National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration February 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The New England Fishery Management Council (Council) is scheduling a public meeting of its Scallop Survey Advisory Panel in March, 2008 to consider actions affecting New England fisheries in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Recommendations from this group will be brought to the full Council for formal consideration and action, if appropriate.

The 97th meeting of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council's (Council) Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) will convene Monday, March 3, 2008, through Thursday March 6, 2008. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for specific times, dates, and agenda items.

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for the A season allowance of the 2008 Pacific cod sideboard limits apportioned to non- American Fisheries Act (AFA) crab vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the inshore component in the Central Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2008 Pacific cod sideboard limits apportioned to non-AFA crab vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the inshore component in the Central Regulatory Area of the GOA.

Notice is hereby given that Dr. Kathryn A. Ono, Department of Biological Sciences, University of New England, Biddeford, ME, has requested a major amendment to Permit No. 10080 for research on marine mammals.

NOAA announces its intent to prepare a joint EIS/EIR to analyze the environmental impacts of relocating its Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) near the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) within the University of California at San Diego (UCSD) campus in La Jolla, California. Publication of this notice is to request public participation during preparation of the EIS/EIR to help determine the scope of environmental issues and range of alternatives to be addressed, and to provide information as to how to participate.

Notice is hereby given of the intent to fully approve the Florida and South Carolina Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Programs (coastal nonpoint program) and of the availability of the draft decision documents fully approving the Florida and South Carolina coastal nonpoint programs. Section 6217 of the Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization Amendments (CZARA), 16 U.S.C. section 1455b, requires States and Territories with coastal zone management programs that have received approval under section 306 of the Coastal Zone Management Act, 16 U.S.C. section 1455, to develop and implement coastal nonpoint programs. Coastal States and Territories were required to submit their coastal nonpoint programs to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for approval in July 1995. NOAA and EPA conditionally approved the Florida and South Carolina coastal nonpoint programs on November 18, 1997 and February 23, 1998, respectively. NOAA and EPA have drafted approval decisions describing how Florida and South Carolina have satisfied the conditions placed on their programs and therefore have a fully approved coastal nonpoint program. NOAA and EPA are making the draft decisions for the Florida and South Carolina coastal nonpoint programs available for a 30-day public comment period. If comments are received, NOAA and EPA will consider whether such comments are significant enough to affect the decision to fully approve the programs. Copies of the draft Approval Decisions can be found on the NOAA Web site at https://coastalmanagement.noaa.gov/czm/6217/findings.html or may be obtained upon request from: Allison Castellan, Coastal Programs Division (N/ORM3), Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, NOS, NOAA, 1305 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, phone (301) 713-3155, x125, e-mail Allison.Castellan@noaa.gov.

NOAA publishes this notice to supplement the agency's solicitation for applications published on July 2, 2007 in an action entitled ``Availability of Grant Funds for Fiscal Year 2008'' (72 FR 36244). This notice announces 3 additional programs that are soliciting applications for FY 08 funding. In addition, NOAA publishes this notice to change the funding years associated with awards for the solicitation ``FY 2008 Implementation of Regional Integrated Ocean Observing Systems'' announced in the Federal Register on July 2, 2007 (72 FR 36244, 36263) and amended on November 15, 2007 (72 FR 64047).

This announcement provides notice that AES Sparrows Point LNG, LLC and Mid-Atlantic Express, L.L.C. (collectively, ``AES'') have filed a second administrative appeal with the Department of Commerce asking that the Secretary override the State of Maryland's objection to AES's proposed LNG terminal in Baltimore County, Maryland.

In accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), as amended, notification is hereby given that a letter of authorization (LOA) to take three species of marine mammals incidental to missile launch operations from San Nicolas Island, CA (SNI) has been issued to the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWC-WD), Point Mugu, CA.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announces the availability of a joint report on the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management's use of the counterpart regulations for projects that support the National Fire Plan.

This notice advises the public that the Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) will hold a public meeting in Pago Pago, American Samoa to discuss potential management actions pertaining to pelagic longline and pelagic purse seine fishing in offshore waters around American Samoa.

NMFS is prohibiting directed fishing for the A season allowance of the 2008 Pacific cod sideboard limits apportioned to non- American Fisheries Act (AFA) crab vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the inshore component in the Western Regulatory Area of the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to prevent exceeding the A season allowance of the 2008 Pacific cod sideboard limits apportioned to non-AFA crab vessels catching Pacific cod for processing by the inshore component in the Western Regulatory Area of the GOA.

We, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), propose to designate critical habitat for elkhorn (Acropora palmata) and staghorn (A. cervicornis) corals, which we listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA), on May 9, 2006. Four specific areas are proposed for designation: the Florida unit, which comprises approximately 3,301 square miles (8,671 sq km) of marine habitat; the Puerto Rico unit, which comprises approximately 1,383 square miles (3,582 sq km) of marine habitat; the St. John/St. Thomas unit, which comprises approximately 121 square miles (313 sq km) of marine habitat; and the St. Croix unit, which comprises approximately 126 square miles (326 sq km) of marine habitat. We propose to exclude one military site, comprising approximately 47 square miles (123 sq km), because of national security impacts. We are soliciting comments from the public on all aspects of the proposal, including our identification and consideration of the positive and negative economic, national security, and other relevant impacts of the proposed designation, and the areas we propose to exclude from the designation. A draft impacts report prepared pursuant to section 4(b)(2) of the ESA in support of this proposal is also available for public review and comment.

Notice is hereby given that Jenifer A. Zeligs-Hurley, Ph.D., Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, 8272 Moss Landing Road, Moss Landing, CA 95039, has been issued a minor amendment to Scientific Research Permit No. 1021-1568, for research on California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) and Pacific harbor seals (Phoca vitulina richardsi) maintained at the Moss Landing Marine Laboratories.

The Hydrographic Services Review Panel (HSRP) was established by the Secretary of Commerce to advise the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere on matters related to the responsibilities and authorities set forth in section 303 of the Hydrographic Services Improvement Act of 1998, its amendments, and such other appropriate matters that the Under Secretary refers to the Panel for review and advice. Date and Time: The meeting will be held Friday, March 7, 2008, from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Location: The Doubletree Grand Hotel Biscayne Bay, 1717 North Bayshore Drive, Miami, Florida 33132, telephone: 305-372-0313. The times and agenda topics are subject to change. Refer to the HSRP Web site listed below for the most current meeting agenda.

The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

This proposed rule would implement management measures for the vessel-based bottomfish fishery in the Main Hawaiian Islands, including requirements for non-commercial (recreational and subsistence) permits and data reporting, a closed season, annual total allowable catch limits, and non-commercial bag limits. The proposed action is intended to end the overfishing of bottomfish in the Hawaiian Archipelago.

NMFS is opening directed fishing for species that comprise the shallow-water species fishery by Amendment 80 vessels subject to sideboard limits in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This action is necessary to fully use the first seasonal apportionment of the 2008 Pacific halibut prohibited species catch (PSC) limit specified for the shallow- water species fishery by Amendment 80 vessels subject to sideboard limits in the GOA.