Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 247 / Wednesday, December 24, 2014 / Notices 77459 

Organization and Priority Issues. The 

meeting will be open to the public and 

individuals wishing to join the meeting 

and receive call-in information may 

contact the Committee’s Designated 

Federal Officer, Andrew Bennett, Office 

of Energy and Environmental Industries 

(OEEI), International Trade 

Administration, U.S. Department of 

Commerce at (202) 482–5235; email: 

Andrew.Bennett@trade.gov. 

A limited amount of time before the 

close of the meeting will be available for 

pertinent oral comments from members 

of the public joining the conference call. 

To accommodate as many speakers as 

possible, the time for public comments 

will be limited to two minutes per 

person. Individuals wishing to reserve 

additional speaking time during the 

meeting must contact Mr. Bennett and 

submit a brief statement of the general 

nature of the comments, as well as the 

name and address of the proposed 

participant by 5 p.m. EST on Friday, 

January 9, 2015. If the number of 

registrants requesting to make 

statements is greater than can be 

reasonably accommodated during the 

teleconference, the International Trade 

Administration may conduct a lottery to 

determine the speakers. Speakers are 

requested to submit a copy of their oral 

comments by email to Mr. Bennett for 

distribution to the participants in 

advance of the teleconference. 

Any member of the public may 

submit pertinent written comments 

concerning the RE&EEAC’s affairs at any 

time before or after the meeting. 

Comments may be submitted to the 

Renewable Energy and Energy 

Efficiency Advisory Committee, c/o: 

Andrew Bennett, Office of Energy and 

Environmental Industries, U.S. 

Department of Commerce, Mail Stop: 

4053, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW., 

Washington, DC 20230. To be 

considered during the teleconference, 

written comments must be received no 

later than 5 p.m. EST on Friday, January 

9, 2015, to ensure transmission to the 

Committee prior to the teleconference. 

Comments received after that date will 

be distributed to the members but may 

not be considered on the teleconference. 

Copies of RE&EEAC meeting minutes 

will be available within 30 days 

following the meeting. 

Dated: December 19, 2014. 

Edward A. O’Malley, 

Director, Office of Energy and Environmental 

Industries. 

[FR Doc. 2014–30251 Filed 12–23–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–DR–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

Proposed Information Collection; 

Comment Request; Permits for 

Incidental Taking of Endangered or 

Threatened Species 

AGENCY: National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Department of 

Commerce, as part of its continuing 

effort to reduce paperwork and 

respondent burden, invites the general 

public and other Federal agencies to 

take this opportunity to comment on 

proposed and/or continuing information 

collections, as required by the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. 

DATES: Written comments must be 

submitted on or before February 23, 

2015. 

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments 

to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 

Paperwork Clearance Officer, 

Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 

14th and Constitution Avenue NW., 

Washington, DC 20230 (or via the 

Internet at JJessup@doc.gov). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Requests for additional information or 

copies of the information collection 

instrument and instructions should be 

directed to Heather Coll, (301) 427–8455 

or Heather.Coll@NOAA.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract 

This request is for an 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. In 1982, Congress 

revised the ESA to allow permits 

authorizing the taking of endangered 

species incidental to otherwise lawful 

activities. The corresponding 

regulations (50 CFR part 222.222) 

established procedures for persons to 

apply for such a permit. In addition, the 

regulations set forth specific reporting 

requirements for such permit holders. 

The regulations contain three sets of 

information collections: (1) 

Applications for incidental take permits, 

(2) applications for certificates of 

inclusion, and (3) reporting 

requirements for permits issued. 

Certificates of inclusion are only 

required if a general permit is issued to 

a representative of a group of potential 

permit applicants, rather than requiring 

each entity to apply for and receive a 

permit. 

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. 

When a species is listed as threatened, 

section 4(d) of the ESA requires the 

Secretary to issue whatever regulations 

are deemed necessary or advisable to 

provide for conservation of the species. 

In many cases those regulations reflect 

blanket application of the section 9 take 

prohibition. However, the National 

Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) 

recognizes certain exceptions to that 

prohibition, including habitat 

restoration actions taken in accord with 

approved state watershed action plans. 

While watershed plans are prepared for 

other purposes in coordination with or 

fulfillment of various state programs, a 

watershed group wishing to take 

advantage of the exception for 

restoration activities (rather than 

obtaining a section 10 permit) would 

have to submit the plan for NMFS 

review. 

II. Method of Collection 

Currently, most information is 

collected on paper, but in some 

instances, there is electronic access and 

capability. 

III. Data 

OMB Number: 0648–0230. 

Form Number: None. 

Type of Review: Regular submission 

(extension of a currently approved 

information collection). 

Affected Public: Individuals or 

households, business or other for-profit, 

not-for-profit institutions, and state, 

local, or tribal government. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

13. 

Estimated Time per Response: 80 

hours for a permit application 

(including Habitat Conservation Plans), 

40 minutes for transfer of an incidental 

take permit; 8 hours for a permit report, 

30 minutes for a Certificate of Inclusion 

and 10 hours for a watershed plan. 

Estimated Total Annual Burden 

Hours: 472. 

Estimated Total Annual Cost to 

Public: $450 in recordkeeping/reporting 

costs. 

IV. Request for Comments 

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether 

the proposed collection of information 

is necessary for the proper performance 

of the functions of the agency, including 

whether the information shall have 

practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the 

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77460 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 247 / Wednesday, December 24, 2014 / Notices 

agency’s estimate of the burden 

(including hours and cost) of the 

proposed collection of information; (c) 

ways to enhance the quality, utility, and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected; and (d) ways to minimize the 

burden of the collection of information 

on respondents, including through the 

use of automated collection techniques 

or other forms of information 

technology. 

Comments submitted in response to 

this notice will be summarized and/or 

included in the request for OMB 

approval of this information collection; 

they also will become a matter of public 

record. 

Dated: December 19, 2014. 

Glenna Mickelson, 

Management Analyst, Office of the Chief 

Information Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2014–30181 Filed 12–23–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

RIN 0648–XD673 

Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee 

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries 

Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 

Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice of open public meetings. 

SUMMARY: This notice sets forth the 

schedule and proposed agenda of a 

forthcoming meeting of the Marine 

Fisheries Advisory Committee 

(MAFAC). The members will discuss 

and provide advice on issues outlined 

in the agenda below. 

DATES: The meeting is scheduled for 

January 12, 2015, 3–4:30 p.m., Eastern 

Standard Time. 

ADDRESSES: Conference call. Public 

access is available at 1315 East-West 

Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Any 

member of the public wishing to attend 

may contact Heidi Lovett, (301) 427– 

8004; email: heidi.lovett@noaa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

MAFAC was established by the 

Secretary of Commerce (Secretary), and, 

since 1971, advises the Secretary on all 

living marine resource matters that are 

the responsibility of the Department of 

Commerce. The charter and other 

information are located online at http:// 

www.nmfs.noaa.gov/ocs/mafac/. 

Matters To Be Considered 

The Committee is convening to 

discuss and finalize recommendations 

on the candidates for the new Climate 

and Marine Resources Task Force and 

the Aquaculture Task Force for 

submission to the NOAA Fisheries 

Assistant Administrator. Other 

administrative matters may be 

considered. This agenda is subject to 

change. 

Special Accommodations 

These meetings are physically 

accessible to people with disabilities. 

Requests for sign language 

interpretation or other auxiliary aids 

should be directed to Heidi Lovett, 301– 

427–8004 by January 2, 2015. 

Dated: December 18, 2014. 

Paul Doremus, 

Deputy Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, 

National Marine Fisheries Service. 

[FR Doc. 2014–30213 Filed 12–23–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL 

QUALITY 

Economic and Environmental 

Principles and Guidelines for Water 

and Related Land Resources 

Implementation Studies; Final 

Interagency Guidelines 

AGENCY: Council on Environmental 

Quality. 

ACTION: Notice of availability of final 

interagency Economic and 

Environmental Principles and 

Guidelines for Water and Related Land 

Resources Implementation Studies. 

SUMMARY: Section 2031 of the Water 

Resources Development Act of 2007 

(Water Resources Development Act), 

Public Law 110–114, directed the 

Secretary of the Army to revise the 

‘‘Economic and Environmental 

Principles and Guidelines for Water and 

Related Land Resources Implementation 

Studies’’ (Principles and Guidelines), 

dated March 10, 1983, consistent with 

several considerations enumerated in 

the Water Resources Development Act. 

The revised Principles and Guidelines, 

now referenced as the Principles, 

Requirements and Guidelines (PR&G), 

consist of three key components: (1) The 

Principles and Requirements (formerly 

called Principles and Standards), setting 

out broad policy and principles that 

guide investments; (2) the Interagency 

Guidelines, providing guidance to 

Federal agencies for determining the 

applicability of the Principles and 

Guidelines and for developing agency 

specific implementing procedures for 

formulating, evaluating, and comparing 

water resources projects, programs, 

activities and related actions; and (3) the 

Agency Specific Procedures, outlining 

agency-specific procedures for 

incorporating the Principles and 

Requirements into agency missions and 

programs. 

This notice informs the public that 

the Interagency Guidelines, the second 

key component of the modernized 

PR&G, are finalized and available at 

www.whitehouse.gov/administration/

eop/ceq/initiatives/PandG. The draft 

Interagency Guidelines were published 

in the Federal Register with a request 

for comments on March 27, 2013. 

Subsequent to public review and 

comment period, the final version of the 

Interagency Guidelines was developed 

through a collaborative interagency 

process that promoted the open 

exchange of information and 

perspectives. The process has engaged 

the public through formal public review 

and workshops. The updated and 

modernized PR&G will improve Federal 

government decision making related to 

investment in water resource projects 

and, thus, improve how our country 

plans for infrastructure projects. 

DATES: Effective June 15, 2015. 

ADDRESSES: The Interagency Guidelines 

are available at www.whitehouse.gov/

administration/eop/ceq/initiatives/

PandG. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Alexis Segal, Council on Environmental 

Quality, at 202–395–5750. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 

2031 of the Water Resources 

Development Act of 2007 (Pub. L. 110– 

114) directed the Secretary of the Army 

to revise the ‘‘Economic and 

Environmental Principles and 

Guidelines for Water and Related Land 

Resources Implementation Studies,’’ 

dated March 10, 1983, consistent with 

several considerations enumerated in 

the Water Resources Development Act. 

The revised Principles and 

Requirements will provide guidance for 

agencies to implement the Principles 

and Guidelines. 

Additional information on the 

revision process is available a http://

www.whitehouse.gov/administration/

eop/ceq/initiatives/PandG. 

Authority: Section 2031 of the Water 

Resources Development Act of 2007, Pub. L. 

110–114, 121 Stat. 1041. 

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