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Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 150 / Thursday, August 7, 2025 / Notices

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 ESA of 1973 (16
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) requires that each
Federal agency ensures 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 OPR consults internally
whenever we propose to authorize take
for endangered or threatened species, in
this case with NMFS’ GARFO. NMFS
OPR is proposing to authorize take of
North Atlantic right whale, fin whale,
and sei whale, which are listed under
the ESA.
The Permits and Conservation
Division has requested initiation of
section 7 consultation with NMFS
GARFO for the issuance of this IHA.
NMFS will conclude the ESA
consultation prior to reaching a
determination regarding the proposed
issuance of the authorization.

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Proposed Authorization
As a result of these preliminary
determinations, NMFS proposes to issue
an IHA to Transco for conducting
Transco’s Northeast Supply
Enhancement Project in Raritan Bay,
Lower New York Bay, and the Atlantic
Ocean (New York Bight region),
provided the previously mentioned
mitigation, monitoring, and reporting
requirements are incorporated. A draft
of the proposed IHA can be found at:
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/
national/marine-mammal-protection/
incidental-take-authorizationsconstruction-activities.
Request for Public Comments
We request comment on our analyses,
the proposed authorization, and any
other aspect of this notice of proposed
IHA for the proposed construction
project. We also request comment on the
potential renewal of this proposed IHA
as described in the paragraph below.
Please include with your comments any
supporting data or literature citations to
help inform decisions on the request for
this IHA or a subsequent renewal IHA.
On a case-by-case basis, NMFS may
issue a one-time, 1-year renewal IHA
following notice to the public providing
an additional 15 days for public
comments when (1) up to another year
of identical or nearly identical activities
as described in the Description of

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Proposed Activity section of this notice
is planned or (2) the activities as
described in the Description of
Proposed Activity section of this notice
would not be completed by the time the
IHA expires and a renewal would allow
for completion of the activities beyond
that described in the Dates and Duration
section of this notice, provided all of the
following conditions are met:
• A request for renewal is received no
later than 60 days prior to the needed
renewal IHA effective date (recognizing
that the renewal IHA expiration date
cannot extend beyond 1 year from
expiration of the initial IHA).
• The request for renewal must
include the following:
1. An explanation that the activities to
be conducted under the requested
renewal IHA are identical to the
activities analyzed under the initial
IHA, are a subset of the activities, or
include changes so minor (e.g.,
reduction in pile size) that the changes
do not affect the previous analyses,
mitigation and monitoring
requirements, or take estimates (with
the exception of reducing the type or
amount of take).
2. A preliminary monitoring report
showing the results of the required
monitoring to date and an explanation
showing that the monitoring results do
not indicate impacts of a scale or nature
not previously analyzed or authorized.
• Upon review of the request for
renewal, the status of the affected
species or stocks, and any other
pertinent information, NMFS
determines that there are no more than
minor changes in the activities, the
mitigation and monitoring measures
will remain the same and appropriate,
and the findings in the initial IHA
remain valid.
Dated: August 5, 2025.
Kimberly Damon-Randall,
Director, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2025–15014 Filed 8–6–25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P

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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; Pacific Coast Groundfish
Trawl Rationalization Program Permit
and License Information Collection
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 October 6, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are
invited to submit written comments to
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer,
at [email protected]. Please
reference OMB Control Number 0648–
0620 in the subject line of your
comments. All comments received are
part of the public record and will
generally be posted on https://
www.regulations.gov without change.
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 Jahnava
Duryea, Groundfish IFQ Permits
Coordinator, Southwest Fisheries
Science Center, 110 McAllister Way,
Santa Cruz, CA 95060, (916) 930–3725
or via email at jahnava.duryea@
noaa.gov.
SUMMARY:

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract
This is a request for renewal of an
approved information collection.
The National Marine Fisheries Service
(NMFS) requests comments on the
extension of a currently approved
information collection for the West

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Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 150 / Thursday, August 7, 2025 / Notices
Coast Region’s Pacific Coast Groundfish
Trawl Rationalization Program.
The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act, 16
U.S.C. 1801 et seq., provides that the
Secretary of Commerce is responsible
for the conservation and management of
marine fisheries resources in the
Exclusive Economic Zone (3–200 miles
offshore) of the United States. NMFS
West Coast Region manages the Pacific
Coast Groundfish Fishery in the
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) off the
coast of Washington, Oregon, and
California under the Pacific Coast
Groundfish Fishery Management Plan
(FMP).
In January 2011, NMFS implemented
a trawl rationalization program, which
is a catch share program, for the Pacific
Coast Groundfish Limited Entry Trawl
Fishery. The program was implemented
through Amendments 20 and 21 to the
Pacific Coast Groundfish FMP and the
corresponding implementing
regulations at 50 CFR part 660.
Amendment 20 established the trawl
rationalization program that consists of
an individual fishing quota (IFQ)
program for the shorebased trawl fleet
(including whiting and non-whiting
sectors) and cooperative programs for
the at-sea mothership and catcher/
processor trawl fleets (whiting only).
Amendment 21 set long-term allocations
for the limited entry trawl sectors of
certain groundfish species.
Under the trawl rationalization
program, new permits, accounts,
endorsements and licenses were
established. These consist of quota share
(QS) permits/accounts, vessel accounts,
first receiver site licenses, mothership
endorsements on certain limited entry
trawl permits, mothership catcher vessel
endorsements on certain limited entry
trawl permits, catcher/processor
endorsements on certain limited entry
trawl permits, a mothership cooperative
permit, and a catcher/processor
cooperative permit. NMFS collects
information from program participants
in order to: (1) establish new permits,
accounts, and licenses; (2) renew
permits, accounts, and licenses; (3)
allow trading of QS percentages and
quota pounds (QP) in online QS and
vessel accounts, and allow transfer of
catch history assignments between
limited entry trawl permits; (4) track
compliance with program control limits;
and (5) implement other features of the
regulations pertaining to permits and
licenses.
As part of its fishery management
responsibilities, NMFS requires this
information to determine whether a
respondent complies with regulations
that pertain to issuance and renewal of

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permits, and transfer and use of quotas.
Identification of the participants of the
trawl rationalization program, their gear
types, descriptions of their vessels, and
activity levels are needed to control and
determine the extent of fishing and to
track inseason quota use. Collection of
this information also allows NMFS to
equitably manage annual shorebased
trawl allocations for the fishery and
enforce control limits such that no
person may own or control, or have a
controlling influence over, quota for any
individual species that exceeds the
Shorebased IFQ Program accumulation
limits.
II. Method of Collection
Information is collected by email and
electronically through our Individual
Fishing Quota (IFQ) Program for Pacific
Coast Groundfish online portal, as well
as a small portion submitted via mail.
The following information is collected
by email: QS permit application forms;
vessel account registration requests;
trawl identification of ownership
interest forms for new applicants,
mothership catcher vessel endorsed
limited entry permit owners, and
mothership permit owners; mothership
permit change of vessel registration,
permit owner, or vessel owner
application forms; mothership
cooperative permit application forms;
change of mothership catcher vessel
endorsement and catch history
assignment registration forms; catcher/
processor cooperative permit
application forms; and QS abandonment
requests. Approximately 1% of the
proceeding forms are received via
regular mail by account holders.
The following information is collected
electronically: QS permit renewals; late
QS permit renewals; QS percent
transfers; QP transfers from a QS
account to a vessel account; vessel
account renewals; late vessel account
renewals; QP transfers from a vessel
account to another vessel account; trawl
identification of ownership interest
forms for online QS and vessel account
renewals; first receiver site license
application forms (new applicants and
re-registrations); and mothership permit
renewals, and material change forms.
III. Data
OMB Control Number: 0648–0620.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Review: Regular submission
(extension of a current information
collection).
Affected Public: Business or other forprofit organizations; non-profit
institutions; State, local, or tribal
government.

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38133

Estimated Number of Respondents:
392.
Estimated Time per Response: QS
permit/account application form—20
minutes; QS permit/account online
renewal—10 minutes; QS permit/
account late renewal form—15 minutes;
QS transfer—10 minutes; QP transfer
from QS account to vessel account—5
minutes; vessel account registration
request—15 minutes; vessel account
online renewal—10 minutes; vessel
account late renewal form—15 minutes;
QP transfer from vessel account to
another vessel account—5 minutes;
trawl identification of ownership
interest form for new entrants—45
minutes; trawl identification of
ownership interest form for renewals—
3.2 minutes; first receiver site license
application form for new entrants—200
minutes; first receiver site license
application form for re-registering
license holders—100 minutes;
mothership permit renewal form—10
minutes; mothership permit change of
vessel registration, permit owner, or
vessel owner application form—35
minutes; mothership cooperative permit
application form—230 minutes; change
of mothership catcher vessel
endorsement and catch history
assignment registration form—35
minutes; catcher/processor cooperative
permit application form—110 minutes;
QS abandonment request—10 minutes.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 808.
Estimated Total Annual Cost to
Public: $15,724.
Respondent’s Obligation: Required to
Obtain or Retain Benefits.
Legal Authority: The program was
implemented through Amendments 20
and 21 to the Pacific Coast Groundfish
FMP and the corresponding
implementing regulations at 50 CFR part
660.
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.

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Federal Register / Vol. 90, No. 150 / Thursday, August 7, 2025 / Notices

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 information
collection request. 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,
Departmental PRA Compliance Officer, Office
of the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs,
Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2025–15040 Filed 8–6–25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[RTID 0648–XE971]

Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to
Specified Activities; Taking Marine
Mammals Incidental to Pile Driving and
Removal To Improve the Auke Bay
East Ferry Terminal
National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice; issuance of incidental
harassment authorization.
AGENCY:

NMFS has received a request
from the Alaska Department of
Transportation and Public Facilities
(ADOT&PF) for the reissuance of a
previously issued incidental harassment
authorization (IHA) with the only
change being effective dates. The initial
IHA authorized take of eleven species of
marine mammals, by harassment only,
incidental to construction activities
associated with the Auke Bay East Ferry
Terminal in Juneau, Alaska. The project
has been delayed and none of the work
associated with the initial IHA has been
conducted. The initial IHA was effective
from October 1, 2024 through
September 30, 2025. ADOT&PF has
requested reissuance with new effective
dates of October 1, 2026 through
September 30, 2027. The scope of the
activities and anticipated effects remain
the same, authorized take numbers are
not changed, and the required
mitigation, monitoring, and reporting

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SUMMARY:

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remains the same as included in the
initial IHA. NMFS is, therefore, issuing
a second identical IHA to cover the
incidental take analyzed and authorized
in the initial IHA.
DATES: This authorization is effective
from October 1, 2026 through
September 30, 2027.
ADDRESSES: An electronic copy of the
final 2024 IHA previously issued to
ADOT&PF, the ADOT&PF’s application,
and the Federal Register notices
proposing and issuing the initial IHA
may be obtained by visiting https://
www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/
incidental-take-authorization-alaskadepartment-transportation-pile-drivingand-removal. In case of problems
accessing these documents, please call
the contact listed below (see FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Craig Cockrell, Office of Protected
Resources, NMFS, (301) 427–8401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Sections 101(a)(5)(A) and (D) of the
Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA;
16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) direct the
Secretary of Commerce (as delegated to
NMFS) 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.
The MMPA states that the term ‘‘take’’
means to harass, hunt, capture, kill or
attempt to harass, hunt, capture, or kill
any marine mammal.
Except with respect to certain
activities not pertinent here, the MMPA
defines ‘‘harassment’’ as any act of

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pursuit, torment, or annoyance which (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 16, 2024, NMFS
published final notice of our issuance of
an IHA authorizing take of marine
mammals incidental to the construction
activities associated with the Auke Bay
East Ferry Terminal in Juneau, Alaska
(89 FR 2584). The effective dates of that
IHA were October 1, 2024 through
September 30, 2025. On May 28, 2025,
ADOT&PF informed NMFS that the
project would be delayed by two years.
None of the work identified in the
initial IHA (e.g., pile driving and
removal) has occurred. The request was
for NMFS to reissue an identical IHA
that would be effective from October 1,
2026 through September 30, 2027, in
order to conduct the construction work
that was analyzed and authorized
through the previously issued IHA.
Therefore, reissuance of the IHA is
appropriate.
Summary of Specified Activity and
Anticipated Impacts
The planned activities (including
mitigation, monitoring, and reporting),
authorized incidental take, and
anticipated impacts on the affected
stocks are the same as those analyzed
and authorized through the previously
issued IHA.
ADOT&PF is proposing maintenance
improvements to the existing Alaska
Marine Highway System Auke Bay East
Berth marine terminal. The activity
includes removal of existing piles and
the installation of both temporary and
permanent piles of various sizes. Inwater construction activities associated
with the project will include impact and
vibratory pile driving and removal. The
location, timing, and nature of the
activities, including the types of
equipment planned for use, are identical
to those described in the initial IHA.
The mitigation and monitoring are also
as prescribed in the initial IHA.
Species that are expected to be taken
by the planned activity include
humpback whale (Megaptera
novaeangliae), killer whale (Orcinus
orca), minke whale (Balaenoptera
acutorostrata), Pacific white-sided
dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens)
harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena),

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