Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 153 / Friday, August 8, 1997 / Proposed Rules 42737

By the Board, Chairman Morgan and Vice

Chairman Owen.

Vernon A. Williams,

Secretary.

PART 1155 [REMOVED]

For the reasons set forth in the

preamble and under the authority of 49

U.S.C. 721(a), title 49, chapter X of the

Code of Federal Regulations is proposed

to be amended by removing part 1155.

[FR Doc. 97–20993 Filed 8–7–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4915–00–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Part 216

[Docket No. 970725179–7179–01; I.D.

071497A]

RIN 0648–AK33

Taking and Importing Marine

Mammals; Taking Ringed Seals

Incidental to On-Ice Seismic Activities

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Advance notice of proposed

rulemaking; receipt of a petition for

regulations and an application for a

small take exemption; request for

comment and information.

SUMMARY: NMFS has received an

application for renewal of a small take

exemption and implementing

regulations from BP Exploration

(Alaska) (BPXA), on behalf of itself and

several other oil exploration companies,

for a small take of marine mammals

incidental to winter seismic operations

in the Beaufort Sea, Alaska. As a result

of that application, NMFS is considering

whether to propose regulations that

would renew an authorization for the

incidental taking of a small number of

marine mammals. In order to decide

whether to promulgate these

regulations, NMFS must determine that

the takings will have a negligible impact

on the affected species and stocks of

marine mammals. NMFS invites

comment on the application and

suggestions on the structure and content

of regulations, if the application is

accepted.

DATES: Comments and information must

be postmarked no later than September

8, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be

addressed to Chief, Marine Mammal

Division, Office of Protected Resources,

NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver

Spring, MD 20910–3226. A copy of the

application may be obtained by writing

to the above address, or by telephoning

one of the persons below (see FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Kenneth R. Hollingshead (301) 713–

2055 or Brad Smith, Western Alaska

Field Office, NMFS, (907) 271–5006.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Section 101(a)(5)(A) of the Marine

Mammal Protection Act (16 U.S.C. 1361

et seq.) (MMPA) directs the Secretary of

Commerce (Secretary) to allow, upon

request, the incidental, but not

intentional, taking of marine mammals

by U.S. citizens who engage in a

specified activity (other than

commercial fishing) within a specified

geographical region if certain findings

are made and regulations are issued.

Permission may be granted for periods

of 5 years or less if the Secretary 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, and

regulations are prescribed setting forth

the permissible methods of taking and

the requirements pertaining to the

monitoring and reporting of such taking.

Summary of Application

On July 11, 1997, NMFS received an

application for an incidental, small take

exemption under section 101(a)(5)(A) of

the MMPA from BPXA, on behalf of

itself, ARCO Alaska, Inc., Northern

Geophysical of America, Inc. and

Western Geophysical Co. to renew the

incidental take regulations found in 50

CFR part 216, subpart J, that govern the

taking of ringed seals (Phoca hispida)

incidental to seismic activities on the

ice, offshore Alaska, for a period of 5

years. The applicants state that these

activities are not likely to result in

physical injuries to, and/or death of, any

individual seals. Because seals are

expected to avoid the immediate area

around seismic operations, they are not

expected to be subject to potential

hearing damage from exposure to

underwater or in-air sounds from the

operations. Any takings of ringed seals

are anticipated to result from short-term

disturbance by noise and physical

activity associated with the seismic

operations.

The scope of the petition is limited to

pre-lease and post-lease seismic

exploration activities in state waters and

the Outer Continental Shelf in the

Beaufort Sea, offshore Alaska, during

the ice-covered seasons. Operations are

usually confined to January through

May. These seismic surveys will be

conducted using two types of energy

sources: (1) Vibroseis, which uses large

trucks with vibrators mounted on them,

that systematically put variable

frequency energy into the earth and (2)

waterguns or airguns carried by a sleigh

or other vehicle. Over the next 5-year

period, the applicants expect that on-ice

seismic activity will cover

approximately 22,500 line miles (4,500

line miles/year). This compares to

13,247 line miles in the aggegate, during

the past 5-year period.

Information Solicited

NMFS requests interested persons to

submit comments, information, and

suggestions concerning the application

for a small take exemption and the

structure and content of regulations if

the application is accepted. NMFS will

consider this information in

determining whether to accept the

application and, if so, in developing

proposed regulations to authorize the

taking. If NMFS proposes regulations to

allow this take, interested parties will be

given ample time and opportunity to

comment.

Dated: August 4, 1997.

Patricia A. Montanio,

Deputy Director, Office of Protected

Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 97–20926 Filed 8-7-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–F

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

50 CFR Part 648

[I.D. 073197B]

New England Fishery Management

Council; Public Meeting

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Public meeting.

SUMMARY: The New England Fishery

Management Council (Council) will

hold a 2-day public meeting to consider

actions affecting New England fisheries

in the exclusive economic zone.

DATES: The meeting will be held on

Wednesday, August 20, 1997, at 10 a.m.,

and on Thursday, August 21, 1997, at

8:30 a.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at

the Colonial Hilton, 427 Walnut Street