[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 133 (Wednesday, July 13, 2005)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 40301-40302]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-13795]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 229

[Docket No. 050127019-5178-02; I.D. 120304D]
RIN 0648-AS01


Taking of Marine Mammals Incidental to Commercial Fishing 
Operations; Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan Regulations

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of public comment period.

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SUMMARY: On June 21, 2005, a proposed rule to amend the regulations 
implementing the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan (ALWTRP) was 
published in the Federal Register. NMFS is extending the comment period 
on this proposed rule by 30 days to August 22, 2005, to allow the 
public a full 60 days to submit comments.

DATES: Comments on the proposed rule must be received by 5 p.m. EST on 
August 22, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted on this proposed rule, identified 
by RIN 0648-AS01, by any one of the following methods:
    (1) NMFS/Northeast Region website: http://www.nero.noaa.gov/nero/regs/com.html. Follow the instructions on the website for submitting 
comments.
    (2) Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow 
the instruction on the website for submitting comments.
    (3) E-mail: [email protected]. Please include the RIN 
0648-AS01 in the subject line of the message.
    (4) Mail: Mary Colligan, Assistant Regional Administrator for 
Protected Resources, NMFS, Northeast Region, 1 Blackburn Dr., 
Gloucester, MA 01930, ATTN: ALWTRP Proposed Rule.
    (5) Facsimile (fax) to: 978-281-9394, ATTN: ALWTRP Proposed Rule.
    Copies of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Regulatory 
Impact Review for this action can be obtained from the ALWTRP website 
listed under the Electronic Access portion of this document. Atlantic 
Large Whale Take Reduction Team (ALWTRT) meeting summaries, and 
progress reports on implementation of the ALWTRP may be obtained by 
writing Diane Borggaard, NMFS, Northeast Region, 1 Blackburn Dr., 
Gloucester, MA 01930 or Juan Levesque, NMFS, Southeast Region, 9721 
Executive Center Dr., St.Petersburg, FL 33702-2432. For additional 
ADDRESSES and web sites for document availability see SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Diane Borggaard, NMFS, Northeast 
Region, 978-281-9300 Ext. 6503, [email protected]; Kristy Long, 
NMFS, Office of Protected Resources, 301-713-2322, 
[email protected]; or Barb Zoodsma, NMFS, Southeast Region, 904-321-
2806, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Access

    Several of the background documents for the ALWTRP and the take 
reduction planning process can be downloaded from the ALWTRP web site 
at http://www.nero.noaa.gov/whaletrp/. Copies of the most recent marine 
mammal stock assessment reports may be obtained by writing to Richard 
Merrick, NMFS, 166 Water St., Woods Hole, MA 02543 or can be downloaded 
from the Internet at http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/psb/assesspdfs.htm. In 
addition, copies of the documents entitled ``Defining Triggers for 
Temporary Area Closures to Protect Right Whales from Entanglements: 
Issues and Options'' and ``Identification of Seasonal Area Management 
Zones for North Atlantic Right Whale Conservation'' are available by 
writing to Diane Borggaard, NMFS, Northeast Region, 1 Blackburn Dr., 
Gloucester, MA 01930 or can be downloaded from the ALWTRP website at 
http://www.nero.noaa.gov/whaletrp/. The complete text of the 
regulations

[[Page 40302]]

implementing the ALWTRP can be found either in the Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR) at 50 CFR 229.32 or downloaded from the website, 
along with a guide to the regulations.

    Dated: July 8, 2005.
Rebecca Lent,
Deputy Asistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 05-13795 Filed 7-12-05; 8:45 am]
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