55630 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 183 / Thursday, September 22, 2005 / Notices 

respond: It is estimated that 255 persons 

submit 1,106 completed DEA Forms 

250, at 1 hour per form, for an annual 

burden of 1,106 hours. It is estimated 

that 25 companies submit information 

pertaining to new drug applications or 

abbreviated new drug applications, at 2 

hours per response, for an annual 

burden of 50 hours. 

(6) An estimate of the total public 

burden (in hours) associated with the 

collection: It is estimated that the total 

annual burden associated with this 

information collection is 1,156 hours. 

If additional information is required 

contact: Brenda E. Dyer, Department 

Clearance Officer, United States 

Department of Justice, Justice 

Management Division, Policy and 

Planning Staff, Patrick Henry Building, 

Suite 1600, 601 D Street NW., 

Washington, DC 20530, or by e-mail at 

brenda.e.dyer@usdoj.gov. 

Dated: September 16, 2005. 

Brenda E. Dyer, 

Department Clearance Officer, Department of 

Justice. 

[FR Doc. 05–18903 Filed 9–21–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4410–09–P 

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION 

Notice of Intent To Prepare a 

Programmatic Environmental Impact 

Statement/Overseas Environmental 

Impact Statement for the National 

Science Foundation To Address 

Potential Impacts on the Marine 

Environment Related to the Use of 

Seismic Sources in Support of NSFFunded Research by U.S. Academic 

Scientists. 

AGENCY: National Science Foundation. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102(2)(c) 

of the National Environmental Policy 

Act (NEPA) of 1969, as implemented by 

the Council on Environmental Quality 

regulations (40 CFR parts 1500–1508), 

the National Science Foundation (NSF) 

announces its intent to prepare a 

Programmatic Environmental Impact 

Statement/Overseas Environmental 

Impact Statement (EIS/OES) to evaluate 

the potential environmental impacts 

associated with the use of seismic 

sources in support of NSF-funded 

research by U.S. academic scientists. 

The National Marine Fisheries Service 

(NMFS), a part of the National Oceanic 

and Atmospheric Administration, is 

being invited to be a cooperating agency 

in the preparation of the Programmatic 

EIS/OES. 

Publication of this notice begins the 

official scoping process that will help 

identify alternatives and determine the 

scope of environmental issues to be 

addressed in the Programmatic EIS/ 

OEIS. This notice requests public 

participation in the scoping process and 

provides information on how to 

participate. 

ADDRESSES AND DATES: Public-scoping 

meetings will be held at the following 

dates, times, and locations: 

1. Wednesday, October 5, 2005, 1–5 

p.m., Silver Spring Metro Center 

Building 4, Science Center, 1301 EastWest Highway, Silver Spring, MD; 

2. Thursday, October 6, 2005, 5–9 

p.m., J. Erick Jonhhon Center of the 

National Academy of Sciences, Carriage 

House, 314 Quissett Avenue, Woods 

Hole, MA; 

3. Wednesday, October 12, 2005, 5–9 

p.m., Room C126, 1000 Discovery Drive, 

Texas A&M University, College Station, 

TX; 

4. Friday, October 14, 2005, 5–9 p.m., 

Egan Civic and Convention Center, 555 

West Fifth Avenue, Anchorage, AK; 

5. Monday, October 17, 2005, 5–9 

p.m., 100 Vaughn Hall, Discovery Way, 

Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La 

Jolla, CA; and 

6. Wednesday, October 19, 2005, 5–9 

p.m., Ala Moana Hotel, 410 Atkinson 

Drive, Honolulu, HI. 

Written comments will be accepted at 

these meetings as well as during the 

scoping period, and can be mailed to 

NSF by October 28, 2005 (see FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Written statements and questions 

regarding the scoping process should be 

mailed to Dr. Alexander Shor, Program 

Director, Oceanographic 

Instrumentation and Technical Services, 

Division of Ocean Sciences, National 

Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson 

Boulevard, Suite 725, Arlington, VA 

22230; voice (703) 292–8583 or e-mail at 

OCE-EIS@nsf.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the last 

2 years, NSF has prepared 16 

environmental assessments (EAs) on the 

impact of seismic noise on endangered 

species and marine mammals during 

planned marine research projects 

concerning the geology and geophysics 

of the seafloor. The EAs were prepared 

for various worldwide, academic 

research cruises that required the use of 

various marine seismic sources. These 

EAs were intended to address 

regulations and public concern over 

anthropogenic noise in the marine 

environment and its possible, negative 

impacts on marine life. They were 

prepared to address U.S. laws and 

regulations, including NEPA; the 

Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 

(MMPA); the endangered Species Act of 

1973 (ESA); and Executive Order (EO) 

12114 (1979), Environmental Effects 

Abroad of Major Federal Actions. In 

some cases they have also been used as 

background information to address 

foreign regulations, especially where 

research has been carried out entirely or 

partially within territorial waters or 

Exclusive Economic Zone waters 

surrounding a foreign nation. 

In each case, the NSF EA and a 

Finding of No Significant Impact 

(FONSI) has been used as the basis for 

consultation with NMFS Office of 

Protected Resources (OPR) under 

Section 7(a)(2) of the ESA, and in each 

case for which an action is finalized, 

NMFS OPR has issued a Biological 

Opinion and a related Incidental Take 

Statement authorizing the proposed 

project to be undertaken, and indicating 

any mitigation measures needed to 

reduce impacts on endangered species. 

In parallel with this effort, a separate 

application has been submitted for each 

cruise to apply for an Incidental 

Harassment Authorization (IHA) under 

the MMPA from NMFS OPR, and an 

IHA has also been issued by NMFS for 

each of the projects. Increasingly over 

the past 2 years, public comments have 

expressed concern that by evaluating 

individual projects in isolation, the 

cumulative impacts of NSF-funded 

seismic activities on the marine 

environment are not being adequately 

addressed. NSF and NMFS OPR 

personnel have examined this concern 

and have concluded that a 

Programmatic EIS/OEIS could provide 

both the holistic view of cumulative 

impacts, as well as provide the principal 

technical and environmental foundation 

to form the basis of evaluating 

environmental impacts of most NSFfunded seismic efforts. 

The Programmatic EIS/OEIS will take 

a view of the planned program as a 

whole and thereby assemble and 

analyze the broadest range of direct, 

indirect, and cumulative impacts 

associated with the entire program 

rather than assessing individual cruises 

separately. This approach will also 

address possible concerns that NSF is 

analyzing their research program in 

segments, rather than holistically where 

the true cumulative impacts of the 

entire program can be identified. 

Further, the parent Programmatic EIS/ 

OEIS will provide a broad analytical 

backdrop within which NSF, using 

tiered documents, will be able to 

analyze cruise-specific issues relevant 

for analysis and decision. Additionally, 

it will streamline the preparation of 

subsequent environmental documents 

for the individual cruises and also 

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 183 / Thursday, September 22, 2005 / Notices 55631 

enable NSF to identify any prudent 

conservation practices and mitigation 

measures that may be applied across the 

entire program. The site-specific 

information is required by NMFS (and 

sometimes the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service) for purposes of preparing 

Biological Opinions and Incidental Take 

Statements required by ESA. 

The main focus of the Programmatic 

EIS/OEIS will be on the seismic 

operations to be conducted from NSF’s 

primary seismic ship, soon to be the 

R/V Marcus G. Langseth. The 

Programmatic EIS/OEIS will address the 

variety of airgun configurations to be 

operated from the Langseth, as well as 

the multi-beam bathymetric sonar, subbottom profiler, and other acoustic 

sources to be deployed as standard 

equipment. In addition, the 

Programmatic EIS/OEIS will deal with 

the generally small airgun sources 

occasionally operated from other vessels 

under NSF sponsorship. 

Major environmental issues that will 

be addressed in the Programmatic EIS/ 

OEIS include marine biological 

resources including Essential Fish 

Habitat (EFH), acoustic impacts to 

marine mammals, fish, sea turtles, 

invertebrates, and threatened and 

endangered species; cultural resources; 

human health and safety; 

socioeconomics and land use (i.e., 

commercial, private, and recreational 

uses of the marine environment); and 

water quality. 

NSF is initiating this scoping process 

for the purpose of determining the 

extent of issues to be addressed and 

identifying the significant issues related 

to this action. NSF will hold public 

scoping meetings as identified in the 

DATES AND ADDRESSES section of this 

notice. These meetings will also be 

advertised in area newspapers. NSF and 

NMFS representatives will be available 

at these meetings to receive comments 

from the public regarding issues of 

concern to the public. Federal, state, 

and local agencies and interested 

individuals are encouraged to take this 

opportunity to identify environmental 

concerns that should be addressed 

during the preparation of the 

Programmatic EIS/OEIS. Agencies and 

the public are also invited and 

encouraged to provide written 

comments on scoping issues in addition 

to, or in lieu of, oral comments at the 

public meeting. To be most helpful, 

scoping comments should clearly 

describe issues or topics that the 

commenter believes the Programmatic 

EIS/OEIS should address. 

We invite you to learn about the NSF 

seismic research program at an 

informational open house, and to assist 

NSF in defining the alternatives and the 

scope of environmental issues related to 

the seismic research program. All our 

public meeting locations are 

wheelchair-accessible. If you plan to 

attend a scoping meeting/open house, 

and need special assistance such as sign 

language interpretation or other 

reasonable accommodation, please 

notify NSF (see FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT) at least 3 

business days in advance. Include your 

contact information as well as 

information about your specific needs. 

We request public comments or other 

relevant information on environmental 

issues related to the NSF seismic 

research program. The public meetings 

are not the only opportunity you have 

to comment. In addition to or in place 

of attending a meeting, you can submit 

comments to Dr. Alexander Shor by 

October 28, 2005 (see FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT). We will consider 

all comments received during the 

comment period. We request that you 

include in your comments: 

• Your name and address (especially 

if you would like to receive a copy of 

the Draft Programmatic EIS/OEIS upon 

completion); 

• An explanation for each comment; 

and 

• Include any background materials 

to support your comments as you feel 

necessary. 

You may mail, e-mail, or hand deliver 

your comments to NSF (see FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT). All comment 

submissions must be unbound, no larger 

than 81⁄2 by 11 inches, and suitable for 

copying and electronic scanning. Please 

note that regardless of the method used 

for submitting comments or material, all 

submissions will be publicly available 

and, therefore, any personal information 

you provide in your comments will be 

open for public review. In addition, if 

you wish to receive a copy of the Draft 

Programmatic EIS/OEIS, please indicate 

this in your comment. No decision will 

be made to implement any alternative 

until the NEPA process is completed. 

Dated: September 19, 2005. 

Alexander Shor, 

Program Director, Division of Ocean Sciences, 

National Science Foundation. 

[FR Doc. 05–18962 Filed 9–21–05; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 7555–01–M 

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION 

Sunshine Act Meeting 

AGENCY HOLDING MEETING: National 

Science Foundation, National Science 

Board and its Subdivisions 

DATE AND TIME: September 28–29, 2005. 

September 28, 2005, 8:15 a.m.–5 p.m. 

Sessions: 

8:15 a.m.–9 a.m., Open; 

9 a.m.–9:30 a.m., Closed; 

9:30 a.m.—10:30 a.m., Open; 

10:30 a.m.–11 a.m., Open; 

11 a.m.–11:45 a.m., Open; 

11:45 a.m.–12:05 p.m., Open; 

12:05 p.m.–12:15 p.m., Closed; 

12:45 p.m.–12:55 p.m., Closed; 

12:55 p.m.–3 p.m., Open; 

3 p.m.–5 p.m., Open. 

September 29, 2005, 8 a.m.–3:30 p.m., 

Sessions: 

8:30 a.m.–10 a.m., Open; 

10 a.m.–10:30 a.m., Closed; 

10:30 a.m.–11 a.m., Open; 

11 a.m.–11:15 a.m., Closed; 

1 p.m.–1:15 p.m., Executive Closed; 

1:15 p.m.–1:30 p.m., Closed; 

1:30 p.m.–3:30 p.m., Open. 

PLACE: National Science Foundation, 

4201 Wilson Blvd, Room 1235, 

Arlington, VA 22230. 

PUBLIC MEETING ATTENDANCE: All visitors 

must report to the NSF’s visitor’s desk 

at the 9th and N. Stuart Streets entrance 

to receive a visitor’s badge. 

CONTACT INFORMATION: Please refer to the 

National Science Board Web site 

(www.nsf.gov/nsb) for updated 

schedule. NSB Office: (703) 292–7000. 

STATUS: Part of this meeting will be 

closed to the public. Part of this meeting 

will be open to the public. 

MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED: 

Wednesday, September 28, 2005 

Open 

Committee on Programs and Plans 

Subcommittee on Polar Issues (8:15 

a.m.–9 a.m.), Room 1235 

• Chair’s Remarks and Approval of 

Minutes 

• OPP Director’s Report 

• Update on Icebreaker Issues 

• Antarctic Geological Drilling Project 

• Collaboration of Researchers with 

Native Communities: King Island, 

Alaska 

Education and Human Resources 

Subcommittee on S&E Indicators 

(9:30 a.m.–10:30 a.m.), Room 1235 

• Approval of Minutes 

• Chairman’s Remarks 

• Brief Progress Report on Science 

and Engineering Indicators 2006 

• Discussion of Draft Companion 

Piece 

• Contractor Presentation on 

Indicators 

Committee on Programs and Plans Task 

Force on Transformative Research 

(10:30 a.m.–11 a.m.), Room 1235 

• Approval of Minutes 

• Brief Overview of Workshop I: 

August 12, 2005