[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 232 (Monday, December 4, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70367-70368]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-20453]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 112806D]


Endangered Species; File No. 1575

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

ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that Earth Tech Northeast Inc. (Joseph 
Falbo, Responsible Party), One World Financial Center, 200 Liberty 
Street, 25\th\ Floor, New York, New York 10281, has been issued a 
permit to conduct scientific research on shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser 
brevirostrum) on the Hudson River, New York.

ADDRESSES: The permit and related documents are available for review 
upon written request or by appointment in the following offices:
    Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 
20910; phone (301) 713-2289; fax (301) 427-2521; and
    Northeast Region, NMFS, One Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930-
2298; phone (978) 281-9300; fax (978) 281-9394.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Malcolm Mohead or Brandy Hutnak, 
(301)713-2289.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 10, 2006, notice was published in the 
Federal Register (71 FR 27230) that a

[[Page 70368]]

request for a scientific research permit to take shortnose sturgeon had 
been submitted by Earth Tech Northeast Inc. The requested permit has 
been issued under the authority of 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).
    Earth Tech Northeast Inc. proposes to document: (1) The use of the 
existing Tappan Zee Bridge structure on the Hudson River as significant 
habitat by fisheries resources; and (2) the relative abundance and 
spatial and temporal patterns of shortnose sturgeon, if these fish are 
present. The applicants propose to use anchored gill nets and traps to 
capture, measure, scan and release a maximum of 250 juvenile and adult 
shortnose sturgeon. The proposed research would occur at six stations 
alongside and under the existing Tappan Zee Bridge and at three 
reference locations within 700 feet north of the existing bridge.
    Issuance of this permit, as required by the ESA, was based on a 
finding that such permit (1) was applied for in good faith, (2) will 
not operate to the disadvantage of the endangered species which is the 
subject of this permit, and (3) is consistent with the purposes and 
policies set forth in section 2 of the ESA.

    Dated: November 28, 2006.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits, Conservation and Education Division, Office of 
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E6-20453 Filed 12-1-06; 8:45 am]
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