Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 248 / Friday, December 27, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 105477 

PART 552—SOLICITATION 

PROVISIONS AND CONTRACT 

CLAUSES 

■ 3. Amend section 552–270–1 by— 

■ a. Revising the date of the provision; 

and 

■ b. Removing paragraph (f). 

The revision reads as follows: 

552.270–1 Instructions to Offerors— 

Acquisition of Leasehold Interests in 

Real Property. 

* * * * * 

Instructions to Offerors—Acquisition of 

Leasehold Interests in Real Property 

(JAN 2025) 

* * * * * 

[FR Doc. 2024–30670 Filed 12–26–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6820–61–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 217 

[Docket No. 241003–0261] 

RIN 0648–BM74 

Taking and Importing Marine 

Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals 

Incidental to U.S. Navy Repair and 

Replacement of the Q8 Bulkhead at 

Naval Station Norfolk 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Final rule; delay of effective and 

expiration dates; correction. 

SUMMARY: NMFS published a final rule 

on October 9, 2024, for the taking of 

marine mammals incidental to the Q8 

bulkhead repair and replacement project 

at Naval Station (NAVSTA) Norfolk in 

Norfolk, Virginia over the course of 5 

years (i.e., 2025–2029). The Navy has 

requested the effective date of the rule 

be modified from January 1, 2025, to 

August 4, 2025, and modify the 

expiration date from December 31, 2029 

to August 3, 2030. 

DATES: The effective date of the 

regulations published at 89 FR 81848, 

October 9, 2024, is delayed until August 

4, 2025, and the expiration date is 

revised to August 3, 2030. This 

correction is effective August 4, 2025, 

and expires August 3, 2030. 

ADDRESSES: A copy of the Navy’s 

application and any supporting 

documents, as well as a list of the 

references cited in this document, may 

be obtained online at: https://

www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/ 

incidental-take-authorization-us-navysconstruction-activities-q8-bulkheadnaval-station. In case of problems 

accessing these documents, please call 

the contact listed below. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Craig Cockrell, Office of Protected 

Resources, NMFS, (301) 427–8401. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

Sections 101(a)(5)(A) and (D) of the 

MMPA (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) direct 

the Secretary of Commerce (as delegated 

to NMFS) to allow, upon request, the 

incidental, but not intentional, taking of 

small numbers of marine mammals by 

U.S. citizens who engage in a specified 

activity (other than commercial fishing) 

within a specified geographical region if 

certain findings are made and either 

regulations are issued or, if the taking is 

limited to harassment, a notice of a 

proposed authorization is provided to 

the public for review. 

On July 3, 2024 NMFS published the 

proposed rule to authorize the taking of 

marine mammals incidental to the Q8 

bulkhead repair and replacement project 

at NAVSTA Norfolk. During the 30-day 

comment period of the proposed rule 

NMFS received two comments. NMFS 

responded to the two comments in the 

original final rule (89 FR 81848, October 

9, 2024). 

NMFS published the final rule on 

October 9, 2024 (89 FR 81848), which 

allows for authorization of the take of 

small numbers of four marine mammal 

species incidental to the Q8 bulkhead 

repair and replacement project. This 

project involves work on the bulkhead 

from Piers 12 and 14 to restore function 

of this Navy dock system. Vibratory and 

impact hammers will be used for pile 

removal and installation. Sounds 

produced from these pile removal and 

installation activities may result in the 

incidental take of marine mammals, by 

Level B harassment only. 

Approximately 378 piles will be 

removed and 836 piles will be installed. 

Work will be conducted in 3 phases 

over 212 non-consecutive days to 

complete the pile removal and 

installation activities. 

The original effective dates finalized 

in the rule (89 FR 81848, October 9, 

2024) were January 1, 2025 through 

December 31, 2029. Recently, the Navy’s 

construction schedule has been delayed, 

and as such, the Navy has requested 

NMFS delay and modify the effective 

dates. This final rule will delay the 

effective date from January 1, 2025 to 

August 4, 2025 and modify the 

expiration date from December 31, 2029 

to August 3, 2030. This delay and 

modification of effective dates do not 

change the duration of the incidental 

take regulations or change any of the 

findings and take estimates or the 

requirements for mitigation, monitoring, 

and reporting, in the original final rule. 

Administrative Procedures Act 

The Assistant Administrator for 

Fisheries (AA) finds that there is good 

cause to waive the requirements to 

provide prior notice and opportunity for 

public comment pursuant to the 

authority set forth in 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), 

because prior notice and opportunity for 

public comment on this temporary 

delay is unnecessary and contrary to the 

public interest. Such procedures are 

unnecessary because the final rule that 

published on October 9, 2024 (89 FR 

81848), has already been subject to 

notice and comment, and all that 

remains is to notify the public of this 

delay and modification to the effective 

dates of the previously noticed 

regulations. Providing additional prior 

notice and opportunity for public 

comment is contrary to the public 

interest because there is a need to 

immediately implement this action to 

delay the original January 1, 2025 

effective date and modify the expiration 

date of the regulations contained in 50 

CFR 217.231. Failure to modify the 

effective dates risks a potential lapse in 

coverage for the Navy’s construction 

activities for the Q8 bulkhead repair and 

replacement project at NAVSTA 

Norfolk. 

Dated: December 19, 2024. 

Samuel D. Rauch, III, 

Deputy Assistant Administrator for 

Regulatory Programs, National Marine 

Fisheries Service. 

For reasons set forth in the preamble, 

NMFS amends 50 CFR part 217 as 

follows: 

PART 217—REGULATIONS 

GOVERNING THE TAKING AND 

IMPORTING OF MARINE MAMMALS 

■ 1. The authority citation for part 217 

continues to read as follows: 

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq., unless 

otherwise noted. 

Subpart X—Taking and Importing 

Marine Mammals Incidental to Navy 

Construction of the Q8 Bulkhead 

Repair and Replacement Project at 

Naval Station Norfolk at Norfolk, 

Virginia 

■ 2. Revise § 217.231 to read as follows: 


khammond on DSK9W7S144PROD with RULES
105478 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 248 / Friday, December 27, 2024 / Rules and Regulations 

§ 217.231 Effective dates. 

Regulations under this subpart are 

effective from August 4, 2025, through 

August 3, 2030. 

[FR Doc. 2024–30823 Filed 12–26–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

50 CFR Part 679 

[Docket No. 240304–0068; RTID 0648– 

XE549] 

Fisheries of the Exclusive Economic 

Zone Off Alaska; Inseason Adjustment 

to the 2025 Bering Sea and Aleutian 

Islands Pollock, Atka Mackerel, and 

Pacific Cod Total Allowable Catch 

Amounts 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Temporary rule; inseason 

adjustment; request for comments. 

SUMMARY: NMFS is adjusting the 2025 

total allowable catch (TAC) amounts for 

the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 

(BSAI) pollock, Atka mackerel, and 

Pacific cod fisheries. This action is 

necessary because NMFS has 

determined these TACs are incorrectly 

specified, and will ensure the BSAI 

pollock, Atka mackerel, and Pacific cod 

TACs are the appropriate amounts based 

on the best scientific information 

available. This action is consistent with 

the goals and objectives of the Fishery 

Management Plan for Groundfish of the 

BSAI (FMP). 

DATES: Effective 0001 hours, Alaska 

local time (A.l.t.), January 1, 2025, until 

the effective date of the final 2025 and 

2026 harvest specifications for BSAI 

groundfish, unless otherwise modified 

or superseded through publication of a 

notification in the Federal Register. 

Comments must be received at the 

following address no later than 4:30 

p.m., A.l.t., January 13, 2025. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

on this document, identified by NOAA– 

NMFS–2023–0124, by any of the 

following methods: 

• Electronic Submission: Submit all 

electronic public comments via the 

Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Visit 

https://www.regulations.gov and type 

NOAA–NMFS–2023–0124 in the Search 

box. Click on the ‘‘Comment’’ icon, 

complete the required fields, and enter 

or attach your comments. 

• Mail: Submit written comments to 

Gretchen Harrington, Assistant Regional 

Administrator, Sustainable Fisheries 

Division, Alaska Region NMFS, Attn: 

Records Office. Mail comments to P.O. 

Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802–1668. 

• Fax: (907) 586–7465; Attn: Gretchen 

Harrington. 

Instructions: Comments sent by any 

other method, to any other address or 

individual, or received after the end of 

the comment period, may not be 

considered by NMFS. All comments 

received are a part of the public record 

and will generally be posted for public 

viewing on https://www.regulations.gov 

without change. All personal identifying 

information (e.g., name, address, etc.), 

confidential business information, or 

otherwise sensitive information 

submitted voluntarily by the sender will 

be publicly accessible. NMFS will 

accept anonymous comments (enter 

‘‘N/A’’ in the required fields if you wish 

to remain anonymous). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Steve Whitney, 907–586–7228. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS 

manages the groundfish fishery in the 

BSAI exclusive economic zone 

according to the FMP prepared by the 

North Pacific Fishery Management 

Council (Council) under authority of the 

Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act 

(Magnuson-Stevens Act). Regulations 

governing fishing by U.S. vessels in 

accordance with the FMP appear at 

subpart H of both 50 CFR part 600 and 

50 CFR part 679. 

The final 2024 and 2025 harvest 

specifications for groundfish in the 

BSAI (89 FR 17287, March 11, 2024) set 

the 2025 Bering Sea (BS) pollock TAC 

at 1,325,000 metric tons (mt), the 2025 

BSAI Atka mackerel TAC at 66,165 mt, 

the 2025 BS Pacific cod TAC at 132,726 

mt, and the 2024 Aleutian Islands (AI) 

Pacific cod TAC at 8,080 mt. In 

December 2024, the Council 

recommended a 2025 BS pollock TAC of 

1,375,000 mt, which is more than the 

1,325,000 mt TAC established by the 

final 2024 and 2025 harvest 

specifications for groundfish in the 

BSAI. The Council also recommended a 

2025 BSAI Atka mackerel TAC of 82,000 

mt, which is more than the 66,165 mt 

TAC established by the final 2024 and 

2025 harvest specifications for 

groundfish in the BSAI. Furthermore, 

the Council recommended a 2025 BS 

Pacific cod TAC of 133,602 mt, and an 

AI Pacific cod TAC of 8,694 mt, which 

is more than the BS Pacific cod TAC of 

132,726 mt, and more than the AI 

Pacific cod TAC of 8,080 mt established 

by the final 2024 and 2025 harvest 

specifications for groundfish in the 

BSAI. The Council’s recommended 2025 

TACs, and the area and seasonal 

apportionments, are based on the Stock 

Assessment and Fishery Evaluation 

report (SAFE), dated November 2024, 

which NMFS has determined is the best 

scientific information available for these 

fisheries. 

Steller sea lions occur in the same 

location as the pollock, Atka mackerel, 

and Pacific cod fisheries and are listed 

as endangered under the Endangered 

Species Act. Pollock, Atka mackerel, 

and Pacific cod are a principal prey 

species for Steller sea lions in the BSAI. 

The seasonal apportionment of pollock, 

Atka mackerel, and Pacific cod harvest 

is necessary to ensure the groundfish 

fisheries are not likely to cause jeopardy 

of extinction or adverse modification of 

critical habitat for Steller sea lions. 

NMFS published regulations and the 

revised harvest limit amounts for 

pollock, Atka mackerel, and Pacific cod 

fisheries to implement Steller sea lion 

protection measures to insure that 

groundfish fisheries of the BSAI are not 

likely to jeopardize the continued 

existence of the western distinct 

population segment of Steller sea lions 

or destroy or adversely modify their 

designated critical habitat (79 FR 70286, 

November 25, 2014). 

In accordance with § 679.25(a)(1)(iii), 

(a)(2)(i)(B), and (a)(2)(iv), the 

Administrator, Alaska Region, NMFS 

(Regional Administrator), has 

determined that, based on the November 

2024 SAFE report for these fisheries, the 

current BSAI pollock, Atka mackerel, 

and Pacific cod TACs are incorrectly 

specified. Pursuant to § 679.25(a)(1)(iii), 

the Regional Administrator is adjusting 

the 2025 BS pollock TAC to 1,375,000 

mt, the 2025 BSAI Atka mackerel TAC 

to 82,000 mt, the 2025 BS Pacific cod 

TAC to 133,602 mt, and the 2025 AI 

Pacific cod TAC to 8,694 mt. Therefore, 

table 2 of the final 2024 and 2025 

harvest specifications for groundfish in 

the BSAI (89 FR 17287, March 11, 2024) 

is revised consistent with this 

adjustment. 

Pursuant to § 679.20(a)(5)(i) and (iii), 

table 5 of the final 2024 and 2025 

harvest specifications for groundfish in 

the BSAI (89 FR 17287, March 11, 2024) 

is revised for the 2025 BS and AI 

allocations of pollock TAC to the 

directed pollock fisheries, the 

Community Development Quota (CDQ) 

directed fishing allowances (DFA), and 

the incidental catch allowance (ICA) 

consistent with this adjustment. 


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