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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 24 (Friday, February 4, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6511-6512]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-02420]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XB778]

Marine Mammals; File No. 22187

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice; withdrawal of application; receipt of application for 
permit amendment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Heather E. Liwanag, Ph.D., 1 Grand 
Avenue, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407-0401, has withdrawn her application 
for a major amendment and has applied for a revised amendment to 
Scientific Research Permit No. 22187-02.

[[Page 6512]]

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email comments must be received on or 
before March 7, 2022.

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. 22187 from the list of available applications. These documents are 
also available upon written request via email to 
[email protected].
    Written comments on this application should be submitted via email 
to [email protected]. Please include File No. 22187 in the 
subject line of the email comment.
    Those individuals requesting a public hearing should submit a 
written request via email to [email protected]. The request 
should set forth the specific reasons why a hearing on this application 
would be appropriate.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sara Young or Shasta McClenahan, 
Ph.D., (301) 427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The subject amendment to Permit No. 22187-02 
is requested under the authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 
1972, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) and the regulations governing 
the taking and importing of marine mammals (50 CFR part 216).
    On November 18, 2021, notice was published in the Federal Register 
(86 FR 64457) that a request for an amendment to a scientific research 
permit for research on northern elephant seals (Mirounga 
angustirostris) had been submitted by the above-named applicant. 
Following the close of the public comment period, the applicant made 
several substantive changes to the amendment request; therefore, the 
original request has been withdrawn from further consideration and a 
revised amendment request has been submitted.
    Permit No. 22187-02, issued on December 13, 2021, authorizes the 
permit holder to conduct research to establish a catalog of known 
individual northern elephant seals along the California coast. Types of 
authorized takes include behavioral observations, measurements, 
bioacoustic recordings, acoustic playbacks, marking, flipper tagging, 
capture, and non-invasive physiological sampling. The permit holder is 
requesting the permit be amended to include authorization for 25 
additional takes of northern elephant seals per year at two locations 
in California. Each animal would be handled up to three times per year. 
At first handling, each animal will be flipper tagged. At the second 
handling, each animal will be captured by hand or net, sedated and 
fitted with satellite transmitters, in addition to the physiological 
sampling already authorized. At the third handling, approximately three 
months later, animals would be recaptured to remove the instruments. 
Five additional takes are requested for animals that are captured and 
released because they are not appropriate candidates for the study. An 
additional 200 harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) takes and 185 elephant seal 
takes are requested annually for unintentional harassment during these 
activities. The permit holder is requesting two mortalities, an 
increase in the number of annual mortalities from one animal to two, 
but the total number of mortalities (five) allowed across the life of 
the permit will not change. The permit would remain valid until March 
31, 2024.
    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 this application to the Marine 
Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors.

    Dated: February 1, 2022.
Julia M. Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-02420 Filed 2-3-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P
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