72180 Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 238 / Monday, December 13, 2004 / Notices 

sufficient accuracy to be used for this 

purpose without complementary visual 

observations.

Taking into consideration the 

additional costs of prohibiting nighttime 

operations and the likely impact of the 

activity (including all mitigation and 

monitoring), NMFS has determined that 

the mitigation and monitoring 

requirements ensure that the activity 

will have the least practicable impact on 

the affected species or stocks. Marine 

mammals will have sufficient notice of 

a vessel approaching with operating 

seismic airguns, thereby giving them an 

opportunity to avoid the approaching 

array; if ramp-up is required, two 

marine mammal observers will be 

required to monitor the safety radii 

using shipboard lighting or NVDs for at 

least 30 minutes before ramp-up begins 

and verify that no marine mammals are 

in or approaching the safety radii; rampup may not begin unless the entire 

safety radii are visible. Therefore as 

mentioned earlier, it is likely that the 3 

GI-airgun array will not be ramped-up 

from a shut-down at night when in 

waters shallower than 100 m (328 ft).

Reporting

L-DEO will submit a report to NMFS 

within 90 days after the end of the 

cruise, which is currently predicted to 

occur during November and December, 

2004. The report will describe the 

operations that were conducted and the 

marine mammals that were detected. 

The report must provide full 

documentation of methods, results, and 

interpretation pertaining to all 

monitoring tasks. The report will 

summarize the dates and locations of 

seismic operations, marine mammal 

sightings (dates, times, locations, 

activities, associated seismic survey 

activities), and estimates of the amount 

and nature of potential take of marine 

mammals by harassment or in other 

ways.

Endangered Species Act (ESA)

NMFS has issued a biological opinion 

regarding the effects of this action on 

ESA-listed species and critical habitat 

under the jurisdiction of NMFS. That 

biological opinion concluded that this 

action is not likely to jeopardize the 

continued existence of listed species or 

result in the destruction or adverse 

modification of critical habitat. A copy 

of the Biological Opinion is available 

upon request (see ADDRESSES).

National Environmental Policy Act 

(NEPA)

The NSF made a FONSI 

determination on June 24, 2004, based 

on information contained within its EA, 

that implementation of the subject 

action is not a major Federal action 

having significant effects on the 

environment within the meaning of 

NEPA. NSF determined, therefore, that 

an environmental impact statement 

would not be prepared. On September 

30, 2004 (69 FR 58396), NMFS noted 

that the NSF had prepared an EA for the 

ETPO surveys and made this EA was 

available upon request. In accordance 

with NOAA Administrative Order 216–

6 (Environmental Review Procedures for 

Implementing the National 

Environmental Policy Act, May 20, 

1999), NMFS has reviewed the 

information contained in NSF’s EA and 

determined that the NSF EA accurately 

and completely describes the proposed 

action alternative, and the potential 

impacts on marine mammals, 

endangered species, and other marine 

life that could be impacted by the 

preferred alternative and the other 

alternatives. Accordingly, NMFS 

adopted the NSF EA under 40 CFR 

1506.3 and made its own FONSI. The 

NMFS FONSI also takes into 

consideration additional mitigation 

measures required by the IHA that are 

not in NSF’s EA. Therefore, it is not 

necessary to issue a new EA, 

supplemental EA or an environmental 

impact statement for the issuance of an 

IHA to L-DEO for this activity. A copy 

of the EA and the NMFS FONSI for this 

activity is available upon request (see 

ADDRESSES).

Determinations

NMFS has determined that the impact 

of conducting the seismic survey in the 

ETPO off Central America may result, at 

worst, in a temporary modification in 

behavior by certain species of marine 

mammals. This activity is expected to 

result in no more than a negligible 

impact on the affected species or stocks.

For reasons stated previously in this 

document, this determination is 

supported by (1) the likelihood that, 

given sufficient notice through slow 

ship speed and ramp-up, marine 

mammals are expected to move away 

from a noise source that is annoying 

prior to its becoming potentially 

injurious; (2) recent research that 

indicates that TTS is unlikely (at least 

in delphinids) until levels closer to 200–

205 dB re 1 microPa are reached rather 

than 180 dB re 1 microPa; (3) the fact 

that 200–205 dB isopleths would be 

well within 100 m (328 ft) of the vessel 

even in shallow water; and (4) the 

likelihood that marine mammal 

detection ability by trained observers is 

close to 100 percent during daytime and 

remains high at night to that distance 

from the seismic vessel. As a result, no 

take by injury or death is anticipated, 

and the potential for temporary or 

permanent hearing impairment is very 

low and will be avoided through the 

incorporation of the mitigation 

measures mentioned in this document.

While the number of potential 

incidental harassment takes will depend 

on the distribution and abundance of 

marine mammals in the vicinity of the 

survey activity, the number of potential 

harassment takings is estimated to be 

small. In addition, the proposed seismic 

program will not interfere with any legal 

subsistence hunts, since seismic 

operations will not take place in 

subsistence whaling and sealing areas 

and will not affect marine mammals 

used for subsistence purposes.

Authorization

NMFS has issued an IHA to L-DEO to 

take marine mammals, by harassment, 

incidental to conducting seismic 

surveys in the ETPO for a 1–year period, 

provided the mitigation, monitoring, 

and reporting requirements are 

undertaken.

Dated: December 7, 2004.

Stephen L. Leathery,

Acting Director, Office of Protected Resources, 

National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 04–27266 Filed 12–10–04; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration

[I.D. 050304A]

Endangered Species; File No.1375

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce.

ACTION: Issuance of permit amendment.

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Dr. 

Thomas J. Kwak, U.S. Geological Survey 

has been issued a modification to 

scientific research Permit No. 1375.

ADDRESSES: The modification and 

related documents are available for 

review upon written request or by 

appointment in the following office(s):

Permits, Conservation and Education 

Division, Office of Protected Resources, 

NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 

13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone 

(301)713–2289; fax (301)713–0376; and

Southeast Region, NMFS, 9721 

Executive Center Drive North, St. 

Petersburg, FL 33702–2432; phone 

(727)570–5301; fax (727)570–5320.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jennifer Jefferies (301)713–2289.

Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 238 / Monday, December 13, 2004 / Notices 72181

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On 

December 12, 2003, notice was 

published in the Federal Register (68 

FR 69388) that an modification of 

Permit No. 1375, issued March 27, 2003 

(68 FR 16002), had been requested by 

the above-named individual. The 

requested modification has been granted 

under the authority of the Endangered 

Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 

16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and the 

regulations governing the taking, 

importing, and exporting of endangered 

and threatened species (50 CFR 222–

226).

Permit No. 1375 authorized the 

permit holder to deploy 1,000 hatcheryreared juvenile shortnose sturgeon 

(Acipenser brevirostrum) in cages at 10 

test sites within the Roanoke/Albemarle 

River system for 28 days. Afterwards the 

fish will be euthanized and their tissue 

analyzed for contaminants. The results 

of this study will provide needed 

information to determine if water 

quality is a factor limiting the ecological 

success of shortnose sturgeon in this 

river system. When the initial study was 

conducted, however, high water 

temperatures and low dissolved oxygen 

contributed to a shortened experiment 

time. With the issuance of this 

modification the permit holder will be 

authorized to obtain an additional 1000 

fish to repeat the experiment in more 

favorable conditions. The modification 

will also extend the expiration date 

until December 31, 2005.

Issuance of this modification, as 

required by the ESA was based on a 

finding that such permit (1) was applied 

for in good faith, (2) will not operate to 

the disadvantage of the endangered 

species which is the subject of this 

permit, and (3) is consistent with the 

purposes and policies set forth in 

section 2 of the ESA.

Dated: December 8, 2004.

Stephen L. Leathery,

Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education 

Division, Office of Protected Resources, 

National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 04–27270 Filed 12–10–04; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration

[I.D. 120304E]

Guidelines for Producing the Climate 

Change Science Program Synthesis 

and Assessment Products

AGENCY: National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The United States Climate 

Change Science Program (CCSP) is 

announcing the Guidelines for 

Producing the CCSP Synthesis and 

Assessment Products, which are 

described in the Strategic Plan for the 

U.S. Climate Change Science Program. 

The synthesis and assessment products 

are intended to provide useful 

information for a variety of users about 

key climate change topics. The products 

include reports, data sets, and 

evaluations of the uses and limits of 

climate information for decisionmaking.

ADDRESSES: The CCSP website is at:

http://www.climatescience.gov. The 

finalized guidelines areavailable on the 

CCSP web site at:

http://www.climatescience.gov/Library/

sap/sap-guidelines.htm.The draft 

guidelines and a collation of comments 

submitted are available on the CCSP 

web site at:

http://www.climatescience.gov/Library/

sap/sap-guidelines–29mar2004.pdf and

http://www.climatescience.gov/Library/

sap/guidelines-comments/default.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Sandy MacCracken, U.S. Climate 

Change Science Program, Suite 250, 

1717 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., 

Washington, DC 20006, 1–202–419–

3483 (voice), 1–202–223–3065 (fax), 

smaccrac@usgcrp.gov (e-mail).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Climate Change Science Program is an 

interagency endeavor, with 13 

participating Federal agencies and 

departments. One or more of the 

agencies that comprise CCSP will have 

the lead responsibility for preparing 

each product. The national and 

international research community is 

anticipated to play a major role in 

preparation of many of the products. 

See Chapter 2 of the Strategic Plan for 

the U.S. Climate Change Science 

Program for a detailed description of the 

products.

To ensure consistency and 

transparency in the processes that will 

be used by the lead and supporting 

CCSP agencies in preparing the 

products, the guidelines describe the 

roles of different parties and the steps to 

be followed in each of three phases of 

the preparation process—developing the 

prospectus, drafting and revising the 

document, and final approval and 

publication of each product. This 

process of product development will 

facilitate involvement of the research 

community and the public in ensuring 

that the products meet the highest 

standards of scientific excellence. The 

guidelines also encourage transparency 

by ensuring that public information 

about the status of the products will be 

provided on the CCSP web site (see 

ADDRESSES).

Comments on the draft guidelines 

were solicited during a public comment 

period from 29 March 2004 to 7 May 

2004. The guidelines have been revised 

extensively in response to these 

comments and input from the National 

Research Council (NRC) provided 

during a meeting of the NRC’s 

Coordinating Committee on Global 

Change held in Washington, DC on 8–

9 April 2004.

Dated: December 6, 2004.

James R. Mahoney,

Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans 

and Atmosphere and Director, U.S. Climate 

Change Science Program.

[FR Doc. 04–27264 Filed 12–10–04; 8:45am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S

COMMITTEE FOR THE 

IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE 

AGREEMENTS 

Entry of Shipments of Cotton, Wool, 

Man-Made Fiber, Silk Blend and Other 

Vegetable Fiber Textiles and Apparel in 

Excess of 2004 Agreement Limits or 

Certain China Safeguard Limits 

December 9, 2004.

AGENCY: The Committee for the 

Implementation of Textile Agreements 

(CITA).

ACTION: Directive to Commissioner, 

Customs and Border Protection. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ross 

Arnold, International Trade Specialist, 

Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. 

Department of Commerce, (202) 482–

3400.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority: Executive Order 11651 of March 

3, 1972, as amended; Section 204 of the 

Agricultural Act of 1956, as amended (7 

U.S.C. 1854).

In a Federal Register Notice 

published on June 25, 2004, CITA 

announced that it had come to CITA’s 

attention that some textile and apparel 

products may be shipped in excess of 

agreed quota limits in 2004 with the 

expectation that those shipments will be 

allowed entry upon the expiration of the 

limits, and CITA noted that shipments 

exported in excess of agreed limits are 

a violation of the terms of those 

agreements. (69 FR 35586) In that 

Notice, CITA expressly reserved the 

right to deny entry to goods that have 

been shipped in excess of agreed limits 

or to stage entry for goods exported in 

excess of agreed limits. In order to carry