[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 91 (Thursday, May 10, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21765-21766]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-09959]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Marine Mammals and Endangered Species

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

ACTION: Notice; issuance of permits and permit amendments.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that permits or permit amendments have 
been issued to the following entities under the Marine Mammal 
Protection Act (MMPA) and the Endangered Species Act (ESA), as 
applicable.

ADDRESSES: The permits and related documents are available for review 
upon written request or by appointment in the 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Skidmore (Permit No. 21419 
and Permit No. 21251), Courtney Smith

[[Page 21766]]

(Permit No. 21321), and Shasta McClenahan (14450-05, 14856-06, 16239-
03, 17312-01, 18636-01, and 20556-01); at (301) 427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notices were published in the Federal 
Register on the dates listed below that requests for a permit or permit 
amendment had been submitted by the below-named applicants. To locate 
the Federal Register notice that announced our receipt of the 
application and a complete description of the research, go to 
www.federalregister.gov and search on the permit number provided in the 
table below.

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                                                                                                   Permit or
      Permit No.                  RIN                   Applicant          Previous Federal   amendment issuance
                                                                            Register notice          date
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
14450-05..............  0648-XS35.............  NMFS Southeast Fisheries  82 FR 55804;        April 23, 2018.
                                                 Science Center            November 24, 2017.
                                                 (Responsible Party:
                                                 Bonnie Ponwith, Ph.D.),
                                                 75 Virginia Beach
                                                 Drive, Miami, FL 33149.
14856-06..............  0648-XB157............  Bruce R. Mate, Ph.D.,     82 FR 55804;        April 23, 2018.
                                                 Hatfield Marine Science   November 24, 2017.
                                                 Center, Oregon State
                                                 University, Newport, OR
                                                 97365.
16239-03..............  0648-XC268............  Dan Engelhaupt, Ph.D.,    82 FR 55804;        April 23, 2018.
                                                 1209 Independence         November 24, 2017.
                                                 Blvd., Virginia Beach,
                                                 VA 23455.
17312-03..............  0648-XC268............  Scripps Institution of    82 FR 55804;        April 23, 2018.
                                                 Oceanography              November 24, 2017.
                                                 (Responsible Party:
                                                 John Hildebrand,
                                                 Ph.D.), University of
                                                 California, 8635.
                                                Discovery Way, La Jolla,
                                                 CA 92093.
18636-01..............  0648-XE075............  Iain Kerr, D.H.L., Ocean  82 FR 55804;        April 23, 2018.
                                                 Alliance, 32 Horton       November 24, 2017.
                                                 Street, Gloucester, MA
                                                 01930.
20556-01..............  0648-XF508............  Georgia Department of     82 FR 32328; July   April 30, 2018.
                                                 Natural Resources         13, 2017.
                                                 (Responsible Party:
                                                 Jonathan Ambrose), 2070
                                                 U.S. Highway 278
                                                 Southeast, Social
                                                 Circle, GA 30025.
21251.................  0648-XG039............  Waikiki Aquarium          83 FR 7455;         April 30, 2018.
                                                 (Responsible Party: Dr.   February 21, 2018.
                                                 Andrew Rossiter), 2777
                                                 Kalakaua Avenue,
                                                 Honolulu, HI 96815.
21321.................  0648-XG047............  Pacific Whale Foundation  83 FR 8655;         April 23, 2018.
                                                 (Responsible Party:       February 28, 2018.
                                                 Stephanie Stack,
                                                 M.Sc.), 300 Maalaea
                                                 Road, Suite 211,
                                                 Wailuku, HI 96793.
21419.................  0648-XG029............  Shannon Atkinson, Ph.D.,  83 FR 7454;         April 23, 2018.
                                                 University of Alaska      February 21, 2018.
                                                 Fairbanks, 17101 Point
                                                 Lena Loop Road, Juneau,
                                                 AK 99801.
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    In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), a final determination has been made that the 
activities proposed in Permit Nos. 20556-01, 21251, 21321, and 21419 
are categorically excluded from the requirement to prepare an 
environmental assessment or environmental impact statement.
    For Permit Nos. 14450-05, 14856-06, 16239-03, 17312-01, and 18636-
01, 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 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). 
Based on the analyses in the EA, NMFS determined that issuance of the 
permit amendments 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 April 23, 2018.
    As required by the ESA, as applicable, issuance of these permit was 
based on a finding that such permits: (1) Were applied for in good 
faith; (2) will not operate to the disadvantage of such endangered 
species; and (3) are consistent with the purposes and policies set 
forth in Section 2 of the ESA.

    Authority: The requested permits have been issued under 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), as applicable.

    Dated: May 7, 2018.
Julia Marie Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-09959 Filed 5-9-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P