[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 201 (Thursday, October 19, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48702-48703]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-22648]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Protocol for 
Access to Tissue Specimen Samples From the National Marine Mammal 
Tissue Bank

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 
Commerce.

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 December 18, 
2017.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 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 Sarah Wilkin, (301) 427-8470 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This request is for extension of a current information collection.
    In 1989, the National Marine Mammal Tissue Bank (NMMTB) was 
established by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Office of 
Protected Resources (OPR) in collaboration with the National Institute 
of Standards and Technology (NIST), Minerals Management Service (MMS), 
and the U.S. Geological Survey/Biological Resources Division (USGS/
BRD). The NMMTB provides protocols, techniques, and physical facilities 
for the long-term storage of tissues from marine mammals. Scientists 
can request tissues from this repository for retrospective analyses to 
determine environmental trends of contaminants and other substances of 
interest. The NMMTB collects, processes, and stores tissues from 
specific indicator species (e.g., Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, 
Atlantic white sided dolphins, pilot whales, harbor porpoises), animals 
from mass strandings, animals that have been obtained incidental to 
commercial fisheries, animals taken for subsistence purposes, biopsies, 
and animals from unusual mortality events through two projects, the 
Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program (MMHSRP) and the 
Alaska Marine Mammal Tissue Archival Project (AMMTAP).
    The purposes of this collection of information are: (1) To enable 
NOAA to allow the scientific community the opportunity to request 
tissue specimen samples from the NMMTB and, (2) to enable the Marine 
Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program (MMHSRP) of NOAA to 
assemble information on all specimens submitted to the National 
Institute of Standards and Technology's Marine Environmental Specimen 
Bank (Marine ESB), which includes the NMMTB.

II. Method of Collection

    Respondents must complete a specimen banking information sheet for 
every sample submitted to the Bank. Methods of submitting reports 
include Internet, mail and facsimile transmission of paper forms. Those 
requesting samples send the information, and their research findings, 
mainly via email.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0648-0468.
    Form Number(s): None.
    Type of Review: Regular submission (extension of a current 
information collection).
    Affected Public: Individuals or households; business or other for-
profit organizations; not-for-profit institutions; state, local, or 
tribal government; federal government.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 105: 100 specimen submission forms 
(from ~20 different organizations); 5 requests for tissue samples.
    Estimated Time per Response: Request for tissue sample, 2 hours; 
specimen submission form, 45 minutes.

[[Page 48703]]

    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 85.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $152 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: October 13, 2017.
Sarah Brabson,
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2017-22648 Filed 10-18-17; 8:45 am]
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