[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 57 (Thursday, March 25, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 14435]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-7347]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service
[I.D. 030399C]


Marine Mammals; File No. 932-1489

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce and Office of Management 
Authority, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Interior.

ACTION: Receipt of application.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that The National Marine Fisheries 
Service (NMFS), Office of Protected Resources (OPR), Marine Mammal 
Health and Stranding Response Program, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver 
Spring, MD 20910 has applied in due form for a permit to take various 
marine mammal species for scientific research and enhancement.

DATES: Written or telefaxed comments must be received on or before 
April 26, 1999.
ADDRESSES: The application and related documents are available for 
review upon written request or by appointment, see ``Address 
Information'' under the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.
    Written comments or requests for a public hearing on this 
application should be mailed to the Chief, Permits and Documentation 
Division, F/PR1, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West 
Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Those individuals 
requesting a hearing should set forth the specific reasons why a 
hearing on this particular request would be appropriate.
    Comments may also be submitted by facsimile at (301) 713-0376, 
provided the facsimile is confirmed by hard copy submitted by mail and 
postmarked no later than the closing date of the comment period. Please 
note that comments will not be accepted by e-mail or by other 
electronic media.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sara Shapiro or Ruth Johnson, 301/713-
2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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 fish and wildlife (50 CFR 222.23), and the Fur Seal Act of 
1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1151 et seq.).
    NMFS/OPR/MMHSRP (File No. 932-1489) requests authorization to 
oversee the collecting, preserving, labeling, and transporting of all 
species of marine mammal cadavers or tissue and fluid samples for 
physical, chemical, or biological analyses, import, and export, and the 
taking of stranded or distressed endangered or threatened marine 
mammals, and the salvage of specimens from dead threatened or 
endangered marine mammals. The animals for which they are requesting 
authorization include all species of the Orders Cetacea, Pinnipedia, 
Sirenia, and polar bears (Ursus maritimus), sea otters (Enhydra 
lutris), and marine otters (Lontra felina).
    In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), an initial determination has been made that 
the activity proposed is categorically excluded from the requirement to 
prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement.
    Concurrent with the publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register, NMFS is forwarding copies of this application to the Marine 
Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors.

Address Information

    The application and related documents are available for review upon 
written request or by appointment in the following office(s):
    Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13130, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (301/
713-2289);
    Regional Administrator, Southwest Region, National Marine Fisheries 
Service, NOAA, 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90802-
4213 (562/980-4001);
    Regional Administrator, Alaska Region, National Marine Fisheries 
Service, NOAA, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668 (907/586-7221);
    Regional Administrator, Northeast Region, National Marine Fisheries 
Service, NOAA, One Blackburn Dr., Gloucester, MA 01930-2298 (978/281-
9250);
    Regional Administrator, Southeast Region, National Marine Fisheries 
Service, NOAA, 9721 Executive Center Drive North, St. Petersburg, FL 
33702-2432 (727/570-5301);
    Regional Administrator, Northwest Region, National Marine Fisheries 
Service, NOAA, 7600 Sand Point Way, BIN C15700, Bldg. 1, Seattle, WA 
98115-0020(206/526-6150); and
    Coordinator, Pacific Area Office, National Marine Fisheries 
Service, NOAA, 2570 Dole St., Room 106, Honolulu, HI 96822-2396 (808/
943-1221).

    Dated: March 3, 1999.
Ann D. Terbush,
Chief, Permits and Documentation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.

    Dated: March 18, 1999.
Margaret Tieger,
Chief, Branch of Permits, Office of Management Authority, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 99-7347 Filed 3-24-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F