Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 80 / Tuesday, April 28, 2009 / Notices 19207 

(B)Gunnery Exercise (Surface-toSurface) [GUNEX (S–S)] Boat 

Gunnery Exercise (S–S) is a part of 

quarterly reservist training and 

operational activities for the Mobile 

Expeditionary Security Group (MESG) 

that operates out of Corpus Christi 

Naval Air Station (NAS). The MESG 

trains with M3A2 (0.5-lb NEW) antiswimmer concussion grenades. The 

M3A2 grenades are small and contain 

high explosives in an inert metal or 

plastic shell. They detonate at about 3 

m (9.8 ft) under the water surface within 

4 to 5 seconds of being deployed. The 

detonation depth may be shallower 

depending upon the speed of the boat at 

the time the grenade is deployed. 

GUNNERY (S–S) training in the GOMEX 

Study Area may occur during day or 

evening hours in the UNDET Area E3. 

Table 1 below summarizes the level of 

Surface Warfare training activities 

planned in the GOMEX Range Complex 

for the proposed action. 

TABLE 1. LEVEL OF SURFACE WARFARE TRAINING ACTIVITIES PLANNED IN THE GOMEX RANGE COMPLEX PER YEAR

Operation Platform System/ Ordnance Number of 

Events 

Training 

Area 

Potential 

Time of Day 

Bombing Exercise 

(BOMBEX) 

(Air-to-Surface, 

At-Sea) F/A–18 MK–83 [1,000-lb High 

Explosive (HE) bomb] 415.8 

lbs NEW 

1 event (4 

bombs) 

BOMBEX 

Hotbox 

Daytime 

only 

Gunnery Exercise 

(GUNEX) (Surface-to-Surface) - Boat Vessels such as combat rubber raiding craft, 

rigid hull inflatable boats, and patrol craft 

M3A2 concussion grenades 

(8-oz HE grenade) 0.5 lbs 

NEW 

4 events (20 

grenades) 

UNDET 

Area E3 

Day or night 

Vessel Movement 

Vessel movements are associated with 

most training and operational activities 

in the GOMEX Study Area. Currently, 

the number of Navy vessels operating in 

the GOMEX Study Area varies based on 

training schedules and can range from 0 

to about 10 vessels at any given time. 

Vessel sizes range from small boats (<35 

ft, or 10.7 m) for a harbor security boat 

to 1,092 ft (332.8 m) for a CVN (carrier 

vessel nuclear) and speeds generally 

range from 10 to 14 knots, but may be 

considerably faster, for example an 

aircraft carrier aking wind while 

launching and recovering aircraft, and 

for small boat operations. Operations 

involving vessel movements occur 

intermittently and are variable in 

duration, ranging from a few hours up 

to 2 weeks. These operations are widely 

dispersed throughout the GOMEX Study 

Area, which is an area encompassing 

11,714 nm2 (40,178 km2). Most vessel 

movements occur in the offshore 

OPAREAs, but vessel movements 

associated with MESG training in the 

UNDET Area E3 and Commander Naval 

Installations Command (CNIC) harbor 

security group training in the Panama 

City OPAREA occur between shore and 

12 nm (22.2 km), including the 

nearshore zone (<3 nm, or 5.6 km). The 

Navy logs about 180 total vessel days 

within the GOMEX Study Area during 

a typical year. Consequently, the density 

of Navy vessels within the GOMEX 

Study Area at any given time is low (i.e., 

less than 0.0113 ships/nm2 (0.0386 

km2)). 

Proposed Monitoring and Mitigation 

Measures 

The Navy is developing an Integrated 

Comprehensive Monitoring Program 

(ICMP) for marine species to assess the 

effects of training activities on marine 

species and investigate population 

trends in marine species distribution 

and abundance in various range 

complexes and geographic locations 

where Navy training occurs. The 

primary tools available for monitoring 

include visual observations, acoustic 

monitoring, photo identification and 

tagging, and oceanographic and 

environmental data collection. 

A list of proposed mitigation 

measures and standard operating 

procedures is described in the 

application for the proposed training 

operations. These mitigation measures 

include personnel training for 

watchstanders and lookouts in marine 

mammal monitoring, operating 

procedures for collision avoidance and 

a series of measures for specific at-sea 

training events including surface-tosurface gunnery, etc. A detailed 

description of the monitoring and 

mitigation measures is provided in the 

application. 

Information Solicited 

Interested persons may submit 

information, suggestions, and comments 

concerning the Navy request (see 

ADDRESSES). All information, 

suggestions, and comments related to 

the Navy GOMEX Range Complex 

request and NMFS potential 

development and implementation of 

regulations governing the incidental 

taking of marine mammals by the Navy 

training activities will be considered by 

NMFS in developing, if appropriate, the 

most effective regulations governing the 

issuance of letters of authorization. 

Dated: April 22, 2009. 

James H. Lecky, 

Director, Office of Protected Resources, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. E9–9647 Filed 4–27–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–S 

COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING 

COMMISSION 

Sunshine Act Meetings 

TIME AND DATE: 11:00 a.m., Friday, May 

1, 2009. 

PLACE: 1155 21st St., NW., Washington, 

DC, 9th Floor Commission Conference 

Room. 

STATUS: Closed. 

MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED: Surveillance 

Matters. 

CONTACT PERSON FOR MORE INFORMATION: 

Sauntia S. Warfield, 202–418–5084. 

Sauntia S. Warfield, 

Assistant Secretary of the Commission. 

[FR Doc. E9–9696 Filed 4–24–09; 11:15 am] 

BILLING CODE 6351–01–P 


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