[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 8 (Thursday, January 12, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2069-2070]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-00413]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[RTID 0648-XC664]


Marine Mammals and Endangered Species

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

ACTION: Notice; issuance of permits.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that permits 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 via email to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jennifer Skidmore (Permit Nos. 26973 
and 27033), Shasta McClenahan, Ph.D., (Permit No. 24359), and Courtney 
Smith, Ph.D. (Permit Nos. 26170 and 26599); at (301) 427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notices were published in the Federal 
Register on the dates listed below that requests for a permit 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 activities, go to www.federalregister.gov and search 
on the permit number provided in Table 1 below.

                                             Table 1--Issued Permits
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                                                                           Previous Federal
    Permit No.            RTID                     Applicant                Register notice      Issuance date
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24359............  0648-XC245........  NMFS Office of Protected           87 FR 48159,        December 20, 2022.
                                        Resources, Marine Mammal Health    August 8, 2022.
                                        and Stranding Response Program,
                                        1315 East West Highway, Silver
                                        Spring, MD 20910 (Responsible
                                        Party: Sarah Wilkin).
26170............  0648-XC213........  Keith Ellenbogen, Blue Reef, 189   87 FR 45764, July   December 16, 2022.
                                        Schermerhorn Street, 8E;           29, 2022.
                                        Brooklyn, NY 11201.
26599............  0648-XC426........  Florian Graner, Ph.D., Sea-Life    87 FR 65040,        December 15, 2022.
                                        Productions, 4021 Beach Drive,     November 4, 2022.
                                        Freeland, WA 98249.
26973............  0648-XC507........  Field Museum, 1400 S Lake Shore    87 FR 66656,        December 15, 2022.
                                        Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60605     October 27, 2022.
                                        (Responsible Party: Kevin
                                        Feldheim, Ph.D.).
27033............  0648-XC519........  Underdogs Films, Ltd., 4th Floor   87 FR 67451,        December 21, 2022.
                                        Embassy House, Queen's Avenue,     November 8, 2022.
                                        Bristol, BS8 1SB, United Kingdom
                                        (Responsible Party: Tom
                                        Stephens).
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[[Page 2070]]

    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 for Permit Nos. 26170, 26599, 26973, and 27033 are 
categorically excluded from the requirement to prepare an environmental 
assessment or environmental impact statement.
    In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), NMFS has determined that the activities 
proposed for Permit No. 24359 are consistent with the Preferred 
Alternative in the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement 
for the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program (MMHSRP; 
NMFS 2022). In a Record of Decision (ROD), signed on December 20, 2022, 
NMFS stated they had selected the Preferred Alternative, and the 
actions to be conducted under this alternative effectively meet the 
MMHSRP's mandates under title IV of the MMPA and PR1's permitting 
program, while minimizing the potential environmental impacts from the 
proposed actions.
    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 MMPA 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 ESA 
of 1973, as amended (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: January 6, 2023.
Amy Sloan,
Acting Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-00413 Filed 1-11-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P