Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Proposed New Space Lease for the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory in Princeton, NJ, 1068-1069 [2019-00633]

Download as PDF 1068 Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 22 / Friday, February 1, 2019 / Notices approved providers for fishing years 2019 and 2020. ADDRESSES: The list of NMFS-approved sector monitoring service providers is available at: https:// www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/ sustainable/species/multispecies/, or by sending a written request to: 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930, Attn: Kyle Molton. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kyle Molton, Fishery Management Specialist, (978) 281–9236, email Kyle.Molton@ noaa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP) includes a requirement for industry-funded monitoring of catch by sector vessels. Sectors must contract with independent third-party service providers to provide at-sea monitoring services to their vessels. In order to provide at-sea monitoring services to sectors, monitoring companies must apply to, and be approved by, NMFS. Once approved, service providers must meet specified performance requirements outlined in 50 CFR 648.87(b)(4), including required coverage levels, in order to maintain eligibility. At-Sea Monitoring Service Provider Approval Process Applications approved this year will cover both fishing year 2019 and fishing year 2020 (May 1, 2019, through April 30, 2021). There will be an opportunity in 2019 for additional monitoring companies to apply for approval to provide services in fishing year 2020. The regulations at § 648.87(b)(4) describe the criteria for approval of atsea monitoring service providers. We approve service providers based on: (1) Completeness and sufficiency of applications; and (2) determination of the applicant’s ability to meet the performance requirements of a sector monitoring service provider. We must notify service providers, in writing, if approval is withdrawn for any reason. Approved Monitoring Service Providers We received complete applications from four companies: A.I.S., Inc.; East West Technical Services, LLC; Fathom Research, LLC; and MRAG Americas, Inc. These four companies were previously approved for fishing years 2017 and 2018. In fishing year 2018, a number of sectors have realized at-sea monitoring coverage levels below the target coverage level. We are working with the approved providers and sectors to increase coverage levels, and we have scheduled additional at-sea monitor certification trainings to increase monitor staffing levels. We approved all four companies to provide at-sea monitoring services in fishing years 2019 and 2020 because they have met the application requirements, documented their ability to comply with service provider standards, and have a sufficient track record of providing at-sea monitoring services. We expect providers will have adequate staff and resources to fulfill performance requirements during the approval term. We will closely monitor the performance of approved providers, and we will be prepared to withdraw approval during the current approval term, or disapprove a provider in future fishing years if we determine performance standards are not being met. TABLE 1—APPROVED PROVIDERS FOR FISHING YEARS 2019 AND 2020 Provider Address Phone Fax A.I.S., Inc ............................................ 14 Barnabas Rd., P.O. Box 1009, Marion, MA 02738. 1415 Corona Ln., Vero Beach, FL 32963. 855 Aquidneck Ave., Unit 9, Middletown, RI 02842. 8950 Martin Luther King Jr. Street N., Suite 202, Saint Petersburg, FL 33702. 508–990–9054 508–990–9055 www.aisobservers.com. 860–910–4957 860–223–6005 www.ewts.com. 508–990–0997 508–991–7372 www.fathomresearchllc.com. 978–768–3880 978–768–3878 www.mragamericas.com. East West Technical Services, LLC ... Fathom Research, LLC ...................... MRAG Americas, Inc .......................... Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. [FR Doc. 2019–00720 Filed 1–31–19; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–P DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Proposed New Space Lease for the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory in Princeton, NJ Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce (DOC). AGENCY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 21:23 Jan 31, 2019 Jkt 247001 Notice of intent to prepare an EA; request for comments. ACTION: Dated: January 29, 2019. Karen H. Abrams, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. This notice announces its intention to prepare an EA in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, for a new space lease to be occupied by the NOAA/OAR Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory. DATES: Comments are due by March 4, 2019. ADDRESSES: Written comments on suggested alternatives and potential impacts should be sent to Stephen F. Mayle, Administrative Officer, NOAA/ OAR/GFDL, 201 Forrestal Road, Princeton, NJ 08540. Comments may also be submitted via facsimile to 609– 452–5395 or by email to Steve.Mayle@ noaa.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed action would involve a lease SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00022 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Website for space for the offices, seminar rooms, meeting rooms, etc. and computing facilities used by the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL). The current facilities, located in the Princeton, New Jersey area, are part of NOAA’s Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR). Research conducted at this laboratory includes development and use of mathematical models and computer simulations to improve the understanding and prediction of the behavior of the atmosphere and the oceans. GFDL scientists focus on model-building relevant for society, such as hurricane research, weather and ocean prediction, and forecasting on the continuum of time and space scales. GFDL also collaborates with visiting scientists and students from academic and non-profit institutions with whom NOAA has partnered to further its mission goals. E:\FR\FM\01FEN1.SGM 01FEN1 Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 22 / Friday, February 1, 2019 / Notices The current physical space for GFDL consists of two buildings that together provide office space, teaching/seminar space, high performance computing space, a command/control center, and mechanical and electrical plants. The current GFDL facilities are approximately 68,675 square feet. Current space can house up to 215 staff, including full-time employees, visiting scientists and students, and contract employees. The current facilities are in need of repairs and renovations in order to continue to be effectively and safely occupied by GFDL. The existing space is also insufficient to accommodate visiting scientists and students, for example approximately 40 such staff utilize nearby overflow space, and to effectively store and stage necessary equipment for current levels of effort. It also does not allow space to expand to continue to meet NOAA’s mission in collaboration with our institutional partners. During 2018, NOAA contracted with an architectural and engineering firm to develop a space programming and planning study, or a Program of Requirements, that identifies the full scope of GFDL’s space needs. The Program of Requirements is available upon request to Mr. Mayle. The purpose of the public scoping process for this EA is to determine relevant issues that will influence the scope of the environmental analysis, including potential alternatives, and the extent to which those issues and impacts will be analyzed in the EA. Federal, state, and local agencies, along with other stakeholders that may be interested in or affected by NOAA’s decision on this project are invited to participate in the scoping process and, if eligible, may request or be requested by NOAA to participate as a cooperating agency. Dated: December 12, 2018. David Holst, Chief Financial Officer/Administrative Officer, Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. [FR Doc. 2019–00633 Filed 1–31–19; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–KD–P VerDate Sep<11>2014 21:23 Jan 31, 2019 Jkt 247001 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration RIN 0648–XG694–X Taking and Importing Marine Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to the 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 and request for Letters of Authorization extension; request for comments and information. AGENCY: NMFS has received a request from the U.S. Navy (Navy) to amend NMFS’ Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) regulations authorizing the take of marine mammals incidental to Navy training and testing activities conducted in the Atlantic Fleet Training and Testing (AFTT) Study Area from November 2018 to November 2023 to cover seven years of the Navy’s activities, instead of five. Section 316 of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (2019 NDAA), signed into law on August 13, 2018, amended the MMPA to extend the maximum period for MMPA incidental take regulations under section 101(a)(5)(A) from five to seven years for military readiness activities. The Navy’s activities qualify as military readiness activities pursuant to the MMPA, as amended by the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2004. The Navy proposes no changes to their specified activities, mitigation measures, monitoring, or reporting and requests that NMFS amend the final rule issued on November 14, 2018, to authorize incidental take of marine mammals for the two additional years now allowed under the statute. NMFS invites the public to provide information, suggestions, and comments on the Navy’s application. DATES: Comments and information must be received no later than March 4, 2019. ADDRESSES: Comments on the application 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.Piniak@noaa.gov. Instructions: NMFS is not responsible for information or comments sent by SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00023 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 1069 any other method, to any other address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period. Information and 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 information and comments received are a part of the public record and will generally be posted online at https:// www.fisheries.noaa.gov/permit/ incidental-take-authorizations-undermarine-mammal-protection-act 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: Wendy Piniak, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, (301) 427–8401. An electronic copy of the Navy’s application may be obtained online at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/ national/marine-mammal-protection/ incidental-take-authorizations-militaryreadiness-activities. 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 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. E:\FR\FM\01FEN1.SGM 01FEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 22 (Friday, February 1, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1068-1069]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-00633]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Proposed New Space Lease 
for the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory in Princeton, NJ

AGENCY: Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce 
(DOC).

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an EA; request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This notice announces its intention to prepare an EA in 
accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, for a 
new space lease to be occupied by the NOAA/OAR Geophysical Fluid 
Dynamics Laboratory.

DATES: Comments are due by March 4, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Written comments on suggested alternatives and potential 
impacts should be sent to Stephen F. Mayle, Administrative Officer, 
NOAA/OAR/GFDL, 201 Forrestal Road, Princeton, NJ 08540. Comments may 
also be submitted via facsimile to 609-452-5395 or by email to 
Steve.Mayle@noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed action would involve a lease 
for space for the offices, seminar rooms, meeting rooms, etc. and 
computing facilities used by the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory 
(GFDL). The current facilities, located in the Princeton, New Jersey 
area, are part of NOAA's Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research 
(OAR). Research conducted at this laboratory includes development and 
use of mathematical models and computer simulations to improve the 
understanding and prediction of the behavior of the atmosphere and the 
oceans. GFDL scientists focus on model-building relevant for society, 
such as hurricane research, weather and ocean prediction, and 
forecasting on the continuum of time and space scales. GFDL also 
collaborates with visiting scientists and students from academic and 
non-profit institutions with whom NOAA has partnered to further its 
mission goals.

[[Page 1069]]

The current physical space for GFDL consists of two buildings that 
together provide office space, teaching/seminar space, high performance 
computing space, a command/control center, and mechanical and 
electrical plants. The current GFDL facilities are approximately 68,675 
square feet. Current space can house up to 215 staff, including full-
time employees, visiting scientists and students, and contract 
employees.
    The current facilities are in need of repairs and renovations in 
order to continue to be effectively and safely occupied by GFDL. The 
existing space is also insufficient to accommodate visiting scientists 
and students, for example approximately 40 such staff utilize nearby 
overflow space, and to effectively store and stage necessary equipment 
for current levels of effort. It also does not allow space to expand to 
continue to meet NOAA's mission in collaboration with our institutional 
partners. During 2018, NOAA contracted with an architectural and 
engineering firm to develop a space programming and planning study, or 
a Program of Requirements, that identifies the full scope of GFDL's 
space needs. The Program of Requirements is available upon request to 
Mr. Mayle.
    The purpose of the public scoping process for this EA is to 
determine relevant issues that will influence the scope of the 
environmental analysis, including potential alternatives, and the 
extent to which those issues and impacts will be analyzed in the EA. 
Federal, state, and local agencies, along with other stakeholders that 
may be interested in or affected by NOAA's decision on this project are 
invited to participate in the scoping process and, if eligible, may 
request or be requested by NOAA to participate as a cooperating agency.

    Dated: December 12, 2018.
David Holst,
Chief Financial Officer/Administrative Officer, Office of Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Research, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2019-00633 Filed 1-31-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-KD-P
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