88892 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 246 / Tuesday, December 26, 2023 / Notices 

there are no relevant subsistence uses of 

marine mammals adversely impacted by 

this action. The proposed project is not 

likely to adversely impact the 

availability of any marine mammal 

species or stocks that are commonly 

used for subsistence purposes or to 

impact subsistence harvest of marine 

mammals in the region. 

Based on the description of the 

specified activity, the measures 

described to minimize adverse effects 

on the availability of marine mammals 

for subsistence purposes, and the 

proposed mitigation and monitoring 

measures, NMFS has preliminarily 

determined that there will not be an 

unmitigable adverse impact on 

subsistence uses from Trident’s 

proposed activities. 

Endangered Species Act 

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. To ensure 

ESA compliance for the issuance of 

IHAs, NMFS consults internally 

whenever we propose to authorize take 

for endangered or threatened species, in 

this case with the Alaska Regional 

Office. 

NMFS is proposing to authorize take 

of western DPS of Steller sea lions, 

which are listed under the ESA. The 

Permits and Conservation Division has 

requested initiation of section 7 

consultation with the Alaska Regional 

Office for the issuance of this IHA. 

NMFS will conclude the ESA 

consultation prior to reaching a 

determination regarding the proposed 

issuance of the authorization. 

Proposed Authorization 

As a result of these preliminary 

determinations, NMFS proposes to issue 

an IHA to Trident for conducting 

Bunkhouse Dock replacement project in 

Kodiak, Alaska between March 1, 2024 

and February 29, 2025, provided the 

previously mentioned mitigation, 

monitoring, and reporting requirements 

are incorporated. A draft of the 

proposed IHA can be found at: https:// 

www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/ 

marine-mammal-protection/incidentaltake-authorizations-constructionactivities. 

Request for Public Comments 

We request comment on our analyses, 

the proposed authorization, and any 

other aspect of this notice of proposed 

IHA for the proposed construction 

project. We also request comment on the 

potential renewal of this proposed IHA 

as described in the paragraph below. 

Please include with your comments any 

supporting data or literature citations to 

help inform decisions on the request for 

this IHA or a subsequent renewal IHA. 

On a case-by-case basis, NMFS may 

issue a one-time, 1-year renewal IHA 

following notice to the public providing 

an additional 15 days for public 

comments when (1) up to another year 

of identical or nearly identical activities 

as described in the Description of 

Proposed Activity section of this notice 

is planned or (2) the activities as 

described in the Description of 

Proposed Activity section of this notice 

would not be completed by the time the 

IHA expires and a renewal would allow 

for completion of the activities beyond 

that described in the Dates and Duration 

section of this notice, provided all of the 

following conditions are met: 

• A request for renewal is received no 

later than 60 days prior to the needed 

renewal IHA effective date (recognizing 

that the renewal IHA expiration date 

cannot extend beyond 1 year from 

expiration of the initial IHA). 

• The request for renewal must 

include the following: 

(1) An explanation that the activities 

to be conducted under the requested 

renewal IHA are identical to the 

activities analyzed under the initial 

IHA, are a subset of the activities, or 

include changes so minor (e.g., 

reduction in pile size) that the changes 

do not affect the previous analyses, 

mitigation and monitoring 

requirements, or take estimates (with 

the exception of reducing the type or 

amount of take). 

(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 

will remain the same and appropriate, 

and the findings in the initial IHA 

remain valid. 

Dated: December 19, 2023. 

Kimberly Damon-Randall, 

Director, Office of Protected Resources, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2023–28336 Filed 12–22–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XD546] 

Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental 

To Specified Activities; Taking Marine 

Mammals Incidental to New England 

Wind, Phase 1 Park City Wind Marine 

Site Characterization Surveys 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; issuance of incidental 

harassment authorization. 

SUMMARY: NMFS has received a request 

from Park City Wind, LLC (Park City 

Wind), for the re-issuance of a 

previously issued incidental harassment 

authorization (IHA) with the only 

change being effective dates. The initial 

IHA authorized take of marine mammals 

incidental to marine site 

characterization surveys in coastal 

waters off of Massachusetts, Rhode 

Island, Connecticut, and New York. The 

project has been delayed and none of 

the work covered in the initial IHA has 

been conducted. The scope of the 

activities and anticipated effects remain 

the same, authorized take numbers are 

not changed, and the required 

mitigation, monitoring, and reporting 

remains the same as included in the 

initial IHA. NMFS is, therefore, issuing 

a second identical IHA to cover the 

incidental take analyzed and authorized 

in the initial IHA. 

DATES: This authorization is effective 

from March 1, 2024, through February 

28, 2025. 

ADDRESSES: An electronic copy of the 

final 2022 IHA previously issued to Park 

City Wind, Park City Wind’s 

application, and the Federal Register 

notices proposing and issuing the initial 

IHA may be obtained by visiting https:// 

www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/ 

incidental-take-authorization-park-citywind-llc-new-england-wind-projectphase-1-marine. In case of problems 

accessing these documents, please call 

the contact listed below (see FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Alyssa Clevenstine, Office of Protected 

Resources, NMFS, (301) 427–8401. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

Sections 101(a)(5)(A) and (D) of the 

Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA; 

16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) direct the 

Secretary of Commerce (as delegated to 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 246 / Tuesday, December 26, 2023 / Notices 88893 

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 September 1, 2022, NMFS 

published final notice of our issuance of 

an IHA authorizing take of 16 species of 

marine mammals incidental to marine 

site characterization surveys in coastal 

waters off of Massachusetts, Rhode 

Island, Connecticut, and New York in 

the area of the Bureau of Ocean Energy 

Management (BOEM) Commercial Lease 

of Submerged Lands for Renewable 

Energy Development on the Outer 

Continental Shelf (OCS)-A 0543 and 

along potential offshore export cable 

corridors (OECC) to landfall locations 

(87 FR 44087). The effective dates of 

that IHA were September 1, 2022, 

through August 31, 2023. On October 

30, 2023, Park City Wind informed 

NMFS that the project was delayed. 

None of the work identified in the 

initial IHA (i.e., geophysical, 

geotechnical, and geohazard data 

collection) has occurred. Park City Wind 

submitted a request to re-issue the IHA, 

with effective dates from March 1, 2024, 

through February 28, 2025, in order to 

conduct the marine site characterization 

survey work that was analyzed and 

authorized through the previously 

issued IHA. The initial IHA was 

effective from September 1, 2022, 

through August 31, 2023. Park City 

Wind has requested issuance with new 

effective dates of March 1, 2024, 

through February 28, 2025. 

Summary of Specified Activity and 

Anticipated Impacts 

The planned activities (including 

mitigation, monitoring, and reporting), 

authorized incidental take, and 

anticipated impacts on the affected 

stocks are the same as those analyzed 

and authorized through the previously 

issued IHA. 

As part of their overall marine site 

characterization survey operations, Park 

City Wind plans to conduct highresolution geophysical (HRG) and 

geotechnical surveys in Lease Area 

OCS–A 0543, and the associated OECC. 

The purpose of the marine site 

characterization surveys is to collect 

data concerning seabed (geophysical, 

geotechnical, and geohazard), 

ecological, and archeological conditions 

within the footprint of offshore wind 

facility development. Surveys are also 

conducted to map potential unexploded 

ordnance (UXO) and benthic habitat 

studies. 

The location, timing, and nature of 

the activities, including the types of 

equipment planned for use, are identical 

to those described for the initial IHA. 

The mitigation and monitoring are also 

as prescribed in the initial IHA. 

Species that have the potential to be 

taken by the planned activities can be 

found in the initial 2022 Federal 

Register notices (87 FR 32123, 87 FR 

44087). A description of the methods 

and inputs used to estimate take 

anticipated to occur and, ultimately, the 

take that was authorized is found in the 

previous documents referenced above. 

NMFS has reviewed recent Stock 

Assessment Reports, information on 

relevant Unusual Mortality Events, and 

recent scientific literature, and 

determined that no new information 

affects our original analysis of impacts 

under the initial IHA. 

We refer to the documents related to 

the previously issued IHA, which 

include the Federal Register notice of 

the issuance of the initial 2022 IHA for 

Park City Wind’s survey work (87 FR 

44087), Park City Wind’s application, 

the Federal Register notice of the 

proposed IHA (87 FR 32123), and all 

associated references and documents. 

On August 1, 2022, NMFS announced 

proposed changes to the existing NARW 

vessel speed regulations to further 

reduce the likelihood of mortalities and 

serious injuries to endangered NARWs 

from vessel collisions, which are a 

leading cause of the species’ decline and 

a primary factor in an ongoing Unusual 

Mortality Event (87 FR 46921, August 1, 

2022). Should a final vessel speed rule 

be issued and become effective during 

the effective period of this IHA (or any 

other MMPA incidental take 

authorization), the authorization holder 

would be required to comply with any 

and all applicable requirements 

contained within the final rule. 

Specifically, where measures in any 

final vessel speed rule are more 

protective or restrictive than those in 

this or any other MMPA authorization, 

authorization holders would be required 

to comply with the requirements of the 

rule. Alternatively, where measures in 

this or any other MMPA authorization 

are more restrictive or protective than 

those in any final vessel speed rule, the 

measures in the MMPA authorization 

would remain in place. These changes 

would become effective immediately 

upon the effective date of any final 

vessel speed rule and would not require 

any further action on NMFS’s part. 

Determinations 

Park City Wind will conduct activities 

as analyzed in the initial 2022 IHA. As 

described above, the number of 

authorized takes of the same species and 

stocks of marine mammals are identical 

to the numbers that were found to meet 

the negligible impact and small 

numbers standards and authorized 

under the initial IHA and no new 

information has emerged that would 

change those findings. The issued 2024 

IHA includes identical required 

mitigation, monitoring, and reporting 

measures as the initial 2022 IHA, and 

there is no new information suggesting 

that our analysis or findings should 

change. 

Based on the information contained 

here and in the referenced documents, 

NMFS has determined the following: (1) 

the required mitigation measures will 

effect the least practicable impact on 

marine mammal species or stocks and 

their habitat; (2) the authorized takes 

will have a negligible impact on the 

affected marine mammal species or 

stocks; (3) the authorized takes 

represent small numbers of marine 

mammals relative to the affected stock 

abundances; and (4) Park City Wind’s 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
88894 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 246 / Tuesday, December 26, 2023 / Notices 

activities will not have an unmitigable 

adverse impact on taking for subsistence 

purposes as no relevant subsistence uses 

of marine mammals are implicated by 

this action. 

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 with respect to 

environmental consequences on the 

human environment. 

This action is consistent with 

categories of activities identified in 

Categorical Exclusion B4 (incidental 

take authorizations with no anticipated 

serious injury or mortality) of the 

Companion Manual for NAO 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 determined that the issuance of 

the initial IHA qualified to be 

categorically excluded from further 

NEPA review. NMFS has determined 

that the application of this categorical 

exclusion remains appropriate for this 

IHA. 

Endangered Species Act 

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. To ensure 

ESA compliance for the issuance of 

IHAs, NMFS consults internally 

whenever we propose to authorize take 

for endangered or threatened species. 

NMFS Office of Protected Resources 

previously determined that issuance of 

the initial 2022 IHA falls within the 

scope of activities analyzed in NMFS 

Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries 

Office’s programmatic consultation 

regarding geophysical surveys along the 

U.S. Atlantic coast in the 3 Atlantic 

Renewable Energy Regions (completed 

June 29, 2021; revised September 2021). 

Authorization 

NMFS has issued an IHA to Park City 

Wind for marine site characterization 

survey activities associated with the 

specified activity from March 1, 2024, 

through February 28, 2025. All 

previously described mitigation, 

monitoring, and reporting requirements 

from the initial 2022 IHA are 

incorporated. 

Dated: December 20, 2023. 

Kimberly Damon-Randall, 

Director, Office of Protected Resources, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2023–28404 Filed 12–22–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XD600] 

New England Fishery Management 

Council; Public Meeting 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of public meeting. 

SUMMARY: The New England Fishery 

Management Council (Council) is 

scheduling a public hybrid meeting of 

its Risk Policy Working Group to 

consider actions affecting New England 

fisheries in the exclusive economic zone 

(EEZ). This meeting will be held inperson with a webinar option. 

Recommendations from this group will 

be brought to the full Council for formal 

consideration and action, if appropriate. 

DATES: This meeting will be held on 

Wednesday, January 10, 2024, at 9 a.m. 

Webinar registration URL information: 

https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_

6ehbb-P8RgeAUDQjhvC_Zg. 

ADDRESSES: This meeting will be held at 

the Fairfield Inn & Suites, 185 

MacArthur Drive, New Bedford, MA 

02740; telephone: (774) 634–2000. 

Council address: New England 

Fishery Management Council, 50 Water 

Street, Mill 2, Newburyport, MA 01950. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Thomas A. Nies, Executive Director, 

New England Fishery Management 

Council; telephone: (978) 465–0492. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Agenda 

The Risk Policy Working Group 

(RPWG) will address the terms of 

reference (TORs) approved by the New 

England Fishery Management Council 

(Council), including progress made in 

reviewing the Council’s current Risk 

Policy, and Risk Policy Road Map (TOR 

1). They will continue to consider 

possible changes to the risk policy (TOR 

2), focusing on how to structure a 

revised risk policy, including 

discussions on a decision tree approach 

and a tiered approach. The RPWG will 

receive presentations on how other 

regional fishery management Councils 

approach risk in decision making. Other 

business will be discussed, if necessary. 

Although non-emergency issues not 

contained on the agenda may come 

before this Council for discussion, those 

issues may not be the subject of formal 

action during this meeting. Council 

action will be restricted to those issues 

specifically listed in this notice and any 

issues arising after publication of this 

notice that require emergency action 

under section 305(c) of the MagnusonStevens Act, provided the public has 

been notified of the Council’s intent to 

take final action to address the 

emergency. The public also should be 

aware that the meeting will be recorded. 

Consistent with 16 U.S.C. 1852, a copy 

of the recording is available upon 

request. 

Special Accommodations 

This meeting is physically accessible 

to people with disabilities. Requests for 

sign language interpretation or other 

auxiliary aids should be directed to Cate 

O’Keefe, Ph.D., Executive Director, at 

(978) 465–0492, at least 5 days prior to 

the meeting date. 

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq. 

Dated: December 20, 2023. 

Alyssa Lynn Weigers, 

Acting Deputy Director, Office of Sustainable 

Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2023–28409 Filed 12–22–23; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 

[Docket No.: ED–2023–SCC–0216] 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities; Comment Request; Process 

for FSA ID Account Creation for 

Individuals Without a Social Security 

Number in Connection With Person 

Authentication Service (PAS) 

AGENCY: Federal Student Aid (FSA), 

Department of Education (ED). 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, ED 

requested the Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB) to conduct an emergency 

review of a new information collection. 

DATES: The Department requested 

emergency processing from OMB for 

this information collection request on 

December 20, 2023. As a result, the 

Department is providing the public with 

the opportunity to comment under the 

full comment period. Interested persons 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES