Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 143 / Wednesday, July 25, 2018 / Notices 35225 

Division, Office of Protected Resources 

and the NMFS West Coast Regional 

Stranding Coordinators. The report must 

include the following information: 

(i) Time, date, and location (latitude 

and longitude) of the incident; 

(ii) Description of the incident; 

(iii) Status of all sound sources used 

in the 24 hours preceding the incident; 

(iv) Environmental conditions (wind 

speed, wind direction, sea state, cloud 

cover, visibility, water depth); 

(v) Description of the marine mammal 

observations in the 24 hours preceding 

the incident; 

(vi) Species identification or 

description of the animal(s) involved; 

(vii) The fate of the animal(s); and 

(viii) Photographs or video footage of 

the animal(s), if equipment is available. 

(d) Activities shall not resume until 

NMFS is able to review the 

circumstances of the prohibited take. 

NMFS shall work with POK to 

determine what is necessary to 

minimize the likelihood of further 

prohibited take and ensure MMPA 

compliance. POK may not resume their 

activities until notified by NMFS via 

letter, email, or telephone. 

(e) In the event that POK discovers an 

injured or dead marine mammal, and 

the marine mammal observer 

determines that the cause of injury or 

death is unknown and the death is 

relatively recent (less than a moderate 

state of decomposition), POK shall 

immediately report the incident to the 

NMFS Chief of Permits and 

Conservation Division, Office of 

Protected Resources, and the NMFS 

West Coast Regional Stranding 

Coordinator. The report must include 

the same information identified above. 

Activities may continue while NMFS 

reviews the circumstances of the 

incident. NMFS shall work with POK to 

determine whether modifications in the 

activities are appropriate 

(f) In the event that POK discovers an 

injured or dead marine mammal, and 

the marine mammal observer 

determines that the injury or death is 

not associated with or related to the 

activities authorized in the IHA 

(previously wounded animal, carcass 

with moderate to advanced 

decomposition, or scavenger damage), 

POK shall report the incident to the 

NMFS Chief of Permits and 

Conservation Division, Office of 

Protected Resources, and the NMFS 

West Coast Regional Stranding 

Coordinator within 24 hours of the 

discovery. POK shall provide 

photographs or video footage (if 

available) or other documentation of the 

stranded animal(s) to NMFS and the 

Marine Mammal Stranding Network. 

POK may continue its operations under 

such a case. 

10. This Authorization may be 

modified, suspended, or withdrawn if 

the holder fails to abide by the 

conditions prescribed herein or if NMFS 

determines that the authorized taking is 

having more than a negligible impact on 

the species or stock of affected marine 

mammals. 

Request for Public Comments 

We request comment on our analyses, 

the draft authorization, and any other 

aspect of this Notice of Proposed IHA 

for the proposed POK construction 

activities. Please include with your 

comments any supporting data or 

literature citations to help inform our 

final decision on the request for MMPA 

authorization. 

On a case-by-case basis, NMFS may 

issue a one-year renewal IHA without 

additional notice when (1) another year 

of identical or nearly identical activities 

as described in the Specified Activities 

section is planned, or (2) the activities 

would not be completed by the time the 

IHA expires and renewal would allow 

completion of the activities beyond that 

described in the Dates and Duration 

section, provided all of the following 

conditions are met: 

• A request for renewal is received no 

later than 60 days prior to expiration of 

the current IHA; 

• The request for renewal must 

include the following: 

(1) An explanation that the activities 

to be conducted beyond the initial dates 

either are identical to the previously 

analyzed activities or include changes 

so minor (e.g., reduction in pile size) 

that the changes do not affect the 

previous analyses, take estimates, or 

mitigation and monitoring 

requirements; and 

(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 

remain the same and appropriate, and 

the original findings remain valid. 

Dated: July 19, 2018. 

Donna S. Wieting, 

Director, Office of Protected Resources, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2018–15837 Filed 7–24–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

Submission for OMB Review; 

Comment Request 

The Department of Commerce will 

submit to the Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB) for clearance the 

following proposal for collection of 

information under the provisions of the 

Paperwork Reduction Act. 

Agency: National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 

Title: Scientific Research, Exempted 

Fishing, and Exempted Educational 

Activity Submissions. 

OMB Control Number: 0648–0309. 

Form Number(s): None. 

Type of Request: Regular (revision 

and extension of a currently approved 

information collection). 

Number of Respondents: 121. 

Average Hours per Response: 

Scientific research plans, 13 hours; 

scientific research reports, 6 hours; 

exempted fishing permit requests; 10 

hours, exempted fishing permit reports, 

4.5 hours; exempted educational 

requests, 5 hours; exempted educational 

reports, 2.5 hours. 

Burden Hours: 2,141. 

Needs and Uses: This request is for 

revision and extension of a currently 

approved information collection. 

Research permits already covered under 

other OMB Control Numbers have been 

removed. 

Fishery regulations do not generally 

affect scientific research activities 

conducted by a scientific research 

vessel. Persons planning to conduct 

such research are encouraged to submit 

a scientific research plan to ensure that 

the activities are considered research 

and not fishing. The researchers are 

requested to submit reports of their 

scientific research activity after its 

completion. Eligible researchers on 

board federally permitted fishing vessels 

that plan to temporarily possess fish in 

a manner not compliant with applicable 

fishing regulations for the purpose of 

collecting scientific data on catch may 

submit a request for a temporary 

possession letter of authorization. The 

researchers are requested to submit 

reports of their scientific research 

activity after its completion. The 

National Marine Fisheries Service 

(NMFS) may also grant exemptions from 

fishery regulations for educational or 

other activities (e.g., using nonregulation gear). The applications for 

these exemptions must be submitted, as 

well as reports on activities. 

Affected Public: Business or other forprofit organizations; not-for-profit 


daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
35226 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 143 / Wednesday, July 25, 2018 / Notices 

institutions; state, local or tribal 

governments; individuals or 

households; federal government. 

Frequency: Annually and on occasion. 

Respondent’s Obligation: Mandatory. 

This information collection request 

may be viewed at reginfo.gov. Follow 

the instructions to view Department of 

Commerce collections currently under 

review by OMB. 

Written comments and 

recommendations for the proposed 

information collection should be sent 

within 30 days of publication of this 

notice to OIRA_Submission@

omb.eop.gov or fax to (202) 395–5806. 

Dated: July 20, 2018. 

Sarah Brabson, 

NOAA PRA Clearance Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2018–15873 Filed 7–24–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XG219 

Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to 

Specified Activities; Taking Marine 

Mammals Incidental to Seattle 

Multimodal Project in Seattle, 

Washington 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; issuance of an incidental 

harassment authorization. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

regulations implementing the Marine 

Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) as 

amended, notification is hereby given 

that we have issued an incidental 

harassment authorization (IHA) to 

Washington State Department of 

Transportation (WSDOT) to take small 

numbers of marine mammals, by 

harassment, incidental to Seattle 

Multimodal Project at Colman Dock in 

Seattle, Washington. 

DATES: This authorization is effective 

from August 1, 2018, through July 31, 

2019. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Shane Guan, Office of Protected 

Resources, NMFS, (301) 427–8401. 

Electronic copies of the application and 

supporting documents, as well as the 

issued IHA, may be obtained online at: 

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/ 

national/marine-mammal-protection/ 

incidental-take-authorizationsconstruction-activities. In case of 

problems accessing these documents, 

please call the contact listed above. 

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 (as delegated 

to NMFS) 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 specified 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. 

An 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. 

The MMPA states that the term ‘‘take’’ 

means to harass, hunt, capture, kill or 

attempt to harass, hunt, capture, or kill 

any marine mammal. 

Except with respect to certain 

activities not pertinent here, the MMPA 

defines ‘‘harassment’’ as any act of 

pursuit, torment, or annoyance which (i) 

has the potential to injure a marine 

mammal or marine mammal stock in the 

wild (Level A harassment); or (ii) has 

the potential to disturb a marine 

mammal or marine mammal stock in the 

wild by causing disruption of behavioral 

patterns, including, but not limited to, 

migration, breathing, nursing, breeding, 

feeding, or sheltering (Level B 

harassment). 

Summary of Request 

On November 21, 2017, WSDOT 

submitted a request to NMFS requesting 

an IHA for the possible harassment of 

small numbers of marine mammal 

species incidental to Seattle Multimodal 

Project at Colman Dock in Seattle, 

Washington, from August 1, 2018 to July 

31, 2019. After receiving the revised 

project description and the revised IHA 

application, NMFS determined that the 

IHA application was adequate and 

complete on April 4, 2018. NMFS is 

authorizing the take by Level A and 

Level B harassment of the following 

marine mammal species: Harbor seal 

(Phoca vitulina); northern elephant seal 

(Mirounga angustirostris); California sea 

lion (Zalophus californianus); Steller 

sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus); killer 

whale (Orcinus orca); long-beaked 

common dolphin (Delphinus delphis), 

bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), 

gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus); 

humpback whale (Megaptera 

novaeangliae), minke whale 

(Balaenoptera acutorostrata); harbor 

porpoise (Phocoena phocoena); and 

Dall’s porpoise (Phocoenoides dalli). 

Neither WSDOT nor NMFS expect 

mortality to result from this activity 

and, therefore, an IHA is appropriate. 

NMFS previously issued an IHA to 

WSDOT for the first year of this project 

(FR 21579; July 7, 2017). WSDOT 

complied with all the requirements (e.g., 

mitigation, monitoring, and reporting) of 

the previous IHA and information 

regarding their monitoring results may 

be found in the Estimated Take section. 

Description of Specified Activity 

Overview 

The purpose of the Seattle 

Multimodal Project at Colman Dock is to 

preserve the transportation function of 

an aging, deteriorating and seismically 

deficient facility to continue providing 

safe and reliable service. The project 

will also address existing safety 

concerns related to conflicts between 

vehicles and pedestrian traffic and 

operational inefficiencies. 

Dates and Duration 

Due to NMFS and the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service (USFWS) in-water 

work timing restrictions to protect 

Endangered Species Act (ESA)-listed 

salmonids, planned WSDOT in-water 

construction is limited each year to July 

16 through February 15. 

Specific Geographic Region 

The Seattle Ferry Terminal at Colman 

Dock is located on the downtown 

Seattle waterfront, in King County, 

Washington. The terminal services 

vessels from the Bainbridge Island and 

Bremerton routes, and is the most 

heavily used terminal in the 

Washington State Ferry system. The 

Seattle terminal is located in Section 6, 

Township 24 North, Range 4 East, and 

is adjacent to Elliott Bay, tributary to 

Puget Sound (Figure 1–2 of the IHA 

application). Land use in the area is 

highly urban, and includes business, 

industrial, the Port of Seattle container 


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