[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 206 (Thursday, October 25, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60690-60691]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-21010]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service


Information Collection Sent to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for Approval; OMB Control Number 1018-0070; Incidental 
Take of Marine Mammals During Specified Activities

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY:  We (Fish and Wildlife Service) have sent an Information 
Collection Request (ICR) to OMB for review and approval. The ICR, which 
is summarized below, describes the nature of the collection and the 
estimated burden and cost. This ICR is scheduled to expire on October 
31, 2007. We may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to 
respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently 
valid OMB control number. However, under OMB regulations, we may 
continue to conduct or sponsor this information collection while it is 
pending at OMB.

DATES: You must submit comments on or before November 26, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Send your comments and suggestions on this ICR to the Desk 
Officer for the Department of the Interior at OMB-OIRA at (202) 395-
6566 (fax) or [email protected] (e-mail). Please provide a copy 
of your comments to Hope Grey, Information Collection Clearance 
Officer, Fish and Wildlife Service, MS 222-ARLSQ, 4401 North Fairfax 
Drive, Arlington, VA 22203 (mail); (703) 358-2269 (fax); or hope--
[email protected] (e-mail).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information 
about this IC, contact Hope Grey by mail, fax, or e-mail (see 
ADDRESSES) or by telephone at (703) 358-2482.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    OMB Control Number: 1018-0070.
    Title: Incidental Take of Marine Mammals During Specified 
Activities, 50 CFR 18.27 and 50 CFR 18, Subpart J.
    Service Form Numbers: None.
    Type of Request: Revision of currently approved collection.
    Affected Public: Oil and gas industry companies.
    Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
    Frequency of Collection: On occasion.

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                                   Number of annual    Number of annual   Completion time per    Annual burden
            Activity                  respondents          responses            response             hours
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One-time application for              1 (per term of                   1  300 hours..........                300
 procedural regulations.                regulations)
LOA requests....................                  10                  12  24 hours...........                288
Onsite monitoring and                             10                  72  1.5 hours..........                108
 observation reports.
Final monitoring report.........                  10                  12  8 hours............                 96
    Totals......................                  31                  97  ...................                792
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    Abstract: The Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) of 1972, as 
amended (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.) imposed, with certain exceptions, a 
moratorium on the taking of marine mammals. Section 101(a)(5)(A) of the 
MMPA directs the Secretary of the Interior to allow, upon request by 
citizens of the United States, the taking of small numbers of marine 
mammals incidental to specified activities (other than commercial 
fishing) if the Secretary makes certain findings and prescribes 
specific regulations that, among other things, establish permissible 
methods of taking. Once we issue specific regulations, applicants 
seeking to conduct activities must request a Letter of Authorization 
(LOA) for the specific activity and submit onsite monitoring reports 
and a final report of the activity to the Secretary. Regulations at 50 
CFR 18.27 outline the procedures and requirements for submitting a 
request. Specific regulations governing authorized activities in the 
Beaufort Sea are in 50 CFR 18, subpart J.
    Comments: On June 1, 2007, we published a proposed rule in the 
Federal Register (72 FR 30670) to establish regulations on incidental 
take of marine mammals in the Chukchi Sea. Because activities and 
requirements are nearly identical for the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, we 
planned to combine the information collections in one ICR. However, we 
do not expect the final rule for the Chukchi Sea to publish prior to 
the expiration date of the information collection for the Beaufort Sea 
requirements, and have separated the requests for approval. This 
request for approval includes requirements to cover only activities in 
the Beaufort Sea. The proposed rule for incidental take regulations in 
the Chukchi Sea invited interested members of the public and affected 
agencies to comment on the proposed information collection and 
recordkeeping activities for both the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas. The 
comment period was open for 60 days, and we did not receive any 
comments relating to the Beaufort Sea information collection 
requirements.
    We again invite comments concerning this information collection on:
    (1) whether or not the collection of information is necessary, 
including whether or not the information will have practical utility;
    (2) the accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this collection 
of information;
    (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
respondents.
    Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. Before including your address, phone number, e-mail 
address,

[[Page 60691]]

or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should 
be aware that your entire comment, including your personal identifying 
information, may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask OMB in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that it will be 
done.

    Dated: August 23, 2007.
Hope Grey,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, Fish and Wildlife Service.
FR Doc. E7-21010 Filed 10-24-07; 8:45 am
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