30420 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 125 / Thursday, June 28, 2018 / Notices 

activities are expected to comprise only 

a limited portion of individuals 

comprising the overall relevant stock 

abundance. Therefore, we find that 

small numbers of marine mammals will 

be taken relative to the population size 

of the Hood Canal stock of harbor seal. 

Based on the analysis contained 

herein of the planned activity (including 

the planned mitigation and monitoring 

measures) and the anticipated take of 

marine mammals, NMFS finds that 

small numbers of marine mammals will 

be taken relative to the population size 

of the affected species or stocks. 

Unmitigable Adverse Impact Analysis 

and Determination 

There are no relevant subsistence uses 

of the affected marine mammal stocks or 

species implicated by this action. 

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. 

National Environmental Policy Act 

To comply with the National 

Environmental Policy Act of 1969 

(NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and 

NOAA Administrative Order (NAO) 

216–6A, NMFS must review our 

proposed action (i.e., the issuance of an 

incidental harassment authorization) 

with respect to potential impacts on the 

human environment. 

This action is consistent with 

categories of activities identified in CE 

B4 of the Companion Manual for NOAA 

Administrative Order 216–6A, which do 

not individually or cumulatively have 

the potential for significant impacts on 

the quality of the human environment 

and for which we have not identified 

any extraordinary circumstances that 

would preclude this categorical 

exclusion. Accordingly, NMFS has 

determined that the issuance of the IHA 

qualifies to be categorically excluded 

from further NEPA review and signed a 

Categorical Exclusion memo in June 

2018. 

Endangered Species Act (ESA) 

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. 

No incidental take of ESA-listed 

species is planned for authorization or 

expected to result from this activity. 

Therefore, NMFS has determined that 

formal consultation under section 7 of 

the ESA is not required for this action. 

Authorization 

NMFS has issued an IHA to the Navy 

for the potential harassment of small 

numbers of five marine mammal species 

incidental to the Service Pier Extension 

project at Naval Base Kitsap Bangor 

provided the previously mentioned 

mitigation, monitoring and reporting 

requirements are incorporated. 

Dated: June 22, 2018. 

Elaine T. Saiz, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Protected 

Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2018–13870 Filed 6–27–18; 8:45 am] 

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

Science and Technology for America’s 

Oceans: A Decadal Vision 

AGENCY: Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Research (OAR), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Department of Commerce (DOC). 

ACTION: Notice of public comments. 

SUMMARY: The Office of Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Research on behalf of the 

National Science and Technology 

Council; Committee on Environment; 

Subcommittee on Ocean Science and 

Technology (SOST) is requesting input 

on the content of a report, Science and 

Technology for America’s Oceans: A 

Decadal Vision. The SOST is chartered 

under the National Science and 

Technology Council to advise and assist 

on national issues related to ocean 

science and technology. The SOST 

contributes to the goals for Federal 

ocean science and technology, including 

identifying priorities and developing 

coordinated interagency strategies. 

Science and Technology for America’s 

Oceans: A Decadal Vision identifies 

pressing research needs and areas of 

opportunity within the ocean S&T 

enterprise for the coming decade, 2018– 

2028. The aim of this document is not 

to prescribe policies but to provide 

guidance for U.S. Federal agencies and 

non-federal sectors to align their 

resources and areas of expertise, and 

further build the scientific and 

technological foundation that will 

improve our knowledge and 

stewardship of the ocean, address issues 

of national and global importance, and 

inform decision-making for the coming 

decade. This notice solicits relevant 

public input on the draft report. The 

public input provided in response to 

this notice will inform SOST as they 

develop the final report. 

DATES: Comments must be submitted on 

or before August 27, 2018. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

by email to oceandecadalvision@

OSTP.eop.gov. Please include ‘‘Science 

and Technology for America’s Oceans’’ 

in the subject line of the message. 

Instructions: The report is available 

for download at: http://www.noaa.gov/ 

stories/advancing-vision-of-science-andtechnology-for-americas-oceans. 

Response to this Notice of Public 

Comments is voluntary. Clearly indicate 

which section and page number, if 

applicable, submitted comments pertain 

to. All submissions must be in English. 

Please clearly label submissions as 

‘‘Science and Technology for America’s 

Oceans: A Decadal Vision.’’ When the 

final report is issued, relevant 

comments and the commenters’ names, 

along with the authors’ responses, may 

become part of the public record and be 

made available to view online. NOAA 

therefore requests that no business 

proprietary information, copyrighted 

information, or personally identifiable 

information be submitted in response to 

this Notice of Public Comments. Please 

note that the U.S. Government will not 

pay for response preparation, or for the 

use of any information contained in the 

response. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Stacy Aguilera-Peterson, Office of 

Science and Technology Policy, (202) 

456–6066, or Stacy.E.AguileraPeterson@ostp.eop.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The report 

describes: 

• Five high-priority goals to advance 

ocean science and technology (S&T) in 

the coming decade; 

• S&T objectives, identified as key 

areas to advance the U.S. Ocean S&T 

enterprise; 

• Specific research and development 

(R&D) priorities to achieve each 

objective; and 

• Areas of immediate ocean research 

opportunities and cross-cutting topics 

relevant to each of the five goals. 

Dated: June 22, 2018. 

David Holst, 

Chief Financial/Administrative Officer, Office 

of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration. 

[FR Doc. 2018–13926 Filed 6–27–18; 8:45 am] 

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