Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 158 / Monday, August 17, 2015 / Proposed Rules 49193 

disapprove pre-existing requirements 

under State or local law, and imposes 

no new requirements. Accordingly, no 

additional costs to State, local, or tribal 

governments, or to the private sector, 

result from this action. 

E. Executive Order 13132, Federalism 

Executive Order 13132, entitled 

‘‘Federalism’’ (64 FR 43255, August 10, 

1999), requires EPA to develop an 

accountable process to ensure 

‘‘meaningful and timely input by State 

and local officials in the development of 

regulatory policies that have federalism 

implications.’’ ‘‘Policies that have 

federalism implications’’ is defined in 

the Executive Order to include 

regulations that have ‘‘substantial direct 

effects on the States, on the relationship 

between the national government and 

the States, or on the distribution of 

power and responsibilities among the 

various levels of government.’’ 

This action does not have federalism 

implications. It will not have substantial 

direct effects on the States, on the 

relationship between the national 

government and the States, or on the 

distribution of power and 

responsibilities among the various 

levels of government, as specified in 

Executive Order 13132, because it 

merely disapproves certain State 

requirements for inclusion into the SIP 

and does not alter the relationship or 

the distribution of power and 

responsibilities established in the Clean 

Air Act. Thus, Executive Order 13132 

does not apply to this action. 

F. Executive Order 13175, Coordination 

With Indian Tribal Governments 

This action does not have tribal 

implications, as specified in Executive 

Order 13175 (65 FR 67249, November 9, 

2000), because the SIP EPA is proposing 

to disapprove would not apply on any 

Indian reservation land or in any other 

area where EPA or an Indian tribe has 

demonstrated that a tribe has 

jurisdiction, and EPA notes that it will 

not impose substantial direct costs on 

tribal governments or preempt tribal 

law. Thus, Executive Order 13175 does 

not apply to this action. 

G. Executive Order 13045, Protection of 

Children From Environmental Health 

Risks and Safety Risks 

EPA interprets EO 13045 (62 FR 

19885, April 23, 1997) as applying only 

to those regulatory actions that concern 

health or safety risks, such that the 

analysis required under section 5–501 of 

the EO has the potential to influence the 

regulation. This action is not subject to 

EO 13045 because it is not an 

economically significant regulatory 

action based on health or safety risks 

subject to Executive Order 13045 (62 FR 

19885, April 23, 1997). This proposed 

SIP disapproval under section 110 and 

subchapter I, part D of the Clean Air Act 

will not in-and-of itself create any new 

regulations but simply disapproves 

certain State requirements submitted for 

inclusion into the SIP. 

H. Executive Order 13211, Actions That 

Significantly Affect Energy Supply, 

Distribution, or Use 

This proposed rule is not subject to 

Executive Order 13211 (66 FR 28355, 

May 22, 2001) because it is not a 

significant regulatory action under 

Executive Order 12866. 

I. National Technology Transfer and 

Advancement Act 

Section 12(d) of the National 

Technology Transfer and Advancement 

Act of 1995 (‘‘NTTAA’’), Public Law 

104–113, 12(d) (15 U.S.C. 272 note) 

directs EPA to use voluntary consensus 

standards in its regulatory activities 

unless to do so would be inconsistent 

with applicable law or otherwise 

impractical. Voluntary consensus 

standards are technical standards (e.g., 

materials specifications, test methods, 

sampling procedures, and business 

practices) that are developed or adopted 

by voluntary consensus standards 

bodies. NTTAA directs EPA to provide 

Congress, through OMB, explanations 

when the Agency decides not to use 

available and applicable voluntary 

consensus standards. 

The EPA believes that this action is 

not subject to requirements of Section 

12(d) of NTTAA because application of 

those requirements would be 

inconsistent with the Clean Air Act. 

J. Executive Order 12898: Federal 

Actions To Address Environmental 

Justice in Minority Populations and 

Low-Income Population 

Executive Order (EO) 12898 (59 FR 

7629 (Feb. 16, 1994)) establishes federal 

executive policy on environmental 

justice. Its main provision directs 

federal agencies, to the greatest extent 

practicable and permitted by law, to 

make environmental justice part of their 

mission by identifying and addressing, 

as appropriate, disproportionately high 

and adverse human health or 

environmental effects of their programs, 

policies, and activities on minority 

populations and low-income 

populations in the United States. 

EPA lacks the discretionary authority 

to address environmental justice in this 

rulemaking. 

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 52 

Environmental protection, Air 

pollution control, Intergovernmental 

relations, Nitrogen oxides, Sulfur 

oxides, Particulate matter. 

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq. 

Dated: August 6, 2015. 

Jared Blumenfeld, 

EPA Regional Administrator, Region 9. 

[FR Doc. 2015–20240 Filed 8–14–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION 

AGENCY 

40 CFR Part 80 

[EPA–HQ–OAR–2015–0208; FRL–9931–95– 

OAR] 

RIN 2060–AS64 

Relaxation of the Federal Reid Vapor 

Pressure Gasoline Volatility Standard 

for Mecklenburg and Gaston Counties, 

North Carolina 

AGENCY: Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA). 

ACTION: Proposed rule. 

SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA) is proposing to approve a 

request from the state of North Carolina 

for the EPA to relax the Reid Vapor 

Pressure (RVP) standard applicable to 

gasoline introduced into commerce from 

June 1 to September 15 of each year for 

Mecklenburg and Gaston counties, 

North Carolina. Specifically, the EPA is 

proposing to amend the regulations to 

allow the RVP standard for Mecklenburg 

and Gaston counties to rise from 7.8 

pounds per square inch (psi) to 9.0 psi 

for gasoline. The EPA has preliminarily 

determined that this change to the 

federal RVP regulation is consistent 

with the applicable provisions of the 

Clean Air Act (CAA). 

DATES: Written comments must be 

received on or before September 16, 

2015 unless a public hearing is 

requested by September 1, 2015. If the 

EPA receives such a request, we will 

publish information related to the 

timing and location of the hearing and 

a new deadline for public comment. 

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, 

identified by Docket ID No. EPA–HQ– 

OAR–2015–0208, to the Federal 

eRulemaking Portal: http://

www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 

instructions for submitting comments. 

Once submitted, comments cannot be 

edited or withdrawn. The EPA may 

publish any comment received to its 

public docket. Do not submit 

electronically any information you 

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49194 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 158 / Monday, August 17, 2015 / Proposed Rules 

consider to be Confidential Business 

Information (CBI) or other information 

whose disclosure is restricted by statute. 

If you need to include CBI as part of 

your comment, please visit http://

www.epa.gov/dockets/comments.html 

for instructions. Multimedia 

submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be 

accompanied by a written comment. 

The written comment is considered the 

official comment and should include 

discussion of all points you wish to 

make. 

The EPA will generally not consider 

comments or comment contents located 

outside of the primary submission (i.e. 

on the web, cloud, or other file sharing 

system). For additional submission 

methods, the full EPA public comment 

policy, information about CBI or 

multimedia submissions, and general 

guidance on making effective 

comments, please visit http://

www2.epa.gov/dockets/commentingepa-dockets. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Patty Klavon, Office of Transportation 

and Air Quality, Environmental 

Protection Agency, 2000 Traverwood 

Drive, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48105; 

telephone number: (734) 214–4476; fax 

number: (734) 214–4052; email address: 

klavon.patty@epa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

contents of this preamble are listed in 

the following outline: 

I. General Information 

II. Public Participation 

III. Background and Proposal 

IV. Direct Final Rule 

V. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews 

VI. Legal Authority 

I. General Information 

A. This Proposed Rule Is Published 

Parallel to a Direct Final Rule 

In the ‘‘Rules and Regulations’’ 

section of this Federal Register, the EPA 

is making this revision as a direct final 

rule without prior proposal because the 

EPA views this revision as 

noncontroversial and anticipates no 

adverse comment. The rationale for this 

rulemaking is described both in this 

proposal and in the direct final rule. 

The regulatory text for this proposed 

rule is included in the direct final rule, 

and parties should review that rule for 

the regulatory text. If the EPA receives 

no adverse comment, the EPA will not 

take further action on this proposed 

rule. If the EPA receives adverse 

comment on this rule or any portion of 

this rule, the EPA will withdraw the 

direct final rule or the portion of the 

rule that received adverse comment. All 

public comments received will then be 

addressed in a subsequent final rule 

based on this proposed rule. The EPA 

will not institute a second comment 

period on this rulemaking. Any parties 

interested in commenting must do so at 

this time. 

B. Does this action apply to me? 

Entities potentially affected by this 

proposed rule are fuel producers and 

distributors who do business in North 

Carolina. 

Examples of potentially 

regulated entities 

NAICS1

codes 

Petroleum refineries ..................... 324110 

Gasoline Marketers and Distributors ............................................ 424710 

424720 

Gasoline Retail Stations ............... 447110 

Gasoline Transporters .................. 484220 

484230 

1 North American Industry Classification 

System. 

The above table is not intended to be 

exhaustive, but rather provides a guide 

for readers regarding entities likely to be 

regulated by this action. The table lists 

the types of entities of which the EPA 

is aware that potentially could be 

affected by this proposed rule. Other 

types of entities not listed on the table 

could also be affected. To determine 

whether your organization could be 

affected by this proposed rule, you 

should carefully examine the 

regulations in 40 CFR 80.27. If you have 

questions regarding the applicability of 

this action to a particular entity, call the 

person listed in the FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT section of this 

preamble. 

C. What is the agency’s authority for 

taking this action? 

The statutory authority for this action 

is granted to the EPA by Sections 211(h) 

and 301(a) of the Clean Air Act, as 

amended; 42 U.S.C. 7545(h) and 

7601(a). 

II. Public Participation 

The EPA will not hold a public 

hearing on this matter unless a request 

is received by the person identified in 

the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT

section of this preamble by September 1, 

2015. If the EPA receives such a request, 

we will publish information related to 

the timing and location of the hearing 

and a new deadline for public comment. 

III. Background and Proposal 

A. Summary of the Proposal 

The EPA is proposing to approve a 

request from the state of North Carolina 

to change the summertime RVP 

standard for Mecklenburg and Gaston 

counties, North Carolina from 7.8 psi to 

9.0 psi by amending the EPA’s 

regulations at 40 CFR 80.27(a)(2). In a 

previous rulemaking, the EPA approved 

a redesignation request and 

maintenance plan for the CharlotteGastonia-Salisbury, North Carolina 2008 

ozone area (‘‘the Charlotte area’’) and a 

CAA section 110(l) non-interference 

demonstration that relaxing the federal 

RVP requirement from 7.8 psi to 9.0 psi 

for gasoline sold from June 1 to 

September 15 of each year in 

Mecklenburg and Gaston counties 

would not interfere with maintenance of 

any NAAQS in the Charlotte area, 

including the 2008 ozone NAAQS, or 

with any other applicable CAA 

requirement. Mecklenburg and Gaston 

counties are part of the Charlotte area. 

For more information on North 

Carolina’s redesignation request and 

maintenance plan for the Charlotte area, 

please refer to Docket ID. No. EPA–R04– 

OAR–2015–0275 for the rulemaking that 

was signed on July 17, 2015. 

The preamble for this rulemaking is 

organized as follows: Section III.B. 

provides the history of the federal 

gasoline volatility regulation. Section 

III.C. describes the policy regarding 

relaxation of gasoline volatility 

standards in ozone nonattainment areas 

that are redesignated as attainment 

areas. Section III.D. provides 

information specific to North Carolina’s 

request for Mecklenburg and Gaston 

counties. Finally, Section IV. briefly 

discusses the associated direct final 

rule. 

B. History of the Gasoline Volatility 

Requirement 

On August 19, 1987 (52 FR 31274), 

the EPA determined that gasoline 

nationwide was becoming increasingly 

volatile, causing an increase in 

evaporative emissions from gasolinepowered vehicles and equipment. 

Evaporative emissions from gasoline, 

referred to as volatile organic 

compounds (VOC), are precursors to the 

formation of tropospheric ozone and 

contribute to the nation’s ground-level 

ozone problem. Exposure to groundlevel ozone can reduce lung function, 

thereby aggravating asthma and other 

respiratory conditions, increase 

susceptibility to respiratory infection, 

and may contribute to premature death 

in people with heart and lung disease. 

The most common measure of fuel 

volatility that is useful in evaluating 

gasoline evaporative emissions is RVP. 

Under CAA section 211(c), the EPA 

promulgated regulations on March 22, 

1989 (54 FR 11868) that set maximum 

limits for the RVP of gasoline sold 

during the regulatory control periods 

that were established on a state-by-state 

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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 158 / Monday, August 17, 2015 / Proposed Rules 49195 

1On March 11, 2015, the NCDENR requested that 

the EPA parallel process the approval of the 

submission. 

basis in the final rule. The regulatory 

control periods addressed the portion of 

the year when peak ozone 

concentrations were expected. These 

regulations constituted Phase I of a twophase nationwide program, which was 

designed to reduce the volatility of 

gasoline during the high ozone season. 

On June 11, 1990 (55 FR 23658), the 

EPA promulgated more stringent 

volatility controls as Phase II of the 

volatility control program. These 

requirements established maximum 

RVP standards of 9.0 psi or 7.8 psi 

(depending on the state, the month, and 

the area’s initial ozone attainment 

designation with respect to the 1-hour 

ozone NAAQS.) 

The 1990 CAA Amendments 

established a new section 211(h) to 

address fuel volatility. CAA section 

211(h) requires the EPA to promulgate 

regulations making it unlawful to sell, 

offer for sale, dispense, supply, offer for 

supply, transport, or introduce into 

commerce gasoline with an RVP level in 

excess of 9.0 psi during the high ozone 

season. CAA section 211(h) also 

prohibits the EPA from establishing a 

volatility standard more stringent than 

9.0 psi in an attainment area, except that 

the EPA may impose a lower (more 

stringent) standard in any former ozone 

nonattainment area redesignated to 

attainment. 

On December 12, 1991 (56 FR 64704), 

the EPA modified the Phase II volatility 

regulations to be consistent with CAA 

section 211(h). The modified regulations 

prohibited the sale of gasoline with an 

RVP above 9.0 psi in all areas 

designated attainment for ozone, 

effective January 13, 1992. For areas 

designated as nonattainment, the 

regulations retained the original Phase II 

standards published on June 11, 1990 

(55 FR 23658), which included the 7.8 

psi ozone season limitation for certain 

areas. As stated in the preamble to the 

Phase II volatility controls and 

reiterated in the proposed change to the 

volatility standards published in 1991, 

the EPA will rely on states to initiate 

changes to their respective volatility 

programs. The EPA’s policy for 

approving such changes is described 

below in Section III.C. 

The state of North Carolina has 

initiated this change by requesting that 

the EPA relax the 7.8 psi gasoline RVP 

standard to 9.0 psi for Mecklenburg and 

Gaston counties, which are subject to 

the 7.8 gasoline RVP requirement during 

the summertime ozone season. 

Accordingly, the state of North Carolina 

provided a technical demonstration 

showing that relaxing the federal 

gasoline RVP requirements in the two 

counties from 7.8 psi to 9.0 psi would 

not interfere with maintenance of any 

NAAQS in the Charlotte area, including 

the 2008 ozone NAAQS, or with any 

other applicable CAA requirement. 

C. The EPA’s Policy Regarding 

Relaxation of Gasoline Volatility 

Standards in Ozone Nonattainment 

Areas That Are Redesignated to 

Attainment Areas 

As stated in the preamble for the 

EPA’s amended Phase II volatility 

standards (56 FR 64706), any change in 

the gasoline volatility standard for a 

nonattainment area that was 

subsequently redesignated as an 

attainment area must be accomplished 

through a separate rulemaking that 

revises the applicable standard for that 

area. Thus, for former 1-hour ozone 

nonattainment areas where the EPA 

mandated a Phase II volatility standard 

of 7.8 psi RVP in the December 12, 1991 

rulemaking, the federal 7.8 psi gasoline 

RVP requirement remains in effect, even 

after such an area is redesignated to 

attainment, until a separate rulemaking 

is completed that relaxes the federal 

gasoline RVP standard in that area from 

7.8 psi to 9.0 psi. 

As explained in the December 12, 

1991 rulemaking, the EPA believes that 

relaxation of an applicable gasoline RVP 

standard is best accomplished in 

conjunction with the redesignation 

process. In order for an ozone 

nonattainment area to be redesignated 

as an attainment area, CAA section 

107(d)(3) requires the state to make a 

showing, pursuant to CAA section 

175A, that the area is capable of 

maintaining attainment for the ozone 

NAAQS for ten years. Depending on the 

area’s circumstances, this maintenance 

plan will either demonstrate that the 

area is capable of maintaining 

attainment for ten years without the 

more stringent volatility standard or that 

the more stringent volatility standard 

may be necessary for the area to 

maintain its attainment with the ozone 

NAAQS. Therefore, in the context of a 

request for redesignation, the EPA will 

not relax the gasoline volatility standard 

unless the state requests a relaxation 

and the maintenance plan demonstrates 

to the satisfaction of the EPA that the 

area will maintain attainment for ten 

years without the need for the more 

stringent volatility standard. 

North Carolina is requesting 

relaxation of the federal gasoline RVP 

standard from 7.8 psi to 9.0 psi for 

Mecklenburg and Gaston counties 

concurrent with its request that the EPA 

approve a redesignation request and 

maintenance plan for the Charlotte area 

for the 2008 ozone NAAQS. 

D. North Carolina’s Request To Relax 

the Federal Gasoline RVP Requirement 

for Mecklenburg and Gaston Counties 

On March 11, 2015, the state of North 

Carolina, through the North Carolina 

Department of Environment and Natural 

Resources (NCDENR), submitted a 

redesignation request and maintenance 

plan for the Charlotte area, which was 

classified as Marginal for the 2008 

ozone NAAQS. Mecklenburg and 

Gaston counties are part of the Charlotte 

area. Additionally, the state submitted a 

CAA section 110(l) non-interference 

demonstration that removal of the 

federal RVP requirement of 7.8 psi for 

gasoline during the summertime ozone 

season in Mecklenburg and Gaston 

counties would not interfere with 

maintenance of any NAAQS, or with 

any other applicable CAA requirement. 

Specifically, the state provided a 

technical demonstration showing that 

relaxing the federal gasoline RVP 

requirement in the two counties from 

7.8 psi to 9.0 psi would not interfere 

with maintenance of any NAAQS in the 

Charlotte area, of which the two 

counties are part, including the 2008 

ozone NAAQS, or with any other 

applicable CAA requirement. 

In a rulemaking that was signed on 

July 17, 2015, the EPA evaluated and 

approved North Carolina’s March 11, 

2015 redesignation request and 

maintenance plan for the Charlotte area. 

See Docket ID. No. EPA–R04–OAR– 

2015–0275. In a separate rulemaking 

signed on July 17, 2015, the EPA 

approved North Carolina’s noninterference demonstration for 

Mecklenburg and Gaston counties. See 

Docket ID. No. EPA–R04–OAR–2015– 

0260.1

Both rulemakings were subject to 

public notice-and-comment. The EPA 

received two comments on the 

redesignation request and maintenance 

plan rulemaking, and those comments 

were addressed in the final rule for that 

rulemaking. The comments received can 

be found in the docket for that 

rulemaking (Docket ID. No. EPA–R04– 

OAR–2015–0275). No comments were 

received on the non-interference 

demonstration for Mecklenburg and 

Gaston counties (Docket ID. No. EPA– 

R04–OAR–2015–0260). 

In this action, the EPA is taking the 

second and final step in the process by 

proposing to approve North Carolina’s 

request to relax the summertime ozone 

season gasoline RVP standard for 

Mecklenburg and Gaston counties from 

7.8 psi to 9.0 psi. Specifically, the EPA 

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49196 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 158 / Monday, August 17, 2015 / Proposed Rules 

is proposing to amend the applicable 

gasoline RVP standard to allow the 

gasoline RVP requirements to rise from 

7.8 psi to 9.0 psi provided at 40 CFR 

80.27(a)(2) for the two counties. This 

proposal to approve North Carolina’s 

request to relax the summertime ozone 

season gasoline RVP standard for 

Mecklenburg and Gaston counties from 

7.8 psi to 9.0 psi is based on the 

previous approval of North Carolina’s 

March 11, 2015 redesignation request 

and maintenance plan and noninterference demonstration. It is also 

based on the fact that the Charlotte area 

is currently in attainment for the both 

the 1997 ozone NAAQS and the 2008 

ozone NAAQS. 

IV. Direct Final Rule 

A direct final rule that would make 

the same changes as those proposed in 

this action appears in the Rules and 

Regulations section of this Federal 

Register. The EPA is taking direct final 

action on these revisions because the 

EPA views the revisions as 

noncontroversial and anticipates no 

adverse comment. The EPA has 

explained the reasons for the 

amendments in this proposal and in the 

direct final rule. If no adverse comments 

are received, no further action will be 

taken on the proposal, and the direct 

final rule will become effective as 

provided in that action. 

If the EPA receives adverse comments 

on the rule or any portion of the rule, 

the EPA will withdraw the direct final 

rule or the portion of the rule that 

received adverse comment. The EPA 

will publish a timely withdrawal in the 

Federal Register indicating which 

provisions are being withdrawn. All 

public comments received will then be 

addressed in a subsequent final rule 

based on this proposed rule. The EPA 

will not institute a second comment 

period on the subsequent final action. 

Any parties interested in commenting 

must do so at this time. 

The changes to the regulatory text 

proposed in this document are identical 

to those for the direct final rule 

published in the Rules and Regulations 

section of this Federal Register. For 

further information, including the 

regulatory revisions, see the direct final 

rule published in a separate part of this 

Federal Register. 

V. Statutory and Executive Order 

Reviews 

For a complete discussion of all the 

administrative requirements applicable 

to this action, see the direct final rule in 

the Rules and Regulations section of this 

Federal Register. 

VI. Legal Authority 

The statutory authority for this action 

is granted to the EPA by Sections 211(h) 

and 301(a) of the Clean Air Act, as 

amended; 42 U.S.C. 7545(h) and 

7601(a). 

List of Subjects in 40 CFR Part 80 

Environmental protection, 

Administrative practice and procedures, 

Air pollution control, Fuel additives, 

Gasoline, Motor vehicle and motor 

vehicle engines, Motor vehicle 

pollution, Penalties, Reporting and 

recordkeeping requirements. 

Dated: August 5, 2015. 

Gina McCarthy, 

Administrator. 

[FR Doc. 2015–20245 Filed 8–14–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6560–50–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 219 

[Docket No. 150413360–5701–03] 

RIN 0648–BF02 

Taking and Importing Marine 

Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals 

Incidental to Northeast Fisheries 

Science Center Fisheries Research; 

Correction 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Proposed rule; correction; 

extension of public comment period. 

SUMMARY: This document contains 

corrections to the preamble to the 

proposed rule published on August 6, 

2015, that would establish a framework 

for authorizing the take of marine 

mammals incidental to the NEFSC’s 

fisheries research activities in the 

Atlantic coast region for a five-year 

period, 2015–2020. This action is 

necessary to correct typographical errors 

in the annual estimates presented for 

Level B harassment of northern 

bottlenose whales (Hyperoodon 

ampullatus) from 10 to 12. This change 

accounts for the annual estimate of level 

B harassment for this species in both 

inshore (10 individuals) and offshore 

waters (2 individuals) in the Atlantic 

coast region. 

The Federal Register proposed rule 

published on July 9, 2015, indicated 

that written comments were due by 

August 10, 2015, which allowed 30 

calendar days for public input. On 

August 6, 2015, NMFS published a 

correction and extended the public 

comment period to August 17, 2015. 

NMFS has decided to extend the public 

comment period by an additional 30 

calendar days for public input. 

DATES: The comment period for the 

proposed rule published July 9, 2015, at 

80 FR 39542, extended August 6, 2015, 

at 80 FR 46939, has been further 

extended. NMFS must receive written 

comments and information no later than 

September 16, 2015. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

on this document, identified by NOAA– 

NMFS–2015–0078, by any of the 

following methods: 

• Electronic submission: Submit all 

electronic public comments via the 

federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to 

www.regulations.gov, enter 0648–BF02 

in the ‘‘Search’’ box, click the 

‘‘Comment Now!’’ icon, complete the 

required fields, and enter or attach your 

comments. 

• Mail: Comments should be 

addressed to Jolie Harrison, Chief, 

Permits and Conservation Division, 

Office of Protected Resources, National 

Marine Fisheries Service, 1315 East 

West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 

20910. 

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. Attachments to electronic 

comments will be accepted in Microsoft 

Word or Excel or Adobe PDF file 

formats only. To help NMFS process 

and review comments more efficiently, 

please use only one method to submit 

comments. All comments received are a 

part of the public record. NMFS will 

generally post the comments on 

www.regulations.gov 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. NMFS will accept 

anonymous comments (enter N/A in the 

required fields if you wish to remain 

anonymous). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Jeannine Cody, Office of Protected 

Resources, NMFS, (301) 427–8401. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

NMFS published a proposed rule on 

July 9, 2015 (80 FR 39542) to establish 

a framework for authorizing the take of 

marine mammals incidental to the 

NEFSC’s fisheries research activities in 

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