26574 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 92 /Wednesday, May 13, 1998 / Notices

This notice contains collection of

information requirements subject to the

Paperwork Reduction Act. The Project

Summary Form has been approved by

the Office of Management and Budget

under control number 0648–0019, with

an average response estimated to take 20

minutes; the Sea Grant Budget Form has

been approved under Control Number

0648–0034, with an average response

estimated to take 15 minutes. These

estimates include the time for reviewing

instructions, searching existing data

sources, gathering and maintaining the

data needed, and completing and

reviewing the collection of information.

Send comments on these estimates or

any other aspect of these collections to

National Sea Grant Office/NOAA, 1315

East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD

20910 and to the Office of Information

and Regulatory Affairs, Office of

Management and Budget, Washington,

DC 20503 (Attention: NOAA Desk

Officer). Notwithstanding any other

provision of the law, no person is

required to respond to, nor shall any

person be subject to a penalty for failure

to comply with, a collection of

information subject to the requirements

of the Paperwork Reduction Act, unless

that collection of information displays a

currently valid OMB Control Number.

Dated: May 8, 1998.

Elbert W. Friday, Jr.,

Assistant Administrator, Office of Oceanic

and Atmospheric Research, National Oceanic

and Atmospheric Administration.

[FR Doc. 98–12750 Filed 5–12–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–12–M

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

[I.D. 050698A]

Marine Mammals; File No. 782–1455

and File No. 738–1454

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

Commerce.

ACTION: Receipt of applications.

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that

the Douglas P. DeMaster, Ph.D.,

National Marine Mammal Laboratory,

National Marine Fisheries Service,

NOAA, 7600 Sand Point Way, NE, BIN

C15700, Bldg. 1, Seattle, WA 98115–

0070, has applied in due form for a

permit to take Northern fur seals

(Callorhinus ursinus), Steller sea lions

(Eumetopias jubatus), and California sea

lions (Zalophus californianus) for

purposes of scientific research. In

addition, Carole Conway, Genomic

Variation Laboratory, Department of

Animal Science, Meyer Hall, University

of California, Davis, CA 95616–3322,

has applied in due form for a permit to

import blue whale (Balaenoptera

musculus) skin samples from Canada for

purposes of scientific research.

DATES: Written or telefaxed comments

must be received on or before June 12,

1998.

ADDRESSES: The application and related

documents are available for review

upon written request or by appointment:

See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

Written comments or requests for a

public hearing on this application

should be mailed to the Chief, Permits

and Documentation Division, F/PR1,

Office of Protected Resources, NMFS,

1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705,

Silver Spring, MD 20910. Those

individuals requesting a hearing should

set forth the specific reasons why a

hearing on this particular request would

be appropriate.

Comments may also be submitted by

facsimile at (301) 713–0376, provided

the facsimile is confirmed by hard copy

submitted by mail and postmarked no

later than the closing date of the

comment period. Please note that

comments will not be accepted by email or by other electronic media.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ruth Johnson or Sara Shapiro, 301/713–

2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

subject permits are requested under the

authority of the Marine Mammal

Protection Act of 1972, as amended

(MMPA; 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.), the regulations governing the

taking, importing, and exporting of

endangered fish and wildlife (50 CFR

222.23), and the Fur Seal Act of 1966,

as amended (16 U.S.C. 1151 et seq.).

Dr. DeMaster (File No. 782–1455)

seeks authorization to: monitor the

status of the northern fur seal

population (Callorhinus ursinus);

evaluate the condition of pups from

each cohort (health or strength of yearclass); monitor the diet of fur seals in

the Bering Sea during the summer;

document the movement patterns and

foraging behavior of various age and sex

classes of fur seals; and incidentally

disturb Steller sea lions (Eumetopias

jubatus) and California sea lions

(Zalophus californianus) while

conducting the above-listed activities.

Carole Conway (File No. 738–1454)

requests a permit to import blue whale

(Balaenoptera musculus) skin samples

from Canada over a 5-year period. The

samples are necessary for a global study

of the genetic structure of populations

which will provide critical information

for conservation management of this

species.

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.

The application and related

documents submitted by Dr. DeMaster

may be reviewed in the following

locations:

Permits and Documentation Division,

Office of Protected Resources, NMFS,

1315 East-West Highway, Room 13130,

Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301/713–

2289);

Regional Administrator, Northwest

Region, National Marine Fisheries

Service, NOAA, 7600 sand Point Way,

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

98115–0070;

Regional Administrator, Southwest

Region, National Marine Fisheries

Service, NOAA, 501 West Ocean Blvd.,

Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802–

4213; and

Regional Administrator, Alaska

Region, National Marine Fisheries

Service, NOAA, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau,

AK 99802–1668.

The application and related

documents submitted by Ms. Conway

may be reviewed in the following

locations:

Permits and Documentation Division,

Office of Protected Resources, NMFS,

1315 East-West Highway, Room 13130,

Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301/713–

2289); and

Regional Administrator, Southwest

Region, National Marine Fisheries

Service, NOAA, 501 West Ocean Blvd.,

Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802–

4213.

Dated: May 7, 1998.

Ann D. Terbush,

Chief, Permits and Documentation Division,

Office of Protected Resources, National

Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 98–12699 Filed 5-12-98; 8:45 am]

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