[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 161 (Monday, August 20, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 50086]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-20403]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XA602


Marine Mammals; File No. 16109

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

ACTION: Notice; issuance of permit amendment.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that a major amendment to Permit No. 
16109 has been issued to GeoMarine, Inc. (Responsible Party: Suzanne 
Bates), 2201 K Avenue, Suite A2, Plano, TX 75074.

ADDRESSES: The permit amendment 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;
Northeast Region, NMFS, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930; 
phone (978) 281-9328; fax (978) 281-9394; and
Southeast Region, NMFS, 263 13th Avenue South, Saint Petersburg, FL 
33701; phone (727) 824-5312; fax (727) 824-5309.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joselyd Garcia-Reyes or Carrie Hubard, 
(301) 427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 5, 2012, notice was published in the 
Federal Register (77 FR 33198) that a request for an amendment to 
Permit No. 16109 to conduct research on marine mammals and sea turtles 
had been submitted by the above-named organization. The requested 
permit amendment 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.), and the regulations governing the taking, 
importing, and exporting of endangered and threatened species (50 CFR 
parts 222-226).
    The permit has been amended to increase sei whale takes to 50 per 
year. The amended permit is valid through the expiration date of the 
original permit, May 15, 2017.
    An environmental assessment (EA) analyzing the effects of the 
permitted activities on the human environment was prepared in 
compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). Based on the analyses in the EA, NMFS determined 
that issuance of the permit amendment 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 (FONSI), signed on May 
1, 2012.
    As required by the ESA, issuance of this permit amendment 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: August 13, 2012.
P. Michael Payne,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-20403 Filed 8-17-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P