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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 6 / Monday, January 11, 2021 / Notices
intake guards that would prevent the
sturgeon from accessing the area where
the trash racks are located. The HCP
does, however, include monitoring of
the trash racks for sturgeon. Dominion
will continue to inspect trash rack
debris at the water surface, and debris
removed from the trash racks, for
sturgeon. Dominion has sturgeon
handling procedures in the event a
living or dead sturgeon is found among
the debris floating in the water or in the
debris removed from the trash racks.
Monitoring will not, however, occur at
the intake guards because it is not
feasible due to the turbidity of the river
and the safety risk for personnel.
We conducted intra-agency section 7
consultation to ensure that issuing the
permit would comply with the ESA.
The Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries
Office (GARFO) Protected Resources
Division issued a Biological Opinion on
November 10, 2020, that considered the
effects of the activities covered by this
ITP as well as the effects to other ESAlisted species from the other activities
reasonably expected to occur at CPS
during the 5 year duration of the permit.
Those other activities include the
discharge of heated effluent and other
pollutants resulting from CPS
operations, and the barge traffic that is
associated with deliveries of materials
to and from CPS.
The Biological Opinion concluded
that activities covered by this ITP (i.e.,
entrainment of larval Atlantic sturgeon
during CPS operations and entrainment/
collection during required sampling)
may adversely affect but are not likely
to jeopardize the continued existence of
the Chesapeake Bay DPS of Atlantic
sturgeon. We also concluded that this
action is not likely to adversely affect
designated critical habitat for the DPS,
or shortnose sturgeon, the Gulf of
Maine, New York Bight, Carolina, and
South Atlantic DPSs of Atlantic
sturgeon, North Atlantic DPS green
turtle, Kemp’s ridley turtle, leatherback
turtle, and Northwest Atlantic Ocean
DPS of loggerhead turtle.
With respect to the other CPS
activities and other ESA-listed species
in the James River, the only activity that
may affect other listed species is the
shipment of materials to and from CPS
by barge within the James River. In the
Biological Opinion we concluded that
the effects of those activities on
shortnose sturgeon, the four other DPSs
of Atlantic sturgeon, and leatherback,
Kemp’s ridley, green, and loggerhead
sea turtles would be insignificant or
extremely unlikely to occur and that,
therefore, this action was not likely to
adversely affect any of these species.
Dominion has not indicated any plans

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to conduct dredging or shoreline
maintenance during the 5 year duration
of the ITP. Therefore, effects to ESA
listed species and critical habitat in the
action area from dredging and shoreline
maintenance activities are not
reasonably certain to occur and do not
meet the definition of ‘‘effects of the
action.’’ As a result, these activities
were not considered further in the
consultation. If Dominion applied for
any Federal permits or authorizations
for any future dredging or shoreline
maintenance, ESA section 7
consultation would be necessary for any
of those activities that may affect listed
species or critical habitat. The full
section 7 evaluation can be found in the
Biological Opinion.
Permit 21516
NMFS authorizes the following lethal
take for the Chesapeake Bay DPS of
Atlantic sturgeon.
Entrainment: up to 54,745 larvae,
total, for the 5-year duration of the
permit with an anticipated average
annual take of 10,949 per year during
normal operation of CPS, and 1 larvae
over the 5-year duration of the permit
during sampling to complete CWA
section 316(b) sampling.
Impingement: There is no authorized
or anticipated incidental take by
impingement based on the already
implemented minimization measures.
The first 3 years of monitoring data
collected under the permit will be
analyzed to verify the requested total
annual incidental take. As data are
gathered and analyzed through
monitoring, NMFS may amend the
permit to reflect any changes in the take
estimate, if appropriate.
The permit requires Dominion to
prepare a report, due to NMFS within
90 days of issuance of the ITP, which
details how observed take of Atlantic
sturgeon will be extrapolated to generate
an accurate and reliable estimate of total
annual take at the facility. Dominion
must also submit reports of any
observed take of Atlantic sturgeon to
NMFS within seven days, and must
prepare an annual report detailing all
observed takes of Atlantic sturgeon at
CPS. NMFS review of the annual report
provides an opportunity to monitor the
ongoing amount of take at CPS and
detect any trends that may indicate a
potential exceedance of the anticipated
take before such an event occurs.
National Environmental Policy Act
Issuing an ESA section 10(a)(1)(B)
permit constitutes a Federal action
requiring NMFS to comply with NEPA
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) as implemented
by 40 CFR parts 1500–1508 and NOAA

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Administrative Order 216–6A,
Compliance with the NEPA (2016).
NMFS prepared an EA to consider a
range of reasonable alternatives and
fully evaluate the direct, indirect, and
cumulative impacts likely to result from
the authorization of this permit. NMFS
found that issuing the ITP would have
no significant impacts on the quality of
the environment.
Authority: This notice is provided
pursuant to section 10(c) of the ESA (16
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and NEPA regulations
(40 CFR 1506.6).
Dated: January 6, 2021.
Angela Somma,
Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office
of Protected Resources, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2021–00303 Filed 1–8–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P

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; West Coast Region Vessel
Monitoring System Requirement in the
Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery
National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice. Request for comment.
AGENCY:

The Department of
Commerce, in accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(PRA), invites 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. The purpose of this
notice is to allow for 60 days of public
comment preceding submission of the
collection to OMB.
DATES: To ensure consideration,
comments regarding this proposed
information collection must be received
on or before March 12, 2021.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are
invited to submit written comments to
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer,
at [email protected]. Please
reference OMB Control Number 0648–
0573 in the subject line of your
comments. Do not submit Confidential
Business Information or otherwise
sensitive or protected information.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Requests for additional information or
SUMMARY:

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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 6 / Monday, January 11, 2021 / Notices

specific questions related to collection
activities should be directed to Keeley
Kent, National Marine Fisheries Service,
7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA
98115, 206–247–8252, and keeley.kent@
noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract
This is a request for a revision and
extension of a currently approved
information collection. The National
Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
implemented a Vessel Monitoring
Program in 2004, consistent with the
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act
(MSA) and the Pacific Coast Groundfish
Fishery Management Plan (FMP). Under
this program described at 50 CFR 660.13
and 660.14, all commercial fishing
vessels fishing in the exclusive
economic zone off the West Coast that
take and retain groundfish in federal
waters, or transit through federal waters
with groundfish on board, are required
to have a working vessel monitoring
system (VMS). To support the VMS
monitoring program, the following
information must be submitted to
NMFS: (1) VMS installation/activation
certification reports, (2) position reports,
(3) exemption reports, and (4)
declaration reports. The VMS, along
with the fishing declaration reporting
requirements, allows for monitoring and
enforcement of areas closed to fishing
by gear type as traditional enforcement
methods (such as aerial surveillance,
boarding at sea via patrol boats, landing
inspections and documentary
investigation) are especially difficult to
use when the closed areas are largescale and the lines defining the areas are
irregular.
The collection is being revised to
remove the position report from the
collection with regard to burden. The
position reports are automatically
transmitted location signals from the
VMS unit that do not require any action
on the part of the captain or crew.
II. Method of Collection

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Affected commercial fishing vessel
owners must submit VMS installation/
activation certification reports, the VMS
systems send automatic position
updates, affected vessels captains must
submit declarations reports via phone.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0648–0573.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Review: Regular submission,
extension of a current information
collection.

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Affected Public: Business or other forprofit organizations; individuals or
households.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
1000.
Estimated Time per Response: 5 hours
to install and activate a VMS unit; 1
hour per year to maintain a VMS; 0
seconds for an automated position
report; 5 minutes to complete and fax a
check-in report or to complete an
exemption report; 4 minutes for a
declaration report.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 6,999.99.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to
Public: $97,035.30.
Respondent’s Obligation: Mandatory.
Legal Authority: 50 CFR 660.13 and
660.14.
IV. Request for Comments
We are soliciting public comments to
permit the Department/Bureau to: (a)
Evaluate whether the proposed
information collection is necessary for
the proper functions of the Department,
including whether the information will
have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the
accuracy of our estimate of the time and
cost burden for this proposed collection,
including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (c)
Evaluate ways to enhance the quality,
utility, and clarity of the information to
be collected; and (d) Minimize the
reporting burden on those who are to
respond, including the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of
information technology.
Comments that you submit in
response to this notice are a matter of
public record. We will include or
summarize each comment in our request
to OMB to approve this ICR. Before
including your address, phone number,
email address, or other personal
identifying information in your
comment, you should be aware that
your entire comment—including your
personal identifying information—may
be made publicly available at any time.
While you may ask us in your comment
to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we
cannot guarantee that we will be able to
do so.
Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of
the Chief Information Officer, Commerce
Department.
[FR Doc. 2021–00296 Filed 1–8–21; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[RTID 0648–XA755]

Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management
Council; Public Meeting
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of a public meeting.
AGENCY:

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery
Management Council (Council) will
hold a four-day webinar meeting to
consider actions affecting the Gulf of
Mexico fisheries in the exclusive
economic zone (EEZ).
DATES: The webinar will convene
Monday, January 25 through Thursday,
January 28, 2021; 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.
EST.
SUMMARY:

The meeting will take place
via webinar; you may access the log-on
information at www.gulfcouncil.org.
Council address: Gulf of Mexico
Fishery Management Council, 4107 W
Spruce Street, Suite 200, Tampa, FL
33607; telephone: (813) 348–1630.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.
Carrie Simmons, Executive Director,
Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management
Council; telephone: (813) 348–1630.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
ADDRESSES:

Agenda
Monday, January 25, 2021; 9 a.m.–5
p.m.
The meeting will begin with the
Administrative/Budget Committee
discussing the reappointment of the
Reef Fish and Shrimp Advisory Panels
due in 2021; review 2020 Budget and
Expenditures; discuss logistics and
estimated costs of conducting a Gulfwide Fishery-Independent Offshore
Abundance Study on Red Drum and an
Independent Stock Assessment (i.e.,
outside SEDAR) Process for Gray
Triggerfish; and, review of 2021
Projected Budget and Activities.
Sustainable Fisheries Committee will
review Final Action Amendment Reef
Fish 48/Red Drum 5: Status
Determination Criteria and Optimum
Yield for Reef Fish and Red Drum, SSC
Recommendations on Interim Analyses
Species and Timing, and Standardized
Bycatch Reporting Methodology for the
Gulf of Mexico and Joint Fishery
Management Plans.
Outreach and Education Committee
will receive a presentation on
Communication Analytics; review 2021

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