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###### Department of Commerce

###### National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

                    The Department of Commerce will submit the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, on or after the date of publication of this notice. We invite the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. Public comments were previously requested via the                     **Federal Register**                     on April 21, 2021 (86 FR 20661) during a 60-day comment period. This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments.                

*Agency:*                     National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.                

*Title:*                     Application and Reports for Scientific Research and Enhancement Permits Under the Endangered Species Act.                

*OMB Control Number:*                     0648-0402.                

*Form Number(s):*                     None.                

*Type of Request:*                     Regular submission (revision and extension of a currently approved collection).                

*Number of Respondents:*                     175 per year.                

*Average Hours per Response:*                     12 hours for permit applications; six hours for permit modification requests 6; two hours for annual reports.                

*Total Annual Burden Hours:*                     810.                

*Needs and Uses:*                     This request is for revision and extension of a currently approved information collection.                

                    The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531*et seq.*) imposed prohibitions against the taking of endangered species. Section 10 of the ESA allows permits authorizing the taking of endangered species for research/enhancement purposes. The corresponding regulations established procedures for persons to apply for such permits. In addition, the regulations set forth specific reporting requirements for such permit holders. The regulations contain two sets of information collections: (1) Applications for research/enhancement permits, and (2) reporting requirements for issued permits.                

The required information is used to evaluate the impacts of the proposed activity on endangered species, to make the determinations required by the ESA prior to issuing a permit, and to establish appropriate permit conditions. To issue permits under ESA Section 10(a)(1)(A), the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) must determine that (1) such exceptions were applied for in good faith, (2) if granted and exercised, will not operate to the disadvantage of such endangered species, and (3) will be consistent with the purposes and policy set forth in Section 2 of the ESA.

The currently approved application and reporting requirements apply to Pacific marine and anadromous fish species, as requirements regarding other species are being addressed in a separate information collection. There is one administrative revision requested to the collection itself: NMFS will no longer require “final” permit reports; the reports will simply be considered annual reports that are submitted at the end of a permit's life span.

*Affected Public:*                     Federal government; State, local, or tribal governments; business or other for-profit organizations, educational institutions.                

*Frequency:*                     Annually.                

*Respondent's Obligation:*                     Required to Obtain or Retain Benefits.                

*Legal Authority:*                     The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531*et seq.*).                

                    This information collection request may be viewed at                     *www.reginfo.gov.*                     Follow the instructions to view the Department of Commerce collections currently under review by OMB.                

                    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be submitted within 30 days of the publication of this notice on the following website                     *www.reginfo.gov/​public/​do/​PRAMain.*                     Find this particular information collection by selecting “Currently under 30-day Review—Open for Public Comments” or by using the search function and entering either the title of the collection or the OMB Control Number 0648-0402.                

Sheleen Dumas,

Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Commerce Department.

[FR Doc. 2021-17802 Filed 8-18-21; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-22-P