60-Day FRN

16732

Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 47 / Friday, March 8, 2024 / Notices

Notice of issuance of letter of
authorization.

ACTION:

In accordance with the
Marine Mammal Protection Act
(MMPA), as amended, and
implementing regulations, notification
is hereby given that a Letter of
Authorization (LOA) has been issued to
the U.S. Navy (Navy) for the take of
marine mammals incidental to
construction activities at the
Ammunition Wharf at Naval Magazine
(NAVMAG) Indian Island in Puget
Sound, Washington.
DATES: LOA effective from October 1,
2024, until September 30, 2029.
ADDRESSES: The LOA and supporting
documentation are available online at:
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/
incidental-take-authorization-takingmarine-mammals-incidental-navalmagazine-indian-island. In case of
problems accessing these documents,
please call the contact listed below (see
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Robert Pauline, Office of Protected
Resources, NMFS, (301) 427–8401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:

lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1

Background
Sections 101(a)(5)(A) and (D) of the
MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) direct
the Secretary of Commerce to allow,
upon request, the incidental, but not
intentional, taking of small numbers of
marine mammals by U.S. citizens who
engage in a specified activity (other than
commercial fishing) within a specified
geographical region if certain findings
are made and either regulations are
issued or, if the taking is limited to
harassment, a notice of a proposed
authorization is provided to the public
for review.
An authorization for incidental
takings shall be granted if NMFS finds
that the taking will have a negligible
impact on the species or stock(s), will
not have an unmitigable adverse impact
on the availability of the species or
stock(s) for subsistence uses (where
relevant), and if the permissible
methods of taking and requirements
pertaining to the mitigation, monitoring
and reporting of such takings are set
forth. NMFS has defined ‘‘negligible
impact’’ in 50 CFR 216.103 as an impact
resulting from the specified activity that
cannot be reasonably expected to, and is
not reasonably likely to, adversely affect
the species or stock through effects on
annual rates of recruitment or survival.
Except with respect to certain
activities not pertinent here, the MMPA
defines ‘‘harassment’’ as: any act of
pursuit, torment, or annoyance which:

VerDate Sep<11>2014

16:43 Mar 07, 2024

Jkt 262001

(i) has the potential to injure a marine
mammal or marine mammal stock in the
wild (Level A harassment); or (ii) has
the potential to disturb a marine
mammal or marine mammal stock in the
wild by causing disruption of behavioral
patterns, including, but not limited to,
migration, breathing, nursing, breeding,
feeding, or sheltering (Level B
harassment).
Summary of Request
On January 29, 2024, we issued a final
rule upon request from the Navy for
authorization to take marine mammals
incidental to construction activities (89
FR 5674). The Navy plans to engage in
maintenance and pile replacement
construction activities at NAVMAG.
This construction will include use of
vibratory pile driving and removal, and
impact pile driving. The use of both
vibratory and impact pile driving is
expected to produce underwater sound
at levels that have the potential to result
in Levels A and B harassment of marine
mammals.
Authorization
We have issued a LOA to Navy
authorizing the take of marine mammals
incidental to construction activities, as
described above. Take of marine
mammals will be minimized through
the implementation of the following
planned mitigation measures: (1)
required monitoring of the construction
area to detect the presence of marine
mammals before beginning construction
activities; (2) shutdown of construction
activities under certain circumstances to
avoid injury of marine mammals; (3)
soft start for impact pile driving to allow
marine mammals the opportunity to
leave the area prior to beginning impact
pile driving at full power; and (4) use of
bubble curtains to attenuate sound
levels when impact driving steel piles.
Additionally, the rule includes an
adaptive management component that
allows for timely modification of
mitigation or monitoring measures
based on new information, when
appropriate. The Navy will submit
reports as required.
Based on these findings and the
information discussed in the preamble
to the final rule, the activities described
under this LOA will have a negligible
impact on marine mammal stocks and
will not have an unmitigable adverse
impact on the availability of the affected
marine mammal stock for subsistence
uses.

PO 00000

Frm 00015

Fmt 4703

Sfmt 4703

Dated: March 4, 2024.
Catherine Marzin,
Deputy Director, Office of Protected
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2024–04905 Filed 3–7–24; 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; National Saltwater Angler
Registry and State Exemption Program
National Oceanic &
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of information collection,
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 May 7, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are
invited to submit written comments to
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer,
at [email protected]. Please
reference OMB Control Number 0648–
0578 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
specific questions related to collection
activities should be directed to Lauren
Dolinger Few, IT Specialist, National
Marine Fisheries Service, Office of
Science and Technology, 1315 EastWest Hwy./FST1, Silver Spring, MD
21910, Phone: (301) 427–8127,
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:

I. Abstract
This request is for the extension of a
currently approved collection. The
National Saltwater Angler Registry
Program and State Exemption Program

E:\FR\FM\08MRN1.SGM

08MRN1

Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 47 / Friday, March 8, 2024 / Notices
(Registry Program) was established to
implement recommendations included
in the review of national saltwater
angling data collection programs
conducted by the National Research
Council (NRC) in 2005/2006, and the
provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens
Reauthorization Act, codified at Section
401(g) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act
(MSA), which require the Secretary of
Commerce to commence improvements
to recreational fisheries surveys,
including establishing a national
saltwater angler and for-hire vessel
registry, by January 1, 2009. A final rule
that includes regulatory measures to
implement the Registry Program (RIN
0648–AW10) was adopted and codified
in 50 CFR 600, subpart P.
The Registry Program collects
identification and contact information
from those anglers and for-hire vessels
who are involved in recreational fishing
in the United States Exclusive Economic
Zone or for anadromous fish in any
waters, unless the anglers or vessels are
exempted from the registration
requirement. Data collected includes—
for anglers: Name, address, date of birth,
telephone contact information and
region(s) of the country in which they
fish; for for-hire vessels: Owner and
operator name, address, date of birth,
telephone contact information, email
address, vessel name and registration/
documentation number and home port
or primary operating area. This
information is compiled into a national
and/or series of regional registries that
is being used to support surveys of
recreational anglers and for-hire vessels
to develop estimates of recreational
angling effort.
Persons may register online at a
NOAA-maintained website. Registration
cards, valid for one year from the date
of issuance, are mailed to registrants.

Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of
the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs,
Commerce Department.
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration

III. Data

lotter on DSK11XQN23PROD with NOTICES1

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.

[FR Doc. 2024–05002 Filed 3–7–24; 8:45 am]

II. Method of Collection

OMB Control Number: 0648–0578.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Review: Extension of current
information collection.
Affected Public: Individuals or
households; business or other for-profit
organizations.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
976.
Estimated Time per Response: 3
minutes.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 49.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to
Public: 1,652.48.
Respondent’s Obligation: Mandatory.

VerDate Sep<11>2014

Legal Authority: Magnuson-Stevens
Fishery Conservation and Management
Act (MSA) 50 CFR 600, subpart P.

16:43 Mar 07, 2024

Jkt 262001

Agency Information Collection
Activities; Submission to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for
Review and Approval; Comment
Request; Sea Grant Program
Application Requirements for Grants,
for Sea Grant Fellowships, Including
the Dean John A. Knauss Marine
Policy Fellowships, and for
Designation as a Sea Grant College or
Sea Grant Institution
The Department of Commerce will
submit the following information
collection request to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for

PO 00000

Frm 00016

Fmt 4703

Sfmt 4703

16733

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 December
13, 2023, during a 60-day comment
period. This notice allows for an
additional 30 days for public comments.
Agency: National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
Title: Sea Grant Program Application
Requirements for Grants, for Sea Grant
Fellowships, including the Dean John A.
Knauss Marine Policy Fellowships, and
for Designation as a Sea Grant College
or Sea Grant Institution.
OMB Control Number: 0648–0362.
Form Number(s): NOAA Forms 90–1,
90–2, and 90–4.
Type of Request: Regular submission
[extension of a current information
collection].
Number of Respondents: 680.
Average Hours per Response: 30
minutes for a Sea Grant Control form; 20
minutes for a Project Record Form; 15
minutes for a Sea Grant Budget form;
and 20 hours for an application for
designation as a Sea Grant college or Sea
Grant institute.
Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,091.
Needs and Uses: This is a request for
extension of an existing information
collection.
The objectives of the National Sea
Grant College Program, as stated in the
Sea Grant legislation (33 U.S.C. 1121 et
seq.) are to increase the understanding,
assessments, development, utilization,
and conservation of the Nation’s ocean,
coastal, and Great Lakes resources. It
accomplishes these objectives by
conducting research, education, and
outreach programs. Grant monies are
available for funding activities that help
obtain the objectives of the Sea Grant
Program. Both single and multi-project
grants are awarded, with the latter
representing approximately 80 percent
of the total grant program. In addition to
other standard grant application
requirements, three forms are required
with the grants. The Sea Grant Control
Form (NOAA Form 90–1) is used to
identify the organizations and personnel
who would be involved in the grant and
briefly summarize the proposed
activities under the grant. The Project
Record Form (NOAA Form 90–2), which
collects summary data on projects, helps
the National Sea Grant Office (NSGO)

E:\FR\FM\08MRN1.SGM

08MRN1