88372 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 244 / Thursday, December 21, 2023 / Notices 

Æ Designing and constructing up to 

four additional ships needed to replace 

vessels that would reach the end of their 

design service life between 2023 and 

2038 (resulting in a total of 8 new ships 

when combined with the four new ships 

being constructed under Alternative A); 

Æ Extending service life of the 

existing fleet by conducting material 

condition assessment surveys and midlife repairs; and 

Æ Increasing NOAA fleet utilization, 

which would provide more DAS 

compared to Alternative A; 

Under Alternative B, all the activities 

described in Alternative A would 

continue, many at a higher level of 

effort. The nature of these actions would 

not change, but the overall level of 

activity would be increased. 

• Alternative C—Vessel Operations 

with Fleet Modernization and 

Optimization with Greater Funding 

Support: Alternative C includes all the 

activities and measures described in 

Alternative B, but with an increase in 

overall funding of 20 percent relative to 

Alternative B, resulting in the capacity 

to provide more DAS. Specific examples 

of additional measures adopted under 

Alternative C over the next 15 years 

would include: 

Æ Designing and constructing two 

new ships in addition to the eight new 

ships that would be added to the NOAA 

fleet between 2023 and 2038 under 

Alternative B; 

Æ Increasing the number of uncrewed 

systems integrated into new ships that 

would be added to the NOAA fleet; 

Æ Shortening the timeframe of fleet 

improvement activities and the 

induction of new ships into the fleet; 

Æ Greening techniques proposed for 

the new ships would be implemented 

across the current fleet over a shorter 

timeframe; 

Æ Shortening of the timeframe to 

improve the OMAO small boat fleet; and 

• Purchasing or developing 

technology to enable more efficient 

scheduling of vessels, equipment, and 

personnel to maximize crew 

productivity and enhance overall fleet 

performance, which would provide 

more DAS. 

Under Alternative C, all the activities 

described in Alternative B would occur, 

many at a higher level of effort. The 

nature of these actions would not 

change, but the overall level of activity 

would be increased. 

The official public review and 

comment period ends on January 31, 

2024. Please visit the OMAO website for 

additional information and to access the 

Draft PEA: http://omao.noaa.gov/noaavessel-operations-draft-pea. 

Classification: The Draft PEA was 

prepared in accordance with the 

National Environmental Policy Act 

(NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) as 

amended by the Fiscal Responsibility 

Act of 2023, Public Law 118–5 (2023); 

Council on Environmental Quality 

(CEQ) Regulations for Implementing the 

Procedural Provisions of NEPA (40 CFR 

1500–1508 (1978)); NOAA’s Policy and 

Procedures for Compliance with the 

National Environmental Policy Act and 

Related Authorities (NOAA 

Administrative Order (NAO) 216–6A 

and Companion Manual for NAO 216– 

6A), and other relevant federal and state 

laws and regulations. 

Dated: December 18, 2023. 

Richard W. Spinrad, 

Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and 

Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator. 

[FR Doc. 2023–28120 Filed 12–20–23; 8:45 am] 

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XD587] 

Marine Mammals; File No. 27592 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that 

Shannon Atkinson, Ph.D., University of 

Alaska Fairbanks, 17101 Point Lena 

Loop Road, Juneau, AK 99801 has 

applied in due form for a permit to 

import, export, and receive marine 

mammal parts for scientific research. 

DATES: Written comments must be 

received on or before January 22, 2024. 

ADDRESSES: The application and related 

documents are available for review by 

selecting ‘‘Records Open for Public 

Comment’’ from the ‘‘Features’’ box on 

the Applications and Permits for 

Protected Species (APPS) home page, 

https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov, and then 

selecting File No. 27592 from the list of 

available applications. These documents 

are also available upon written request 

via email to NMFS.Pr1Comments@

noaa.gov. 

Written comments on this application 

should be submitted via email to 

NMFS.Pr1Comments@noaa.gov. Please 

include File No. 27592 in the subject 

line of the email comment. 

Those individuals requesting a public 

hearing should submit a written request 

via email to NMFS.Pr1Comments@

noaa.gov. The request should set forth 

the specific reasons why a hearing on 

this application would be appropriate. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Jennifer Skidmore or Erin Markin, 

Ph.D., (301) 427–8401. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

subject permit is requested under the 

authority of the Marine Mammal 

Protection Act of 1972, as amended 

(MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), the 

regulations governing the taking and 

importing of marine mammals (50 CFR 

part 216), the Endangered Species Act of 

1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 

et seq.), the regulations governing the 

taking, importing, and exporting of 

endangered and threatened species (50 

CFR parts 222–226), and the Fur Seal 

Act of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1151 

et seq.). 

The applicant proposes to receive, 

import, and export marine mammal 

parts from cetaceans and pinnipeds 

annually for scientific research. Marine 

mammal parts will not exceed 1,000 

animals per year within order Cetacea 

(dolphins, porpoises, and whales) and 

500 animals per year within order 

Pinnipedia (seals and sea lions, 

excluding walrus). Secondary to 

research, marine mammal parts may 

also be used for educational purposes. 

Import and export activities would 

occur world-wide. Sources of samples 

include U.S. subsistence harvests and 

stranded animals in foreign countries. 

Samples may also be obtained within 

the United States or abroad from 

animals held in captivity, authorized 

researchers or collections, and soft or 

hard parts that sloughed, excreted, or 

naturally discharged. No live animals 

would be harassed or taken, lethally or 

otherwise, under the requested permit. 

The requested duration of the permit is 

5 years. 

In compliance with the National 

Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 

U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), an initial 

determination has been made that the 

activity proposed is categorically 

excluded from the requirement to 

prepare an environmental assessment or 

environmental impact statement. 

Concurrent with the publication of 

this notice in the Federal Register, 

NMFS is forwarding copies of the 

application to the Marine Mammal 

Commission and its Committee of 

Scientific Advisors. 

Dated: December 14, 2023. 

Julia M. Harrison, 

Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, 

Office of Protected Resources, National 

Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2023–28151 Filed 12–20–23; 8:45 am] 

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