Taking and Importing Marine Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to U.S. Navy Construction, 18560-18561 [2020-06897]
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jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
18560
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 64 / Thursday, April 2, 2020 / Notices
generation of leaders in estuarine
science and coastal management by
affording qualified graduate students the
opportunity to conduct collaborative
science within the National Estuarine
Research Reserve System; partake in
professional development opportunities;
and receive mentoring to support
professional growth.
The National Estuarine Research
Reserve System is a national program
administered by the Office for Coastal
Management. The National Estuarine
Reserve System has an interest in
balancing the needs of the natural
environment and coastal economies and
is one of the primary programs
responsible for implementing the
Coastal Zone Management Act. All
Davidson Fellowship projects must be
conducted in a research reserve and
should be designed to contribute to one
of the reserve’s priority management
areas, and thus enhance the scientific
understanding of the natural or social
science aspects of the research subject
matter. One fellow is being selected in
Spring 2020 for each of the 29 reserves
for a two-year duration. Mentoring and
professional development activities will
be provided to build knowledge and
skills needed to successfully contribute
to the workforce responsible for the
coast. These opportunities are also
designed to create a strong network
among the fellows during their tenure
and into the early portion of their
careers.
The purpose of this information
collection is to gather information on
the effectiveness of the Davidson
Fellowship program in reaching the
desired outcomes, so that we can
adaptively manage and make
continuous improvements to the
program. This information collection
will take place initially in Fall 2020, as
the first cohort of fellows begins their
program, and will gather information
from selected fellows, their faculty
advisors, contacts from each university’s
sponsored program office, reserve staff,
and NOAA federal and contract staff
supporting the Davidson Fellowship
program. It will take place again in Fall
2022, as the second cohort of fellows
begins their program and the first cohort
of fellows finishes, and will gather
information from selected fellows, their
faculty advisors, contacts from each
university’s sponsored program office,
reserve staff, and NOAA federal and
contract staff supporting the Davidson
Fellowship program.
More information on the fellowship
can be found at this link: Davidson
Fellowship website.
Program Authority: Section 315 of the
Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972,
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18:34 Apr 01, 2020
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as amended CZMA, 16 U.S.C. 1461,
establishes the National Estuarine
Research Reserve System (NERRS). 16
U.S.C. 1461 (e)(1)(B) authorizes the
Secretary of Commerce to make grants
to any coastal state or public or private
person for purposes of supporting
research and monitoring within a
National Estuarine Research Reserve
that are consistent with the research
guidelines developed under subsection
(c).
II. Method of Collection
Information will be collected via an
online survey, using Survey Monkey
software, sent only to those directly
involved with the Davidson Fellowship
(student fellows, universities receiving
funding for fellows, research reserves
hosting the fellows, and NOAA staff and
contractors supporting the program).
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0648–xxxx.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Review: Regular submission,
new information collection.
Affected Public: Those directly
involved in the Davidson Fellowship—
individuals (student fellows), academic
institutions (universities receiving
funding for student fellows), state
government (research reserves), and
federal government (NOAA staff
supporting the program).
Estimated Number of Respondents:
500.
Estimated Time Per Response: 15
minutes.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 52 hours (155 hours total spread
over three years).
Estimated Total Annual Cost to
Public: $0.
IV. Request for Comments
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether
the proposed collection of information
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
proposed 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;
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they also will become a matter of public
record.
Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of
the Chief Information Officer, Commerce
Department.
[FR Doc. 2020–06874 Filed 4–1–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–08–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
RTID 0648–XR112
Taking and Importing Marine
Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals
Incidental to U.S. Navy Construction
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of issuance of Letter of
Authorization.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Marine Mammal Protection Act
(MMPA), as amended, and
implementing regulations, notification
is hereby given that a Letter of
Authorization (LOA) has been issued to
the U.S. Navy (Navy) for the take of
marine mammals incidental to
construction activities at Naval
Weapons Station Seal Beach, California.
DATES: Applicable from March 25, 2020
through March 25, 2025.
ADDRESSES: The LOA and supporting
documentation are available online at:
www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/
incidental-take-authorization-us-navyconstruction-ammunition-pier-andturning-basin-naval. In case of problems
accessing these documents, please call
the contact listed below (see FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ben
Laws, Office of Protected Resources,
NMFS, (301) 427–8401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:
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 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.
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02APN1
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 64 / Thursday, April 2, 2020 / Notices
An 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 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.
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).
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES
Summary of Request
On February 24, 2020, we issued a
final rule upon request from the Navy
for authorization to take marine
mammals incidental to construction
activities (85 FR 10312). The Navy plans
to construct a new ammunition pier at
Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach. This
construction will include use of impact
and vibratory pile driving, including
installation and removal of steel,
concrete, and timber piles. The use of
both vibratory and impact pile driving
is expected to produce underwater
sound at levels that have the potential
to result in behavioral harassment of
marine mammals.
Authorization
We have issued a LOA to Navy
authorizing the take of marine mammals
incidental to construction activities, as
described above. Take of marine
mammals will be minimized through
the implementation of the following
planned mitigation measures: (1)
Required monitoring of the construction
area to detect the presence of marine
mammals before beginning construction
activities; (2) shutdown of construction
activities under certain circumstances to
avoid injury of marine mammals; and
(3) soft start for impact pile driving to
allow marine mammals the opportunity
to leave the area prior to beginning
impact pile driving at full power.
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Additionally, the rule includes an
adaptive management component that
allows for timely modification of
mitigation or monitoring measures
based on new information, when
appropriate. The Navy will submit
reports as required.
Based on these findings and the
information discussed in the preamble
to the final rule, the activities described
under this LOA will have a negligible
impact on marine mammal stocks and
will not have an unmitigable adverse
impact on the availability of the affected
marine mammal stock for subsistence
uses.
Dated: March 30, 2020.
Donna S. Wieting,
Director, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020–06897 Filed 4–1–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
Submission for OMB Review;
Comment Request
The Department of Commerce will
submit to the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) for clearance the
following proposal for collection of
information under the provisions of the
Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C.
Chapter 35).
Agency: National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Title: Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Environmental Literacy Indicator Tool.
OMB Control Number: 0648–0753.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Request: Regular (revision of
an existing collection).
Number of Respondents: 685.
Average Hours per Response: 1 hour.
Burden Hours: 229 hours.
Needs and Uses: The Chesapeake Bay
Watershed Agreement of 2014 required
monitoring of progress toward the
environmental literacy goal: ‘‘Enable
students in the region to graduate with
the knowledge and skills needed to act
responsibly to protect and restore their
local watersheds.’’ NOAA, on behalf of
the Chesapeake Bay Program, will ask
the state education agencies for
Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware,
Virginia, West Virginia, and the District
of Columbia to survey their local
education agencies (LEAs) to determine:
(1) LEA capacity to implement a
comprehensive and systemic approach
to environmental literacy education, (2)
student participation in Meaningful
Watershed Educational Experience
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18561
during the school year, (3) sustainability
practices at schools, and (4) LEA needs
for improving environmental literacy
education programming. LEAs
(generally school districts, in some cases
charter school administration) are asked
to complete the survey on the status of
their LEA on a set of key indicators for
the four areas listed above. One
individual from each LEA is asked to
complete their survey once every two
years. The results of the biennial ELIT
survey will be analyzed and reported to
the internal stakeholders of the
Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement.
Participating states will receive a
summarized report of findings for the
full watershed, a summary of findings
for their state, and comparisons of
results between states. These aggregated
results will be used by the state agencies
to understand progress of their school
districts over time, and to inform
decision-making about strategies and
priorities for future work with school
districts. The biennial reporting will
also be used by the Chesapeake Bay
Program to understand progress of
school districts in the watershed,
understand differences between
jurisdictions, and guide strategy for
providing targeted support in each state.
The instrument has undergone minor
changes since its last PRA approval
process which include the removal of a
number of questions. These changes
result in a reduction in the time burden
from 90 minutes to 60 minutes per
response.
Affected Public: One representative
from 685 local education agencies.
Frequency: Biennially.
Respondent’s Obligation: Voluntary.
Legal Authority: U.S. Code: 42 U.S.C.
4321 et seq. Name of Law: National
Environmental Policy Act.
This information collection request
may be viewed at www.reginfo.gov.
Follow the instructions to view the
Department of Commerce collections
currently under review by OMB.
Written comments and
recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be
submitted within 30 days of the
publication of this notice on the
following website www.reginfo.gov/
public/do/PRAMain. Find this
particular information collection by
selecting ‘‘Currently under 30-day
Review—Open for Public Comments’’ or
by using the search function and
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 64 (Thursday, April 2, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18560-18561]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-06897]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
RTID 0648-XR112
Taking and Importing Marine Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals
Incidental to U.S. Navy Construction
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of issuance of Letter of Authorization.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), as
amended, and implementing regulations, notification is hereby given
that a Letter of Authorization (LOA) has been issued to the U.S. Navy
(Navy) for the take of marine mammals incidental to construction
activities at Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, California.
DATES: Applicable from March 25, 2020 through March 25, 2025.
ADDRESSES: The LOA and supporting documentation are available online
at: www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/incidental-take-authorization-us-navy-construction-ammunition-pier-and-turning-basin-naval. In case of
problems accessing these documents, please call the contact listed
below (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ben Laws, 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 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.
[[Page 18561]]
An 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 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.
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 February 24, 2020, we issued a final rule upon request from the
Navy for authorization to take marine mammals incidental to
construction activities (85 FR 10312). The Navy plans to construct a
new ammunition pier at Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach. This
construction will include use of impact and vibratory pile driving,
including installation and removal of steel, concrete, and timber
piles. The use of both vibratory and impact pile driving is expected to
produce underwater sound at levels that have the potential to result in
behavioral harassment of marine mammals.
Authorization
We have issued a LOA to Navy authorizing the take of marine mammals
incidental to construction activities, as described above. Take of
marine mammals will be minimized through the implementation of the
following planned mitigation measures: (1) Required monitoring of the
construction area to detect the presence of marine mammals before
beginning construction activities; (2) shutdown of construction
activities under certain circumstances to avoid injury of marine
mammals; and (3) soft start for impact pile driving to allow marine
mammals the opportunity to leave the area prior to beginning impact
pile driving at full power. Additionally, the rule includes an adaptive
management component that allows for timely modification of mitigation
or monitoring measures based on new information, when appropriate. The
Navy will submit reports as required.
Based on these findings and the information discussed in the
preamble to the final rule, the activities described under this LOA
will have a negligible impact on marine mammal stocks and will not have
an unmitigable adverse impact on the availability of the affected
marine mammal stock for subsistence uses.
Dated: March 30, 2020.
Donna S. Wieting,
Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries
Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-06897 Filed 4-1-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
