[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 186 (Monday, September 29, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46565-46566]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-18868]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[RTID 0648-XF134]
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 and permit amendments have
been issued 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: Courtney Smith, Ph.D. (File No.
22629), Amy Hapeman (File No. 28217), Erin Markin, Ph.D., (File No.
29010), and Sara Young (File No. 23188); at (301) 427-8401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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. Notices were published in the Federal Register on the dates
listed below that requests for a permit or permit amendment had been
submitted.
[[Page 46566]]
To locate the Federal Register notice that announced our receipt of the
application and a complete description of the activities, go to https://www.federalregister.gov and search for the file number provided in
table 1 below.
Table 1--Issued Permits and Permit Amendments
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Previous Federal
File No. Version No. RTID Applicant Register notice Issuance date
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22629.......... 04 0648-XA471 Mystic Aquarium, 55 85 FR 56219, August 15, 2025.
Coogan Boulevard, September 11,
Mystic, CT 06355 2020.
(Responsible Party:
Susette Tibus).
23188.......... 03 0648-XB081 Institute of Marine 86 FR 26013, May August 18, 2025.
Sciences, University 12, 2021.
of California at
Santa Cruz, 130
McAllister Way, Santa
Cruz, CA 95060
(Responsible Party:
Daniel Costa, Ph.D.).
28217.......... N/A 0648-XE722 Douglas Nowacek, 90 FR 23032, May August 11, 2025.
Ph.D., Duke 30, 2025.
University, 135 Duke
Marine Lab Rd.,
Beaufort, NC 28516.
29010.......... N/A 0648-XE978 Caribbean Oceanic 90 FR 27529, June August 19, 2025.
Restoration and 27, 2025.
Education Foundation,
2608 Fish Bay, St.
John, VI 00830
(Responsible Party:
Rebecca Gibbel, DVM).
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In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(NEPA; 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), a final determination has been made
that the activities proposed for File Nos. 28217 and 23188, are
categorically excluded from the requirement to prepare an environmental
assessment (EA) or environmental impact statement (EIS).
For File No. 22629, an EA was prepared for the original permit (85
FR 56219, September 11, 2020) analyzing the effects of the permitted
activities on the human environment in compliance with NEPA. Based on
the analyses in that EA, NMFS determined that issuance of that permit
would not significantly impact the quality of the human environment and
that preparation of an EIS was not required. That determination is
documented in a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), signed on
August 27, 2020. NMFS determined that issuance of this minor amendment
(No. 22629-04) with a 1 year extension would not change the findings of
the original EA and FONSI.
For File No. 29010, NMFS has determined that the activities
proposed are consistent with the Preferred Alternative in the Final
Programmatic EIS for the Coral Reef Conservation Program (NMFS 2020),
and that issuance of the permit would not have a significant adverse
impact on the human environment.
As required by the ESA, as applicable, issuance of these permits
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.
Dated: September 25, 2025.
Shannon Bettridge,
Chief, Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Conservation Division, Office of
Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-18868 Filed 9-26-25; 8:45 am]
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