[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 227 (Friday, November 25, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 72680-72681]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-30401]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XA078
[File No. 15750]


Marine Mammals

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 a permit has been issued to ABR, 
Inc. Environmental Research and Services, Fairbanks, AK, to conduct 
research on marine mammals in Alaska.

ADDRESSES: The permit and related documents are available for review 
upon written request or by appointment in the following offices:
    Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected Resources, 
NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Room 13705, Silver Spring, MD 20910; 
phone (301) 427-8401; fax (301) 713-0376; and
    Alaska Region, NMFS, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, AK 99802-1668; phone 
(907) 586-7221; fax (907) 586-7249.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tammy Adams or Laura Morse, (301) 427-
8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 9, 2010, notice was published in 
the Federal Register (75 FR 76703) that a request for a permit had been 
submitted by the above-named applicant. The requested permit has been 
issued under the authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, 
as amended (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), the regulations governing the 
taking and importing of marine mammals (50 CFR part 216), the 
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
seq.), the regulations governing the taking, importing, and exporting 
of endangered and threatened species (50 CFR parts 222-226), and the 
Fur Seal Act of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1151 et seq.).
    The permit is valid for five years and allows harassment of the 
following marine mammal species during conduct of aerial surveys to 
document seasonal distribution and abundance of marine mammals in 
western lower Cook Inlet, Alaska: Steller sea lions (Eumetopias 
jubatus), beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas), harbor seals (Phoca 
vitulina), harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena), Dall's porpoises 
(Phocoenoides dalli), minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), gray 
whales (Eschrichtius robustus), killer whales (Orcinus orca), northern 
fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus), fin whales (B. physalus), and humpback 
whales (Megaptera novaeangliae).
    An environmental assessment (EA) was prepared analyzing the effects 
of the permitted activities on the human environment in compliance with 
the National Environmental Policy Act of

[[Page 72681]]

1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). Based on the analyses in the EA, NMFS 
determined that issuance of the permit would not significantly impact 
the quality of the human environment and that preparation of an 
environmental impact statement was not required. That determination is 
documented in a Finding of No Significant Impact, signed on November 
15, 2011.
    As required by the ESA, issuance of this permit was based on a 
finding that such permit: (1) Was applied for in good faith; (2) will 
not operate to the disadvantage of such endangered species; and (3) is 
consistent with the purposes and policies set forth in section 2 of the 
ESA.

     Dated: November 21, 2011.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-30401 Filed 11-23-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P