Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 161 / Friday, August 19, 2011 / Notices 51945 

Application and the Gear Specification 

Form, 20 minutes. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden 

Hours: 71. 

Estimated Total Annual Cost to 

Public: $640 in recordkeeping/reporting 

costs. 

IV. Request for Comments 

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether 

the proposed collection of information 

is necessary for the proper performance 

of the functions of the agency, including 

whether the information shall have 

practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the 

agency’s estimate of the burden 

(including hours and cost) of the 

proposed collection of information; (c) 

ways to enhance the quality, utility, and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected; and (d) ways to minimize the 

burden of the collection of information 

on respondents, including through the 

use of automated collection techniques 

or other forms of information 

technology. 

Comments submitted in response to 

this notice will be summarized and/or 

included in the request for OMB 

approval of this information collection; 

they also will become a matter of public 

record. 

Dated: August 15, 2011. 

Gwellnar Banks, 

Management Analyst, Office of the Chief 

Information Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2011–21183 Filed 8–18–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XA648 

Endangered Species; File No. 16548 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that 

the Springfield Science Museum, 21 

Edwards Street, Springfield, 

Massachusetts 01103 [David J. Stier, 

Responsible Party], has applied in due 

form for a permit to hold and transport 

shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser 

brevirostrum) for the purposes of 

enhancement. 

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or e-mail 

comments must be received on or before 

September 19, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: The application and related 

documents are available for review by 

selecting ‘‘Records Open for Public 

Comment’’ from the Features box on the 

Applications and Permits for Protected 

Species (APPS) home page, https:// 

apps.nmfs.noaa.gov, and then selecting 

File No. 16548 from the list of available 

applications. 

These documents are also available 

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) 427–8401; fax (301) 713–0376; and 

Northeast Region, NMFS, 55 Great 

Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930; 

phone (978) 281–9328; fax (978) 281– 

9394. 

Written comments on this application 

should be submitted to the Chief, 

Permits, Conservation and Education 

Division, at the address listed above. 

Comments may also be submitted by 

facsimile to (301) 713–0376, or by email 

to NMFS.Pr1Comments@noaa.gov. 

Please include the File No. 16548 in the 

subject line of the email comment. 

Those individuals requesting a public 

hearing should submit a written request 

to the Chief, Permits, Conservation and 

Education Division at the address listed 

above. The request should set forth the 

specific reasons why a hearing on this 

application would be appropriate. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Jennifer Skidmore or Colette Cairns, 

(301) 427–8401. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

subject permit is requested 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 parts 222–226). 

The Springfield Science Museum is 

requesting a permit to continue 

enhancement activities previously 

authorized under Permit No. 1555. 

Activities would include the acquisition 

of up to five captive-bred, nonreleasable shortnose sturgeon. The 

display would be used to increase 

public awareness of the shortnose 

sturgeon and its status by educating the 

public on shortnose sturgeon life history 

and the reasons for the species decline. 

The proposed project to display 

endangered cultured shortnose sturgeon 

responds directly to a recommendation 

from the NMFS recovery plan outline 

for this species. The permit would not 

authorize any takes from the wild, nor 

would it authorize any release of captive 

sturgeon into the wild. The permit is 

requested for a duration of five years. 

Dated: August 16, 2011. 

P. Michael Payne, 

Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education 

Division, Office of Protected Resources, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–21253 Filed 8–18–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XZ21 

Notice of Availability of a Draft 

Programmatic Environmental Impact 

Statement for Hawaiian Monk Seal 

Recovery Actions 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of Availability of a Draft 

Programmatic Environmental Impact 

Statement; request for comments. 

SUMMARY: NMFS announces the 

availability of the ‘‘Draft Programmatic 

Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) 

for Hawaiian monk seal Recovery 

Actions.’’ Publication of this notice 

begins the official public comment 

period for the Draft PEIS. The purpose 

of the Draft PEIS is to evaluate, in 

compliance with the National 

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the 

potential direct, indirect, and 

cumulative impacts of implementing the 

alternative approaches for funding, 

undertaking, and permitting the 

management, research and enhancement 

activities on Hawaiian monk seals, as 

well as other components of the marine 

ecosystem and human environment. 

DATES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. 

ADDRESSES: Written comments on the 

Draft PEIS must be postmarked by 

October 17, 2011. Comments on the 

Draft PEIS for this action may be 

submitted by: 

• E-mail: monkseal@noaa.gov. 

• Mail: 1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Suite 

1110, Honolulu, HI 96814. 

• Public Hearings: Oral and written 

comments will be accepted during the 

upcoming public hearings. See 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION, PUBLIC

HEARINGS (below) for dates and locations 

of public hearings for this issue. 

The draft PEIS is available on the 

following Web site: http:// 

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

hawaiianmonkseal.htm. To be included 

on a mailing list and receive newsletters 

and copies of the Draft and Final PEIS, 

please e-mail monkseal@noaa.gov or 

send your mailing or email address to 


jlentini on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
51946 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 161 / Friday, August 19, 2011 / Notices 

the Marine Mammal Branch Chief, 

Protected Resources Division, NOAA 

NMFS Pacific Islands Regional Office, 

1601 Kapiolani Blvd., Suite 1110, 

Honolulu, HI 96814. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeff 

Walters (phone: 808–944–2200); or via 

the following email address: 

monkseal@noaa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS is 

the Federal agency responsible for 

management and recovery of Hawaiian 

monk seals under the Endangered 

Species Act (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et 

seq.) and the Marine Mammal 

Protection Act (MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 

et seq.). In 1976, NMFS listed Hawaiian 

monk seals as ‘‘endangered’’ under the 

ESA and ‘‘depleted’’ under the MMPA. 

As required under section 4 of the ESA, 

NMFS published a Recovery Plan for 

the species in 1983, which was revised 

in 2007. 

NMFS administers funds that have 

been appropriated by Congress and 

allocated within NMFS’ annual budget 

for the purpose of carrying out recovery 

actions for Hawaiian monk seals. This 

PEIS would satisfy the NEPA 

compliance requirements for funding 

and undertaking recovery actions for 

Hawaiian monk seals, including the 

requirements for obtaining MMPA and 

ESA permits. 

Background 

The Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus 

schauinslandi) is a critically endangered 

species found only in the U.S., within 

the Hawaiian Archipelago and at 

Johnston Atoll. The population is 

estimated to have 1,125 individuals 

remaining and is declining by roughly 

4.5% each year. 

Since the 1980’s, NMFS has 

conducted research to understand, and 

enhancement activities to mitigate, 

threats to the survival of monk seals. 

Most of this work has been in the 

Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI) 

where the majority of seals live and 

breed. More recently, a natural increase 

in the number of seals in the Main 

Hawaiian Islands (MHI) has prompted 

researchers and managers to begin 

studying and aiding seals in the MHI. 

Despite measures taken to save the 

monk seal, the species is not showing 

signs of recovery. In the NWHI, young 

seals are continuing to starve to death, 

nursing and newly weaned pups are 

being killed by sharks, seals are getting 

entangled in marine debris, and sea 

level rise threatens terrestrial habitats. 

Low juvenile survival over the past two 

decades is the primary cause of the 

population’s decline. There is 

insufficient recruitment into the 

breeding population, and the population 

decline will likely continue without 

intervention. 

On October 1, 2010, NMFS provided 

public notice (75 FR 60721) that it 

would prepare a PEIS to assess the 

impacts of implementing specific 

management actions and administering 

a research and enhancement program to 

improve survival of Hawaiian monk 

seals. The 45 day public scoping period 

was extended 15 days (75 FR 69398), 

and the comment period ended 

November 30, 2010. 

Scoping was the first step in this 

NEPA process (as required under 40 

CFR 1501.7). Scoping provided an 

opportunity for the public and agencies 

to express their views and identify 

issues to be addressed in the Draft PEIS 

regarding activities that may be 

performed on Hawaiian monk seals in 

an effort to recover the species. 

As part of scoping, NMFS hosted 

public meetings to introduce the project 

proposal, describe the PEIS process, and 

solicit input on the issues and 

alternatives to be evaluated. Public 

scoping meetings were held in October 

2010 on the islands of O‘ahu, Hawai’i, 

Maui, Moloka’i, and Kaua‘i. During the 

scoping comment period, 139 public 

comments were received. A report 

summarizing these comments is 

available on the project Web site: 

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

eis/hawaiianmonkseal.htm. 

Issues identified by the public during 

the scoping process include, but are not 

limited to, concerns regarding bringing 

young seals to the MHI and returning 

them to the NWHI, Native Hawaiian 

beliefs and culture, fisheries 

interactions, and human-seal 

encounters. Substantive comments 

received during the scoping period have 

been addressed in the Draft PEIS. 

Alternatives 

NMFS has evaluated a preferred 

alternative and three other alternatives 

in the Draft PEIS. These are summarized 

as follows: 

Alternative 1: Status Quo Alternative: 

Under the Status Quo Alternative, 

research and enhancement activities 

would be carried out as currently 

permitted under the MMPA and ESA. 

New permits could be issued in the 

future to maintain the current levels of 

research and enhancement activities. 

Some elements of this alternative 

include: 

• Population assessment (e.g., 

counting, marking for identification); 

• Health and disease studies (e.g., 

tissue sampling, taking measurements); 

• Foraging studies (e.g., telemetry, 

scat collection); 

• De-worming research (e.g., fecal 

samples, testing anti-parasite 

treatments); 

• Translocation of weaned pups 

within the NWHI to improve juvenile 

survival; 

• Mitigation of fishery interactions 

(e.g., disentanglement, removal of 

hooks); and 

• Mitigation of adult male aggression 

(e.g., removal of aggressive males). 

Alternative 2: No Action: Under this 

alternative, the above-mentioned 

permitted research and enhancement 

activities on Hawaiian monk seals 

would stop in 2014 when the current 

MMPA–ESA permit expires. No new 

permits would be issued. 

Alternative 3: Limited Translocation: 

Alternative 3 would include all 

currently permitted activities and 

further address the recommendations of 

the Hawaiian Monk Seal Recovery Plan 

by including new research and 

enhancement activities. New activities 

would include, but would not be 

limited to: 

• Expanding the scope and number of 

seal translocations, including (1) 

moving seals with unmanageable 

human interactions from the MHI to 

NWHI, (2) taking seals age three years 

and older from the MHI to NWHI to 

examine their subsequent survival, and 

(3) using a two-stage translocation 

program whereby weaned pups are 

taken from areas of lower survival to 

areas of higher survival. This would 

include the option of returning the seals 

to their birth island or nearby site at age 

three years and older, but would 

exclude moving seals from the NWHI to 

the MHI. 

• Research and development of tools 

for modifying undesirable seal behavior 

related to interactions with humans and 

fishing gear in the MHI. 

• Potential implementation of deworming as a tool to improve juvenile 

survival. 

• Supplementing monk seal diet 

using feeding stations in NWHI 

locations where seals are released after 

being cared for in captivity. 

• Vaccination studies and potential 

use of vaccines to mitigate infectious 

diseases (West Nile Virus and 

Morbilliviruses). 

• Chemical alteration of aggressive 

male monk seal behavior using a 

testosterone suppressant. 

• Expanded surveys and use of new 

tools (such as remote cameras and 

unmanned remotely operated aircraft). 

A distinctive feature of Alternative 3 

is that translocations of young animals 

from the NWHI to the MHI would not 

be permitted. 


jlentini on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 161 / Friday, August 19, 2011 / Notices 51947 

Alternative 4: Enhanced 

Implementation (Preferred Alternative): 

Alternative 4, the enhanced 

implementation alternative, is the 

Preferred Alternative. This alternative 

would encompass all the activities 

under Alternative 3, with the additional 

option to temporarily translocate 

weaned pups from the NWHI to the MHI 

to improve survival. At age three years, 

surviving translocated seals would be 

returned to the NWHI. 

Alternative 4 encompasses the range 

of actions considered most promising to 

prevent the extinction of the species. 

Before any translocation between the 

NWHI and MHI would be attempted, 

extensive outreach and engagement 

with local stakeholders would be 

conducted, and programs to reduce sealhuman interactions, including 

interactions between seals and fishing 

gear, would be developed and 

implemented. 

Public Involvement 

Comments will be accepted at public 

hearings (see below) and during the 

public comment period, and must be 

submitted to NMFS by October 17, 2011 

(see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). 

We request that you include in your 

comments: (1) Your name, address, and 

affiliation (if any); and (2) background 

documents to support your comments as 

appropriate. 

Public hearings will take place on the 

following dates, times, and locations: 

1. Monday, September 12, 2011, 5:30 

p.m.–8:30 p.m., Central Union Church, 

1660 South Beretania Street, Honolulu, 

O‘ahu. 

2. Tuesday, September 13, 2011, 6 

p.m.–8:30 p.m., Hale Mahaolu Home 

Pumehana, 290 Kolapa Place, 

Kaunakakai, Moloka’i. 

3. Wednesday, September 14, 2011, 6 

p.m.–9 p.m., Mokupa ̄papa Discovery 

Center, 308 Kamehameha Avenue, Suite 

109, Hilo, Hawai’i. 

4. Thursday, September 15, 2011, 6 

p.m.–9 p.m., Kı ̄hei Community Center, 

303 East Lipoa Street, Kı ̄hei, Maui. 

5. Saturday, September 17, 2011, 9 

a.m.–12 p.m. and 4 p.m.–7 p.m., Wilcox 

Elementary School, 4319 Hardy Street, 

Lı ̄hu‘e, Kaua‘i. 

Special Accommodations 

These meetings are accessible to 

people with disabilities. Requests for 

sign language interpretation or other 

auxiliary aids should be directed to 

Rachel Sprague, (808) 944–2200 (phone) 

or (808) 973–2941 (fax), at least 5 days 

before the scheduled meeting date. 

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq. and 16 

U.S.C. 1531 et seq. 

Dated: August 11, 2011. 

Samuel D. Rauch III, 

Deputy Assistant Administrator for 

Regulatory Programs, National Marine 

Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–21274 Filed 8–18–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XA289 

Small Takes of Marine Mammals 

Incidental to Specified Activities; Pile 

Driving in the Columbia River, WA 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; proposed incidental 

harassment authorization; request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: NMFS has received a 

complete and adequate application from 

the Port of Vancouver, USA (Port) for an 

Incidental Harassment Authorization 

(IHA) to take marine mammals, by 

harassment, incidental to pile driving 

during construction of the Terminal 5 

Bulk Potash Handling Facility. Pursuant 

to the Marine Mammal Protection Act 

(MMPA), NMFS is proposing to issue an 

IHA to incidentally harass, by Level B 

harassment only, three species of 

marine mammals during the specified 

activity within a specific geographic 

area and is requesting comments on its 

proposal. 

DATES: Comments and information must 

be received no later than September 19, 

2011. 

ADDRESSES: Comments on the 

application and this proposal should be 

addressed to Michael Payne, Chief, 

Permits, Conservation and Education 

Division, Office of Protected Resources, 

National Marine Fisheries Service, 1315 

East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 

20910–3225. The mailbox address for 

providing email comments is 

ITP.Magliocca@noaa.gov. NMFS is not 

responsible for e-mail comments sent to 

addresses other than the one provided 

here. Comments sent via e-mail, 

including all attachments, must not 

exceed a 10-megabyte file size. 

Instructions: All comments received 

are a part of the public record and will 

generally be posted to http:// 

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

incidental.htm without change. All 

Personal Identifying Information (for 

example, name, address, etc.) 

voluntarily submitted by the commenter 

may be publicly accessible. Do not 

submit Confidential Business 

Information or otherwise sensitive or 

protected information. 

A copy of the application containing 

a list of the references used in this 

document may be obtained by writing to 

the address specified above, telephoning 

the contact listed below (see FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT), or 

visiting the internet at: http:// 

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

incidental.htm. Documents cited in this 

notice may also be viewed, by 

appointment, during regular business 

hours, at the aforementioned address. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Michelle Magliocca, Office of Protected 

Resources, NMFS, (301) 427–8401. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

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 specific 

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. 

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.’’ 

Section 101(a)(5)(D) of the MMPA 

established an expedited process by 

which citizens of the United States can 

apply for an authorization to 

incidentally take small numbers of 

marine mammals by harassment. 

Section 101(a)(5)(D) further established 

a 45-day time limit for NMFS’ review of 

an application, followed by a 30-day 

public notice and comment period on 

any proposed authorizations for the 

incidental harassment of marine 

mammals. Within 45 days of the close 

of the comment period, NMFS must 

either issue or deny the authorization. 


jlentini on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES