[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 27 (Thursday, February 9, 2012)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 6771]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-3051]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 218

RIN 0648-BB14


Taking and Importing Marine Mammals: Taking Marine Mammals 
Incidental to U.S. Navy Operations of Surveillance Towed Array Sensor 
System Low Frequency Active Sonar

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

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: On January 6, 2012, the NMFS published its proposed 
regulations to govern the take of marine mammals, by harassment, 
incidental to conducting operations of Surveillance Towed Array Sensor 
System (SURTASS) Low Frequency Active (LFA) sonar in areas of the 
world's oceans (with the exception of Arctic and Antarctic waters and 
certain geographic restrictions), from August 16, 2012, through August 
15, 2017.
    The Federal Register notice indicated that written comments were 
due by February 6, 2012, which allowed 30 calendar days for public 
input. In response to a request from the Natural Resources Defense 
Council, NMFS has decided to extend the public comment period by 15 
days, to February 21, 2012, which allows a total of 45 days for public 
input.

DATES: NMFS has extended the public comment period for this action from 
February 6, 2012, to February 21, 2012. NMFS must receive written 
comments and information no later than February 21, 2012.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by 0648-BB14, by any one 
of the following methods:
     Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov, using the Keyword or ID 0648-BB14.
     Hand delivery or mailing of paper, disk, or CD-ROM 
comments should be addressed to P. Michael Payne, Chief, Permits and 
Conservation Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine 
Fisheries Service, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
    Instructions: All comments received are a part of the public record 
and will generally be posted to http://www.regulations.gov without 
change. All Personal Identifying Information (for example, name, 
address, etc.) voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be publicly 
accessible. Do not submit Confidential Business Information or 
otherwise sensitive or protected information.
    NMFS will accept anonymous comments (enter N/A in the required 
fields if you wish to remain anonymous). Attachments to electronic 
comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word, Excel, WordPerfect, or 
Adobe PDF file formats only. To help NMFS process and review comments 
more efficiently, please use only one method to submit comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeannine Cody, Office of Protected 
Resources, NMFS, (301) 427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS refers the reader to the January 6, 
2012, Federal Register notice (77 FR 842) for background information 
concerning the proposed regulations. The information in the notice of 
proposed rulemaking is not repeated here. For additional information 
regarding the Navy's associated draft Supplemental Environmental Impact 
Statement/Supplemental Overseas Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS/
SOEIS) for employment of SURTASS LFA sonar, please visit http://www.surtass-lfa-eis.com.

    Dated: February 3, 2012.
Helen M. Golde,
Deputy Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-3051 Filed 2-8-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P