Deep Seabed Hard Minerals; Request for Extension of Exploration Licenses; Comments Request, 15408-15409 [2022-05793]
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15408
Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 53 / Friday, March 18, 2022 / Notices
Game (ADF&G) has not recorded harvest
of cetaceans from Ketchikan or Saxman
(ADF&G 2018).
All project activities will take place
within the industrial area of Tongass
Narrows immediately adjacent to
Ketchikan where subsistence activities
do not generally occur. Both the harbor
seal and the Steller sea lion may be
temporarily displaced from the project
area. The project will also not have an
adverse impact on the availability of
marine mammals for subsistence use at
locations farther away, where these
construction activities are not expected
to take place. Some minor, short-term
harassment of the harbor seals could
occur, but given the information above,
we do not expect such harassment to
have effects on subsistence hunting
activities.
Based on the description of the
specified activity and the required
mitigation and monitoring measures,
NMFS has determined that there will
not be an unmitigable adverse impact on
subsistence uses from ADOT’s planned
activities.
jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with NOTICES1
National Environmental Policy Act
To comply with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and
NOAA Administrative Order (NAO)
216–6A, NMFS must evaluate our
proposed action (i.e., the issuance of an
IHA) and alternatives with respect to
potential impacts on the human
environment. This action is consistent
with categories of activities identified in
Categorical Exclusion B4 of the
Companion Manual for NAO 216–6A,
which do not individually or
cumulatively have the potential for
significant impacts on the quality of the
human environment and for which we
have not identified any extraordinary
circumstances that would preclude this
categorical exclusion. Accordingly,
NMFS has determined that this action
qualifies to be categorically excluded
from further NEPA review.
Endangered Species Act
Section 7(a)(2) of the Endangered
Species Act of 1973 (ESA: 16 U.S.C.
1531 et seq.) requires that each Federal
agency insure that any action it
authorizes, funds, or carries out is not
likely to jeopardize the continued
existence of any endangered or
threatened species or result in the
destruction or adverse modification of
designated critical habitat. To ensure
ESA compliance for the issuance of
IHAs, NMFS’ Office of Protected
Resources (OPR) consults internally
whenever we propose to authorize take
for endangered or threatened species, in
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:27 Mar 17, 2022
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this case with NMFS’ Alaska Regional
Office (AKRO).
NMFS OPR is proposing to authorize
take of the Central North Pacific stock
of humpback whales, of which a portion
belong to the Mexico DPS of humpback
whales, which are ESA-listed. On
February 6, 2019, NMFS AKRO
completed consultation with NMFS for
the Tongass Narrows Project and issued
a Biological Opinion. Reinitiation of
formal consultation was required to
analyze changes to the action that were
not considered in the February 2019
opinion (PCTS# AKR–2018–9806/ECO#
AKRO–2018–01287). The original
opinion considered the effects of only
one project component being
constructed at a time and did not
analyze potential effects of concurrent
pile driving that may cause effects to the
listed species that were not considered
in the original opinion; therefore,
reinitiation of formal consultation was
required. NMFS’ AKRO issued a revised
Biological Opinion to NMFS’ OPR on
December 19, 2019 that concluded that
issuance of IHAs to ADOT is not likely
to jeopardize the continued existence of
Mexico DPS humpback whales. The
effects of this Federal action were
adequately analyzed in NMFS’
Endangered Species Act (ESA) Section
7(a)(2) Biological Opinion for
Construction of the Tongass Narrows
Project (Gravina Access), revised
December 19, 2019, which concluded
that the take NMFS proposes to
authorize through this IHA would not
jeopardize the continued existence of
any endangered or threatened species or
destroy or adversely modify any
designated critical habitat. NMFS has
determined that issuance of this IHA
does not require reinitiation of the
December 2019 Biological Opinion.
Authorization
NMFS has issued an IHA to ADOT for
the potential harassment of small
numbers of eight marine mammal
species incidental to construction of
four facilities in the channel between
Gravina Island and Revillagigedo
(Revilla) Island in Ketchikan, Alaska,
that includes the previously explained
mitigation, monitoring and reporting
requirements.
Dated: March 11, 2022.
Kimberly Damon-Randall,
Director, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2022–05561 Filed 3–17–22; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[Docket ID No.: NOAA–NOS–2022–0033]
Deep Seabed Hard Minerals; Request
for Extension of Exploration Licenses;
Comments Request
Office for Coastal Management
(OCM), National Ocean Service (NOS),
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA), Department of
Commerce (DOC).
ACTION: Notice of receipt of application
to extend Deep Seabed Mineral
Exploration Licenses USA–1 and USA–
4; request for comments.
AGENCY:
NOS has received from the
Lockheed Martin Corporation
(‘‘Lockheed Martin’’ or ‘‘Licensee’’) a
request to extend to 2027 two deep
seabed hard mineral exploration
licenses issued pursuant to the Deep
Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act
(DSHMRA). Lockheed Martin’s
extension request includes an updated
exploration plan for activities
conducted under the licenses. Lockheed
Martin’s request and accompanying
exploration plan are available for public
review and comment on whether the
Licensee has met the criteria for the
issuance of extensions specified in
DSHMRA.
DATES: Comments may be submitted on
or before May 17, 2022.
ADDRESSES: To access and review all
documents related to the extension
request under consideration, please use
https://www.regulations.gov by searching
the Docket ID number NOAA–NOS–
2022–0033. Comments submitted in
response to this notice should be
submitted electronically through the
Federal eRulemaking Portal at https://
www.regulations.gov by selecting the
Docket ID number.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kerry Kehoe, Federal Consistency
Specialist, NOAA Office of Coastal
Management, at kerry.kehoe@noaa.gov,
or at 240–560–8515.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NOAA has
received an application from Lockheed
Martin for a five-year extension of its
two Deep Seabed Hard Mineral
Exploration Licenses, USA–1 and USA–
4. Lockheed Martin’s application
includes a single revised exploration
plan for both licenses that sets forth the
activities to be conducted during the
extension.
DSHMRA exploration licenses USA–1
and USA–4 were issued in 1984 and
both are presently held by Lockheed
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\18MRN1.SGM
18MRN1
jspears on DSK121TN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 53 / Friday, March 18, 2022 / Notices
Martin. USA–1 and USA–4 were most
recently extended in 2017 (82 FR 42327,
September 7, 2017). The current terms
of Exploration Licenses USA–1 and
USA–4 end on June 2, 2022. Section
107(a) of DSHMRA provides that NOAA
shall extend exploration licenses for a
term of not more than five years if the
licensee has substantially complied
with the license and exploration plan
and has requested an extension of the
license. 30 U.S.C. 1417.
Lockheed Martin has submitted this
request to maintain its interests and
rights under these exploration licenses.
Lockheed Martin is not currently
conducting at-sea activities under
DSHMRA exploration licenses USA–1
or USA–4, nor is the company
proposing any such activities in this
license extension request. Lockheed
Martin has stated that at-sea exploration
activities have been delayed for several
reasons including conditions in the
metals markets and the lack of
international recognition of the
DSHMRA licenses USA–1 and USA–4.
DSHMRA, which establishes a
domestic licensing regime for United
States citizens who engage in
exploration of deep seabed hard mineral
resources in areas beyond national
jurisdiction, was enacted in 1980 as an
interim statute pending the completion
of negotiations on a Law of the Sea
Convention (LOSC) acceptable to the
United States. See 30 U.S.C. 1401(a).
Although the LOSC was opened for
signature in 1982, the United States has
yet to become a party, and thus is not
a member of the International Seabed
Authority (ISA), the body established
under LOSC to regulate deep seabed
mining and award exploration and
mining contracts in areas beyond
national jurisdiction. DSHMRA
exploration licenses USA–1 and USA–4
predate the establishment of the ISA in
1994. As the United States is not a party
to the Law of the Sea Convention and
thus not a member of the ISA, the
United States is unable to seek from the
ISA an exploration contract to obtain
international legal recognition of
Lockheed Martin’s domestic law rights
under DSHMRA exploration licenses
USA–1 and USA–4. Recently, the ISA
established an Area of Particular
Environmental Interest that partially
overlaps with DSHMRA exploration
license USA–1. The ISA designation has
no bearing on the extension request
currently under consideration as it is
not within the criteria specified within
DSHMRA and its implementing
regulations for granting license
extensions.
During the requested five-year
extension, Lockheed Martin would
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18:27 Mar 17, 2022
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continue to conduct various preparatory
activities in advance of at-sea
exploration, which may become feasible
at some future date. If NOAA grants this
extension request, Lockheed Martin
would need to obtain additional
authorization from the agency before it
would be allowed to conduct at-sea
exploration activities under these
licenses. Among other requirements,
any request by Lockheed Martin for
authorization from NOAA to conduct atsea exploration activities would require
the agency to conduct additional
environmental analysis pursuant to
NOAA’s obligations under the National
Environmental Policy Act, 42 U.S.C.
4321 et seq., and DSHMRA.
NOAA is required under 30 U.S.C.
1417 to approve an extension request if
the licensee has substantially complied
with the license and its associated
exploration plan. In determining
substantial compliance, the DSHMRA
implementing regulations at 15 CFR
970.515(b) provide that NOAA may
make allowance for deviation from the
exploration plan for good cause such as
significantly changed market
conditions.
The request for extension and revised
exploration plan can be viewed at
www.regulations.gov, by searching for
docket number ‘‘NOAA–NOS–2022–
0033’’. NOAA is seeking comments on
Lockheed Martin’s request to extend
DSHMRA exploration licenses USA–1
and USA–4 including whether the
company has substantially complied
with the licenses and exploration plans,
and whether the revised exploration
plans for USA–1 and USA–4 meet the
terms, conditions and restrictions of
DSHMRA and the licenses issued
thereunder.
Keelin S. Kuipers,
Deputy Director, Office for Coastal
Management, National Ocean Service,
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2022–05793 Filed 3–17–22; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Submission to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for
Review and Approval; Comment
Request; Emergency Beacon
Registrations
The Department of Commerce will
submit the following information
collection request to the Office of
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15409
Management and Budget (OMB) for
review and clearance in accordance
with the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995, on or after the date of publication
of this notice. We invite the general
public and other Federal agencies to
comment on proposed, and continuing
information collections, which helps us
assess the impact of our information
collection requirements and minimize
the public’s reporting burden. Public
comments were previously requested
via the Federal Register on 12/17/2021
during a 60-day comment period. This
notice allows for an additional 30 days
for public comments.
Agency: National Oceanic &
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
Title: Emergency Beacon
Registrations.
OMB Control Number: 0648–0295.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Request: Regular submission,
Revision of a currently approved
information collection.
Number of Respondents: 343,808.
Average Hours per Response: 15
Minutes.
Total Annual Burden Hours: 85,952.
Needs and Uses: The United States,
Canada, France, and Russia operate the
Search and Rescue Satellite-Aided
Tracking (COSPAS/SARSAT), a satellite
system with equipment that can detect
and locate ships, aircraft, and
individuals in distress if an emergency
radio beacon is being carried.
This system is used to detect digitally
encoded signals in the 406.000–406.100
MHz range, coming from these
emergency beacons. The 406.000–
406.100 MHz beacons transmit a unique
identifier, making possible the ability to
combine previously collected data
associated with that beacon and
transmit this vital data along with the
beacon’s position to the appropriate
rescue coordination center.
Persons buying 406.000–406.100 MHz
emergency radio beacons are required to
register them with NOAA prior to
installation. These requirements are
contained in Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) regulations at 47
CFR 80.1061, 47 CFR 87.199 and 47 CFR
95.1402.
The registration data is used to
facilitate a rescue and to suppress the
costly consequences of false alarms,
which if unsuppressed would initiate
the launch of a rescue mission and
thereby deplete limited resources and
possibly result in the loss of lives. This
is accomplished through the use of the
data provided to the rescue forces from
the beacon registration database
maintained by the NOAA’s United
States Mission Control Center (USMCC)
E:\FR\FM\18MRN1.SGM
18MRN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 53 (Friday, March 18, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15408-15409]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-05793]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[Docket ID No.: NOAA-NOS-2022-0033]
Deep Seabed Hard Minerals; Request for Extension of Exploration
Licenses; Comments Request
AGENCY: Office for Coastal Management (OCM), National Ocean Service
(NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Department of Commerce (DOC).
ACTION: Notice of receipt of application to extend Deep Seabed Mineral
Exploration Licenses USA-1 and USA-4; request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: NOS has received from the Lockheed Martin Corporation
(``Lockheed Martin'' or ``Licensee'') a request to extend to 2027 two
deep seabed hard mineral exploration licenses issued pursuant to the
Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act (DSHMRA). Lockheed Martin's
extension request includes an updated exploration plan for activities
conducted under the licenses. Lockheed Martin's request and
accompanying exploration plan are available for public review and
comment on whether the Licensee has met the criteria for the issuance
of extensions specified in DSHMRA.
DATES: Comments may be submitted on or before May 17, 2022.
ADDRESSES: To access and review all documents related to the extension
request under consideration, please use https://www.regulations.gov by
searching the Docket ID number NOAA-NOS-2022-0033. Comments submitted
in response to this notice should be submitted electronically through
the Federal eRulemaking Portal at https://www.regulations.gov by
selecting the Docket ID number.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kerry Kehoe, Federal Consistency
Specialist, NOAA Office of Coastal Management, at [email protected],
or at 240-560-8515.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NOAA has received an application from
Lockheed Martin for a five-year extension of its two Deep Seabed Hard
Mineral Exploration Licenses, USA-1 and USA-4. Lockheed Martin's
application includes a single revised exploration plan for both
licenses that sets forth the activities to be conducted during the
extension.
DSHMRA exploration licenses USA-1 and USA-4 were issued in 1984 and
both are presently held by Lockheed
[[Page 15409]]
Martin. USA-1 and USA-4 were most recently extended in 2017 (82 FR
42327, September 7, 2017). The current terms of Exploration Licenses
USA-1 and USA-4 end on June 2, 2022. Section 107(a) of DSHMRA provides
that NOAA shall extend exploration licenses for a term of not more than
five years if the licensee has substantially complied with the license
and exploration plan and has requested an extension of the license. 30
U.S.C. 1417.
Lockheed Martin has submitted this request to maintain its
interests and rights under these exploration licenses. Lockheed Martin
is not currently conducting at-sea activities under DSHMRA exploration
licenses USA-1 or USA-4, nor is the company proposing any such
activities in this license extension request. Lockheed Martin has
stated that at-sea exploration activities have been delayed for several
reasons including conditions in the metals markets and the lack of
international recognition of the DSHMRA licenses USA-1 and USA-4.
DSHMRA, which establishes a domestic licensing regime for United
States citizens who engage in exploration of deep seabed hard mineral
resources in areas beyond national jurisdiction, was enacted in 1980 as
an interim statute pending the completion of negotiations on a Law of
the Sea Convention (LOSC) acceptable to the United States. See 30
U.S.C. 1401(a). Although the LOSC was opened for signature in 1982, the
United States has yet to become a party, and thus is not a member of
the International Seabed Authority (ISA), the body established under
LOSC to regulate deep seabed mining and award exploration and mining
contracts in areas beyond national jurisdiction. DSHMRA exploration
licenses USA-1 and USA-4 predate the establishment of the ISA in 1994.
As the United States is not a party to the Law of the Sea Convention
and thus not a member of the ISA, the United States is unable to seek
from the ISA an exploration contract to obtain international legal
recognition of Lockheed Martin's domestic law rights under DSHMRA
exploration licenses USA-1 and USA-4. Recently, the ISA established an
Area of Particular Environmental Interest that partially overlaps with
DSHMRA exploration license USA-1. The ISA designation has no bearing on
the extension request currently under consideration as it is not within
the criteria specified within DSHMRA and its implementing regulations
for granting license extensions.
During the requested five-year extension, Lockheed Martin would
continue to conduct various preparatory activities in advance of at-sea
exploration, which may become feasible at some future date. If NOAA
grants this extension request, Lockheed Martin would need to obtain
additional authorization from the agency before it would be allowed to
conduct at-sea exploration activities under these licenses. Among other
requirements, any request by Lockheed Martin for authorization from
NOAA to conduct at-sea exploration activities would require the agency
to conduct additional environmental analysis pursuant to NOAA's
obligations under the National Environmental Policy Act, 42 U.S.C. 4321
et seq., and DSHMRA.
NOAA is required under 30 U.S.C. 1417 to approve an extension
request if the licensee has substantially complied with the license and
its associated exploration plan. In determining substantial compliance,
the DSHMRA implementing regulations at 15 CFR 970.515(b) provide that
NOAA may make allowance for deviation from the exploration plan for
good cause such as significantly changed market conditions.
The request for extension and revised exploration plan can be
viewed at www.regulations.gov, by searching for docket number ``NOAA-
NOS-2022-0033''. NOAA is seeking comments on Lockheed Martin's request
to extend DSHMRA exploration licenses USA-1 and USA-4 including whether
the company has substantially complied with the licenses and
exploration plans, and whether the revised exploration plans for USA-1
and USA-4 meet the terms, conditions and restrictions of DSHMRA and the
licenses issued thereunder.
Keelin S. Kuipers,
Deputy Director, Office for Coastal Management, National Ocean Service,
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2022-05793 Filed 3-17-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-08-P