Taking and Importing Marine Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Testing and Training Activities Conducted in the Eglin Gulf Test and Training Range, 40141-40143 [2017-17938]
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Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 163 / Thursday, August 24, 2017 / Notices
they also will become a matter of public
record.
Sheleen Dumas,
Departmental PRA Lead, Office of the Chief
Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2017–17976 Filed 8–23–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–HE–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RIN 0648–XE467
Taking and Importing Marine
Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals
Incidental to Testing and Training
Activities Conducted in the Eglin Gulf
Test and Training Range
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 United States Air Force
(USAF), Eglin Air Force Base (AFB)
96th Test Wing (AFMC) for
authorization to take marine mammals
incidental to conducting testing and
training activities in the Eglin Gulf Test
and Training Range (EGTTR) in the Gulf
of Mexico over the course of five years,
from February 4, 2018 through February
3, 2023. Pursuant to regulations
implementing the Marine Mammal
Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is
announcing receipt of Eglin AFB’s
request for the development and
implementation of regulations
governing the incidental taking of
marine mammals and inviting
information, suggestions, and comments
on Eglin AFB’s application and request.
DATES: Comments and information must
be received no later than September 25,
2017.
ADDRESSES: Comments on the
application should be addressed to Jolie
Harrison, Chief, Permits and
Conservation Division, Office of
Protected Resources, National Marine
Fisheries Service. 1315 East-West
Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910–
3225 and electronic comments should
be sent ITP.Pauline@noaa.gov.
Instructions: NMFS is not responsible
for comments sent by any other method,
to any other address or individual, or
received after the end of the comment
period. Comments sent via email,
including all attachments, must not
exceed a 25-megabyte file size.
rmajette on DSKBCKNHB2PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
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15:29 Aug 23, 2017
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Attachments to electronic comments
will be accepted in Microsoft Word or
Excel or Adobe PDF file formats only.
All comments received are a part of the
public record and will generally be
posted to www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/
permits/military.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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rob
Pauline, Office of Protected Resources,
NMFS, (301) 427–8401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Availability
An electronic copy of Eglin AFB’s
application may be obtained online at:
www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/
incidental/military.htm. In case of
problems accessing the document,
please call the contact listed above.
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 of a species or
population stock, by U.S. citizens who
engage in a specified activity (other than
commercial fishing) within a specified
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.
An authorization for incidental
takings for marine mammals 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 taking are set forth. NMFS has
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.
The NDAA of 2004 (Pub. L. 108–136)
removed the ‘‘small numbers’’ and
‘‘specified geographical region’’
limitations indicated earlier and
amended the definition of harassment as
it applies to a ‘‘military readiness
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
40141
activity’’ to read as follows (Section
3(18)(B) of the MMPA): (i) Any act that
injures or has the significant potential to
injure a marine mammal or 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). Eglin AFB has identified
these testing and training activities as
military readiness activities.
On April 23, 2012, NMFS
promulgated a rulemaking and issued a
Letter of Authorization (LOA) for takes
of marine mammals incidental to Eglin
AFB’s Naval Explosive Ordnance
Disposal School (NEODS) training
operations at Eglin AFB. This rule
expired on April 24, 2017 (77 FR 16718,
March 22, 2012). On March 5, 2014,
NMFS promulgated rulemaking and
issued a LOA for takes of marine
mammals incidental to Eglin AFB’s Air
Force Special Operations Command
(AFSOC) precision strike weapons
(PSW) and air-to-surface (AS) gunnery
activities in the EGTTR, which is valid
through March 4, 2019 (79 FR 13568,
March 11, 2014). In addition to these
rules and LOAs, NMFS has issued
Incidental Harassment Authorizations
(IHA) for take of marine mammals
incidental to Eglin AFB’s Maritime
Strike Operations (78 FR 52135, August
22, 2013; valid August 19, 2013 through
August 18, 2014) and Maritime
Weapons Systems Evaluations Program
(WSEP) annually in 2015 (81 FR 7307)
and 2016 (82 FR 10747). Eglin AFB
complied with all conditions of the
LOAs and IHAs issued, including
submission of final reports. Based on
these reports, NMFS has determined
that impacts to marine mammals were
not beyond those anticipated. On
November 10, 2015, Eglin Natural
Resources submitted an LOA request to
consolidate all EGTTR activities into
one authorization for five years. NMFS
Office of Protected Resources planned to
issue the EGTTR LOA by January 2017.
However, it became apparent that the
LOA would not be issued in time to
cover February 2017 Maritime WSEP
missions based on concerns associated
with the acoustic model methodology
and mission-day scenario versus perdetonation approach. Eglin Natural
Resources requested and received a
separate IHA (82 FR 10747, February 15,
2017) valid from February 4, 2017
through February 3, 2018 for those
E:\FR\FM\24AUN1.SGM
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40142
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 163 / Thursday, August 24, 2017 / Notices
WSEP missions that incorporated such
methodology revisions, which has also
served as interim coverage for a small
number of other 2017 missions while
the EGTTR LOA was being revised.
Eglin AFB’s current rulemaking/LOA
application would also supersede the
existing PSW and AS gunnery rule that
is in effect until March 4, 2019, and
would include all of Eglin AFB’s testing
and training activities, including WSEP
activities, into one new rule with the
exception of NEODS training activities.
Eglin AFB has never conducted any
NEODS training activities and is not
including these activities as part of the
new rulemaking.
Summary of Request
On May 3, 2017, NMFS received an
adequate and complete application from
Eglin AFB requesting authorization for
the take of marine mammals incidental
to testing and training activities in the
EGTTR (defined as the area and airspace
over the Gulf of Mexico controlled by
Eglin AFB, beginning at a point three
nautical miles (nmi) off the coast of
Florida) for a period of five years. These
testing and training activities have the
potential to result in take of marine
mammals in the waters of the EGTTR.
Therefore, Eglin AFB requests
authorization to take two species of
marine mammals that may occur in this
area, Atlantic bottlenose dolphins
(Tursiops truncatus) and Atlantic
spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis).
Specified Activities
Eglin AFB proposes the following
actions in the EGTTR: (1) 86th Fighter
Weapons Squadron (FWS) Maritime
WSEP test missions that involve the use
of multiple types of live and inert
munitions (bombs and missiles)
detonated above, at, or slightly below
the water surface; (2) Advanced Systems
Employment Project actions that involve
deployment of a variety of pods, air-toair missiles, bombs, and other
munitions (all inert ordnances in
relation to EGTTR); (3) AFSOC training,
including air-to-surface gunnery
missions involving firing live gunnery
rounds at targets on the water surface in
EGTTR, small diameter bomb (SDB) and
Griffin/Hellfire missile training
involving the use of live missiles and
SDBs in the EGTTR against small towed
boats, and CV–22 training involving the
firing of 0.50 caliber (cal.)/7.62 mm
ammunition at flares floating on the
EGTTR water surface; (4) 413th Flight
Test Squadron (FLTS) Precision Strike
Program (PSP) activities involving firing
munitions at flare targets on the EGTTR
water surface and Stand-Off Precision
Guided Munitions (SOPGM) testing
involving captive-carry, store
separation, and weapon employment
tests; (5) 780th Test Squadron (TS)
activities involving PSW test missions
(launch of munitions against targets in
the EGTTR) and Longbow Littoral
Testing (data collection on tracking and
impact ability of the Longbow missile
on small boats); (6) 96th Test Wing Inert
Missions (developmental testing and
evaluation for wide variety of airdelivered weapons and other systems
using inert bombs); and (7) 96
Operations Group (OG) missions, which
involve the support of air-to-surface
missions for several user groups within
EGTTR.
During these activities, ordnances
may be delivered by multiple types of
aircraft, including bombers and fighter
aircraft. The actions include air-toground missiles (AGM); air intercept
missiles (AIM); bomb dummy units
(BDU); guided bomb units (GBU);
projectile gun units (PGU); cluster bomb
units (CBU); wind-corrected munitions
dispensers (WCMD); (SDB) and laser
small diameter bombs (LSDB); high
explosive incendiary units (HEI); joint
direct attack munitions (JDAM) and
laser joint direct attack munitions
(LJDAM); research department
explosives (RDX); joint air-to-surface
stand-off missiles (JASSM); high
altitude anti-submarine warfare
weapons (inert); high-speed
maneuverable surface targets; and
gunnery rounds. Net explosive weight
(NEW) of the live munitions ranges from
0.1 to 945 pounds (lb).
Eglin AFB testing and training
activities involving live munitions are
summarized in Table 1.
TABLE 1—LIVE MUNITIONS PLANNED FOR TESTING AND TRAINING ACTIVITIES IN THE EGTTR
Mission Groups
86 FWS Maritime
WSEP.
Mission
category
day
Munition
A ..............
GBU–10/–24/–31 ......
945
Subsurface * .......
1
2
2
300
240
192
Surface ...............
Surface ...............
Subsurface * .......
2
2
5
........................
........................
........................
4
4
10
F ..............
GBU–49 ....................
AGM–158 (JASSM) ..
GBU–12/–54
(LJDAM/–38/–32
(JDAM).
AGM–65 (Maverick) ..
GBU–39 (SDB) .........
AGM–114 (Hellfire) ...
AGM–176 (Griffin) .....
2.75 rocket ................
AIM–9X .....................
PGU–12 HEI 30 mm
105 mm HE (FU) ......
40 mm HE .................
30 mm HE .................
25 mm HE .................
105 mm HE (TR) ......
40 mm HE .................
30 mm HE .................
25 mm HE .................
30 mm HE .................
86
37
20
13
12
7.9
0.1
4.7
0.87
0.1
0.067
0.35
0.87
0.1
0.067
0.1
Surface ...............
Surface ...............
Subsurface * .......
Surface ...............
Surface ...............
Surface ...............
Surface ...............
Surface ...............
Surface ...............
Surface ...............
Surface ...............
Surface ...............
Surface ...............
Surface ...............
Surface ...............
Surface ...............
2
1
5
5
50
1
500
30
64
500
560
30
64
500
560
33
4
........................
........................
2
........................
........................
........................
25
........................
........................
........................
45
........................
........................
........................
3
8
4
20
10
100
2
1,000
750
1,600
12,500
14,000
1,350
2,880
22,500
25,200
99
G ..............
H ..............
I ...............
105 mm FU ...............
105 mm TR ...............
AGM–176 (Griffin) .....
4.7
0.35
4.58
Surface ...............
Surface ...............
Surface ...............
15
15
5
4
4
2
60
60
10
B ..............
C ..............
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AFSOC AS gunnery ...
D ..............
E ..............
413 FLTS PSP gunnery.
413 FLTS SOPGM .....
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NEW
(lb)
Fmt 4703
Detonation type
Sfmt 4703
Munitions/day
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Mission
days/yr
Munitions/yr
40143
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 163 / Thursday, August 24, 2017 / Notices
TABLE 1—LIVE MUNITIONS PLANNED FOR TESTING AND TRAINING ACTIVITIES IN THE EGTTR—Continued
Mission Groups
780 TS PSW ..............
780 TS other tests .....
Mission
category
day
J ...............
K ..............
L ...............
M ..............
N ..............
O ..............
P ..............
Q ..............
96 OG Future Missions.
R ..............
S ..............
T ..............
Munition
AGM–114 (Hellfire) ...
GBU–39 (SDB I) .......
GBU–39 (LSDB) .......
AGM–158 (JASSM) ..
GBU–39 (SDB I) .......
GBU–39 (SDB I)
Double shot *.
GBU–53 (SDB II) ......
Joint air-ground missile.
LSDB and SDB II
(live fuse only).
GBU–10/–24 .............
AGM–158 (JASSM) ..
GBU–12 or –54 .........
AGM–65 (Maverick) ..
GBU–39 (SDB I or
LSDB).
AGM–114 (Hellfire) ...
105 mm HE (FU) ......
40 mm HE .................
Live fuse ...................
30 mm HE .................
NEW
(lb)
20
36
36
240
37
74
Detonation type
Surface
Surface
Surface
Surface
Surface
Surface
Munitions/day
Mission
days/yr
Munitions/yr
...............
...............
...............
...............
...............
...............
5
3
5
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
........................
10
6
10
2
2
2
22.84
27.41
Surface ...............
Surface ...............
2
1
1
1
2
1
0.4
Surface ...............
2
4
8
945
Subsurface * .......
1
1
1
240
192
86
37
Surface ...............
Subsurface * .......
Surface ...............
Subsurface * .......
1
1
1
2
........................
........................
2
........................
1
1
2
4
29
4.7
0.9
0.4
0.1
Subsurface * .......
Surface ...............
Surface ...............
Surface ...............
Surface ...............
10
13
60
20
500
........................
10
........................
........................
........................
20
130
60
200
5,000
FU = Full Up; TR = Training Round (lessened NEW).
* Subsurface detonations occur at 10 feet water depth.
Information Solicited
Interested persons may submit
information, suggestions, and comments
concerning Eglin AFB’s request (see
ADDRESSES). Comments should be
supported by data or literature citations
as appropriate. We will consider all
relevant information, suggestions, and
comments related to the request during
the development of proposed
regulations governing the incidental
taking of marine mammals by Eglin
AFB, if appropriate.
Dated: August 21, 2017.
Cathryn E. Tortorici,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017–17938 Filed 8–23–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
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RIN 0648–XF624
Pacific Fishery Management Council;
Public Meeting
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
AGENCY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:03 Aug 23, 2017
Notice of public meeting
(conference call).
ACTION:
Jkt 241001
The Pacific Fishery
Management Council’s (Pacific Council)
Coastal Pelagic Species Advisory
Subpanel (CPSAS) will hold a meeting
via conference call that is open to the
public.
DATES: The conference call will be held
Wednesday, September 6, 2017, from 2
p.m. to 4 p.m. or until business for the
day has been completed.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held
via conference call. To attend the
conference call, dial this toll free
number: (866) 692–4538; enter
participant code 2366028. A public
listening station is available at the
Pacific Council office (address below).
Council Address: Pacific Fishery
Management Council, 7700 NE
Ambassador Place, Suite 101, Portland,
OR 97220–1384.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kerry Griffin, Pacific Council;
telephone: (503) 820–2409.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
purpose of the meeting is to discuss
items on the Pacific Council’s
September 2017 meeting agenda. Major
topics include, but are not limited to, (1)
a draft Terms of Reference for the 2018
review of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration’s AcousticTrawl Survey Methodology Review
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
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Terms of Reference for coastal pelagic
species stocks; and (2) the Ecosystem
Workgroup Report on Fishery Ecosystem
Plan Initiatives: Scoping and Selection.
Both topics are to be considered at the
September Council meeting, and the
CPSAS may develop supplemental
reports on these topics. The CPSAS may
also address one or more of the Pacific
Council’s scheduled Administrative
Matters including future meeting
planning. Public comment may be taken
at the discretion of the CPSAS CoChairs.
Although non-emergency issues not
contained in the meeting agenda may be
discussed, those issues may not be the
subject of formal action during this
meeting. Action will be restricted to
those issues specifically listed in this
document and any issues arising after
publication of this document that
require emergency action under section
305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act,
provided the public has been notified of
the intent to take final action to address
the emergency.
Special Accommodations
This meeting is physically accessible
to people with disabilities. Requests for
sign language interpretation or other
auxiliary aids should be directed to Mr.
Kris Kleinschmidt at (503) 820–2411 at
least 10 days prior to the meeting date.
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 163 (Thursday, August 24, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40141-40143]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-17938]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RIN 0648-XE467
Taking and Importing Marine Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals
Incidental to Testing and Training Activities Conducted in the Eglin
Gulf Test and Training Range
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 United States Air Force
(USAF), Eglin Air Force Base (AFB) 96th Test Wing (AFMC) for
authorization to take marine mammals incidental to conducting testing
and training activities in the Eglin Gulf Test and Training Range
(EGTTR) in the Gulf of Mexico over the course of five years, from
February 4, 2018 through February 3, 2023. Pursuant to regulations
implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is
announcing receipt of Eglin AFB's request for the development and
implementation of regulations governing the incidental taking of marine
mammals and inviting information, suggestions, and comments on Eglin
AFB's application and request.
DATES: Comments and information must be received no later than
September 25, 2017.
ADDRESSES: Comments on the application should be addressed to Jolie
Harrison, Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. 1315 East-West Highway,
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3225 and electronic comments should be sent
ITP.Pauline@noaa.gov.
Instructions: NMFS is not responsible for comments sent by any
other method, to any other address or individual, or received after the
end of the comment period. Comments sent via email, including all
attachments, must not exceed a 25-megabyte file size. Attachments to
electronic comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word or Excel or
Adobe PDF file formats only. All comments received are a part of the
public record and will generally be posted to www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/military.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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rob Pauline, Office of Protected
Resources, NMFS, (301) 427-8401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Availability
An electronic copy of Eglin AFB's application may be obtained
online at: www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/incidental/military.htm. In
case of problems accessing the document, please call the contact listed
above.
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 of a species or population stock, by U.S. citizens who engage
in a specified activity (other than commercial fishing) within a
specified 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.
An authorization for incidental takings for marine mammals 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 taking
are set forth. NMFS has 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.
The NDAA of 2004 (Pub. L. 108-136) removed the ``small numbers''
and ``specified geographical region'' limitations indicated earlier and
amended the definition of harassment as it applies to a ``military
readiness activity'' to read as follows (Section 3(18)(B) of the MMPA):
(i) Any act that injures or has the significant potential to injure a
marine mammal or 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). Eglin AFB has identified these testing and training
activities as military readiness activities.
On April 23, 2012, NMFS promulgated a rulemaking and issued a
Letter of Authorization (LOA) for takes of marine mammals incidental to
Eglin AFB's Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal School (NEODS) training
operations at Eglin AFB. This rule expired on April 24, 2017 (77 FR
16718, March 22, 2012). On March 5, 2014, NMFS promulgated rulemaking
and issued a LOA for takes of marine mammals incidental to Eglin AFB's
Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) precision strike weapons
(PSW) and air-to-surface (AS) gunnery activities in the EGTTR, which is
valid through March 4, 2019 (79 FR 13568, March 11, 2014). In addition
to these rules and LOAs, NMFS has issued Incidental Harassment
Authorizations (IHA) for take of marine mammals incidental to Eglin
AFB's Maritime Strike Operations (78 FR 52135, August 22, 2013; valid
August 19, 2013 through August 18, 2014) and Maritime Weapons Systems
Evaluations Program (WSEP) annually in 2015 (81 FR 7307) and 2016 (82
FR 10747). Eglin AFB complied with all conditions of the LOAs and IHAs
issued, including submission of final reports. Based on these reports,
NMFS has determined that impacts to marine mammals were not beyond
those anticipated. On November 10, 2015, Eglin Natural Resources
submitted an LOA request to consolidate all EGTTR activities into one
authorization for five years. NMFS Office of Protected Resources
planned to issue the EGTTR LOA by January 2017. However, it became
apparent that the LOA would not be issued in time to cover February
2017 Maritime WSEP missions based on concerns associated with the
acoustic model methodology and mission-day scenario versus per-
detonation approach. Eglin Natural Resources requested and received a
separate IHA (82 FR 10747, February 15, 2017) valid from February 4,
2017 through February 3, 2018 for those
[[Page 40142]]
WSEP missions that incorporated such methodology revisions, which has
also served as interim coverage for a small number of other 2017
missions while the EGTTR LOA was being revised.
Eglin AFB's current rulemaking/LOA application would also supersede
the existing PSW and AS gunnery rule that is in effect until March 4,
2019, and would include all of Eglin AFB's testing and training
activities, including WSEP activities, into one new rule with the
exception of NEODS training activities. Eglin AFB has never conducted
any NEODS training activities and is not including these activities as
part of the new rulemaking.
Summary of Request
On May 3, 2017, NMFS received an adequate and complete application
from Eglin AFB requesting authorization for the take of marine mammals
incidental to testing and training activities in the EGTTR (defined as
the area and airspace over the Gulf of Mexico controlled by Eglin AFB,
beginning at a point three nautical miles (nmi) off the coast of
Florida) for a period of five years. These testing and training
activities have the potential to result in take of marine mammals in
the waters of the EGTTR. Therefore, Eglin AFB requests authorization to
take two species of marine mammals that may occur in this area,
Atlantic bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and Atlantic spotted
dolphins (Stenella frontalis).
Specified Activities
Eglin AFB proposes the following actions in the EGTTR: (1) 86th
Fighter Weapons Squadron (FWS) Maritime WSEP test missions that involve
the use of multiple types of live and inert munitions (bombs and
missiles) detonated above, at, or slightly below the water surface; (2)
Advanced Systems Employment Project actions that involve deployment of
a variety of pods, air-to-air missiles, bombs, and other munitions (all
inert ordnances in relation to EGTTR); (3) AFSOC training, including
air-to-surface gunnery missions involving firing live gunnery rounds at
targets on the water surface in EGTTR, small diameter bomb (SDB) and
Griffin/Hellfire missile training involving the use of live missiles
and SDBs in the EGTTR against small towed boats, and CV-22 training
involving the firing of 0.50 caliber (cal.)/7.62 mm ammunition at
flares floating on the EGTTR water surface; (4) 413th Flight Test
Squadron (FLTS) Precision Strike Program (PSP) activities involving
firing munitions at flare targets on the EGTTR water surface and Stand-
Off Precision Guided Munitions (SOPGM) testing involving captive-carry,
store separation, and weapon employment tests; (5) 780th Test Squadron
(TS) activities involving PSW test missions (launch of munitions
against targets in the EGTTR) and Longbow Littoral Testing (data
collection on tracking and impact ability of the Longbow missile on
small boats); (6) 96th Test Wing Inert Missions (developmental testing
and evaluation for wide variety of air-delivered weapons and other
systems using inert bombs); and (7) 96 Operations Group (OG) missions,
which involve the support of air-to-surface missions for several user
groups within EGTTR.
During these activities, ordnances may be delivered by multiple
types of aircraft, including bombers and fighter aircraft. The actions
include air-to-ground missiles (AGM); air intercept missiles (AIM);
bomb dummy units (BDU); guided bomb units (GBU); projectile gun units
(PGU); cluster bomb units (CBU); wind-corrected munitions dispensers
(WCMD); (SDB) and laser small diameter bombs (LSDB); high explosive
incendiary units (HEI); joint direct attack munitions (JDAM) and laser
joint direct attack munitions (LJDAM); research department explosives
(RDX); joint air-to-surface stand-off missiles (JASSM); high altitude
anti-submarine warfare weapons (inert); high-speed maneuverable surface
targets; and gunnery rounds. Net explosive weight (NEW) of the live
munitions ranges from 0.1 to 945 pounds (lb).
Eglin AFB testing and training activities involving live munitions
are summarized in Table 1.
Table 1--Live Munitions Planned for Testing and Training Activities in the EGTTR
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mission category Mission days/
Mission Groups day Munition NEW (lb) Detonation type Munitions/day yr Munitions/yr
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
86 FWS Maritime WSEP............ A................ GBU-10/-24/-31..... 945 Subsurface *....... 1 2 2
GBU-49............. 300 Surface............ 2 .............. 4
AGM-158 (JASSM).... 240 Surface............ 2 .............. 4
GBU-12/-54 (LJDAM/- 192 Subsurface *....... 5 .............. 10
38/-32 (JDAM).
B................ AGM-65 (Maverick).. 86 Surface............ 2 4 8
GBU-39 (SDB)....... 37 Surface............ 1 .............. 4
AGM-114 (Hellfire). 20 Subsurface *....... 5 .............. 20
C................ AGM-176 (Griffin).. 13 Surface............ 5 2 10
2.75 rocket........ 12 Surface............ 50 .............. 100
AIM-9X............. 7.9 Surface............ 1 .............. 2
PGU-12 HEI 30 mm... 0.1 Surface............ 500 .............. 1,000
AFSOC AS gunnery................ D................ 105 mm HE (FU)..... 4.7 Surface............ 30 25 750
40 mm HE........... 0.87 Surface............ 64 .............. 1,600
30 mm HE........... 0.1 Surface............ 500 .............. 12,500
25 mm HE........... 0.067 Surface............ 560 .............. 14,000
E................ 105 mm HE (TR)..... 0.35 Surface............ 30 45 1,350
40 mm HE........... 0.87 Surface............ 64 .............. 2,880
30 mm HE........... 0.1 Surface............ 500 .............. 22,500
25 mm HE........... 0.067 Surface............ 560 .............. 25,200
413 FLTS PSP gunnery............ F................ 30 mm HE........... 0.1 Surface............ 33 3 99
G................ 105 mm FU.......... 4.7 Surface............ 15 4 60
H................ 105 mm TR.......... 0.35 Surface............ 15 4 60
413 FLTS SOPGM.................. I................ AGM-176 (Griffin).. 4.58 Surface............ 5 2 10
[[Page 40143]]
J................ AGM-114 (Hellfire). 20 Surface............ 5 2 10
K................ GBU-39 (SDB I)..... 36 Surface............ 3 2 6
L................ GBU-39 (LSDB)...... 36 Surface............ 5 2 10
780 TS PSW...................... M................ AGM-158 (JASSM).... 240 Surface............ 2 1 2
N................ GBU-39 (SDB I)..... 37 Surface............ 2 1 2
GBU-39 (SDB I) 74 Surface............ 2 .............. 2
Double shot *.
O................ GBU-53 (SDB II).... 22.84 Surface............ 2 1 2
780 TS other tests.............. P................ Joint air-ground 27.41 Surface............ 1 1 1
missile.
Q................ LSDB and SDB II 0.4 Surface............ 2 4 8
(live fuse only).
96 OG Future Missions........... R................ GBU-10/-24......... 945 Subsurface *....... 1 1 1
AGM-158 (JASSM).... 240 Surface............ 1 .............. 1
GBU-12 or -54...... 192 Subsurface *....... 1 .............. 1
S................ AGM-65 (Maverick).. 86 Surface............ 1 2 2
GBU-39 (SDB I or 37 Subsurface *....... 2 .............. 4
LSDB).
AGM-114 (Hellfire). 29 Subsurface *....... 10 .............. 20
T................ 105 mm HE (FU)..... 4.7 Surface............ 13 10 130
40 mm HE........... 0.9 Surface............ 60 .............. 60
Live fuse.......... 0.4 Surface............ 20 .............. 200
30 mm HE........... 0.1 Surface............ 500 .............. 5,000
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FU = Full Up; TR = Training Round (lessened NEW).
* Subsurface detonations occur at 10 feet water depth.
Information Solicited
Interested persons may submit information, suggestions, and
comments concerning Eglin AFB's request (see ADDRESSES). Comments
should be supported by data or literature citations as appropriate. We
will consider all relevant information, suggestions, and comments
related to the request during the development of proposed regulations
governing the incidental taking of marine mammals by Eglin AFB, if
appropriate.
Dated: August 21, 2017.
Cathryn E. Tortorici,
Acting Deputy Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-17938 Filed 8-23-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
