Marine Mammals; File No. 23807; Correction, 63103-63104 [2020-22032]
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 194 / Tuesday, October 6, 2020 / Notices
Specified Activities
USMC’s proposed training operations
involve the use of live (explosive) and
inert (non-explosive) ordnance, and
small boat maneuvers. These activities
would occur at the in-water bombing
targets Brant Island (BT–9) and Rattan
Bay (BT–11) located in Pamlico Sound,
North Carolina (NC).
Munitions firing training conducted
on the water ranges includes air-tosurface (firing from aircraft to surface
water targets) and surface-to-surface
(firing from ship or boat to surface
targets). The number of sorties that
conduct these missions may vary from
year to year. The deployment of live
ordnance would only occur at BT–9; all
munitions fired at BT–11 would be inert
with the exception of a signal charge in
practice bombs.
Surface-to-Surface Firing
Gunnery exercise is the only category
of surface-to-surface activity currently
conducted at BT–9 and BT–11. During
this exercise, a small boat, typically
operated by Special Boat Team
personnel, uses a machine gun to attack
a surface target that simulates another
ship, boat, swimmer, floating mine or
near-shore land targets. Boats
conducting surface-to-surface firing
activities will typically use 7.62
millimeter (mm) or .50 caliber (cal)
machine guns; 40 mm grenade machine
guns; or G911 concussion hand
grenades. This exercise is usually a livefire exercise, but blanks may be used so
that the boat crews can practice their
ship handing skills. BT–9 is the most
common target used for gunnery
exercises. A target is not used for the
gunnery exercises employing the G911
Concussion grenade, as the goal of this
specific training is to learn how to
throw the grenade into the water.
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Air-to-Surface Firing
There are four categories of air-tosurface activities conducted at the
MCAS Cherry Point bombing targets:
Mine laying, bombing, gunnery, and
rocket exercises.
• Mine Laying: These activities
involve a fixed-wing aircraft deploying
inert mine shapes in an offensive or
defensive pattern. Mine laying
operations are conducted in the waters
around BT–9. Mine laying exercises
could include the use of Mark (MK)–62/
63, MK–76, BDU–45, or Bomb Dummy
Unit (BDU)–48 inert training shapes.
Each training shape weighs 500/1000,
25, 500, and 10 (lbs.) (227/454, 11, 227,
and 4.5 kg), respectively.
• Bombing Exercise: During these
exercises, fixed-wing aircraft (two-four
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craft) deliver bombs against surface
maritime targets with the goal of
destroying or disabling enemy ships or
boats. These exercises occur during day
and night. Air-to-surface bombing
exercises employ either unguided or
precision-guided munitions. Unguided
munitions include MK–76 and BDU–45
inert training bombs, as well as the MK–
80 series of inert bombs (no cluster
munitions are authorized). Precisionguided munitions consist of laserguided bombs (inert) and laser-guided
training rounds (inert).
• Gunnery Exercise: Rotary-wing (and
tilt-wing) gunnery exercises involve
CH–53, UH–1, CH–46, MV–22, or H–60
rotary-wing aircraft with mounted 7.62
mm or .50 cal machine guns. Each
gunner expends approximately 800
rounds of 7.62 mm or 200 rounds of .50
cal ammunition per exercise. Fixedwing gunnery exercises involve two
aircraft that begin descent to the target
from an altitude of approximately 914
meters (m) (3,000 feet [ft]) while still
several miles away. Within a distance of
1,219 m (4,000 ft) from the target, each
aircraft fires a burst of approximately 30
rounds before descending to a minimum
altitude of 305 m (1,000 ft) and then
breaks off and repositions for another
strafing run. This continues until each
aircraft expends its exercise ordnance
allowance of approximately 250 rounds.
Typically fixed-wing gunnery exercises
involve F/A–18 with Vulcan M61A1/
A2, 20 mm cannon, and AV–8 with
GAU–12, 25 mm cannon.
• Rocket Exercise: Fixed- and rotarywing aircraft crews launch rockets at
surface maritime targets during rocket
exercises with the goal of destroying or
disabling enemy ships or boats. Rocket
exercises may occur day or night. These
operations employ 2.75-inch (in) and 5in rockets.
A suite of proposed mitigation and
monitoring measures for marine
mammals that would be applied during
specific training activities includes: (1)
Establishing and monitoring exclusion
zones for marine mammals, (2)
conducting range sweeps during the
morning of each exercise day prior to
range operations, and (3) conducting a
cold pass by an aircraft immediately
prior to ordnance delivery at the
bombing targets.
Information Solicited
Interested persons may submit
information, suggestions, and comments
concerning USMC’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
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63103
marine mammals by the USMC, if
appropriate.
Dated: October 1, 2020.
Donna Wieting,
Director, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020–22022 Filed 10–5–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[RTID 0648–XA532]
Marine Mammals; File No. 23807;
Correction
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; receipt of application for
permit amendment; correction.
AGENCY:
On September 28, 2020,
NMFS published a notice in the Federal
Register announcing that NMFS had
received an application for an
amendment to Permit No. 23807 from
Plimsoll Productions Limited, 51–55
Whiteladies Road, Bristol, BS8 2LY,
United Kingdom (Responsible Party:
Anuschka Schofield). That document
did not reflect that filming may also
occur up to 3 miles offshore from
Colleton County, SC. This document
corrects this error. All other information
is unchanged.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erin
Markin or Carrie Hubard, (301) 427–
8401.
SUMMARY:
The notice
of receipt for a permit amendment (85
FR 60767; September 28, 2020) did not
reflect that filming activities will occur
up to 3 miles offshore of Colleton
County, SC. In fact, the permit holder
has requested to film up to 3 miles
offshore from Charleston and Colleton
Counties.
All other information contained in the
document is unchanged.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Correction
In the Federal Register of September
28, 2020, in FR Doc. 2020–21334, on
page 60767, in the second column, in
the second paragraph under the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION heading,
the third sentence is corrected to read as
follows:
In addition, the permit holder is
requesting to expand the filming area to
up to 3 miles offshore from Charleston
and Colleton Counties.
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63104
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 194 / Tuesday, October 6, 2020 / Notices
Dated: September 30, 2020.
Julia Marie Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division,
Office of Protected Resources, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020–22032 Filed 10–5–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[RTID 0648–XA539]
Marine Mammals; File No. 23802
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; receipt of application.
AGENCY:
Notice is hereby given that
University of Florida, Aquatic Animal
Health Program, College of Veterinary
Medicine, 2015 SW 16th Avenue,
Gainesville, FL 32608 (Responsible
Party: Michael Walsh, D.V.M.), has
applied in due form for a permit to
import, export, and receive marine
mammal parts for scientific research.
DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email
comments must be received on or before
November 5, 2020.
ADDRESSES: The application and related
documents are available for review by
selecting ‘‘Records Open for Public
Comment’’ from the ‘‘Features’’ box on
the Applications and Permits for
Protected Species (APPS) home page,
https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov, and then
selecting File No. 23802 from the list of
available applications. These documents
are also available upon written request
via email to NMFS.Pr1Comments@
noaa.gov.
Written comments on this application
should be submitted via email to
NMFS.Pr1Comments@noaa.gov. Please
include File No. 23802 in the subject
line of the email comment.
Those individuals requesting a public
hearing should submit a written request
via email to NMFS.Pr1Comments@
noaa.gov. The request should set forth
the specific reasons why a hearing on
this application would be appropriate.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Shasta McClenahan or Jennifer
Skidmore, (301) 427–8401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
subject permit is requested under the
authority of the Marine Mammal
Protection Act of 1972, as amended
(MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), the
regulations governing the taking and
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
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17:52 Oct 05, 2020
Jkt 253001
importing of marine mammals (50 CFR
part 216), the Endangered Species Act of
1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531
et seq.), the regulations governing the
taking, importing, and exporting of
endangered and threatened species (50
CFR parts 222–226), and the Fur Seal
Act of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1151
et seq.).
The applicant proposes to receive,
import, and export marine mammal
parts to (1) analyze diagnostic samples;
and (2) discover, investigate, and
determine baseline levels for marine
mammal health, infectious disease,
microbiome, genetics, toxins,
contaminants, nutrition, and
reproduction. An unlimited number of
samples from up to 700 individual
cetaceans and 400 individual pinnipeds,
excluding walrus, annually, may be
received domestically and imported or
exported world-wide. The requested
duration of the permit is 5 years.
In compliance with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), an initial
determination has been made that the
activity proposed is categorically
excluded from the requirement to
prepare an environmental assessment or
environmental impact statement.
Concurrent with the publication of
this notice in the Federal Register,
NMFS is forwarding copies of the
application to the Marine Mammal
Commission and its Committee of
Scientific Advisors.
Dated: September 30, 2020.
Julia Marie Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division,
Office of Protected Resources, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020–22028 Filed 10–5–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Technical Information Service
National Technical Information Service
Advisory Board
AGENCY:
National Technical Information
Service.
ACTION:
Notice of open meeting.
This notice announces the
next meeting of the National Technical
Information Service (NTIS) Advisory
Board (the Advisory Board).
DATES: The Advisory Board will meet on
Thursday, November 12, 2020 from 1:00
p.m. to approximately 4:30 p.m., Eastern
Time, via teleconference.
ADDRESSES: The Advisory Board
meeting will be via teleconference.
SUMMARY:
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Please note attendance instructions
under the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
section of this notice.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr.
Daniel Ramsey, (703) 605–6703,
DRamsey@ntis.gov.
The
Advisory Board is established by
Section 3704b(c) of Title 15 of the
United States Code. The charter has
been filed in accordance with the
requirements of the Federal Advisory
Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C.
App.). The Advisory Board reviews and
makes recommendations to improve
NTIS programs, operations, and general
policies in support of NTIS’ mission to
advance Federal data priorities, promote
economic growth, and enable
operational excellence by providing
innovative data services to Federal
agencies through joint venture
partnerships with the private sector.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
The meeting will focus on a review of
the progress NTIS has made in
implementing its data mission and
strategic direction. A final agenda and
summary of the proceedings will be
posted on the NTIS website as soon as
they are available (https://www.ntis.gov/
about/advisorybd.aspx).
The teleconference will be via
controlled access. Members of the
public interested in attending via
teleconference or speaking are requested
to contact Mr. Ramsey at the contact
information listed in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section above not
later than Friday, November 6, 2020. If
there are sufficient expressions of
interest, up to one-half hour will be
reserved for public oral comments
during the session. Speakers will be
selected on a first-come, first-served
basis. Each speaker will be limited to
five minutes. Questions from the public
will not be considered during this
period.
Speakers who wish to expand upon
their oral statements, those who had
wished to speak but could not be
accommodated on the agenda, and those
who were unable to attend are invited
to submit written statements by
emailing Mr. Ramsey at the email
address provided in the FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT section above.
Dated: September 24, 2020.
Gregory Capella,
Deputy Director.
[FR Doc. 2020–22024 Filed 10–5–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–04–P
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 194 (Tuesday, October 6, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63103-63104]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-22032]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XA532]
Marine Mammals; File No. 23807; Correction
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; receipt of application for permit amendment;
correction.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: On September 28, 2020, NMFS published a notice in the Federal
Register announcing that NMFS had received an application for an
amendment to Permit No. 23807 from Plimsoll Productions Limited, 51-55
Whiteladies Road, Bristol, BS8 2LY, United Kingdom (Responsible Party:
Anuschka Schofield). That document did not reflect that filming may
also occur up to 3 miles offshore from Colleton County, SC. This
document corrects this error. All other information is unchanged.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erin Markin or Carrie Hubard, (301)
427-8401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The notice of receipt for a permit amendment
(85 FR 60767; September 28, 2020) did not reflect that filming
activities will occur up to 3 miles offshore of Colleton County, SC. In
fact, the permit holder has requested to film up to 3 miles offshore
from Charleston and Colleton Counties.
All other information contained in the document is unchanged.
Correction
In the Federal Register of September 28, 2020, in FR Doc. 2020-
21334, on page 60767, in the second column, in the second paragraph
under the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION heading, the third sentence is
corrected to read as follows:
In addition, the permit holder is requesting to expand the filming
area to up to 3 miles offshore from Charleston and Colleton Counties.
[[Page 63104]]
Dated: September 30, 2020.
Julia Marie Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-22032 Filed 10-5-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P