72630 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 235 / Monday, December 8, 2014 / Notices 

Dated: December 2, 2014. 

Richard Cavanagh, 

Acting Associate Director for Laboratory 

Programs. 

[FR Doc. 2014–28686 Filed 12–5–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–13–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XD527 

Marine Mammals; File No.18727; 

Correction 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration 

Commerce, NOAA. 

ACTION: Notice of receipt of application; 

Correction. 

SUMMARY: On October 30, 2014, a notice 

was published in the Federal Register 

announcing that the University of 

Alaska Museum of the North, 907 

Yukon Drive, Fairbanks, AK 99775– 

6960 (Aren Gunderson, Responsible 

Party), had applied in due form for a 

permit to collect, import and export 

specimens of marine mammals for 

scientific research. That document 

inadvertently provided incorrect 

requested take numbers. This document 

corrects that oversight. 

DATES: Written, telefaxed, or email 

comments must be received on or before 

January 7, 2015. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Brendan Hurley or Jennifer Skidmore, 

(301) 427–8401. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The notice 

for File No. 18727 (79 FR 64571; 

October 30, 2014) contained incorrect 

take numbers associated with the 

collection, receipt, import, and export of 

samples under the proposed action. 

Accordingly, the SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION section is corrected to read 

as follows: 

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.), the regulations governing the 

taking, importing, and exporting of 

endangered and threatened species (50 

CFR 222–226), and the Fur Seal Act of 

1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1151, et 

seq.). 

File No. 18727: The University of 

Alaska Museum of the North functions 

as an archive for scientific specimens of 

marine mammals under the jurisdiction 

of the National Marine Fisheries and is 

a major repository of marine mammal 

material from the Arctic and North 

Pacific oceans. Under the proposed 

permit, the applicant would (1) import/ 

export marine mammal parts (bones and 

organ tissue samples) from dead beachcast carcasses, (2) receive/archive and 

export samples of marine mammals 

taken by Alaskan Native subsistence 

hunters, and (3) receive, import/export 

specimens from scientists in academic, 

federal, and state institutions involved 

in marine mammal research under their 

own permits. Unlimited samples from 

up to 2000 pinnipeds (excluding 

walrus) and 600 cetaceans would be 

collected, received, imported, or 

exported annually. Import/export 

activities would occur world-wide. No 

live animals would be harassed or 

taken, lethally or otherwise, under the 

requested permit. The permit is 

requested for a five-year period. 

All other information contained in the 

document is unchanged. 

Dated: December 2, 2014. 

Julia Harrison, 

Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, 

Office of Protected Resources, National 

Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–28637 Filed 12–5–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XA341 

Marine Mammals; File No. 15324 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of issuance of permit 

amendment. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that a 

major amendment to Permit No. 15324 

has been issued to the Alaska 

Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), 

Division of Wildlife Conservation, 

Juneau, AK (Responsible Party: Robert 

Small, Ph.D.). 

ADDRESSES: The permit amendment and 

related documents are available for 

review upon written request or by 

appointment in the Permits and 

Conservation Division, Office of 

Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 EastWest Highway, Room 13705, Silver 

Spring, MD 20910; phone (301) 427– 

8401; fax (301) 713–0376. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Amy Sloan or Courtney Smith, (301) 

427–8401. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April 

4, 2014, notice was published in the 

Federal Register (79 FR 18890) that a 

request for an amendment Permit No. 

15324 to conduct research on pinniped 

species in Alaska had been submitted by 

the above-named applicant. The 

requested permit amendment has been 

issued under the authority of the Marine 

Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as 

amended (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 222–226). 

Permit No. 15324–01 authorizes the 

permit holder to take spotted (Phoca 

largha), ringed (Phoca hispida), bearded 

(Erignathus barbatus), and ribbon seals 

(Histriophoca fasciata) in the Bering, 

Chukchi, and Beaufort seas of Alaska to 

monitor the status and health of each 

species by analyzing biological samples 

from the subsistence harvest and live 

captured seals, and by documenting 

movements and habitat use by tracking 

animals with satellite transmitters. The 

permit authorizes harassment of nontarget seals of each species and a limited 

number of research-related mortalities. 

Samples may be imported from Russia, 

Canada, Svalbard (Norway) and 

exported to Canada for analyses. The 

permit was amended to include: (1) 

Takes by harassment during aerial and 

vessel surveys to monitor seal 

distribution relative to changes in sea 

ice; (2) increased takes by incidental 

harassment; (3) the use of additional 

sedative drugs during capture activities; 

and (4) the use of remote dart-delivery 

as a method for capturing bearded seals. 

The amended permit is valid through 

December 31, 2016. 

In compliance with the National 

Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 

U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), a final 

determination has been made that the 

activity proposed is categorically 

excluded from the requirement to 

prepare an environmental assessment or 

environmental impact statement. 

As required by the ESA, issuance of 

this permit was based on a finding that 

such permit: (1) Was applied for in good 

faith; (2) will not operate to the 

disadvantage of such endangered 

species; and (3) is consistent with the 

purposes and policies set forth in 

section 2 of the ESA. 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 235 / Monday, December 8, 2014 / Notices 72631 

Dated: December 2, 2014. 

Julia Harrison, 

Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, 

Office of Protected Resources, National 

Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–28638 Filed 12–5–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XD340 

Marine Mammals; File No. 18523 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that a 

permit has been issued to Heather 

Liwanag, Ph.D., Adelphi University, 

Biology Department, 1 South Avenue, 

Garden City, NY 11530, to receive, 

import, and export marine mammal 

specimens for scientific research 

purposes. 

ADDRESSES: The permit and related 

documents are available for review 

upon written request or by appointment 

in the Permits and Conservation 

Division, Office of Protected Resources, 

NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 

13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910; phone 

(301) 427–8401; fax (301) 713–0376. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Amy Sloan or Jennifer Skidmore, (301) 

427–8401. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On July 2, 

2014, notice was published in the 

Federal Register (79 FR 37719) that a 

request for a permit to receive, import, 

and export marine mammal specimens 

for scientific research had been 

submitted by the above-named 

applicant. The requested permit has 

been issued under the authority of the 

Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, 

as amended (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.), the regulations governing the 

taking, importing, and exporting of 

endangered and threatened species (50 

CFR parts 222–226), and the Fur Seal 

Act of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1151 

et seq.). 

Permit No. 18523–00 authorizes the 

holder to receive, import, and export 

unlimited samples from up to 1,500 

individuals of each species of cetacean, 

and from up to 1,500 individuals of 

each species of pinniped (excluding 

walrus), annually. Marine mammal 

samples may be obtained from the 

following sources: (1) Animals killed 

during legal subsistence harvests; (2) 

animals that died incidental to legal 

commercial fishing operations; (3) 

animals stranded in foreign countries; 

(4) samples collected from captive 

animals; and (5) samples from other 

authorized researchers and collections. 

Samples collected from stranded 

animals in the U.S. and received under 

separate authorization may be exported 

and re-imported. The permit expires on 

October 31, 2019. 

In compliance with the National 

Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 

U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), a final 

determination has been made that the 

activity proposed is categorically 

excluded from the requirement to 

prepare an environmental assessment or 

environmental impact statement. 

As required by the ESA, issuance of 

this permit was based on a finding that 

such permit: (1) Was applied for in good 

faith; (2) will not operate to the 

disadvantage of such endangered 

species; and (3) is consistent with the 

purposes and policies set forth in 

section 2 of the ESA. 

Dated: December 2, 2014. 

Julia Harrison, 

Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, 

Office of Protected Resources, National 

Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–28676 Filed 12–5–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XD593 

Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to 

Specified Activities; Taking Marine 

Mammals Incidental to the U.S. Air 

Force Conducting Maritime Weapon 

Systems Evaluation Program 

Operational Testing Within the Eglin 

Gulf Test and Training Range 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice; proposed incidental 

harassment authorization; request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: NMFS received an 

application from the U.S. Department of 

the Air Force, Headquarters 96th Air 

Base Wing (Air Force), Eglin Air Force 

Base (Eglin AFB), requesting an 

Incidental Harassment Authorization 

(Authorization) to take marine 

mammals, by harassment, incidental to 

a Maritime Weapon Systems Evaluation 

Program (Maritime WSEP) within the 

Eglin Gulf Test and Training Range in 

the Gulf of Mexico. 

Eglin AFB’s activities are military 

readiness activities per the Marine 

Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), as 

amended by the National Defense 

Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal 

Year 2004. Per the MMPA, NMFS 

requests comments on its proposal to 

issue an Authorization to Eglin AFB to 

take, by harassment, two species of 

marine mammals during the specified 

activity for a period of one year. 

DATES: NMFS must receive comments 

and information no later than January 7, 

2015. 

ADDRESSES: Address comments on the 

application to Jolie Harrison, Chief, 

Permits and Conservation Division, 

Office of Protected Resources, National 

Marine Fisheries Service, 1315 EastWest Highway, Silver Spring, MD 

20910. The mailbox address for 

providing email comments is ITP.Cody@

noaa.gov. Please include 0648–XD593 

in the subject line. Comments sent via 

email to ITP.Cody@noaa.gov, including 

all attachments, must not exceed a 25- 

megabyte file size. NMFS is not 

responsible for email comments sent to 

addresses other than the one provided 

here. 

Instructions: All submitted comments 

are a part of the public record and 

NMFS will post them to http://

www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/

incidental/military.htm without change. 

All Personal Identifying Information (for 

example, name, address, etc.) 

voluntarily submitted by the commenter 

may be publicly accessible. Do not 

submit confidential business 

information or otherwise sensitive or 

protected information. 

To obtain an electronic copy of the 

application, a list of the references used 

in this document, and Eglin AFB’s Draft 

Environmental Assessment (DEA) titled, 

‘‘Maritime Weapons System Evaluation 

Program,’’ visit the internet at: http://

www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/permits/

incidental/military.htm. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Jeannine Cody, Office of Protected 

Resources, NMFS, (301) 427–8401. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

Section 101(a)(5)(D) of the Marine 

Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as 

amended (MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 et 

seq.) directs the Secretary of Commerce 

to allow, upon request, the incidental, 

but not intentional, taking of small 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES