[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 93 (Friday, May 14, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27295-27296]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-11502]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Applications 
and Reporting Requirements for the Incidental Take of Marine Mammals by 
Specified Activities (Other Than Commercial Fishing Operations) Under 
the Marine Mammal Protection Act (fka Applications and Reporting 
Requirements for the Incidental Take of Marine Mammals by Specified 
Activities Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act)

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before July 13, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Diana Hynek, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet 
at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to Jeannine Cody, (301) 713-2289 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 (MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 et. 
seq.) prohibits the ``take'' of marine mammals unless otherwise 
authorized or exempted by law. Among the provisions that allow for 
lawful take of marine mammals, sections 101(a)(5)(A) and (D) of the 
MMPA direct the Secretary of Commerce to allow, upon request, the 
incidental, but not intentional, taking of small numbers of marine 
mammals by U.S. citizens who engage in a specified activity (other than 
commercial fishing), within a specified geographical region, if certain 
findings are made and either regulations are issued or, if the taking 
is limited to harassment, a notice of a proposed authorization is 
provided to the public for review.
    Authorization for incidental takings shall be granted: (1) If the 
Secretary, acting by delegation through the National Marine Fisheries 
Service (NMFS), finds that the taking will have a negligible impact on 
the species or stock(s) and will not have an unmitigable adverse impact 
on the availability of the species or stock(s) for subsistence uses 
(where relevant), and (2) if the permissible methods of taking and 
requirements pertaining to the mitigation, monitoring and reporting of 
such takings are set forth.
    Issuance of an incidental take authorization (ITA) under section 
101(a)(5)(A) or (D) of the MMPA requires three sets of information 
collection: (1) A complete application for an ITA, as set forth in 
NMFS' implementing regulations at 50 CFR 216.104, which provides the 
information necessary for NMFS to make the necessary statutory 
determinations; (2) information relating to required monitoring; and 
(3) information related to required reporting. These collections of 
information enable NMFS to: (1) Evaluate the proposed activity's impact 
on marine mammals; (2) arrive at the appropriate determinations 
required by the MMPA and other applicable laws prior to issuing the 
authorization; and (3) monitor impacts of activities for which take 
authorizations have been issued to determine if predictions regarding 
impacts on marine mammals were valid.

II. Method of Collection

    Applicants may transmit an electronic application file or report 
(e.g. .doc or .pdf file) via e-mail, or deliver paper forms via hand 
delivery, the U.S. Postal Service, or by an overnight delivery service.

[[Page 27296]]

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0151.
    Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: Non-profit institutions; state, local, or tribal 
government; business or other for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 71.
    Estimated Time per Response: 339 hours for an Incidental Harassment 
Authorization (IHA) application; 310 hours for an IHA interim report 
(if applicable); 422 hours for an IHA draft annual report; 163 hours 
for an IHA final annual report (if applicable); 1,100 hours for the 
initial preparation of an application for new regulations; 70 hours for 
an annual Letter of Authorization (LOA) application; 220 hours for a 
LOA draft annual report; 65 hours for a LOA final annual report (if 
applicable); 625 hours for a LOA draft comprehensive report; and 300 
hours for a LOA final comprehensive report (if applicable). Response 
times will vary for the public based upon the complexity of the 
requested action.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 27,814.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $358,000 in capital costs 
(if applicable) and $3,575 in recordkeeping/reporting costs.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: May 10, 2010.
Gwellnar Banks,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2010-11502 Filed 5-13-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P