[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 20 (Tuesday, January 30, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5863-5864]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-01827]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; Protocol for Access to Tissue Specimen Samples From the 
National Marine Mammal Tissue Bank

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

ACTION: Notice of Information Collection, request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), invites the general public and other 
Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information 
collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information 
collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The 
purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment 
preceding submission of the collection to OMB.

DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this proposed 
information collection must be received on or before April 1, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments to 
Adrienne Thomas, NOAA PRA Officer, at [email protected]. Please 
reference OMB Control Number 0648-0468 in the subject line of your 
comments. Do not submit Confidential Business Information or otherwise 
sensitive or protected information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
specific questions related to collection activities should be directed 
to Stephen Manley, NMFS Office of Protected Resources, 1315 East West 
Highway, #13604, Silver Spring, MD 20910, (301) 427-8476 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This is a request for extension of an approved 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 US 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. Under 16 U.S.C. 1421f section 407(d)(1) of the Marine Mammal 
Protection Act, the NMFS must establish criteria for access to marine 
mammal tissues in the NMMTB and make those available for public comment 
and review. This was accomplished through the proposed rule RIN 0648-
AQ51, published on 11/12/2002, and codified in 50 CFR 216.47.
    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 
standings, animals that have been obtained incidental to commercial 
fisheries, animals taken for subsistence purposes, biopsies, and 
animals from

[[Page 5864]]

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 Biorepository (NIST 
Biorepository), which includes the NMMTB. This request is for extension 
of a current information collection, with minor revisions. Most changes 
to the Access Policy were grammatical and minor. No changes have been 
made to the National Marine Mammal Tissue Bank Tissue Request Form or 
the NMMTB Field Data Sheet. Revisions were also made to The Examiner's 
Guide to the National Marine Mammal Tissue Bank which included minor 
grammatical corrections as well as an update to the species list and 
inventory of animals and tissues.

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: 
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.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 85.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $152.00.
    Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
    Legal Authority: Under 16 U.S.C. 1421f section 407(d)(1) of the 
Marine Mammal Protection Act, the NMFS must establish criteria for 
access to marine mammal tissues in the NMMTB and make those available 
for public comment and review.

IV. Request for Comments

    We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department/Bureau 
to: (a) Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is 
necessary for the proper functions of the Department, including whether 
the information will have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the accuracy 
of our estimate of the time and cost burden for this proposed 
collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
used; (c) Evaluate ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; and (d) Minimize the reporting burden 
on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request 
to OMB to approve this ICR. Before including your address, phone 
number, email address, or other personal identifying information in 
your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--including 
your personal identifying information--may be made publicly available 
at any time. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold your 
personal identifying information from public review, we cannot 
guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Under Secretary for 
Economic Affairs, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2024-01827 Filed 1-29-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P