[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 101 (Friday, May 24, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24102-24103]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-10905]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-XG990


Draft Cook Inlet & Kodiak Marine Mammal Disaster Response 
Guidelines

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

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: NMFS, in an effort to increase preparedness for wildlife 
response under the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, has drafted guidelines 
for marine mammal response in disaster situations in Cook Inlet and 
Kodiak, Alaska entitled ``Cook Inlet & Kodiak Marine Mammal Disaster 
Response Guidelines'' (Guidelines). NMFS invites the public to comment 
on and/or provide additional information for NMFS to consider in 
finalizing the guidelines.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before June 24, 2019.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments on this document, identified by 
NOAA-NMFS-2019-0038, by any one of the following methods;
     Electronic Submission: Submit all electronic public 
comments via the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal. Go to 
www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=NOAA-NMFS-2019-0038, click the 
``Comment Now!'' icon, complete the required fields, and enter or 
attach your comments;
     Mail: Submit written comments to Sadie Wright, attention 
Ellen Sebastian, National Marine Fisheries Service, Protected Resources 
Division, Alaska Region, 709 West 9th Street, P.O. Box 21668, Juneau, 
AK 99802.
    Instructions: Comments sent by any other method, to any other 
address or individual, or received after the end of the comment period, 
may not be considered by NMFS. All comments received are a part of the 
public record and will generally be posted for public viewing on 
www.regulations.gov without change. All personal identifying 
information (e.g., name, address), confidential business information, 
or otherwise sensitive information submitted voluntarily by the sender 
will be publicly accessible. NMFS will accept anonymous comments (enter 
``N/A'' in the required fields if you wish to remain anonymous).
    Electronic copies of the draft Guidelines and associated Appendices 
may be obtained from http://www.regulations.gov or from the NMFS Alaska 
Region website at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/alaska/marine-life-distress/alaska-marine-mammal-stranding-network.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sadie Wright, (907) 586-7630 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Marine mammal oil spill response and 
preparedness in the Cook Inlet and Kodiak region of Alaska presents 
many challenges including remote conditions; lack of infrastructure, 
equipment, and trained personnel; and large populations of marine 
mammals that may be impacted. Additionally, marine mammals are 
important subsistence and cultural resources for Alaska Native coastal 
communities, and response efforts must be cooperative with and 
sensitive to local communities. NMFS developed the Guidelines through 
stakeholder engagement to develop regionally specific and culturally 
sensitive response strategies during disasters that impact marine 
mammals.
    NMFS sought input on communication and response protocols for 
carcass collection, de-oiling, tissue sampling, necropsies, and 
subsistence food issues through meetings with local leaders and 
responders in Kenai, Seward, Ninilchik, Seldovia, Port Graham, Homer, 
Anchorage, Nanwalek, Kodiak, Ouzinkie, Port Lions, Larsen Bay, and 
teleconferences and email correspondence with outlying communities. 
These stakeholder meetings resulted in three key recommendations for 
the Guidelines:
    (1) Include a communication structure that is locally based and 
efficient;
    (2) prioritize response to address impacts to fish and associated 
public health and economy; and
    (3) address the lack of infrastructure, equipment, and trained 
personnel for response efforts.
    These recommendations are addressed by the Guidelines in the 
following ways:
    (1) The local marine mammal stranding agreement holder or 
community-appointed organization(s) is the local lead, and 
communication protocols outline cooperative approaches between 
stakeholders;
    (2) All response protocols are congruent with food safety testing, 
and the Alaska state public health representative is part of the 
communication loop; and
    (3) Caches of equipment should be developed and stored in hub 
communities with smaller caches in outlying villages, to include 
modular and adaptive infrastructure for response activities.
    Finally, the Guidelines provide decision-making tools regarding 
Cook Inlet beluga whale deterrence that will be useful to NMFS 
protocols, and to other responders to gain a better understanding of 
potential concerns in deterring this endangered population.
    The draft Guidelines focus on marine mammal species under NMFS 
jurisdiction that occur in Cook Inlet and within the Kodiak 
archipelago. Different approaches may be appropriate for sea otters, 
which are managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Any response 
to marine mammals per these Guidelines should occur in coordination 
with NMFS through the Incident Command Structure, if put in place for 
an oil spill or other major incident. The draft Guidelines also focus 
primarily on marine mammal response during oil spills, but include 
considerations for response in a non-spill disaster situation such as a 
natural disaster (response typically under the Stafford Act) or a 
marine mammal Unusual Mortality Event.
    Comments are invited on any aspect of the draft Guidelines. We are 
particularly interested in maintaining an efficient communication 
strategy for marine mammal disaster response in the Cook Inlet and 
Kodiak region, and seek suggestions to ensure the final

[[Page 24103]]

Guidelines provide that framework. In addition, NMFS appreciates 
specific suggestions on how to improve the clarity of the draft 
Guidelines.

    Dated: May 21, 2019.
Catherine Marzin,
Acting Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-10905 Filed 5-23-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P