60170 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 196 / Tuesday, October 10, 2000 / Notices

U.S.C. 1675(a)(3)(A)) and 19 CFR

351.213(h)(2).

Dated: October 3, 2000.

Richard W. Moreland

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Import

Administration.

[FR Doc. 00–25971 Filed 10–6–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–DS–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[I.D. 081400A]

Taking and Importing of Marine

Mammals

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of harvesting nation

embargoes.

SUMMARY: The Assistant Administrator

for Fisheries, NMFS, (Assistant

Administrator) imposed embargoes on

yellowfin tuna and yellowfin tuna

products from Belize, Bolivia, Colombia,

El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras,

Nicaragua, Panama, Vanuatu, and

Venezuela under the Marine Mammal

Protection Act (MMPA), 16 U.S.C. 1361

et seq., on October 3, 2000. This action

prohibits the importation into the

United States from these nations of

yellowfin tuna and yellowfin tuna

products harvested by purse seine in the

eastern tropical Pacific Ocean (ETP).

NMFS is imposing the embargoes

because these nations harvest tuna in

the ETP with purse seine vessels with

greater than 400 short tons (362.8 mt) of

carrying capacity and have not received

‘‘affirmative findings’’ as required by 50

CFR 216.24(f)(9). This determination

remains in effect for each nation until

an affirmative finding has been granted

to a nation by the Assistant

Administrator.

DATES: Effective October 3, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Copies of this notice may be

obtained by writing to Nicole R. Le

Boeuf, Office of Protected Resources,

NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver

Spring, Maryland 90210.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Nicole R. Le Boeuf; phone 301–713–

2322; fax 301–713–4060.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Prior to

March 3, 1999, section 101(a)(2)(B) of

the MMPA required nations wishing to

import into the United States yellowfin

tuna or yellowfin tuna products

harvested by purse seine in the ETP to

submit documentation indicating that

they were enforcing dolphin protection

measures comparable to those of the

United States. Under section

101(a)(2)(B) of the MMPA effective prior

to March 3, 1999, Belize, Colombia,

Panama, Vanuatu, and Venezuela were

embargoed. The existing embargoes

against yellowfin tuna harvested by

purse seine in the ETP and exported

from those five nations remain in effect.

Since March 3, 1999, the standards of

the MMPA, as amended by the

International Dolphin Conservation

Program Act (IDCPA) (Pub. L. 105–42),

changed for the entry into the United

States of yellowfin tuna and yellowfin

tuna products harvested by purse seine

vessels in the ETP, as set forth by the

interim final rule implementing the

IDCPA (65 FR 30, January 3, 2000).

In order to export to the United States

yellowfin tuna harvested by purse seine

in the ETP, nations that have, operating

under their jurisdiction, purse seine

vessels with over 400 short tons of

carrying capacity that fish for tuna in

the ETP (i.e., a harvesting nation) are

now obligated to submit documentary

evidence directly to Assistant

Administrator, and to request an

affirmative finding as required by 50

CFR 216.24(f)(9). Based upon

documentary evidence submitted by a

harvesting nation and obtained from the

Inter-American Tropical Tuna

Commission (IATTC) and/or from the

Department of State, the Assistant

Administrator will determine whether

the nation qualifies for an affirmative

finding under section 101(a)(2)(B) of the

MMPA. An affirmative finding allows

for the importation into the United

States of yellowfin tuna and yellowfin

tuna products harvested by purse seine

in the ETP after March 3, 1999. If a

harvesting nation does not provide

documentary evidence that shows that

the nation meets the standards under

section 101(a)(2)(B) of the MMPA, the

Assistant Administrator must embargo

yellowfin tuna harvested by purse seine

in the ETP. Bolivia, El Salvador,

Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua

are not currently embargoed, however,

those nations have failed to submit

documentation to NMFS, as required by

50 CFR 216.24(f)(9).

The application procedures to request

an affirmative finding are described in

the interim final regulations

implementing the IDCPA (65 FR 30,

January 3, 2000). Harvesting nations

must submit documentary evidence

directly to the Assistant Administrator

demonstrating that they meet several

conditions related to compliance with

the International Dolphin Conservation

Program (IDCP), and request an

affirmative finding. To issue an

affirmative finding, NMFS must receive

the following information:

1. A statement requesting an

affirmative finding;

2. Evidence of membership in the

Inter-American Tropical Tuna

Commission (IATTC);

3. Evidence that a nation is meeting

its obligations to the IATTC, including

financial obligations;

4. Evidence that a nation is complying

with the IDCP. For example, national

laws and regulations implementing the

Agreement on the IDCP and information

that the nation is enforcing those laws

and regulations;

5. Evidence of a tuna tracking and

verification program comparable to the

U.S. tracking and verification

regulations at 50 CFR 216.94;

6. Evidence that the national fleet

dolphin mortality limits (DMLs) were

not exceeded in the previous calendar

year;

7. Evidence that the national fleet perstock per-year mortality limits, if they

are allocated to countries, were not

exceeded in the previous calendar year;

8. Authorization for the IATTC to

release to the Assistant Administrator

complete, accurate, and timely

information necessary to verify and

inspect Tuna Tracking Forms; and

9. Authorization for the IATTC to

release to the Assistant Administrator

information whether a nation is meeting

its obligations of membership to the

IATTC and whether a nation is meeting

its obligations under the IDCP,

including managing (not exceeding) its

national fleet DMLs or its national fleet

per-stock per-year mortality limits. A

nation may opt to provide this

information directly to NMFS on an

annual basis or to authorize the IATTC

to release the information to NMFS in

years when NMFS will review and

consider whether to issue an affirmative

finding determination without an

application from the harvesting nation.

An affirmative finding will be

terminated, in consultation with the

Secretary of State, if the Assistant

Administrator determines that the

requirements of 50 CFR 216.24(f)(9) are

no longer being met or that a nation is

consistently failing to take enforcement

actions on violations which diminish

the effectiveness of the IDCP. Every 5

years, the government of a harvesting

nation, must request an affirmative

finding and submit the required

documentary evidence directly to the

Assistant Administrator.

Until such time as the Assistant

Administrator receives documentary

evidence from the Governments of

Belize, Bolivia, Colombia, El Salvador,

Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua,

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 196 / Tuesday, October 10, 2000 / Notices 60171

Panama, Vanuatu, and Venezuela

demonstrating that they qualify for

affirmative findings, embargoes on

yellowfin tuna harvested by purse seine

in the ETP by these nations will

continue. These embargoes prohibit the

importation into the United States from

these nations of yellowfin tuna and

yellowfin tuna products harvested by

purse seine in the ETP after March 3,

1999.

Dated: October 3, 2000.

William T. Hogarth,

Deputy Assistant Administrator for Fisheries,

National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 00–25978 Filed 10–6–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[I.D.092600A]

Marine Mammals; File No. 373–1575

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Issuance of permit.

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that

Point Reyes Bird Observatory (Dr. Sarah

Allen, Principal Investigator) 4990

Shoreline Highway, Stinson Beach, CA

94970, has been issued a permit to take

harbor seals (Phoca vitulina richardsi),

northern elephant seals (Mirounga

angustirostris), California sea lions

(Zalophus californianus), and Steller

sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) for

purposes of scientific research.

ADDRESSES: The permit and related

documents are available for review

upon written request or by appointment

in the following office(s):

Permits and Documentation Division,

Office of Protected Resources, NMFS,

1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705,

Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301/713–

2289);

Regional Administrator, Southwest

Region, NMFS, 501 West Ocean Blvd.,

Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802 (562/

980–4001); and

Regional Administrator, Northwest

Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way

NE, BIN C15700, Bldg. 1, Seattle, WA

98115 (206/526–6150).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Simona Roberts or Ruth Johnson, 301/

713–2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On July

11, 2000, notice was published in the

Federal Register 65 FR 42676) that a

request for a scientific research permit

to take harbor seals (Phoca vitulina

richardsi), northern elephant seals

(Mirounga angustirostris), California sea

lions (Zalophus californianus), and

Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus)

had been submitted by the above-named

organization. The requested permit has

been issued under the authority of the

Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972,

as amended (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.), and the regulations governing

the taking, importing, and exporting of

endangered and threatened species (50

CFR parts 222–226).

Issuance of this permit, as required by

the ESA, was based on a finding that

such permit (1) was applied for in good

faith, (2) will not operate to the

disadvantage of the endangered species

which is the subject of this permit, and

(3) is consistent with the purposes and

policies set forth in section 2 of the

ESA.

Dated: October 3, 2000.

Ann D. Terbush,

Chief, Permits and Documentation Division,

Office of Protected Resources, National

Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 00–25956 Filed 10–6–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Submission for OMB Review;

Comment Request

AGENCY: Department of Education.

SUMMARY: The Leader, Regulatory

Information Management Group, Office

of the Chief Information Officer invites

comments on the submission for OMB

review as required by the Paperwork

Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to

submit comments on or before

November 9, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should

be addressed to the Office of

Information and Regulatory Affairs,

Attention: Lauren Wittenberg, Acting

Desk Officer, Department of Education,

Office of Management and Budget, 725

17th Street, NW., Room 10235, New

Executive Office Building, Washington,

DC 20503 or should be electronically

mailed to the internet address

Lauren_Wittenberg@omb.eop.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section

3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of

1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) requires

that the Office of Management and

Budget (OMB) provide interested

Federal agencies and the public an early

opportunity to comment on information

collection requests. OMB may amend or

waive the requirement for public

consultation to the extent that public

participation in the approval process

would defeat the purpose of the

information collection, violate State or

Federal law, or substantially interfere

with any agency’s ability to perform its

statutory obligations. The Leader,

Regulatory Information Management

Group, Office of the Chief Information

Officer, publishes that notice containing

proposed information collection

requests prior to submission of these

requests to OMB. Each proposed

information collection, grouped by

office, contains the following: (1) Type

of review requested, e.g. new, revision,

extension, existing or reinstatement; (2)

Title; (3) Summary of the collection; (4)

Description of the need for, and

proposed use of, the information; (5)

Respondents and frequency of

collection; and (6) Reporting and/or

Recordkeeping burden. OMB invites

public comment.

Dated: October 3, 2000.

John Tressler,

Leader, Regulatory Information Management,

Office of the Chief Information Officer.

Office of Student Financial Assistance

Type of Review: Reinstatement.

Title: The Leveraging Educational

Assistance and Partnership (LEAP)

Program.

Frequency: Annually.

Affected Public: State, Local, or Tribal

Gov’t, SEAs or LEAs.

Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour

Burden:

Responses: 56

Burden Hours: 560

Abstract: The LEAP Program uses

matching Federal and State funds to

provide a nationwide system of grants to

assist postsecondary educational

students with substantial financial need.

State agencies use this performance

report to account for yearly program

performance. The Department uses the

information collected to assess the

accomplishment of the program goals

and objectives and to aid in program

management and compliance assurance.

Requests for copies of the proposed

information collection request may be

accessed from http://edicsweb.ed.gov, or

should be addressed to Vivian Reese,

Department of Education, 400 Maryland

Avenue, SW., Room 4050, Regional

Office Building 3, Washington, DC

20202–4651. Requests may also be

electronically mailed to the internet

address OCIO_IMG_Issues@ed.gov or

faxed to 202–708–9346.