[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 132 (Tuesday, July 10, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40586-40587]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-16794]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Coastal Programs Division

AGENCY: Coastal Programs Division, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource 
Management, National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of approval of extension of deep sea hard mineral 
exploration licenses and amended exploration plan.

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SUMMARY: On February 29, 2012, NOAA published a notice and request for 
comments in the Federal Register at 77 FR 12245 on the request of 
Lockheed Martin Corp. to extend the deep seabed hard mineral 
exploration licenses USA-1 and USA-4 issued under the Deep Seabed Hard 
Mineral Resources Act (DSHMRA; 30 U.S.C. 1401-1473) and approve the 
amended exploration plan for those licenses.
    No comments were received objecting to the approval of the 
extension and amended exploration plan. Comments were received only 
from the Western Pacific Fisheries Management Council (WPFMC) and the 
United States Department of State. The WPFMC noted that none of the 
fisheries under its jurisdiction were likely to be affected by any 
activities outlined in the extension request. The Department of State 
noted that international recognition of the areas covered by the 
licenses requires approval by the International Seabed Authority (ISA) 
and that without accession of the United States to the Law of the Sea 
(LOS) Convention, the United States cannot sponsor a U.S. company at 
the ISA. The Department further noted that if the U.S. accedes to the 
LOS Convention that it would be necessary to make conforming changes to 
these exploration licenses. NOAA acknowledges and accepts the comments 
from WPFMC and the Department of State.
    Under its authority and in conformance with the requirements under 
DSHMRA and the DSHMRA regulations at 15 CFR part 970, NOAA approved the 
extension of both licenses for five years along with the amended

[[Page 40587]]

exploration plan on June 1, 2012. No changes have been made to the 
terms, conditions or restrictions of the licenses.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kerry Kehoe, Coastal Programs Division 
(NORM/3), Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, NOS, NOAA, 
1305 East-West Highway, Silver Spring MD 20910; email 
[email protected].

    Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog 11.419 Coastal Zone 
Management Program Administration.


    Dated: June 29, 2012.
David M. Kennedy,
Assistant Administrator for the National Ocean Service, National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 2012-16794 Filed 7-9-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-08-P