102116 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 242 / Tuesday, December 17, 2024 / Notices 

will have a negligible impact on the 

species or stock(s), will not have an 

unmitigable adverse impact on the 

availability of the species or stock(s) for 

subsistence uses (where relevant), and if 

the permissible methods of taking and 

requirements pertaining to the 

mitigation, monitoring and reporting of 

such takings are set forth. 

NMFS has defined ‘‘negligible 

impact’’ in 50 CFR 216.103 as an impact 

resulting from the specified activity that 

cannot be reasonably expected to, and is 

not reasonably likely to, adversely affect 

the species or stock through effects on 

annual rates of recruitment or survival. 

The MMPA states that the term ‘‘take’’ 

means to harass, hunt, capture, kill or 

attempt to harass, hunt, capture, or kill 

any marine mammal. 

Except with respect to certain 

activities not pertinent here, the MMPA 

defines ‘‘harassment’’ as: any act of 

pursuit, torment, or annoyance, which 

(i) has the potential to injure a marine 

mammal or marine mammal stock in the 

wild (Level A harassment); or (ii) has 

the potential to disturb a marine 

mammal or marine mammal stock in the 

wild by causing disruption of behavioral 

patterns, including, but not limited to, 

migration, breathing, nursing, breeding, 

feeding, or sheltering (Level B 

harassment). 

Summary of Request 

On May 24, 2024, NMFS received an 

application from Vineyard Northeast 

requesting authorization to take marine 

mammals incidental to the development 

of the Project in the BOEM Lease Area 

OCS–A–0522 off of MA and CT. In 

response to our comments, and 

following an extensive information 

exchange with NMFS, Vineyard 

Northeast submitted a final revised 

application on November 18, 2024, 

which we deemed adequate and 

complete on November 18, 2024. 

Vineyard Northeast requests the 

regulations and subsequent Letter of 

Authorization (LOA) be valid for 5 

years, beginning on January 1, 2028. 

Vineyard Northeast has proposed to 

construct the Project (comprised of two 

sub-projects: Project 1 and Project 2) 

using impact and vibratory pile driving 

of wind turbine generators (WTG) 

foundations, impact pile driving of 

electrical service platform (ESP) 

foundations and a booster station, 

vibratory installation and removal of 

cofferdams at cable landfall sites, 

detonation of unexploded ordinances 

(UXOs), site characterization surveys, 

seabed preparation and scour protection 

application, and inter-array and export 

cable trenching, laying, and burial. 

Vessels would be used to transport 

crew, supplies, and materials to the 

project area to support construction. 

Vineyard Northeast has determined that 

a subset of these activities (i.e., 

installing piles using impact and 

vibratory pile driving, vibratory 

installation and removal of cofferdams, 

site characterization surveys, and 

potential UXO detonation) may result in 

the take, by Level A harassment and/or 

Level B harassment, of marine 

mammals. Therefore, Vineyard 

Northeast requests authorization to 

incidentally take marine mammals. 

Take by mortality or serious injury of 

any marine mammal or take by Level A 

harassment of North Atlantic right 

whales is not requested. 

Specified Activities 

Vineyard Northeast proposes to 

develop, construct, and operate an 

offshore wind energy facility in the 

BOEM Lease Area OCS–A–0522 along 

with associated offshore and onshore 

transmission systems. The purpose of 

this facility would be to generate 

renewable electricity to meet the 

demand expressed by northeastern 

states and other users in order to 

achieve renewable energy and carbon 

emission reduction goals. The Lease 

Area is located within the southeastern 

portion of the MA Wind Energy Area 

and is approximately 46 kilometers (29 

miles) from Nantucket. Offshore export 

cable corridors (OECC) would connect 

the Lease Area to landfall sites in MA 

and CT. Vineyard Northeast has divided 

the Lease Area into Project 1 

(northeastern portion) and Project 2 

(southwestern portion), as well as 

proposed two potential construction 

schedules consisting of a 2-year 

(Schedule A: 2030–2031) or 4-year 

(Schedule B: 2029–2032) timeline. The 

Project would consist of up to 160 wind 

turbine generator and electrical service 

platform positions within the Lease 

Area, and up to 4 offshore export cable 

bundles with 2 cable bundles making 

landfall in MA and 2 cable bundles 

making landfall in CT. If high voltage 

alternating current (HVAC) cables are 

used, Vineyard Northeast may install a 

booster station along the MA OECC in 

the northwestern portion of Lease Area 

OCS–A–0534 to increase efficiency of 

electrical transmission. 

Vineyard Northeast anticipates the 

following activities may potentially 

result in the harassment of marine 

mammals during the effective period of 

the requested regulations and associated 

LOA: 

• Installing up to 159 WTG monopile 

and/or piled jacket foundations with a 

maximum diameter of 14 meters (m) 

using a 6,600 or 8,000 kilojoules (kJ) 

impact hammer, vibratory hammer, and 

potential drilling; 

• Installing up to three ESP 

foundations and one booster station 

foundation using piled jacket 

foundations comprised of 4.25 m pin 

piles driven with a 3,500 kJ impact 

hammer; 

• Installing and removing up to 5 

cofferdams comprised of sheet piles 

using a vibratory hammer; 

• Using HRG equipment to survey the 

Lease Area over 64 days; and 

• Potential detonation of up to 10 

UXOs. 

Information Solicited 

Interested persons may submit 

information, suggestions, and comments 

concerning Vineyard Northeast’s request 

(see ADDRESSES). NMFS will consider all 

information, suggestions, and comments 

related to the request during the 

development of proposed regulations 

governing the incidental taking of 

marine mammals by Vineyard 

Northeast, if appropriate. 

Dated: December 11, 2024. 

Kimberly Damon-Randall, 

Director, Office of Protected Resources, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–29574 Filed 12–16–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

Notice To Solicit Nominations for 

Membership on the National Sea Grant 

Advisory Board (NSGAB) 

AGENCY: Office of Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Research (OAR), National 

Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration (NOAA), Department of 

Commerce (DOC). 

ACTION: Notice to solicit nominations for 

membership on the National Sea Grant 

Advisory Board (NSGAB). https://

seagrant.noaa.gov/About/AdvisoryBoard. 

SUMMARY: The National Sea Grant 

Advisory Board (NSGAB) advises the 

National Sea Grant College Program (Sea 

Grant) in the areas of program 

evaluation, strategic planning, 

education and extension and science 

and technology programs. For more 

information on this Federal Advisory 

Committee please visit the Federal 

Advisory Committee database: https://

www.facadatabase.gov/FACA/ 

FACAPublicPage. This notice also 

responds to the Sea Grant Program 

Improvement Act of 1976, which 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 242 / Tuesday, December 17, 2024 / Notices 102117 

requires the Secretary of Commerce to 

solicit nominations at least once a year 

for membership on the NSGAB. To 

apply for membership to the Board, 

applicants should submit a current 

resume. A cover letter highlighting 

specific areas of expertise relevant to the 

purpose of the Board is helpful, but not 

required. Nominations will be accepted 

by Email at oar.sg-feedback@noaa.gov. 

While nominations are always accepted, 

to be considered for current openings, 

please submit your nomination no later 

than January 31, 2025. NOAA is an 

equal opportunity employer. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Board, which consists of a balanced 

representation from academia, industry, 

state government and citizens groups, 

was established in 1976 by Section 209 

of the Sea Grant Improvement Act (Pub. 

L. 94–461, 33 U.S.C. 1128). The Board 

advises the Secretary of Commerce and 

the Director of the National Sea Grant 

College Program with respect to 

operations under the Act, and such 

other matters as the Secretary refers to 

them for review and advice. 

Privacy Act Statement 

Authority. The collection of 

information concerning nominations to 

the NSGAB FAC is authorized under the 

FACA, as amended, 5 U.S.C. App. and 

its implementing regulations, 41 CFR 

part 102–3, and in accordance with the 

Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, 

(Privacy Act) 5 U.S.C. 552a. Purpose. 

The collection of names, contact 

information, resumes, professional 

information, and qualifications is 

required in order for the Under 

Secretary to appoint members to the 

NSGAB FAC. Routine Uses. NOAA will 

use the nomination information for the 

purpose set forth above. The Privacy Act 

of 1974 authorizes disclosure of the 

information collected to NOAA staff for 

work-related purposes and for other 

purposes only as set forth in the Privacy 

Act and for routine uses published in 

the Privacy Act System of Records 

Notice COMMERCE/DEPT–11, 

Candidates for Membership, Members, 

and Former Members of Department of 

Commerce Advisory Committees, 

available at https://www.osec.doc.gov/ 

opog/PrivacyAct/SORNs/dept-11.html, 

and the System of Records Notice 

COMMERCE/DEPT–18, Employees 

Personnel Files Not Covered by Notices 

of Other Agencies, available at https:// 

www.osec.doc.gov/opog/PrivacyAct/ 

SORNs/DEPT-18.html. Disclosure. 

Furnishing the nomination information 

is voluntary; however, if the information 

is not provided, the individual would 

not be considered for appointment as a 

member of the NSGAB FAC. 

David Holst, 

Chief Financial Officer/Administrative 

Officer, Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Research, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration. 

[FR Doc. 2024–29605 Filed 12–16–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–KA–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

[RTID 0648–XE511] 

Marine Mammals; File No. 28286 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; receipt of application. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that 

SeaWorld LLC, 6240 Sea Harbor Drive, 

Orlando, FL 32821 (Responsible Party: 

Chris Dold, DVM), has applied in due 

form for a permit to conduct research 

and enhancement activities on one 

stranded, non-releasable beluga whale 

(Delphinapterus leucas) from the 

endangered Cook Inlet distinct 

population segment (DPS). 

DATES: Written comments must be 

received on or before January 31, 2025. 

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 home page, https://

apps.nmfs.noaa.gov, and then selecting 

File No. 28286 from the list of available 

applications. These documents are also 

available upon written request via email 

to NMFS.Pr1Comments@noaa.gov. 

Written comments on this application 

should be submitted via email to 

NMFS.Pr1Comments@noaa.gov. Please 

include File No. 28286 in the subject 

line of the email comment. 

Those individuals requesting a public 

hearing should submit a written request 

via email to NMFS.Pr1Comments@

noaa.gov. The request should set forth 

the specific reasons why a hearing on 

this application would be appropriate. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Courtney Smith, Ph.D., or Jennifer 

Skidmore, (301) 427–8401. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

subject permit is 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.), and the regulations governing 

the taking, importing, and exporting of 

endangered and threatened species (50 

CFR parts 222 through 226). 

The applicant proposes to conduct 

research on and provide long-term care 

for one male beluga whale 

(NOA0010477/‘‘Tyonek’’) from the 

depleted and endangered Cook Inlet 

DPS. This whale stranded as a neonate 

(estimated date of birth: September 1, 

2017), and was rescued and 

rehabilitated by the Alaska marine 

mammal stranding network under the 

authority of the NMFS Marine Mammal 

Health and Stranding Response 

Program. NMFS determined him to be 

non-releasable and placed Tyonek with 

SeaWorld of Texas where he has been 

maintained for research and 

enhancement purposes since March 18, 

2018. 

Proposed research activities for this 

beluga whale include behavioral 

observations, underwater photography/ 

videography, and active acoustic sonar 

imaging. The proposed enhancement 

activities include continued daily 

husbandry care (feeding, training, 

monitoring growth [measurements, 

weight, ultrasound]); veterinary care 

(exams and biological sampling 

including but not limited to blood, 

breath exhalate, oral swabs, skin 

scrapes, gastric fluids, urine, feces; and 

treatments as warranted); reproductive 

health assessment (testicular 

ultrasound); behavioral observations; 

and enrichment. 

Tyonek would be placed on public 

display incidental to the proposed 

research and enhancement activities but 

would not be used in interactive 

programs with the public or trained for 

performance. Tyonek would be 

included in public educational 

presentations would address the 

endangered status and current threats to 

the Cook Inlet DPS and may include 

demonstrations of trained husbandry 

and enrichment behaviors as well as 

natural behaviors. Tyonek may be 

transported to another SeaWorld facility 

in consultation with NMFS, if deemed 

necessary for socialization or husbandry 

purposes. The permit is requested for a 

5-year period. 

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. 


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