61548 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 172 / Thursday, September 7, 2023 / Notices 

• No serious injury or mortality is 

anticipated or authorized; and no 

impacts to reproductive success or 

survival of any individual animals are 

expected. 

• The required mitigation measures 

are expected to avoid any Level A 

harassment and to reduce the number 

and severity of takes by Level B 

harassment. 

• Behavioral impacts and 

displacement that may occur in 

response to pile driving, is expected to 

be limited in duration to approximately 

25 days concurrent with in-water 

construction activity. 

• The specified activities do not 

impact any known important habitat 

areas such as calving grounds or unique 

feeding areas, and alternate habitat is 

readily available. 

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 

proposed monitoring and mitigation 

measures, NMFS preliminarily finds 

that the total marine mammal take from 

the proposed pile driving activity will 

have a negligible impact on BBES 

bottlenose dolphins. 

Small Numbers 

As noted previously, only take of 

small numbers of marine mammals may 

be authorized under sections 

101(a)(5)(A) and (D) of the MMPA for 

specified activities other than military 

readiness activities. The MMPA does 

not define small numbers and so, in 

practice, where estimated numbers are 

available, NMFS compares the number 

of individuals taken to the most 

appropriate estimation of abundance of 

the relevant species or stock in our 

determination of whether an 

authorization is limited to small 

numbers of marine mammals. When the 

predicted number of individuals to be 

taken is fewer than one-third of the 

species or stock abundance, the take is 

considered to be of small numbers. 

Additionally, other qualitative factors 

may be considered in the analysis, such 

as the temporal or spatial scale of the 

activities. 

Based on a conservative estimate of 

the number of takes that may occur as 

a result of pile driving activities, less 

than two percent of the BBES 

population would be subject to take via 

Level B harassment. 

Based on the analysis contained 

herein of the proposed activity 

(including the proposed mitigation and 

monitoring measures) and the 

anticipated take of marine mammals, 

NMFS preliminarily finds that small 

numbers of marine mammals would be 

taken relative to the population size of 

the affected species or stocks. 

Unmitigable Adverse Impact Analysis 

and Determination 

No subsistence uses of BBES 

bottlenose dolphins are known to occur. 

Therefore, NMFS has determined that 

the total taking of affected species or 

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 Endangered 

Species Act of 1973 (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 

1531 et seq.) requires that each Federal 

agency insure 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 consults internally 

whenever we propose to authorize take 

for endangered or threatened species. 

No incidental take of ESA-listed 

species is proposed under the auspices 

of this authorization. Therefore, NMFS 

has determined that formal consultation 

under section 7 of the ESA is not 

required for this action. 

Proposed Authorization 

As a result of these preliminary 

determinations, NMFS proposes to issue 

an IHA to Columbia Gulf, LLC to 

conduct the specified pile driving 

activity in Barataria Bay, Louisiana 

during the 1-year period of 

authorization, 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/permit/ 

incidental-take-authorizations-undermarine-mammal-protection-act. 

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 specified activity. 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 

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 one 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: September 1, 2023. 

Kimberly Damon-Randall, 

Director, Office of Protected Resources, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2023–19310 Filed 9–6–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XD323] 

Pacific Fishery Management Council; 

Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 172 / Thursday, September 7, 2023 / Notices 61549 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of public meeting. 

SUMMARY: The Pacific Fishery 

Management Council’s (Pacific Council) 

Groundfish Subcommittee of the 

Scientific and Statistical Committee 

(SSC) will hold a meeting to review 

rebuilding analyses for quillback 

rockfish in California and any remaining 

2023 stock assessment review requests 

from the September 2023 Council 

meeting. This meeting is open to the 

public. 

DATES: The meeting will be held 

Monday, September 25, 2023 from 1 

p.m. until business for the day has been 

completed, and will continue through 

Friday, September 29, 2023, from 8:30 

a.m. until 5:30 p.m. (Pacific Daylight 

Time) or when business for the day has 

been completed. 

ADDRESSES: The SSC Groundfish 

Subcommittee meeting is tentatively 

scheduled to be held in person with a 

web broadcast at the Pacific Fishery 

Management Council office, Large 

Conference Room, 7700 NE Ambassador 

Place, Suite 101, Portland, OR 97220. 

The meeting may be held online only 

based on the complexity of the agenda 

and in the event of Federal travel 

restrictions. An opportunity for remote 

public comment will be provided under 

either meeting format. 

Specific meeting information, 

materials, and instructions for how to 

connect to the meeting remotely will be 

provided in the meeting announcement 

on the Pacific Council’s website (see 

www.pcouncil.org). Please contact Kris 

Kleinschmidt (kris.kleinschmidt@

noaa.gov) or (503) 820–2412 for 

technical assistance. 

Council address: Pacific Fishery 

Management Council, 7700 NE 

Ambassador Place, Suite 101, Portland, 

OR 97220. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Marlene A. Bellman, Staff Officer, 

Pacific Council; telephone: (503) 820– 

2414, email: marlene.bellman@

noaa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The SSC’s 

Groundfish Subcommittee will review 

any further analyses for 2023 stock 

assessments as requested by the Pacific 

Council at their September 2023 

meeting. The SSC’s Groundfish 

Subcommittee will also review new 

rebuilding analyses for quillback 

rockfish in California. This process 

follows the procedures outlined in the 

Pacific Council’s Terms of Reference for 

the Groundfish Stock Assessment 

Review Process for 2023–2024 (which 

can be found at https://

www.pcouncil.org/documents/2022/06/ 

terms-of-reference-for-the-groundfishstock-assessment-review-process-for2023-2024-june-2022.pdf/). The 

Groundfish Subcommittee will prepare 

their recommendations for SSC and 

Pacific Council consideration at their 

November 2023 meetings. 

Although non-emergency issues not 

contained in the meeting agendas may 

be discussed, those issues may not be 

the subject of formal action during these 

meetings. Action will be restricted to 

those issues specifically listed in this 

document and any issues arising after 

publication of this document that 

require emergency action under section 

305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act, 

provided the public has been notified of 

the intent to take final action to address 

the emergency. 

Special Accommodations 

Requests for sign language 

interpretation or other auxiliary aids 

should be directed to Kris Kleinschmidt 

(kris.kleinschmidt@noaa.gov; (503) 820– 

2412) at least 10 days prior to the 

meeting date. 

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. 

Dated: September 1, 2023. 

Rey Israel Marquez, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2023–19315 Filed 9–6–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XD106] 

Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to 

Specified Activities; Taking Marine 

Mammals Incidental to Pier 

Maintenance and Bank Stabilization at 

U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Port 

Angeles, Port Angeles, Washington 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; proposed incidental 

harassment authorization; request for 

comments on proposed authorization 

and possible renewal. 

SUMMARY: NMFS has received a request 

from the U.S. Coast Guard (Coast Guard 

or USCG) for authorization to take 

marine mammals incidental to pier 

maintenance and bank stabilization 

construction activities at USCG Air 

Station Port Angeles, Port Angeles, 

Washington. Pursuant to the Marine 

Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS 

is requesting comments on its proposal 

to issue an incidental harassment 

authorization (IHA) to incidentally take 

marine mammals during the specified 

activities. NMFS is also requesting 

comments on a possible one-time, oneyear renewal that could be issued under 

certain circumstances and if all 

requirements are met, as described in 

Request for Public Comments at the end 

of this notice. NMFS will consider 

public comments prior to making any 

final decision on the issuance of the 

requested MMPA authorization and 

agency responses will be summarized in 

the final notice of our decision. 

DATES: Comments and information must 

be received no later than October 10, 

2023. 

ADDRESSES: Comments should be 

addressed to Jolie Harrison, Chief, 

Permits and Conservation Division, 

Office of Protected Resources (OPR), 

NMFS, and should be submitted via 

email to ITP.hotchkin@noaa.gov. 

Instructions: NMFS is not responsible 

for comments sent by any other method, 

to any other address or individual, or 

received after the end of the comment 

period. Comments, including all 

attachments, must not exceed a 25- 

megabyte file size. All comments 

received are a part of the public record 

and will generally be posted online at 

www.fisheries.noaa.gov/permit/ 

incidental-take-authorizations-undermarine-mammal-protection-act without 

change. All personal identifying 

information (e.g., name, address) 

voluntarily submitted by the commenter 

may be publicly accessible. Do not 

submit confidential business 

information or otherwise sensitive or 

protected information. Electronic copies 

of the application and supporting 

documents, as well as a list of the 

references cited in this document, may 

be obtained online at: https://

www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/ 

marine-mammal-protection/incidentaltake-authorizations-constructionactivities. In case of problems accessing 

these documents, please call the contact 

listed below. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cara 

Hotchkin, OPR, NMFS, (301) 427–8401. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

The MMPA prohibits the ‘‘take’’ of 

marine mammals, with certain 

exceptions. Sections 101(a)(5)(A) and 

(D) of the 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 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1