Taking and Importing Marine Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Oil and Gas Activities in Cook Inlet, Alaska, 54088-54089 [2018-23405]

Download as PDF 54088 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 208 / Friday, October 26, 2018 / Notices carbon, or aramid (synthetic polymer)) and a matrix material (typically polymer resin, ceramic, or metallic). The merchandise subject to this investigation is properly classified under statistical reporting numbers 7311.00.0060 and 7311.00.0090 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS). Although the HTSUS statistical reporting numbers are provided for convenience and customs purposes, the written description of the merchandise is dispositive. Appendix II List of Topics Discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum I. Summary II. Background III. Scope Comments IV. Scope of the Investigation V. Alignment VI. Injury Test VII. Application of the CVD Law to Imports From the China VIII. Diversification of China’s Economy IX. Subsidies Valuation X. Benchmarks and Interest Rates XI. Use of Facts Otherwise Available and Adverse Inferences XII. Analysis of Programs XIII. Calculation of the All-Others Rate XIV. ITC Notification XV. Disclosure and Public Comment XVI. Verification XVII. Recommendation [FR Doc. 2018–23453 Filed 10–25–18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–DS–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration North Pacific Fishery Management Council; Public Meeting National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Notice of a public meeting. AGENCY: The North Pacific Fishery Management Council’s (Council) Social Science Planning Team will hold a teleconference on November 9, 2018. DATES: The meeting will be held on Friday, November 9, 2018, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held telephonically at (907) 271–2896. Council address: North Pacific Fishery Management Council, 605 W 4th Ave. Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 99501–2252; telephone: (907) 271–2809. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sarah Marrinan, Council staff; telephone: (907) 271–2809. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: khammond on DSK30JT082PROD with NOTICES VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:32 Oct 25, 2018 Jkt 247001 Friday, November 9, 2018 Agenda topics for the teleconference include the following: • Discuss and adopt terms of reference • Consider document on socioeconomic guidance in other Councils • Gap analysis update and future plans • Consider response to Council’s request for Tribal representation • Agenda items for next in-person meeting • Other business This meeting schedule is subject to change. Final agenda will be posted at: https://www.npfmc.org/committees/ social-science-planning-team/. Public Comment Public comment letters will be accepted before November 5, 2018 and should be submitted either electronically to Sarah Marrinan, Council staff: sarah.marrinan@noaa.gov or through the mail: North Pacific Fishery Management Council, 605 W 4th Ave. Suite 306, Anchorage, AK 99501–2252. Oral public testimony will be accepted at the discretion of the chair. Special Accommodations The meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Shannon Gleason at (907) 271–2809 at least 7 working days prior to the meeting date. Dated: October 23, 2018. Tracey L. Thompson, Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. RIN 0648–XG580 SUMMARY: Agenda [FR Doc. 2018–23446 Filed 10–25–18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XG537 Taking and Importing Marine Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Oil and Gas Activities in Cook Inlet, Alaska 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 Hilcorp Alaska, LLC (Hilcorp) for SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 authorization to take small numbers of marine mammals incidental to oil and gas activities in Cook Inlet, Alaska over the course of five years from the date of issuance. Pursuant to regulations implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is announcing receipt of the Hilcorp’s request for the development and implementation of regulations governing the incidental taking of marine mammals. NMFS invites the public to provide information, suggestions, and comments on the Hilcorp’s application and request. DATES: Comments and information must be received no later than November 26, 2018. ADDRESSES: Comments on the applications should be addressed to Jolie Harrison, Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. Physical comments should be sent to 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 and electronic comments should be sent to ITP.young@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 received electronically, including all attachments, must not exceed a 25megabyte 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 online at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/node/ 23111 without change. All personal identifying information (e.g., name, address) 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: Sara Young, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, (301) 427–8401. An electronic copy of the Hilcorp’s application may be obtained online at: https:// www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/ marine-mammal-protection/incidentaltake-authorizations-oil-and-gas.htm. In case of problems accessing these documents, please call the contact listed above. 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 (as delegated to NMFS) to allow, upon request, the incidental, but not intentional, taking of E:\FR\FM\26OCN1.SGM 26OCN1 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 208 / Friday, October 26, 2018 / Notices small numbers of marine mammals 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 incidental take authorization 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 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 MMPA states that the term ‘‘take’’ means to harass, hunt, capture, kill or attempt to harass, hunt, capture, or kill any marine mammal. Except with respect to certain activities not pertinent here, the MMPA defines ‘‘harassment’’ as: Any act of pursuit, torment, or annoyance, which (i) has the potential to injure a marine mammal or marine mammal stock in the wild (Level A harassment); or (ii) has the potential to disturb a marine mammal or marine mammal stock in the wild by causing disruption of behavioral patterns, including, but not limited to, migration, breathing, nursing, breeding, feeding, or sheltering (Level B harassment). khammond on DSK30JT082PROD with NOTICES Summary of Request On September 29, 2018, NMFS received an adequate and complete application from Hilcorp requesting authorization for take of marine mammals incidental to oil and gas activities in Cook Inlet, Alaska. The requested regulations would be valid for five years, from April 1, 2019 through March 31, 2024. Hilcorp’s plans to conduct necessary work, including 2D and 3D seismic surveys, geohazard surveys, vibratory sheet pile driving, and drilling of exploratory well. The proposed action may incidentally expose marine mammals occurring in the vicinity to sources of harassment, particularly through elevated levels of underwater sound in the marine environment, thereby resulting in incidental take, by Level A and Level B harassment. Therefore, Hilcorp requests VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:32 Oct 25, 2018 Jkt 247001 authorization to incidentally take marine mammals. Specified Activities Hilcorp owns and operates in over 29 oil and has field production facilities, including several located in Cook Inlet. Hilcorp plans to continue to conduct exploration and production activities in Cook Inlet. The petition includes all four stages of oil and gas activities: Exploration, development, production, and decommissioning. The work expected to span five years includes: 30 days of 2D seismic survey, 45–60 days of 3D seismic survey, geohazard surveys in the Outer Continenal Shelf (OCS) (30 days), middle Cook Inlet subseawall area (14 days), and Trading Bay (30 days), exploratory wells in the OCS (40– 60 days per well, 2–4 wells annually for three years) and Trading Bay (120–150 days), Iniskin Peninsula exploration and development (180 days annually for two years), platform and pipeline maintenance (180 days annually for five years), middle Cook Inlet well abandonment (90 days), and Drift River terminal decommissioning (120 days). Eleven species of marine mammal are known to occur in Cook Inlet: Eight cetacean species and three pinniped species. Of those species, the Northeastern Pacific stock of fin whale, Western North Pacific stock of humpback whale, Cook Inlet stock of beluga whale, and Western Distinct Population of Steller sea lion are listed as Endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Information Solicited Interested persons may submit information, suggestions, and comments concerning Hilcorp’s request (see ADDRESSES). NMFS will consider all information, suggestions, and comments related to the request during the development of proposed regulations governing the incidental taking of marine mammals by Hilcorp, if appropriate. Dated: October 22, 2018. Donna Wieting, Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2018–23405 Filed 10–25–18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 54089 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Solicitation for Members of the NOAA Science Advisory Board; Correction National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), Department of Commerce (DOC). ACTION: Notice of solicitation for members of the NOAA Science Advisory Board; correction. AGENCY: On October 17, 2018, NOAA published a notice in the Federal Register soliciting nominations for members of the NOAA Science Advisory Board (SAB). The closing date for receiving nominations in that notice was incorrect. This document corrects that date to November 30, 2018. DATES: The closing date for receiving nominations for the notice published October 17, 2018, at 83 FR 52417, is corrected. Nominations must be received by November 30, 2018, and should be sent to the web address specified. ADDRESSES: Applications should be submitted electronically to noaa.sab.newmembers@noaa.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Cynthia Decker, Executive Director, Science Advisory Board, NOAA, Rm. 11230, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910. (Phone: 301– 734–1156, Fax: 301–713–1459, Email: Cynthia.Decker@noaa.gov); or visit the NOAA SAB website at https:// www.sab.noaa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NOAA is soliciting nominations for members of the NOAA Science Advisory Board. The SAB is the only Federal Advisory Committee with the responsibility to advise the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans, Atmosphere, and NOAA Administrator on long- and short-range strategies for research, education, and application of science to resource management and environmental assessment and prediction. The SAB consists of approximately fifteen members reflecting the full breadth of NOAA’s areas of responsibility and assists NOAA in maintaining a complete and accurate understanding of scientific issues critical to the agency’s missions. The notice that published October 17, 2018, incorrectly established November 16, 2018, as the closing date for submitting nominations. This notice corrects that date to November 30, 2018, as originally intended. SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\26OCN1.SGM 26OCN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 208 (Friday, October 26, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54088-54089]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-23405]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XG537


Taking and Importing Marine Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals 
Incidental to Oil and Gas Activities in Cook Inlet, Alaska

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 Hilcorp Alaska, LLC (Hilcorp) 
for authorization to take small numbers of marine mammals incidental to 
oil and gas activities in Cook Inlet, Alaska over the course of five 
years from the date of issuance. Pursuant to regulations implementing 
the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is announcing receipt of 
the Hilcorp's request for the development and implementation of 
regulations governing the incidental taking of marine mammals. NMFS 
invites the public to provide information, suggestions, and comments on 
the Hilcorp's application and request.

DATES: Comments and information must be received no later than November 
26, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the applications should be addressed to Jolie 
Harrison, Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. Physical comments should 
be sent to 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 and 
electronic comments should be sent to [email protected].
    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 received electronically, 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 online at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/node/23111 without change. All personal 
identifying information (e.g., name, address) 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: Sara Young, Office of Protected 
Resources, NMFS, (301) 427-8401. An electronic copy of the Hilcorp's 
application may be obtained online at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/incidental-take-authorizations-oil-and-gas.htm. In case of problems accessing these documents, please call 
the contact listed above.

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 (as delegated to NMFS) to allow, upon 
request, the incidental, but not intentional, taking of

[[Page 54089]]

small numbers of marine mammals 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 incidental take authorization 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 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 MMPA states that the term ``take'' means to harass, hunt, 
capture, kill or attempt to harass, hunt, capture, or kill any marine 
mammal.
    Except with respect to certain activities not pertinent here, the 
MMPA defines ``harassment'' as: Any act of pursuit, torment, or 
annoyance, which (i) has the potential to injure a marine mammal or 
marine mammal stock in the wild (Level A harassment); or (ii) has the 
potential to disturb a marine mammal or marine mammal stock in the wild 
by causing disruption of behavioral patterns, including, but not 
limited to, migration, breathing, nursing, breeding, feeding, or 
sheltering (Level B harassment).

Summary of Request

    On September 29, 2018, NMFS received an adequate and complete 
application from Hilcorp requesting authorization for take of marine 
mammals incidental to oil and gas activities in Cook Inlet, Alaska. The 
requested regulations would be valid for five years, from April 1, 2019 
through March 31, 2024. Hilcorp's plans to conduct necessary work, 
including 2D and 3D seismic surveys, geohazard surveys, vibratory sheet 
pile driving, and drilling of exploratory well. The proposed action may 
incidentally expose marine mammals occurring in the vicinity to sources 
of harassment, particularly through elevated levels of underwater sound 
in the marine environment, thereby resulting in incidental take, by 
Level A and Level B harassment. Therefore, Hilcorp requests 
authorization to incidentally take marine mammals.

Specified Activities

    Hilcorp owns and operates in over 29 oil and has field production 
facilities, including several located in Cook Inlet. Hilcorp plans to 
continue to conduct exploration and production activities in Cook 
Inlet. The petition includes all four stages of oil and gas activities: 
Exploration, development, production, and decommissioning. The work 
expected to span five years includes: 30 days of 2D seismic survey, 45-
60 days of 3D seismic survey, geohazard surveys in the Outer Continenal 
Shelf (OCS) (30 days), middle Cook Inlet subseawall area (14 days), and 
Trading Bay (30 days), exploratory wells in the OCS (40-60 days per 
well, 2-4 wells annually for three years) and Trading Bay (120-150 
days), Iniskin Peninsula exploration and development (180 days annually 
for two years), platform and pipeline maintenance (180 days annually 
for five years), middle Cook Inlet well abandonment (90 days), and 
Drift River terminal decommissioning (120 days). Eleven species of 
marine mammal are known to occur in Cook Inlet: Eight cetacean species 
and three pinniped species. Of those species, the Northeastern Pacific 
stock of fin whale, Western North Pacific stock of humpback whale, Cook 
Inlet stock of beluga whale, and Western Distinct Population of Steller 
sea lion are listed as Endangered under the Endangered Species Act.

Information Solicited

    Interested persons may submit information, suggestions, and 
comments concerning Hilcorp's request (see ADDRESSES). NMFS will 
consider all information, suggestions, and comments related to the 
request during the development of proposed regulations governing the 
incidental taking of marine mammals by Hilcorp, if appropriate.

    Dated: October 22, 2018.
Donna Wieting,
Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-23405 Filed 10-25-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P

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