Marine Mammals and Endangered Species, 31737-31738 [2023-10561]
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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 96 / Thursday, May 18, 2023 / Notices
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In summary and as described above,
the following factors primarily support
our determination that the impacts
resulting from this activity are not
expected to adversely affect the species
or stock through effects on annual rates
of recruitment or survival:
• No mortality or serious injury is
anticipated or authorized;
• No Level A harassment (PTS) is
anticipated, even in the absence of
mitigation measures, or authorized;
• Foraging success is not likely to be
significantly impacted as effects on
species that serve as prey species for
marine mammals from the survey are
expected to be minimal;
• The availability of alternate areas of
similar habitat value for marine
mammals to temporarily vacate the
ensonified areas during the planned
survey to avoid exposure to sounds from
the activity;
• Take is anticipated to be primarily
Level B behavioral harassment
consisting of brief startling reactions
and/or temporary avoidance of the
ensonified area;
• While the survey area is within
areas noted as a migratory BIA for
NARWs, avoidance of the survey area
due to the activities is not anticipated
and would not likely affect migration. In
addition, mitigation measures require
shutdown at 500 m (almost four times
the size of the Level B harassment
isopleth of 141 m) to minimize the
effects of any Level B harassment take
of the species; and
• The required mitigation measures,
including visual monitoring and
shutdowns, are expected to minimize
potential impacts to other marine
mammals.
Based on the analysis contained
herein of the likely effects of the
specified activity on marine mammals
and their habitat, and taking into
consideration the implementation of the
required monitoring and mitigation
measures, NMFS finds that the total
marine mammal take from the activity
will have a negligible impact on all
affected marine mammal species or
stocks.
Small Numbers
As noted previously, only small
numbers of incidental take may be
authorized under sections 101(a)(5)(A)
and (D) of the MMPA for specified
activities other than military readiness
activities. The MMPA does not define
small numbers and so, in practice,
where estimated numbers are available,
NMFS compares the number of
individuals taken to the most
appropriate estimation of abundance of
the relevant species or stock in our
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19:05 May 17, 2023
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determination of whether an
authorization is limited to small
numbers of marine mammals. When the
predicted number of individuals to be
taken is fewer than one-third of the
species or stock abundance, the take is
considered to be of small numbers.
Additionally, other qualitative factors
may be considered in the analysis, such
as the temporal or spatial scale of the
activities.
The amount of take NMFS proposes to
authorize is below one-third of the
estimated stock abundance for all
species (total take is less than 7.5
percent of the abundance of the affected
stocks for all species, see Table 4). The
figures presented in Table 4 are
considered conservative estimates for
purposes of the small numbers
determination as they assume all takes
represent different individual animals,
which is unlikely to be the case.
Based on the analysis contained
herein of the activity (including the
mitigation and monitoring measures)
and the anticipated take of marine
mammals, NMFS finds that small
numbers of marine mammals would be
taken relative to the population size of
the affected species or stocks.
Unmitigable Adverse Impact Analysis
and Determination
There are no relevant subsistence uses
of the affected marine mammal stocks or
species implicated by this action.
Therefore, NMFS has determined that
the total taking of affected species or
stocks would not have an unmitigable
adverse impact on the availability of
such species or stocks for taking for
subsistence purposes.
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 consults internally
whenever we propose to authorize take
for endangered or threatened species.
NMFS has authorized the incidental
take of four species of marine mammals
which are listed under the ESA,
including the North Atlantic right, fin,
sei, and sperm whale, and has
determined that these activities fall
within the scope of activities analyzed
in GARFO’s programmatic consultation
regarding geophysical surveys along the
U.S. Atlantic coast in the three Atlantic
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31737
Renewable Energy Regions (completed
June 29, 2021; revised September 2021).
Authorization
As a result of these determinations,
NMFS has issued an IHA to TerraSond
for conducting marine site
characterization surveys in the New
York Bight and Central Atlantic for a
period of 1 year, provided the
previously mentioned mitigation,
monitoring, and reporting requirements
are incorporated. The IHA can be found
at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/
action/incidental-take-authorizationterrasond-limited-marine-sitecharacterization-surveys-new.
Dated: May 15, 2023.
Kimberly Damon-Randall,
Director, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2023–10639 Filed 5–17–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[RTID 0648–XD003]
Marine Mammals and Endangered
Species
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; issuance of permits and
permit amendments.
AGENCY:
Notice is hereby given that
permits and permit amendments have
been issued to the following entities
under the Marine Mammal Protection
Act (MMPA) and the Endangered
Species Act (ESA), as applicable.
ADDRESSES: The permits and related
documents are available for review
upon written request via email to
NMFS.Pr1Comments@noaa.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erin
Markin, Ph.D., (Permit Nos. 25686 and
27027), Shasta McClenahan, Ph.D.,
(Permit No. 26919), Carrie Hubard
(Permit No. 27077), Jennifer Skidmore
(Permit Nos. 27225 and 27267),
Courtney Smith, Ph.D. (Permit Nos.
24378–01, 27099), and Sara Young
(Permit No. 27272); at (301) 427–8401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notices
were published in the Federal Register
on the dates listed below that requests
for a permit or permit amendment had
been submitted by the below-named
applicants. To locate the Federal
Register notice that announced our
receipt of the application and a
SUMMARY:
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31738
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 96 / Thursday, May 18, 2023 / Notices
complete description of the activities, go
to https://www.federalregister.gov and
search on the permit number provided
in Table 1 below.
TABLE 1—ISSUED PERMITS
Permit No.
RTID
24378–01 .......
0648–XC630
25686 .............
0648–XB542
26919 .............
0648–XC724
27027 .............
0648–XC718
27077 .............
0648–XC750
27099 .............
0648–XC782
27225 .............
0648–XC783
27267 .............
0648–XC816
27272 .............
0648–XC768
The University of Alaska Southeast, 1332 Seward Ave,
Sitka, AK 99835 (Responsible Party: Jan Straley).
NMFS Southeast Fisheries Science Center, 75 Virginia
Beach, Miami, FL (Responsible Party: Lisa
Desfosse, Ph.D.).
Georgia Department of Natural Resources, 2070 U.S.
Highway 278 Southeast, Social Circle, GA 30025
(Responsible Party: Matt Elliott).
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, P.O. Box
140, Gustavus, AK 99826 (Responsible Party:
Thomas Schaff).
WSP Wild Water Productions Limited, St Stephen’s
Avenue, Bristol, BS1 1YL, United Kingdom (Responsible Party: Joanna Barwick).
Pacific Whale Foundation (Responsible Party: Jens
Curie), 300 Ma’alaea Rd. Ste. 211, Wailuku, Hawaii
96793.
Sea Research Foundation, Inc. dba Mystic Aquarium,
55 Coogan Boulevard, Mystic, CT 06355 (Responsible Party: Katie Cubina).
The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, 1876 Mansion House
Drive, Baltimore, MD 21217 (Responsible Party:
Ellen Bronson, DVM).
Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, 175 Edward Foster Road, Scituate, MA 02066 (Responsible
Party: David Wiley, Ph.D.).
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In compliance with the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), a final
determination has been made that the
activities proposed are categorically
excluded from the requirement to
prepare an environmental assessment or
environmental impact statement.
As required by the ESA, as applicable,
issuance of these permit was based on
a finding that such permits: (1) were
applied for in good faith; (2) will not
operate to the disadvantage of such
endangered species; and (3) are
consistent with the purposes and
policies set forth in Section 2 of the
ESA.
Authority: The requested permits
have been issued under the MMPA of
1972, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1361 et
seq.), the regulations governing the
taking and importing of marine
mammals (50 CFR part 216), the ESA of
1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et
seq.), and the regulations governing the
taking, importing, and exporting of
endangered and threatened species (50
CFR parts 222–226), as applicable.
Dated: May 12, 2023.
Julia M. Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division,
Office of Protected Resources, National
Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2023–10561 Filed 5–17–23; 8:45 am]
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VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:05 May 17, 2023
Previous Federal Register
notice
Applicant
Jkt 259001
87 FR 80527, December 30,
2022.
86 FR 59997, October 29, 2021
April 28, 2023.
88 FR 7080, February 2, 2023 ...
April 14, 2023.
88 FR 4975, January 26, 2023 ...
April 28, 2023.
88 FR 8408, February 9, 2023 ...
April 11, 2023.
88 FR 10294, February 17, 2023
April 28, 2023.
88 FR 10299, February 17, 2023
April 20, 2023.
88 FR 15681, March 14, 2023 ....
April 28, 2023.
88 FR 9870, February 15, 2023
April 20, 2023.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army, Corps of
Engineers
Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft
Environmental Impact Statement for
the Pearl River Flood Risk
Management Project, Pearl River
Watershed, Rankin and Hinds
Counties, Mississippi
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
Department of the Army, DoD.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a
draft environmental impact statement
for the Pearl River Flood Risk
Management Project, Pearl River
Watershed, Rankin and Hinds Counties,
Mississippi.
AGENCY:
The U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (USACE) intends to prepare a
draft environmental impact statement
(DEIS) for the Pearl River Flood Risk
Management Project in Rankin and
Hinds Counties, Mississippi to analyze
flood risk management plans that can be
implemented under section 3104 of the
Water Resources Development Act
(WRDA) of 2007. This notice updates
the original Notice of Intent declaring
the Rankin-Hinds Pearl River Flood and
Drainage Control District, the nonFederal interest (NFI) and USACE’s
intent to conduct a Feasibility Study
SUMMARY:
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Issuance date
April 5, 2023.
and EIS process, which was published
in the Federal Register on July 25, 2013.
USACE is now preparing a DEIS to
identify the national economic
development (NED) plan by comparing
the level of flood protection provided by
the alternatives presented in the NFI’s
section 211 Study (Alternatives A and
C) and two new USACE alternatives
(Alternative A1 and Combination/
Hybrid Plan, as allowed for by section
3104); assess the environmental
acceptability and technical feasibility of
the alternatives; and provide the
Secretary the necessary information to
choose a plan to implement.
Additionally, consistent with section
1176 of WRDA 2018, the DEIS will
assess potential downstream impacts to
the Pearl River Basin.
DATES: All comments and suggestions
must be submitted by June 20, 2023.
ADDRESSES: To ensure the Corps has
sufficient time to consider public input
in the preparation of the Draft EIS,
scoping comments should be submitted
by email at PearlRiverFRM@
usace.army.mil, by surface mail to U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, CEMVK–
PMP, 4155 Clay Street, Vicksburg,
Mississippi 39183–3435, or at the
Scoping Meeting(s).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Questions and comments regarding the
proposed project should reference ‘‘the
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 96 (Thursday, May 18, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31737-31738]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-10561]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XD003]
Marine Mammals and Endangered Species
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; issuance of permits and permit amendments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that permits and permit amendments have
been issued to the following entities under the Marine Mammal
Protection Act (MMPA) and the Endangered Species Act (ESA), as
applicable.
ADDRESSES: The permits and related documents are available for review
upon written request via email to [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Erin Markin, Ph.D., (Permit Nos. 25686
and 27027), Shasta McClenahan, Ph.D., (Permit No. 26919), Carrie Hubard
(Permit No. 27077), Jennifer Skidmore (Permit Nos. 27225 and 27267),
Courtney Smith, Ph.D. (Permit Nos. 24378-01, 27099), and Sara Young
(Permit No. 27272); at (301) 427-8401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notices were published in the Federal
Register on the dates listed below that requests for a permit or permit
amendment had been submitted by the below-named applicants. To locate
the Federal Register notice that announced our receipt of the
application and a
[[Page 31738]]
complete description of the activities, go to https://www.federalregister.gov and search on the permit number provided in
Table 1 below.
Table 1--Issued Permits
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Permit No. RTID Applicant Previous Federal Register notice Issuance date
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
24378-01.................. 0648-XC630 The University of Alaska 87 FR 80527, December 30, 2022.................. April 28, 2023.
Southeast, 1332 Seward Ave,
Sitka, AK 99835
(Responsible Party: Jan
Straley).
25686..................... 0648-XB542 NMFS Southeast Fisheries 86 FR 59997, October 29, 2021................... April 5, 2023.
Science Center, 75 Virginia
Beach, Miami, FL
(Responsible Party: Lisa
Desfosse, Ph.D.).
26919..................... 0648-XC724 Georgia Department of 88 FR 7080, February 2, 2023.................... April 14, 2023.
Natural Resources, 2070
U.S. Highway 278 Southeast,
Social Circle, GA 30025
(Responsible Party: Matt
Elliott).
27027..................... 0648-XC718 Glacier Bay National Park 88 FR 4975, January 26, 2023.................... April 28, 2023.
and Preserve, P.O. Box 140,
Gustavus, AK 99826
(Responsible Party: Thomas
Schaff).
27077..................... 0648-XC750 WSP Wild Water Productions 88 FR 8408, February 9, 2023.................... April 11, 2023.
Limited, St Stephen's
Avenue, Bristol, BS1 1YL,
United Kingdom (Responsible
Party: Joanna Barwick).
27099..................... 0648-XC782 Pacific Whale Foundation 88 FR 10294, February 17, 2023.................. April 28, 2023.
(Responsible Party: Jens
Curie), 300 Ma'alaea Rd.
Ste. 211, Wailuku, Hawaii
96793.
27225..................... 0648-XC783 Sea Research Foundation, 88 FR 10299, February 17, 2023.................. April 20, 2023.
Inc. dba Mystic Aquarium,
55 Coogan Boulevard,
Mystic, CT 06355
(Responsible Party: Katie
Cubina).
27267..................... 0648-XC816 The Maryland Zoo in 88 FR 15681, March 14, 2023..................... April 28, 2023.
Baltimore, 1876 Mansion
House Drive, Baltimore, MD
21217 (Responsible Party:
Ellen Bronson, DVM).
27272..................... 0648-XC768 Stellwagen Bank National 88 FR 9870, February 15, 2023................... April 20, 2023.
Marine Sanctuary, 175
Edward Foster Road,
Scituate, MA 02066
(Responsible Party: David
Wiley, Ph.D.).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), a final determination has been made that the
activities proposed are categorically excluded from the requirement to
prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement.
As required by the ESA, as applicable, issuance of these permit was
based on a finding that such permits: (1) were applied for in good
faith; (2) will not operate to the disadvantage of such endangered
species; and (3) are consistent with the purposes and policies set
forth in Section 2 of the ESA.
Authority: The requested permits have been issued under the MMPA of
1972, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), the regulations governing
the taking and importing of marine mammals (50 CFR part 216), the ESA
of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), and the regulations
governing the taking, importing, and exporting of endangered and
threatened species (50 CFR parts 222-226), as applicable.
Dated: May 12, 2023.
Julia M. Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-10561 Filed 5-17-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
