the
application of social indicators to
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\21MRN1.SGM
21MRN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 55 (Wednesday, March 21, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16538-16539]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-6575]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XB085
Endangered and Threatened Species; Initiation of 5-Year Review
for the North Atlantic Right Whale and the North Pacific Right Whale
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of initiation of 5-year reviews; request for
information.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS announces a 5-year review of North Atlantic right whale
(Eubalaena glacialis) and North Pacific right whale (Eubalaena
japonica) under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA), as amended. A
5-year review is based on the best scientific and commercial data
available at the time of the review; therefore, we are requesting
submission of any such information on these whales that has become
available since the last status review in 2006.
DATES: To allow us adequate time to conduct this review, we must
receive your information no later than April 20, 2012. However, we will
continue to accept new information about any listed species at any
time.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document, identified by
NOAA-NMFS-2012-0057, by any of the following methods:
Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal www.regulations.gov. To
submit comments via the e-Rulemaking Portal, first click the ``submit a
comment'' icon, then enter NOAA-NMFS-2012-0057 in the keyword search.
Locate the document you wish to comment on from the resulting list and
click on the ``Submit a Comment'' icon to the right of that line.
Mail or hand-delivery: Angela Somma, National Marine
Fisheries Service, Office of Protected Resources, Endangered Species
Division, 1325 East West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
Instructions: Comments must be submitted by one of the above
methods to ensure that the comments are received, documented, and
considered by NMFS. Comments sent by any other method, to any other
address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period,
may not be considered. All comments received are a part of the public
record and will generally be posted for public viewing on
www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying
information (e.g., name, address, etc.) submitted voluntarily by the
sender will be publicly accessible. Do not submit confidential business
information, or otherwise sensitive or protected information. NMFS will
accept anonymous comments (enter ``N/A'' in the required fields if you
wish to remain anonymous). Attachments to electronic comments will be
accepted in Microsoft Word or Excel, WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF file
formats only.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Larissa Plants, Office of Protected
Resources, 301-427-8471, or Shannon Bettridge, Office of Protected
Resources 301-427-8437.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 4(c)(2)(A) of the ESA requires that
we conduct a review of listed species at least once every five years.
The regulations in 50 CFR 424.21 require that we publish a notice in
the Federal Register announcing species currently under active review.
This notice announces our active review of right whales, currently
listed as endangered.
To ensure that the 5-year review is complete and based on the best
available scientific and commercial information, we are soliciting new
information from the public, governmental agencies, Tribes, the
scientific community, industry, environmental entities, and any other
interested parties concerning the status of right whales. Categories of
requested information include: (1) Species biology and demographics
(population trends, distribution, abundance, genetics, etc.); (2)
habitat conditions (amount, distribution, suitability, quality, etc.);
(3) conservation measures that have been implemented that benefit the
species; (4) status and trends of threats; and (5) other new
information, data, or corrections including, but not limited to,
taxonomic or nomenclatural changes, identification of erroneous
information
[[Page 16539]]
contained in the list of threatened and endangered species, and
improved analytical methods, if any. Any new information will be
considered during the 5-year review and will also be useful in
evaluating the ongoing recovery programs for these whales.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.
Dated: March 12, 2012.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-6575 Filed 3-20-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P