Endangered Species Act; Public Meeting Addendum, 22058-22059 [2016-08561]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
22058
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 72 / Thursday, April 14, 2016 / Notices
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
the beach, and to reduce the possibility
of impacts to pups by eliminating or
altering management activities on the
beach when pups are present and by
setting limits on the frequency and
duration of events during pupping
season. During the past fifteen years of
flood control management,
implementation of similar mitigation
measures has resulted in no known
stampede events and no known injury,
serious injury, or mortality. Over the
course of that time period, management
events have generally been infrequent
and of limited duration.
No pinniped stocks for which
incidental take is authorized are listed
as threatened or endangered under the
ESA or determined to be strategic or
depleted under the MMPA. Recent data
suggests that harbor seal populations
have reached carrying capacity;
populations of California sea lions and
northern elephant seals in California are
also considered healthy. In summary,
and based on extensive monitoring data,
we believe that impacts to hauled-out
pinnipeds during estuary management
activities would be behavioral
harassment of limited duration (i.e., less
than one day) and limited intensity (i.e.,
temporary flushing at most).
Stampeding, and therefore injury or
mortality, is not expected—nor been
documented—in the years since
appropriate protocols were established
(see Mitigation for more details).
Further, the continued, and increasingly
heavy (see figures in SCWA documents),
use of the haul-out despite decades of
breaching events indicates that
abandonment of the haul-out is
unlikely. Based on the analysis
contained herein of the likely effects of
the specified activity on marine
mammals and their habitat, and taking
into consideration the implementation
of the planned monitoring and
mitigation measures, we find that the
total marine mammal take from SCWA’s
estuary management activities will have
a negligible impact on the affected
marine mammal species or stocks.
Small Numbers Analysis
The authorized number of animals
taken for each species of pinniped can
be considered small relative to the
population size. There are an estimated
30,968 harbor seals in the California
stock, 296,750 California sea lions, and
179,000 northern elephant seals in the
California breeding population. Based
on extensive monitoring effort specific
to the affected haul-out and historical
data on the frequency of the specified
activity, we are proposing to authorize
take, by Level B harassment only, of
4,464 harbor seals, 36 California sea
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:56 Apr 13, 2016
Jkt 238001
lions, and 36 northern elephant seals,
representing 14.4, 0.01, and 0.02 percent
of the populations, respectively.
However, this represents an
overestimate of the number of
individuals harassed over the duration
of the IHA, because these totals
represent much smaller numbers of
individuals that may be harassed
multiple times. Based on the analysis
contained herein of the likely effects of
the specified activity on marine
mammals and their habitat, and taking
into consideration the implementation
of the mitigation and monitoring
measures, we find that small numbers of
marine mammals will be taken relative
to the populations of the affected
species or stocks.
Impact on Availability of Affected
Species for Taking for Subsistence Uses
There are no relevant subsistence uses
of marine mammals implicated by this
action. Therefore, we have determined
that the total taking of affected species
or stocks would not have an unmitigable
adverse impact on the availability of
such species or stocks for taking for
subsistence purposes.
Endangered Species Act (ESA)
No species listed under the ESA are
expected to be affected by these
activities. Therefore, we have
determined that a section 7 consultation
under the ESA is not required. As
described elsewhere in this document,
SCWA and the Corps consulted with
NMFS under section 7 of the ESA
regarding the potential effects of their
operations and maintenance activities,
including SCWA’s estuary management
program, on ESA-listed salmonids. As a
result of this consultation, NMFS issued
the Russian River Biological Opinion
(NMFS, 2008), including Reasonable
and Prudent Alternatives, which
prescribes modifications to SCWA’s
estuary management activities. The
effects of the proposed activities and
authorized take would not cause
additional effects for which section 7
consultation would be required.
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA)
In compliance with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), as implemented by
the regulations published by the
Council on Environmental Quality (40
CFR parts 1500–1508), and NOAA
Administrative Order 216–6, we
prepared an Environmental Assessment
(EA) to consider the direct, indirect and
cumulative effects to the human
environment resulting from issuance of
the original IHA to SCWA for the
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
specified activities and found that it
would not result in any significant
impacts to the human environment. We
signed a Finding of No Significant
Impact (FONSI) on March 30, 2010. We
have reviewed SWCA’s application for a
renewed IHA for ongoing estuary
management activities for 2016 and the
2015 monitoring report. Based on that
review, we have determined that the
proposed action follows closely the
IHAs issued and implemented in 2010–
15 and does not present any substantial
changes, or significant new
circumstances or information relevant to
environmental concerns which would
require a supplement to the 2010 EA or
preparation of a new NEPA document.
Therefore, we have determined that a
new or supplemental EA or
Environmental Impact Statement is
unnecessary, and rely on the existing
EA and FONSI for this action. The 2010
EA and FONSI for this action are
available for review at
www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/
incidental/construction.htm.
Authorization
As a result of these determinations,
we have issued an IHA to SCWA to
conduct estuary management activities
in the Russian River from the period of
April 21, 2016, through April 20, 2017,
provided the previously mentioned
mitigation, monitoring, and reporting
requirements are implemented.
Dated: April 8, 2016.
Donna S. Wieting,
Director, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016–08587 Filed 4–13–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XE479
Endangered Species Act; Public
Meeting Addendum
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting,
addendum.
AGENCY:
The purpose of the program
review is to ensure that recovery
program priorities and implementation
are aligned with resources and mission
mandates; enhance and align strategic
management of NMFS regulatory
programs; and provide transparency in
the operation of NMFS recovery
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\14APN1.SGM
14APN1
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 72 / Thursday, April 14, 2016 / Notices
program. The purpose of this notice is
to provide the final agenda and remote
access information for the public
meeting.
The meeting will be held
Tuesday April 19, 2016, through
Thursday April 21, 2016, at 9 a.m.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at
the NOAA Science Center, 1301 EastWest Highway, Silver Spring, MD
20910; phone: 301–713–1010.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Therese Conant, NMFS Office of
Protected Resources, 301–427–8456.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We,
NMFS, announced a public meeting of
a review of our recovery program under
the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as
amended (ESA) on March 4, 2016 (81
FR 11518). Under the ESA, section 4(f)
requires the Secretary to develop and
implement recovery plans for the
conservation and survival of endangered
and threatened species. Those recovery
plans must include objective,
measurable criteria which, when met,
would lead to a determination that the
species be removed from the list, sitespecific management actions necessary
to achieve the plan’s goal for the
conservation of the species, and
estimates of the time and costs to carry
out the measures identified in the plan.
We currently have final recovery
plans for 47 species and draft recovery
plans for five species. Recovery plans
are not started or are under
development for 39 species. The
objective of the recovery program
review is to determine if the current
recovery planning process results in
recovery plans that are effective
roadmaps for recovering the species as
evidenced by whether the plans are
being implemented by NMFS and
stakeholders, resulting in progress
towards meeting the recovery criteria so
that the species may be delisted. This
review will evaluate, within the context
of current budget constraints, the
efficacy of the recovery planning
process, including the quality of the
recovery plans, the implementation of
recovery actions, and the monitoring of
recovery progress. This review will
provide recommendations to improve
recovery plans and the recovery
planning and implementation process to
increase the likelihood of recovering
species.
The meeting is open to the public all
day, and the public will have an
opportunity to provide verbal or written
comments in one-hour sessions each
day. See agenda for remote access
information and timing for public
comments at under Recent News and
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
DATES:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:56 Apr 13, 2016
Jkt 238001
Hot Topics at https://
www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.
Dated: April 8, 2016.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office
of Protected Resources, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016–08561 Filed 4–13–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Telecommunications and
Information Administration
Recruitment of First Responder
Network Authority Board Members
National Telecommunications
and Information Administration, U.S.
Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The National
Telecommunications and Information
Administration (NTIA) issues this
Notice on behalf of the First Responder
Network Authority (FirstNet) to initiate
the annual process to seek expressions
of interest from individuals who would
like to serve on the FirstNet Board.1
Four of the 12 appointments of nonpermanent members to the FirstNet
Board expire in August 2016. The
Secretary of Commerce may reappoint
individuals to serve on the FirstNet
Board provided they have not served
two consecutive full three-year terms.2
NTIA issues this Notice to obtain
expressions of interest in the event the
Secretary must fill any vacancies arising
on the Board. Expressions of interest
will be accepted until May 20, 2016.
DATES: Expressions of interest must be
postmarked or electronically
transmitted on or before May 20, 2016.
ADDRESSES: Persons wishing to submit
expressions of interest as described
below should send that information to:
Marsha MacBride, Acting Associate
SUMMARY:
1 The Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation
Act of 2012 (Act) created FirstNet as an
independent authority within NTIA, directing it to
ensure the building, deployment, and operation of
a single nationwide interoperable broadband
network. Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation
Act of 2012, Public Law 112–96, 126 Stat. 156
(‘‘Act’’), codified at 47 U.S.C. 1401 et. seq. FirstNet
must exercise, through the actions of its Board, all
powers specifically granted by the provisions of the
Act and such incidental powers as shall be
necessary. 47 U.S.C. 1424(b)(1). The Secretary of
Commerce shall appoint 12 non-permanent
members of the Board, with the Secretary of
Homeland Security, the Attorney General of the
United States, and the Director of the Office of
Management and Budget serving as permanent
members of the Board. 47 U.S.C. 1424(b)(1).
2 47 U.S.C. 1424(c)(2)(A)(ii).
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
22059
Administrator of NTIA’s Office of Public
Safety Communications, by email to
FirstNetBoardApplicant@ntia.doc.gov;
or by U.S. mail or commercial delivery
service to: Office of Public Safety
Communications, National
Telecommunications and Information
Administration, 1401 Constitution
Avenue NW., Room 4078, Washington,
DC 20230; or by facsimile transmission
to (202) 482–5802. Please note that all
material sent via the U.S. Postal Service
(including ‘‘Overnight’’ or ‘‘Express
Mail’’) is subject to delivery delays of up
to two weeks due to mail security
procedures.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Marsha MacBride, Acting Associate
Administrator, Office of Public Safety
Communications, National
Telecommunications and Information
Administration, U.S. Department of
Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue
NW., Room 4078, Washington, DC
20230; telephone: (202) 482–5802;
email: mmacbride@ntia.doc.gov. Please
direct media inquiries to NTIA’s Office
of Public Affairs, (202) 482–7002.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background and Authority
The Middle Class Tax Relief and Job
Creation Act of 2012 (Act) created the
First Responder Network Authority
(FirstNet) as an independent authority
within NTIA and charged it with
ensuring the building, deployment, and
operation of a nationwide, interoperable
public safety broadband network, based
on a single, national network
architecture.3 FirstNet is responsible for,
at a minimum, ensuring nationwide
standards for use and access of the
network; issuing open, transparent, and
competitive requests for proposals
(RFPs) to build, operate, and maintain
the network; encouraging these RFPs to
leverage, to the maximum extent
economically desirable, existing
commercial wireless infrastructure to
speed deployment of the network; and
managing and overseeing contracts with
non-federal entities to build, operate,
and maintain the network.4 FirstNet
holds the single public safety license
granted for wireless public safety
broadband deployment. The FirstNet
Board is responsible for providing
overall policy direction and oversight of
FirstNet to ensure the success of the
nationwide network.
II. Structure
The FirstNet Board is composed of 15
voting members. The Act names the
3 47
4 47
E:\FR\FM\14APN1.SGM
U.S.C. 1422(b).
U.S.C. 1426(b)(1).
14APN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 72 (Thursday, April 14, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22058-22059]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-08561]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XE479
Endangered Species Act; Public Meeting Addendum
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting, addendum.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The purpose of the program review is to ensure that recovery
program priorities and implementation are aligned with resources and
mission mandates; enhance and align strategic management of NMFS
regulatory programs; and provide transparency in the operation of NMFS
recovery
[[Page 22059]]
program. The purpose of this notice is to provide the final agenda and
remote access information for the public meeting.
DATES: The meeting will be held Tuesday April 19, 2016, through
Thursday April 21, 2016, at 9 a.m.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the NOAA Science Center, 1301
East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone: 301-713-1010.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Therese Conant, NMFS Office of
Protected Resources, 301-427-8456.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, NMFS, announced a public meeting of a
review of our recovery program under the Endangered Species Act of
1973, as amended (ESA) on March 4, 2016 (81 FR 11518). Under the ESA,
section 4(f) requires the Secretary to develop and implement recovery
plans for the conservation and survival of endangered and threatened
species. Those recovery plans must include objective, measurable
criteria which, when met, would lead to a determination that the
species be removed from the list, site-specific management actions
necessary to achieve the plan's goal for the conservation of the
species, and estimates of the time and costs to carry out the measures
identified in the plan.
We currently have final recovery plans for 47 species and draft
recovery plans for five species. Recovery plans are not started or are
under development for 39 species. The objective of the recovery program
review is to determine if the current recovery planning process results
in recovery plans that are effective roadmaps for recovering the
species as evidenced by whether the plans are being implemented by NMFS
and stakeholders, resulting in progress towards meeting the recovery
criteria so that the species may be delisted. This review will
evaluate, within the context of current budget constraints, the
efficacy of the recovery planning process, including the quality of the
recovery plans, the implementation of recovery actions, and the
monitoring of recovery progress. This review will provide
recommendations to improve recovery plans and the recovery planning and
implementation process to increase the likelihood of recovering
species.
The meeting is open to the public all day, and the public will have
an opportunity to provide verbal or written comments in one-hour
sessions each day. See agenda for remote access information and timing
for public comments at under Recent News and Hot Topics at https://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.
Dated: April 8, 2016.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-08561 Filed 4-13-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
