Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 178 / Thursday, September 13, 2018 / Notices 46483 

In the past, NMFS has made plans and 

annual reports from states available 

through the internet and plans to 

continue this practice. 

III. Data 

OMB Control Number: 0648–0466. 

Form Number: None. 

Type of Review: Regular submission 

(extension of a currently approved 

collection). 

Affected Public: Business or other forprofit organizations; State, local or tribal 

governments. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 1. 

Estimated Time per Response: 2,500 

hours to complete each agreement or 

plan that has the intention of making 

listing unnecessary; 320 hours to 

conduct monitoring for successful 

agreements; and 80 hours to prepare a 

report for successful agreements. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden 

Hours: 2,820. 

Estimated Total Annual Cost to 

Public: $150 in recordkeeping/reporting 

costs. 

IV. Request for Comments 

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether 

the proposed collection of information 

is necessary for the proper performance 

of the functions of the agency, including 

whether the information shall have 

practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the 

agency’s estimate of the burden 

(including hours and cost) of the 

proposed collection of information; (c) 

ways to enhance the quality, utility, and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected; and (d) ways to minimize the 

burden of the collection of information 

on respondents, including through the 

use of automated collection techniques 

or other forms of information 

technology. 

Comments submitted in response to 

this notice will be summarized and/or 

included in the request for OMB 

approval of this information collection; 

they also will become a matter of public 

record. 

Dated: September 10, 2018. 

Sarah Brabson, 

NOAA PRA Clearance Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2018–19900 Filed 9–12–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XG331 

Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to 

Specified Activities; Taking Marine 

Mammals Incidental to U.S. Air Force 

Launching of Space Launch Vehicles, 

Intercontinental Ballistic and Small 

Missiles, and Aircraft and Helicopter 

Operations at Vandenberg Air Force 

Base, California 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application for 

Letters of Authorization; request for 

comments and information. 

SUMMARY: NMFS has received a request 

from the U.S. Air Force (USAF) for 

authorization to take marine mammals 

incidental to launching space launch 

vehicles, intercontinental ballistic and 

small missiles, and aircraft and 

helicopter operations at Vandenberg Air 

Force Base (VAFB), California, from 

March 27, 2019 through March 26, 2024. 

Pursuant to the Marine Mammal 

Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is 

announcing our receipt of the USAF’s 

request for the development and 

implementation of regulations 

governing the incidental taking of 

marine mammals and inviting 

information, suggestions, and comments 

on the USAF’s application and request. 

DATES: Comments and information must 

be received no later than October 15, 

2018. 

ADDRESSES: Comments on the 

application should be addressed to Jolie 

Harrison, Chief, Permits and 

Conservation Division, Office of 

Protected Resources, National Marine 

Fisheries Service. Physical comments 

should be sent to 1315 East-West 

Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 and 

electronic comments should be sent to 

ITP.Carduner@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 received 

electronically, including all 

attachments, must not exceed a 25- 

megabyte file size. Attachments to 

electronic comments will be accepted in 

Microsoft Word or Excel or Adobe PDF 

file formats only. All comments 

received are a part of the public record 

and will generally be posted to the 

internet at www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/ 

permits/incidental/military.htm 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. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Jordan Carduner, Office of Protected 

Resources, NMFS, (301) 427–8401. An 

electronic copy of the USAF’s 

application may be obtained online at: 

www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/ 

incidental/military.htm. 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 (Secretary) 

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 geographic region if 

certain findings are made and either 

regulations are issued or, if the taking is 

limited to harassment, 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, 


daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES
46484 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 178 / Thursday, September 13, 2018 / Notices 

migration, breathing, nursing, breeding, 

feeding, or sheltering (Level B 

harassment). 

The National Defense Authorization 

Act for Fiscal Year 2004 (Pub. L. 108– 

136) removed the ‘‘small numbers’’ and 

‘‘specified geographical region’’ 

limitations indicated above and 

amended the definition of ‘‘harassment’’ 

as it applies to a ‘‘military readiness 

activity’’ to read as follows (Section 

3(18)(B) of the MMPA): (i) Any act that 

injures or has the significant potential to 

injure a marine mammal or marine 

mammal stock in the wild (Level A 

Harassment); or (ii) Any act that 

disturbs or is likely to disturb a marine 

mammal or marine mammal stock in the 

wild by causing disruption of natural 

behavioral patterns, including, but not 

limited to, migration, surfacing, nursing, 

breeding, feeding, or sheltering, to a 

point where such behavioral patterns 

are abandoned or significantly altered 

(Level B Harassment). 

Summary of Request 

On August 10, 2018, NMFS received 

an adequate and complete application 

from the USAF requesting a letter of 

authorization (LOA) for the take of six 

species of marine mammals (all 

pinnipeds), by Level B harassment only, 

incidental to launching space launch 

vehicles, intercontinental ballistic and 

small missiles, and aircraft and 

helicopter operations at VAFB. The 

USAF is requesting a 5-year LOA for 

these activities. These activities may 

result in the take of marine mammals as 

a result of noise or visual disturbance. 

Description of the Specified Activity 

VAFB supports launch activities for 

the USAF, Department of Defense, 

National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration, and commercial 

entities. VAFB is the primary launch 

facility on the West Coast of the United 

States for placing commercial, 

government and military satellites into 

polar orbit on unmanned launch 

vehicles, and for the testing and 

evaluation of intercontinental ballistic 

missiles (ICBMs) and sub-orbital target 

and interceptor missiles. In addition to 

space vehicle and missile launch 

activities at VAFB, occasional helicopter 

and aircraft operations involve searchand-rescue, delivery of space vehicle 

components, launch mission support, 

security reconnaissance, and training 

flights. 

There are currently six active facilities 

at VAFB used to launch satellites into 

polar orbit. These facilities support 

launch programs for the Atlas V, Delta 

II, Delta IV, Falcon 9 and Minotaur 

rockets. A variety of small missiles are 

also launched from various facilities at 

VAFB, including Minuteman III, an 

ICBM which is launched from 

underground silos. In addition, several 

types of interceptor and target vehicles 

are launched for the Missile Defense 

Agency, which develops various 

systems and elements, including the 

Ballistic Missile Defense System. 

The USAF anticipates that no more 

than 15 missile and 50 rocket launches 

would occur in any year, with total 

launch activities not exceeding 75 

missile and 250 rocket launches over 

five years. All launch operations would 

occur at VAFB, potentially resulting in 

impacts to marine mammals at VAFB 

(as a result of launch noise and visual 

stimuli) and at the Northern Channel 

Islands (as a result of noise from sonic 

booms). A full description of the 

activities to be conducted by the USAF 

at VAFB, including descriptions of the 

space vehicles and missiles proposed 

for use, is provided in the USAF’s 

application. 

Information Solicited 

Interested persons may submit 

information, suggestions, and comments 

concerning the USAF’s request (see 

ADDRESSES). NMFS will consider all 

information, suggestions, and comments 

related to the request during the 

development of proposed regulations 

governing the incidental taking of 

marine mammals by the USAF, if 

appropriate. 

Dated: September 7, 2018. 

Donna S. Wieting, 

Director, Office of Protected Resources, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2018–19896 Filed 9–12–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XG460 

Pacific Fishery Management Council; 

Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of public meeting 

(webinar). 

SUMMARY: The Pacific Fishery 

Management Council’s (Pacific Council) 

Highly Migratory Species Management 

Team (HMSMT) will hold a webinar, 

which is open to the public. 

DATES: The webinar meeting will be 

held on Wednesday, October 3, 2018, 

from 1:30 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held 

via webinar. A public listening station 

is available at the Pacific Council office 

(address below). To attend the webinar 

(1) join the meeting by visiting this link 

https://www.gotomeeting.com/webinar, 

(2) enter the Webinar ID: 193–653–531, 

and (3) enter your name and email 

address (required). After logging in to 

the webinar, please (1) dial this TOLL 

number 1–213–929–4232 (not a toll-free 

number), (2) enter the attendee phone 

audio access code 380–095–597, and (3) 

enter the provided audio PIN after 

joining the webinar. You must enter this 

PIN for audio access. NOTE: We have 

disabled Mic/Speakers as an option and 

require all participants to use a 

telephone or cell phone to participate. 

Technical Information and system 

requirements: PC-based attendees are 

required to use Windows® 7, Vista, or 

XP; Mac®-based attendees are required 

to use Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer; Mobile 

attendees are required to use iPhone®, 

iPad®, AndroidTM phone or Android 

tablet (See the https://

www.gotomeeting.com/webinar/ipadiphone-android-webinar-apps). You 

may send an email to Mr. Kris 

Kleinschmidt at Kris.Kleinschmidt@

noaa.gov or contact him at (503) 820– 

2280, extension 411 for technical 

assistance. A public listening station 

will also be available at the Pacific 

Council office. 

Council address: Pacific Fishery 

Management Council, 7700 NE 

Ambassador Place, Suite 101, Portland, 

OR 97220. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. 

Kit Dahl, Pacific Council; telephone: 

(503) 820–2422. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

purpose of the HMSMT webinar is to (1) 

prepare for the Council’s November 1– 

8, 2018 meeting, (2) discuss analytical 

tasks to support the Council finalizing a 

range of alternatives for authorizing a 

fishery using deep-set buoy gear, and (3) 

discuss other topics related to the 

management of HMS fisheries. 

Although non-emergency issues not 

contained in the meeting agenda may be 

discussed, those issues may not be the 

subject of formal action during this 

meeting. 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 


daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES