Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; U.S. Navy Training and Testing Activities in the Hawaii-Southern California Training and Testing Study Area, 60678-60679 [2012-24539]
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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 193 / Thursday, October 4, 2012 / Notices
implementing AMLRCA are at 50 CFR
part 300, Subpart G.
The recordkeeping and reporting
requirements at 50 CFR part 300 form
the basis for this collection of
information. The reporting requirements
included in this collection concern
CCAMLR Ecosystem Monitoring
Program (CEMP) activities, United
States (U.S.) harvesting permit
applicants and/or harvesting vessel
operators, and U.S. importers and reexporters of Antarctic Marine Living
Resources (AMLR).
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with NOTICES
II. Method of Collection
Paper applications, electronic reports,
satellite-linked vessel monitoring
devices, radio and telephone calls, gear
and vessel markings are required from
participants and methods of transmittal
include Internet, satellite, facsimile and
mail transmission of forms, reports and
information.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0648–0194.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Regular submission
(extension of a current information
collection).
Affected public: Business or other forprofit organizations; individuals or
households.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
86: 1 research entity; 5 vessel owners;
80 dealers.
Estimated Time per Response: One
hour to apply for a CEMP research
permit; one hour to report on permitted
research; 28 hours to supply
information on potential new or
exploratory fishing; two hours to apply
for a harvesting permit; 2 minutes to
transmit information by radio; 4 hours
to install a vessel monitoring device
(VMS); two hours for annual VMS
maintenance; 45 minutes to mark a
vessel; 40 minutes to mark buoys; 10
hours to mark pot gear; six minutes to
mark trawl nets; 15 minutes to apply for
a dealer permit to import and/or reexport Antarctic marine living
resources; 15 minutes to complete and
submit a toothfish catch document; 15
minutes to apply for pre-approval of
toothfish imports; 15 minutes to
complete and submit re-export catch
documents; fifteen minutes to submit
import tickets.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 294.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to
Public: $132,373 in recordkeeping/
reporting costs.
IV. Request for Comments
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether
the continuing collection of information
VerDate Mar<15>2010
15:21 Oct 03, 2012
Jkt 229001
is necessary for the proper performance
of the functions of the agency, including
whether the information shall have
practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the
agency’s estimate of the burden
(including hours and cost) of the
continuing collection of information; (c)
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and (d) ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information
on respondents, including through the
use of automated collection techniques
or other forms of information
technology.
Comments submitted in response to
this notice will be summarized and/or
included in the request for OMB
approval of this information collection;
they also will become a matter of public
record.
Dated: September 28, 2012.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of Chief
Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2012–24414 Filed 10–3–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–BC52
Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to
Specified Activities; U.S. Navy Training
and Testing Activities in the HawaiiSouthern California Training and
Testing Study Area
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; receipt of application for
letter of authorization; request for
comments and information.
AGENCY:
NMFS has received a request
from the U.S. Navy (Navy) for
authorization to take marine mammals
incidental to the training and testing
activities conducted in the HawaiiSouthern California Training and
Testing (HSTT) study area from January
2014 through January 2019. Pursuant to
the Marine Mammal Protection Act
(MMPA), NMFS is announcing our
receipt of the Navy’s request for the
development and implementation of
regulations governing the incidental
taking of marine mammals and inviting
information, suggestions, and comments
on the Navy’s application and request.
DATES: Comments and information must
be received no later than November 5,
2012.
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Comments on the
application should be addressed to
Michael Payne, Chief, Permits and
Conservation Division, Office of
Protected Resources, National Marine
Fisheries Service, 1315 East-West
Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910–
3225. The mailbox address for providing
email comments is ITP.Magliocca@
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 10megabyte file size.
Instructions: 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
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 Navy’s application may
be obtained by visiting the internet at:
https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/
incidental.htm. The Navy’s Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)
for HSTT was made available to the
public on May 11, 2012 (77 FR 27743).
Documents cited in this notice may also
be viewed, by appointment, during
regular business hours, at the
aforementioned address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Michelle Magliocca, Office of Protected
Resources, NMFS, (301) 427–8401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
ADDRESSES:
Background
Sections 101(a)(5)(A) and (D) of the
MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) direct
the Secretary of Commerce 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 specific geographical region if
certain findings are made and either
regulations are issued or, if the taking is
limited to harassment, a notice of a
proposed authorization is provided to
the public for review.
Authorization for incidental takings
shall be granted if NMFS finds that the
taking will have a negligible impact on
the species or stock(s), will not have an
unmitigable adverse impact on the
availability of the species or stock(s) for
subsistence uses (where relevant), and if
the permissible methods of taking and
requirements pertaining to the
mitigation, monitoring and reporting of
such takings are set forth. NMFS has
E:\FR\FM\04OCN1.SGM
04OCN1
Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 193 / Thursday, October 4, 2012 / Notices
defined ‘‘negligible impact’’ in 50 CFR
216.103 as ‘‘* * * an impact resulting
from the specified activity that cannot
be reasonably expected to, and is not
reasonably likely to, adversely affect the
species or stock through effects on
annual rates of recruitment or survival.’’
With respect to military readiness
activities, the MMPA defines
‘‘harassment’’ as: ‘‘(i) Any act that
injures or has the significant potential to
injure a marine mammal stock in the
wild [Level A Harassment]; or (ii) any
act that disturbs or is likely to disturb
a marine mammal or marine mammal
stock in the wild by causing disruption
of natural behavioral patterns,
including, but not limited to, migration,
surfacing, nursing, breeding, feeding, or
sheltering, to a point where such
behavioral patterns are abandoned or
significantly altered [Level B
Harassment].’’
emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Summary of Request
On April 13, 2012, NMFS received an
application from the Navy requesting
two letters of authorization (LOAs) for
the take of 39 species of marine
mammals incidental to Navy training
and testing activities to be conducted in
the HSTT Study Area over 5 years. The
Navy is requesting a 5-year LOA for
training activities and a 5-year LOA for
testing activities, each proposed to be
conducted from 2014 through 2019. The
Study Area includes three existing range
complexes: the Southern California
(SOCAL) Range Complex, Hawaii Range
Complex (HRC), and Silver Strand
Training Complex (SSTC) (see page 2 of
the Navy’s application for a map). In
addition, the Study Area includes Navy
pierside locations and areas on the high
seas where maintenance, training, or
testing may occur. These activities are
classified as military readiness
activities. The Navy states that these
activities may expose some of the
marine mammals present within the
Study Area to sound from active sonar,
underwater detonations, and pile
driving and removal. In addition,
incidental takes of marine mammals
may occur from ship strikes. The Navy
is requesting authorization to take 39
marine mammal species by Level B
harassment and 30 marine mammal
species by serious injury or mortality.
Description of the Specified Activity
In the application submitted to
NMFS, the Navy requests authorization
to take marine mammals incidental to
conducting the following training and
testing activities: amphibious warfare;
anti-surface warfare; anti-submarine
warfare; mine warfare; naval special
warfare; Naval Air Systems Command
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15:21 Oct 03, 2012
Jkt 229001
(NAVAIR) testing; Naval Sea Systems
Command (NAVSEA) testing; Space and
Naval Warfare Systems Command
(SPAWAR) testing; and Office of Naval
Research (ONR) and Naval Research
Laboratory (NRL) testing. Detailed
descriptions of these activities,
including duration, location, and
equipment involved, are provided in the
Navy’s application. The Navy has also
prepared a Draft Environmental Impact
Statement (DEIS) analyzing the effects
on the human environment of
implementing their preferred alternative
(among others).
Information Solicited
Interested persons may submit
information, suggestions, and comments
concerning the Navy’s request (see
ADDRESSES). All input related to the
Navy’s HSTT request and NMFS’ role in
governing the incidental taking of
marine mammals will be considered by
NMFS when developing, if appropriate,
the most effective regulations governing
the issuance of letters of authorization.
Dated: September 27, 2012.
Helen M. Golde,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012–24539 Filed 10–3–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XC090
Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to
Specified Activities; U.S. Navy Training
and Testing Activities in the Atlantic
Fleet Training and Testing Study Area
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; receipt of application for
letter of authorization; request for
comments and information.
AGENCY:
NMFS has received a request
from the U.S. Navy (Navy) for
authorization to take marine mammals
incidental to the training and testing
activities conducted in the Atlantic
Fleet Training and Testing (AFTT) study
area from January 2014 through January
2019. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal
Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS
announces our receipt of the Navy’s
request for the development and
implementation of regulations
governing the incidental taking of
marine mammals and invites
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
60679
information, suggestions, and comments
on the Navy’s application and request.
DATES: Comments and information must
be received no later than November 5,
2012.
ADDRESSES: Comments on the
application should be addressed to
Michael Payne, Chief, Permits and
Conservation Division, Office of
Protected Resources, National Marine
Fisheries Service, 1315 East-West
Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910–
3225. The mailbox address for providing
email comments is
ITP.Hopper@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.
Instructions: 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 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.
An electronic copy of the Navy’s
application may be obtained by writing
to the address specified above,
telephoning the contact listed below
(see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT),
or visiting the internet at: https://
www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/
incidental.htm. The Navy’s Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)
for AFTT was made available to the
public on May 11, 2012 (77 FR 27742).
NMFS is a cooperating agency in the
development of the Navy’s DEIS for
AFTT. The dates and times of the public
meetings may be viewed at: https://
www.aftteis.com. Documents cited in
this notice may also be viewed, by
appointment, during regular business
hours, at the aforementioned address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Brian D. Hopper, Office of Protected
Resources, NMFS, (301) 427–8401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Sections 101(a)(5)(A) and (D) of the
MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) direct
the Secretary of Commerce 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 specific geographical region if
certain findings are made and either
regulations are issued or, if the taking is
E:\FR\FM\04OCN1.SGM
04OCN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 193 (Thursday, October 4, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60678-60679]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-24539]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-BC52
Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; U.S.
Navy Training and Testing Activities in the Hawaii-Southern California
Training and Testing Study Area
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; receipt of application for letter of authorization;
request for comments and information.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NMFS has received a request from the U.S. Navy (Navy) for
authorization to take marine mammals incidental to the training and
testing activities conducted in the Hawaii-Southern California Training
and Testing (HSTT) study area from January 2014 through January 2019.
Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is announcing
our receipt of the Navy's request for the development and
implementation of regulations governing the incidental taking of marine
mammals and inviting information, suggestions, and comments on the
Navy's application and request.
DATES: Comments and information must be received no later than November
5, 2012.
ADDRESSES: Comments on the application should be addressed to Michael
Payne, Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service, 1315 East-West Highway,
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3225. The mailbox address for providing email
comments is ITP.Magliocca@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.
Instructions: 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 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 Navy's application may be obtained by visiting the
internet at: https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/incidental.htm. The
Navy's Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for HSTT was made
available to the public on May 11, 2012 (77 FR 27743). Documents cited
in this notice may also be viewed, by appointment, during regular
business hours, at the aforementioned address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michelle Magliocca, Office of
Protected Resources, NMFS, (301) 427-8401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Sections 101(a)(5)(A) and (D) of the MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.)
direct the Secretary of Commerce 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 specific geographical region
if certain findings are made and either regulations are issued or, if
the taking is limited to harassment, a notice of a proposed
authorization is provided to the public for review.
Authorization for incidental takings shall be granted if NMFS finds
that the taking will have a negligible impact on the species or
stock(s), will not have an unmitigable adverse impact on the
availability of the species or stock(s) for subsistence uses (where
relevant), and if the permissible methods of taking and requirements
pertaining to the mitigation, monitoring and reporting of such takings
are set forth. NMFS has
[[Page 60679]]
defined ``negligible impact'' in 50 CFR 216.103 as ``* * * an impact
resulting from the specified activity that cannot be reasonably
expected to, and is not reasonably likely to, adversely affect the
species or stock through effects on annual rates of recruitment or
survival.''
With respect to military readiness activities, the MMPA defines
``harassment'' as: ``(i) Any act that injures or has the significant
potential to injure a marine mammal stock in the wild [Level A
Harassment]; or (ii) any act that disturbs or is likely to disturb a
marine mammal or marine mammal stock in the wild by causing disruption
of natural behavioral patterns, including, but not limited to,
migration, surfacing, nursing, breeding, feeding, or sheltering, to a
point where such behavioral patterns are abandoned or significantly
altered [Level B Harassment].''
Summary of Request
On April 13, 2012, NMFS received an application from the Navy
requesting two letters of authorization (LOAs) for the take of 39
species of marine mammals incidental to Navy training and testing
activities to be conducted in the HSTT Study Area over 5 years. The
Navy is requesting a 5-year LOA for training activities and a 5-year
LOA for testing activities, each proposed to be conducted from 2014
through 2019. The Study Area includes three existing range complexes:
the Southern California (SOCAL) Range Complex, Hawaii Range Complex
(HRC), and Silver Strand Training Complex (SSTC) (see page 2 of the
Navy's application for a map). In addition, the Study Area includes
Navy pierside locations and areas on the high seas where maintenance,
training, or testing may occur. These activities are classified as
military readiness activities. The Navy states that these activities
may expose some of the marine mammals present within the Study Area to
sound from active sonar, underwater detonations, and pile driving and
removal. In addition, incidental takes of marine mammals may occur from
ship strikes. The Navy is requesting authorization to take 39 marine
mammal species by Level B harassment and 30 marine mammal species by
serious injury or mortality.
Description of the Specified Activity
In the application submitted to NMFS, the Navy requests
authorization to take marine mammals incidental to conducting the
following training and testing activities: amphibious warfare; anti-
surface warfare; anti-submarine warfare; mine warfare; naval special
warfare; Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) testing; Naval Sea Systems
Command (NAVSEA) testing; Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command
(SPAWAR) testing; and Office of Naval Research (ONR) and Naval Research
Laboratory (NRL) testing. Detailed descriptions of these activities,
including duration, location, and equipment involved, are provided in
the Navy's application. The Navy has also prepared a Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) analyzing the effects on the
human environment of implementing their preferred alternative (among
others).
Information Solicited
Interested persons may submit information, suggestions, and
comments concerning the Navy's request (see ADDRESSES). All input
related to the Navy's HSTT request and NMFS' role in governing the
incidental taking of marine mammals will be considered by NMFS when
developing, if appropriate, the most effective regulations governing
the issuance of letters of authorization.
Dated: September 27, 2012.
Helen M. Golde,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-24539 Filed 10-3-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
