[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 179 (Thursday, September 17, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47779-47780]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-22414]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-AV15


Public Meetings on Protective Regulations for Killer Whales in 
the Northwest Region Under the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal 
Protection Act

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

ACTION: Proposed rule; notification of additional public meeting.

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SUMMARY: We, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) are issuing 
this notice to advise the public that NMFS is adding an additional 
public meeting regarding proposed regulations under the Endangered 
Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act to prohibit vessels from 
approaching killer whales within 200 yards and from parking in the path 
of whales for vessels in inland waters of Washington State. The 
proposed regulations would also prohibit vessels from entering a 
conservation area during a defined season. The proposed rule was 
published July 29, 2009, and includes information on two public 
meetings. We are issuing this notice to announce a third public meeting 
in Anacortes, WA that has been added in response to requests for 
additional public meetings to allow for greater public participation.

DATES: Three public meetings will be held as follows:
    (1) September 24, 2009, 7-9 p.m., Pier One Main Warehouse, 100 
Commercial Avenue, Anacortes, WA;
    (2) September 30, 2009, 7-9 p.m., Seattle Aquarium, Pier 59, 
Seattle, WA; and
    (3) October 5, 2009, 7-9 p.m., The Grange Hall, First Street, 
Friday Harbor, WA.
    Written or electronic comments on the proposed rule and draft 
Environmental Assessment (EA) from all interested parties are 
encouraged and must be received no later than October 27, 2009. All 
comments and material received, including names and addresses, will 
become part of the administrative record and may be released to the 
public.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the proposed rule, draft EA and any of the 
supporting documents can be submitted by any of the following methods:
     Email: [email protected].
     Federal e-rulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
     Mail: Assistant Regional Administrator, Protected 
Resources Division, Northwest Regional Office, National Marine 
Fisheries Service, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115.
    The draft EA and other supporting documents are available on 
Regulations.gov and the NMFS Northwest Region Web site at http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/.
    You may submit information and comments concerning this Proposed 
Rule, the draft EA, or any of the supporting documents by any one of 
several methods identified above. We will consider all comments and 
information received during the comment period in preparing a final

[[Page 47780]]

rule. Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, 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 us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lynne Barre, Northwest Regional 
Office, 206-526-4745; or Trevor Spradlin, Office of Protected 
Resources, 301-713-2322.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On July 29, 2009, NMFS proposed regulations under the Endangered 
Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act to prohibit vessels from 
approaching killer whales within 200 yards and from parking in the path 
of whales for vessels in inland waters of Washington State (74 FR 
37674). The proposed regulations would also prohibit vessels from 
entering a conservation area during a defined season. Certain vessels 
would be exempt from the prohibitions. The purpose of the action is to 
protect killer whales from interference and noise associated with 
vessels. In the final rule announcing the endangered listing of 
Southern Resident killer whales NMFS identified disturbance and sound 
associated with vessels as a potential contributing factor in the 
recent decline of this population. The Recovery Plan for Southern 
Resident killer whales calls for evaluating current guidelines and 
assessing the need for regulations and/or protected areas. We developed 
the proposed rule after considering comments submitted in response to 
an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (72 FR 13464; March 22, 2007) 
and preparing a draft environmental assessment (EA).

Reasonable Accommodation

    Persons needing reasonable accommodations to attend and participate 
in the public meetings should contact Lynne Barre (see FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT). To allow sufficient time to process requests, 
please call at least 5 business days prior to the relevant meeting(s).

    Dated: September 11, 2009.
James H. Lecky,
Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. E9-22414 Filed 9-16-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S