Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 62 / Wednesday, April 1, 2015 / Notices 17407 

Results from monitoring programs 

associated other Eglin AFB activities 

have shown the absence of marine 

mammals within the EGTTR during 

maritime operations. Avoidance varies 

among individuals and depends on their 

activities or reasons for being in the area 

While animals may be impacted in 

the immediate vicinity of the activity, 

because of the short duration of the 

actual individual explosions themselves 

(versus continual sound source 

operation) combined with the short 

duration of the Maritime WSEP 

operations, NMFS has determined that 

there will not be a substantial impact on 

marine mammals or on the normal 

functioning of the nearshore or offshore 

Gulf of Mexico ecosystems. The 

proposed activity is not expected to 

impact rates of recruitment or survival 

of marine mammals since neither 

mortality (which would remove 

individuals from the population) nor 

serious injury are anticipated to occur. 

In addition, the proposed activity would 

not occur in areas (and/or times) of 

significance for the marine mammal 

populations potentially affected by the 

exercises (e.g., feeding or resting areas, 

reproductive areas), and the activities 

would only occur in a small part of their 

overall range, so the impact of any 

potential temporary displacement 

would be negligible and animals would 

be expected to return to the area after 

the cessations of activities. Although the 

proposed activity could result in Level 

A (PTS only, not slight lung injury or 

gastrointestinal tract injury) and Level B 

(behavioral disturbance and TTS) 

harassment of marine mammals, the 

level of harassment is not anticipated to 

impact rates of recruitment or survival 

of marine mammals because the number 

of exposed animals is expected to be 

low due to the short-term (i.e., four 

hours a day) and site-specific nature of 

the activity, and the severity of effect 

would not be detrimental to rates of 

recruitment and survival. 

Moreover, the mitigation and 

monitoring measures required by the 

Authorization (described earlier in this 

document) are expected to further 

minimize the potential for harassment. 

The protected species surveys would 

require Eglin AFB to search the area for 

marine mammals, and if any are found 

in the live fire area, then the exercise 

would be suspended until the animal(s) 

has left the area or relocated. Moreover, 

marine species observers located in the 

Eglin control tower would monitor the 

high-definition video feed from cameras 

located on the instrument barge 

anchored on-site for the presence of 

protected species. Furthermore, 

Maritime WSEP missions would be 

delayed or rescheduled if the sea state 

is greater than a 4 on the Beaufort Scale 

at the time of the test. In addition, 

Maritime WSEP missions would occur 

no earlier than two hours after sunrise 

and no later than two hours prior to 

sunset to ensure adequate daylight for 

pre- and post-mission monitoring. 

Based on the analysis contained 

herein of the likely effects of the 

specified activity on marine mammals 

and their habitat, and taking into 

consideration the implementation of the 

mitigation and monitoring measures, 

NMFS finds that Eglin AFB’s Maritime 

WSEP operations will result in the 

incidental take of marine mammals, by 

Level A and Level B harassment only, 

and that the taking from the Maritime 

WSEP exercises will have a negligible 

impact on the affected species or stocks. 

Impact on Availability of Affected 

Species or Stock for Taking for 

Subsistence Uses 

There are no relevant subsistence uses 

of marine mammals implicated by this 

action. Therefore, NMFS has 

preliminarily determined that the total 

taking of affected species or stocks 

would not have an unmitigable adverse 

impact on the availability of such 

species or stocks for taking for 

subsistence purposes. 

Endangered Species Act (ESA) 

Eglin AFB initiated consultation with 

the Southeast Region, NMFS, under 

section 7 of the ESA regarding the 

effects of this action on ESA-listed 

species and critical habitat under the 

jurisdiction of NMFS. The consultation 

will be completed and a biological 

opinion issued prior to any final 

determinations on the Authorization. 

Due to the location of the activity, no 

ESA-listed marine mammal species are 

likely to be affected; therefore, NMFS 

has determined that this Authorization 

would have no effect on ESA-listed 

marine mammal species. Therefore, 

NMFS has determined that a section 7 

consultation under the ESA is not 

required. 

National Environmental Policy Act 

(NEPA) 

Eglin AFB provided NMFS with an 

Environmental Assessment titled, 

Maritime Weapon Systems Evaluation 

Program (WSEP) Operational Testing In 

The Eglin Gulf Testing And Training 

Range (EGTTR), Florida. The EA 

analyzes the direct, indirect, and 

cumulative environmental impacts of 

the specified activities on marine 

mammals. NMFS, after review and 

evaluation of the Eglin AFB EA for 

consistency with the regulations 

published by the Council of 

Environmental Quality (CEQ) and 

NOAA Administrative Order 216–6, 

Environmental Review Procedures for 

Implementing the National 

Environmental Policy Act, adopted the 

EA. After considering the EA, the 

information in the IHA application, and 

the Federal Register notice, as well as 

public comments, NMFS has 

determined that the issuance of an 

Authorization is not likely to result in 

significant impacts on the human 

environment and has prepared a 

Finding of No Significant Impact 

(FONSI). An Environmental Impact 

Statement is not required and will not 

be prepared for the action. 

Authorization 

NMFS has issued an Incidental 

Harassment Authorization to Eglin AFB 

for conducting Maritime WSEP 

operations in the EGGTR, provided the 

previously mentioned mitigation, 

monitoring, and reporting requirements 

are incorporated. 

Dated: March 23, 2015. 

Donna S. Wieting, 

Director, Office of Protected Resources, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2015–07429 Filed 3–31–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

Sanctuary System Business Advisory 

Council: Public Meeting 

AGENCY: Office of National Marine 

Sanctuaries (ONMS), National Ocean 

Service (NOS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Department of Commerce (DOC). 

ACTION: Notice of open meeting. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given of a 

meeting of the Sanctuary System 

Business Advisory Council (Council). 

The meeting is open to the public, and 

participants may provide comments at 

the appropriate time during the meeting. 

DATES: The meeting will be held 

Wednesday, April 22, 2015, from 10:00 

a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Thursday, April 

23, 2015, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. 

EDT. An opportunity for public 

comment will be provided on April 23, 

2015 at 11:30 a.m. EDT. These times and 

the agenda topics described below are 

subject to change. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in 

the Hubbard Hall Board Room of the 

National Geographic Society, 1146 16th 

Street NW., Washington, DC 20036. 

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17408 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 62 / Wednesday, April 1, 2015 / Notices 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Gonzalo Cid, Office of National Marine 

Sanctuaries, 1305 East West Highway, 

Silver Spring, Maryland 20910. (Phone: 

301–713–7278, Fax: 301–713–0404; 

email: gonzalo.cid@noaa.gov). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: ONMS 

serves as the trustee for 14 marine 

protected areas encompassing more than 

170,000 square miles of ocean and Great 

Lakes waters from the Hawaiian Islands 

to the Florida Keys, and from Lake 

Huron to American Samoa. National 

marine sanctuaries protect our Nation’s 

most vital coastal and marine natural 

and cultural resources, and through 

active research, management, and 

public engagement, sustain healthy 

environments that are the foundation for 

thriving communities and stable 

economies. One of the many ways 

ONMS ensures public participation in 

the designation and management of 

national marine sanctuaries is through 

the formation of advisory councils. The 

Sanctuary System Business Advisory 

Council (Council) has been formed to 

provide advice and recommendations to 

the Director regarding the relationship 

of the ONMS with the business 

community. Additional information on 

the Council can be found at http://

sanctuaries.noaa.gov/management/bac/

welcome.html. 

Matters To Be Considered: The 

meeting will provide an opportunity for 

council representatives to hear how 

national marine sanctuaries are 

connected to users, communities, 

corporations, and economies and the 

avenues being pursued to enhance these 

connections. Advisory council 

representatives will be asked to provide 

advice on how ONMS can enhance its 

connections, programming, and 

marketing to expand its reach beyond a 

subset of communities. The agenda is 

subject to change. The latest version 

will be posted at http://sanctuaries.

noaa.gov/management/bac/

welcome.html. 

Authority: 16 U.S.C. Sections 1431, et seq. 

(Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog 

Number 11.429 Marine Sanctuary Program) 

Dated: February 27, 2015. 

Daniel J. Basta, 

Director, Office of National Marine 

Sanctuaries, National Ocean Service, 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration. 

[FR Doc. 2015–07245 Filed 3–31–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–NK–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

Census Bureau 

Proposed Information Collection; 

Comment Request; 2016 Government 

Units Survey 

AGENCY: U.S. Census Bureau, 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Department of 

Commerce, as part of its continuing 

effort to reduce paperwork and 

respondent burden, invites the general 

public and other Federal agencies to 

take this opportunity to comment on 

proposed and/or continuing information 

collections, as required by the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. 

DATES: To ensure consideration, written 

comments must be submitted on or 

before June 1, 2015. 

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments 

to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 

Paperwork Clearance Officer, 

Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 

14th and Constitution Avenue NW., 

Washington, DC 20230 (or via the 

Internet at jjessup@doc.gov). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Requests for additional information or 

copies of the information collection 

instrument(s) and instructions should 

be directed to Joy P. Pierson by email at 

Joy.P.Pierson@census.gov and Elizabeth 

Accetta at Elizabeth.Accetta@

census.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract 

This request is for extension of a 

currently approved information 

collection. 

Title 13, Section 161 of the United 

States Code requires the Secretary of 

Commerce to conduct a Census of 

Governments every five years, in years 

ending in ‘‘2’’ and ‘‘7’’. Section 193 

provides for the collection of 

preliminary and supplementary 

statistics as related to the main topic of 

the census. The Census of Governments 

publishes unit counts and legal 

descriptions as well as employment and 

finance data for all county, municipal, 

township, school district, and special 

district governments in the United 

States. Prior to conducting the Census of 

Governments it is necessary to ensure 

that the universe of all governments is 

as accurate and up to date as possible. 

The Government Units Survey (GUS) is 

conducted the year prior to the Census 

of Governments, and is used to evaluate 

and update the universe of all local and 

special district governments. The 2016 

Government Units Survey (GUS) is the 

instrument for collecting current 

information to update the universe of all 

county, municipal, township, and 

special district governments for the 

2017 Census of Governments. The 2016 

GUS provides critical information 

needed to maintain the frame from 

which all public sector surveys are 

drawn. The GUS is particularly 

beneficial for identifying smaller units 

that have not been included in surveys 

in between census years and identifying 

changes to the universe of special 

district governments that experience 

substantial change in a five-year period. 

The GUS contributes to the quality and 

timely releases of the other components 

of the Census of Governments. 

The 2016 GUS will differ slightly 

from the former version of the 

Government Units Survey. The 2016 

GUS is significantly shorter than the 

past version of the GUS. The 2016 GUS 

estimated time to respond is 15 minutes, 

compared to the 2011 GUS which had 

an estimated time to respond of 45 

minutes. The 2016 GUS is designed to 

diminish unnecessary burden to 

respondents, and to collect information 

essential to maintaining the government 

universe. 

The 2016 GUS will collect basic 

background information on all local, 

general purpose, and special district 

governments. The most basic 

information collected will include 

whether a government is still in 

existence. As previously noted, there are 

a number of governments, particularly 

special district governments, which 

have not been part of any survey or 

collection since the 2012 Census of 

Governments. It is necessary to 

determine if such governments are still 

in existence. The 2016 GUS asks a 

follow-up question for those 

governments no longer in existence to 

provide, if applicable, contact 

information for a newly created or 

existing entity that may be providing the 

services or functions of the former 

government. It is necessary to verify and 

update all this information in the 

universe prior to the 2017 Census of 

Governments. 

The 2016 GUS asks all existing 

governments for contact information, 

including a mailing address and, if 

applicable, Web site address. This 

information is used to verify what 

currently exists in the universe and 

update any discrepancies. The contact 

information will be used when mailing 

the 2017 Census of Governments as well 

as for any public sector surveys 

conducted over the next five years. 

The 2016 GUS also asks questions on 

employment and defined-contribution 

plans, defined-benefit, and postmstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES