### 75600 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 246 / Friday, December 21, 2012 / Proposed Rules

**DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION**

**Federal Aviation Administration**

**14 CFR Parts 91, 121, 125, and 135**

**[Docket No. FAA–2012–0953]**

**Policy Statement on Occupational Safety and Health Standards for**  **Aircraft Cabin Crewmembers; Extension of Comment Period** 

**AGENCY :**  Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

**ACTION :**  Notice of availability; Extension of comment period.

**SUMMARY :**  This action extends the comment period for a notice of availability that was published in the Federal Register on December 7, 2012. In that document, the FAA announced a proposed policy statement regarding the regulation of some occupational safety and health conditions affecting cabin crewmembers on aircraft by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The comment period is scheduled to close on January 7, 2013. Several airline associations have requested that the FAA extend the comment period for an additional 30 days to allow time for their members to evaluate the impacts and implications of the proposed policy and prepare

comments.

**DATES :**  The comment period for the Notice of availability published on December 7, 2012, was scheduled to close on January 7, 2013, and is extended until January 22, 2013.

**ADDRESSES :**  You may send comments identified by docket number FAA– 2012–0953 using any of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the online instructions for sending your comments electronically.

• Mail: Send comments to Docket Operations, M–30; U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Room W12–140, West Building Ground Floor, Washington, DC

20590–0001.

• Hand Delivery or Courier: Take comments to Docket Operations in Room W12–140 of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

• Fax: Fax comments to Docket Operations at 202–493–2251.

Privacy: The FAA will post all comments it receives, without change,

to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information the commenter provides. Using the search function of the docket Web site, anyone can find and read the electronic form of all comments received into any FAA docket, including the name of the individual sending the comment (or signing the comment for an association, business, labor union, etc.). DOT’s complete Privacy Act Statement can be found in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477–19478), as well as at http://DocketsInfo.dot.gov.

Docket: Background documents or comments received may be read at http://www.regulations.gov at any time. Follow the online instructions for accessing the docket or Docket Operations in Room W12–140 of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Gene Kirkendall, Part 121 Air Carrier Operations Branch (AFS–200), Flight Standards Service, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20591, telephone (202) 267–8166; email Gene.Kirkendall@faa.gov.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :**  See the ‘‘Additional Information’’ section for information on how to comment on this proposal and how the FAA will handle comments received.
Background

On November 29, 2012, the FAA issued a Notice entitled ‘‘Policy Statement on Occupational Safety and Health Standards for Aircraft Cabin Crewmembers’’ that published in the Federal Register on December 7, 2012 (77 FR 72998). Comments to that document were to be received on or before January 7, 2013.

By letter dated December 7, 2012, the Regional Airline Association (RAA), on behalf of its member airlines, requested that the FAA extend the comment period for a minimum of 30 days. The petitioner stated that the additional time is necessary so that their members can assess the extent of the proposed changes, as well as develop questions and comments.

By letter dated December 10, 2012, Airlines for America (A4A), the RAA, and the National Air Carrier Association (NACA) also requested an extension of the comment period, as the 30-day comment period over the holiday season will make it extremely difficult for their respective members to evaluate the impacts and implications of the proposed policy and provide meaningful input to the FAA. While the FAA concurs with the petitioners’ requests for an extension of the comment period, it does not support a 30-day extension. The FAA finds that providing additional time until January 22, 2013 is sufficient for these petitioners to analyze the proposed policy statement and provide meaningful comment.

Absent unusual circumstances, the FAA does not anticipate any further extension of the comment period for this notice.

Extension of Comment Period

In accordance with § 11.47(c) of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, the FAA has reviewed the petitions made by A4A, RAA, and NACA for extension of the comment period. These petitioners have shown a substantive interest in the proposed policy statement and good cause for the extension. The FAA has determined that extension of the comment period is consistent with the public interest, and that good cause exists for taking this action.

Accordingly, the comment period is extended until January 22, 2013.

Additional Information

A. Comments Invited

The FAA invites interested persons to participate by submitting written comments, data, or views on the policy statement. The most helpful comments reference a specific portion of the policy statement, explain the reason for any recommended change, and include supporting data. To ensure the docket does not contain duplicate comments, commenters should send only one copy of written comments, or if comments are filed electronically, commenters should submit only one time.

The FAA will file in the docket all comments it receives, as well as a report summarizing each substantive public contact with FAA personnel concerning this notice. The FAA will consider all comments it receives on or before the closing date for comments. The FAA will consider comments filed after the comment period has closed if it is possible to do so without incurring expense or delay. The agency may change this proposal in light of the comments it receives. B. Availability of Notice

An electronic copy of the notice may be obtained from the Internet by—

1. Searching the Federal eRulemaking Portal (http://www.regulations.gov ); or 2. Accessing the Government Printing Office’s Web page at http:// www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html.


### 75601 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 246 / Friday, December 21, 2012 / Proposed Rules

Copies may also be obtained by sending a request to the Federal Aviation Administration, Office of Rulemaking, ARM–1, 800 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20591, or by calling (202) 267–9680. Commenters must identify the docket of this notice.

All documents the FAA considered in developing this proposed policy statement, may be accessed from the Internet through the Federal eRulemaking Portal referenced in item (1) above.

Issued in Washington, DC, December 14,
2012. John M. Allen, Director, Flight Standards Service.

[FR Doc. 2012–30701 Filed 12–20–12; 8:45 am]

**BILLING CODE 4910–13–P**

**DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE**

**National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration** 

**15 CFR Part 922**

**Boundary Expansion of Cordell Bank and Gulf of the Farallones National**  **Marine Sanctuaries; Intent To Prepare Draft Environmental Impact Statement;**  **Scoping Meetings**

**AGENCY :**  Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS), National Ocean Service (NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce (DOC).

**ACTION :**  Notice of Intent to Consider Expanding Sanctuary Boundaries; Intent to Prepare Environmental Impact Statement; Scoping Meetings.

**SUMMARY :**  With this notice, NOAA announces that it is considering whether to expand the boundaries of Cordell Bank and Gulf of the Farallones national marine sanctuaries. NOAA will conduct this review pursuant to section 304(e) of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, as amended, (NMSA) (16 U.S.C. 1434(e)). As required by the NMSA, the review will include public processes outlined under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. ). NOAA anticipates that the review and potential expansion of existing sanctuary boundaries will be completed within 18 to 24 months.

**DATES :**  Comments must be received by March 1, 2013. Dates for scoping meetings are:

(1) January 24 2013 at the Bodega Bay Grange Hall.

(2) February 12, 2013 at the Gualala Community Center.

(3) February 13, 2013 at the Point Arena High School. **ADDRESSES :**  You may submit comments on this document, identified by NOAA– NOS–2012–0228, by any of the following methods:

• Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to www.regulations.gov/ #!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NOS-2012- 0228, click the ‘‘Comment Now!’’ icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.

• Mail: Maria Brown, Sanctuary Superintendent, Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, 991 Marine Drive, The Presidio, San Francisco, CA

94129.

Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, may not be considered by NOAA. All comments received are a part of the public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business information, or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily by the sender will be publicly accessible. NOAA will accept anonymous comments (enter ‘‘N/A’’ in the required fields if you wish to remain anonymous). Attachments to electronic comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word, Excel, or Adobe PDF file formats only.

**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT :**  Maria Brown at Maria.Brown@noaa.gov or 415–561–6622; or Dan Howard at Dan.Howard@noaa.gov or 415–663–
0314.

**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION :**  Background Information

Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary (GFNMS), designated in 1981, and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary (CBNMS), designated in 1989, are federally protected marine areas along and offshore of California’s north-central coast. Centered along an important upwelling area, the sanctuaries are able to support important commercial and recreational fisheries, tourism and recreation industries, and coastal economies and communities. Sanctuary personnel contribute greatly to ocean and coastal management by engaging in public outreach and education to promote stewardship, conducting scientific and applied research initiatives, and developing and supporting programs that strengthen resource protection for the long-term health of the region.

NOAA is considering expansion of GFNMS and CBNMS to an area north of the existing sanctuaries that extends from Bodega Bay in Sonoma County, to Alder Creek in Mendocino County, and west to the edge of the continental shelf. This area encompasses the Point Arena upwelling center that consistently produces the most intense upwelling in all of North America.

The nutrients brought to the surface during upwelling events at Point Arena are carried south into the sanctuaries by the prevailing California Current; these nutrients fuel an incredibly productive ocean area protected by GFNMS and CBNMS. The sanctuaries are destination feeding areas for endangered blue whales and humpback whales, sharks, salmon, and seabirds like albatrosses and shearwaters that travel tens of thousands of miles. Food that results from the Point Arena upwelling center also supports the largest assemblage of breeding seabirds in the contiguous United States on the Farallon Islands. Living reefs of corals, sponges and a myriad of other invertebrates cover hard bottom areas and these sessile invertebrate communities are washed with food rich water from the north. These invertebrate reefs also provide structure and habitat for many species of juvenile and adult rockfish that prosper in these productive waters. Sanctuary waters also support valuable commercial fisheries for salmon and Dungeness crab. Local ports and coastal communities all derive socioeconomic benefits from these healthy ocean habitats. The rich diversity and health of this thriving marine ecosystem depends on the cold nutrient rich source water originating from the Point Arena upwelling center.

In 2008, the joint management plan review for CBNMS and GFNMS determined that managers in these sanctuaries would facilitate a public process in the next five years to ensure that ‘‘current boundaries were inclusive of the area’s natural resource and ecological qualities, including the biogeographic representation of the area.’’ Sanctuary advisory councils from both sites have regularly discussed the boundary expansion alternative and have expressed support for boundary expansion when proposed by local congressional members.

In accordance with Section 304(e) of the NMSA, NOAA is now initiating a review of the boundaries for CBNMS and GFNMS to evaluate and assess a proposed expansion of the sanctuaries. As noted above, NOAA is considering extending the boundaries of the two sanctuaries to add the northern area from Bodega Bay, Sonoma County to Alder Creek, Mendocino County, and west to the edge of the continental shelf