4022 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 17 / Thursday, January 26, 2012 / Notices 

may be made by these species to avoid 

the resultant acoustic disturbance, the 

availability of alternate areas within 

these areas and the short and sporadic 

duration of the research activities, have 

led NMFS to determine that this action 

will have a negligible impact on the 

species in the specified geographic 

region. 

Based on the analysis contained 

herein of the likely effects of the 

specified activity on marine mammals 

and their habitat, and taking into 

consideration the implementation of the 

mitigation and monitoring measures, 

NMFS finds that the Navy’s planned 

research activities (and the resulting 

total taking from the survey): (1) Will 

result in the incidental take of small 

numbers of marine mammals, by Level 

B harassment only; (2) will have a 

negligible impact on the affected species 

or stocks; and (3) will have mitigated 

impacts to affected species or stocks of 

marine mammals to the lowest level 

practicable. 

Impact on Availability of Affected 

Species or Stock for Taking for 

Subsistence Uses 

There are no relevant subsistence uses 

of marine mammals implicated by this 

action. Therefore, NMFS has 

determined that the total taking of 

affected species or stocks will not have 

an unmitigable adverse impact on the 

availability of such species or stocks for 

taking for subsistence purposes. 

Endangered Species Act 

Of the species of marine mammals 

that may occur in the proposed survey 

area, six are listed as endangered under 

the ESA, including the blue, fin, 

humpback, sei, southern right, and 

sperm whales. Under section 7 of the 

ESA, the Navy initiated formal 

consultation with NMFS, Office of 

Protected Resources, Endangered 

Species Act Interagency Cooperation 

Division, on this survey. NMFS’ Office 

of Protected Resources, Permits and 

Conservation Division, also initiated 

formal consultation under section 7 of 

the ESA with NMFS’ Office of Protected 

Resources, Endangered Species Act 

Interagency Cooperation Division, to 

obtain a Biological Opinion evaluating 

the effects of issuing the IHA on 

threatened and endangered marine 

mammals and, if appropriate, 

authorizing incidental take. 

The Biological Opinion was issued on 

January 20, 2012, and concluded that 

the specified activity and issuance of 

the IHA are not likely to jeopardize the 

continued existence of blue, fin, 

humpback, sei, southern right, or sperm 

whales. The Biological Opinion also 

concluded that designated critical 

habitat for these species does not occur 

in the survey area and would not be 

affected by the survey. The Navy, in 

addition to the mitigation and 

monitoring requirements included in 

the IHA, will be required to comply 

with the Terms and Conditions of the 

Incidental Take Statement 

corresponding to NMFS’ Biological 

Opinion issued to both the Navy and 

NMFS’ Office of Protected Resources, 

Permits and Conservation Division. 

National Environmental Policy Act 

(NEPA) 

To meet NMFS’ NEPA requirements 

for the issuance of an IHA to the Navy, 

NMFS prepared an Environmental 

Assessment (EA), titled ‘‘Issuance of an 

Incidental Harassment Authorization to 

the Navy to Take Marine Mammals by 

Harassment Incidental to a Physical 

Oceanographic Survey in the Southwest 

Indian Ocean.’’ NMFS provided relevant 

environmental information to the public 

through the notice for the proposed IHA 

(76 FR 71940, November 21, 2011) and 

has considered public comments 

received in response prior to finalizing 

the EA and deciding whether or not to 

issue a Finding of No Significant Impact 

(FONSI). 

NMFS concluded that issuance of an 

IHA would not significantly affect the 

quality of the human environment and 

has issued a FONSI. Therefore, it is not 

necessary to prepare an Environmental 

Impact Statement for the issuance of an 

IHA to the Navy for this activity. The 

EA and FONSI for this activity can be 

viewed on NMFS’ Web site (http:// 

www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/ 

incidental.htm#applications). 

Authorization 

As a result of these determinations, 

NMFS has issued an IHA to the Navy for 

conducting a physical oceanographic 

survey off the southern coast of Africa, 

provided the previously mentioned 

mitigation, monitoring, and reporting 

requirements are incorporated. 

Dated: January 20, 2012. 

James H. Lecky, 

Director, Office of Protected Resources, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–1708 Filed 1–25–12; 8:45 a.m.] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING 

COMMISSION 

Sunshine Act Meetings 

AGENCY HOLDING THE MEETING: 

Commodity Futures Trading 

Commission. Sunshine Act Meetings. 

TIME AND DATE: 10 a.m., Friday February 

17, 2012. 

PLACE: 1155 21st St. NW., Washington, 

DC, 9th Floor Commission Conference 

Room. 

STATUS: Closed. 

MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED: Surveillance 

and Enforcement Matters. In the event 

that the times or dates of these or any 

future meetings change, an 

announcement of the change, along with 

the new time and place of the meeting 

will be posted on the Commission’s 

Web site at http://www.cftc.gov. 

CONTACT PERSON FOR MORE INFORMATION: 

Sauntia S. Warfield, (202) 418–5084. 

Sauntia S. Warfield, 

Assistant Secretary of the Commission. 

[FR Doc. 2012–1769 Filed 1–24–12; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 6351–01–P 

COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING 

COMMISSION 

Sunshine Act Meetings 

AGENCY HOLDING THE MEETING: 

Commodity Futures Trading 

Commission. Sunshine Act Meetings. 

TIME AND DATE: 10 a.m., Friday February 

24, 2012. 

PLACE: 1155 21st St. NW., Washington, 

DC, 9th Floor Commission Conference 

Room. 

STATUS: Closed. 

MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED: Surveillance 

and Enforcement Matters. In the event 

that the times or dates of these or any 

future meetings change, an 

announcement of the change, along with 

the new time and place of the meeting 

will be posted on the Commission’s 

Web site at http://www.cftc.gov. 

CONTACT PERSON FOR MORE INFORMATION: 

Sauntia S. Warfield, (202) 418–5084. 

Sauntia S. Warfield, 

Assistant Secretary of the Commission. 

[FR Doc. 2012–1771 Filed 1–24–12; 4:15 pm] 

BILLING CODE 6351–01–P 

COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING 

COMMISSION 

Sunshine Act Meetings 

AGENCY HOLDING THE MEETING: 

Commodity Futures Trading 

Commission. 

TIME AND DATE: 10 a.m., Friday February 

10, 2012. 

PLACE: 1155 21st St., NW., Washington, 

DC, 9th Floor Commission Conference 

Room. 

STATUS: Closed. 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES