[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 68 (Wednesday, April 8, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19771-19773]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-07385]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R7-ES-2020-N006; FF07CAMM00-178-FXES111607MRG01; OMB Control
Number 1018-0070]
Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Incidental
Take of Marine Mammals During Specified Activities
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of information collection; request for comment.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we,
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), are proposing to renew an
information collection.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before
May 8, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments on this information collection request
(ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget's Desk Officer for the
Department of the Interior by email at OIRA_Submission@omb.eop.gov; or
via facsimile to (202) 395-5806. Please provide a copy of your comments
to the Service Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, MS: PRB/PERMA (JAO/1N), 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls
Church, VA 22041-3803 (mail); or by email to Info_Coll@fws.gov. Please
reference OMB Control Number 1018-0070 in the subject line of your
comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information
about this ICR, contact Madonna L. Baucum, Service Information
Collection Clearance Officer, by email at Info_Coll@fws.gov, or by
telephone at (703) 358-2503. You may also view the ICR at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995, we provide the general public and other Federal agencies
with an opportunity to comment on new, proposed, revised, and
continuing collections of information. This helps us assess the impact
of our information collection requirements and minimize the public's
reporting burden. It also helps the public understand our information
collection requirements and provide the requested data in the desired
format.
On November 7, 2019, we published a Federal Register notice
soliciting comments on this collection of information for 60 days,
ending on January 6, 2020 (84 FR 60107). We received the following
comments in response to that Federal Register notice:
Comment 1: Comment from Jean Public, received via email on November
7, 2019. The commenter stated she was against killing polar bears but
did not
[[Page 19772]]
address the information collection requirements outlined in the notice.
Agency Response to Comment 1: No action required.
Comment 2: Comment from Peter O. Thomas, Ph.D., Executive Director,
the Marine Mammal Commission (Commission), received via email on
January 3, 2020. The Commission believes the information collection is
necessary and appropriate, and agrees the burden on respondents is
reasonable.
The Commission encouraged the Service to direct applicants and
letter of authorization (LOA) holders to submit information and
reports, including marine mammal observational data sheets and raw
sightings data, in electronic format. The Commission also encouraged
the Service to make applications, LOAs, and reports submitted in
compliance with section 101(a)(5) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act
(MMPA) and its implementing regulations at 50 CFR part 18 available to
the public in a timely manner on its website.
Agency Response to Comment 2: The Service currently provides for
the electronic submission of information and reports and accepts such
electronic information from applicants and LOA holders. We also allow
for the submission of such information in paper format because
electronic communications can, occasionally, be challenging in remote
areas of Alaska. The Service also endeavors to provide information to
the public on at least an annual basis both on its website and through
Federal Register notices.
We are again soliciting comments on the proposed ICR that is
described below. We are especially interested in public comment
addressing the following issues: (1) Is the collection necessary to the
proper functions of the Service; (2) will this information be processed
and used in a timely manner; (3) is the estimate of burden accurate;
(4) how might the Service enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of
the information to be collected; and (5) how might the Service minimize
the burden of this collection on the respondents, including through the
use of information technology.
Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of
public record. 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 publicly available at any time. While
you can 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.
Abstract: This information collection includes requirements
associated with specified oil and gas industry activities and their
incidental taking of polar bears, Pacific walruses, and northern sea
otters in Alaska. The Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended
(MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), imposed, with certain exceptions, a
moratorium on the taking of marine mammals. Section 101(a)(5)(A) of the
MMPA directs the Secretary of the Interior to allow, upon request by
citizens of the United States, the taking of small numbers of marine
mammals incidental to specified activities (other than commercial
fishing) if the Secretary makes certain findings and prescribes
specific regulations that, among other things, establish permissible
methods of taking.
Applicants seeking to conduct activities must request a Letter of
Authorization (LOA) for the specific activity and submit on-site
monitoring reports and a final report of the activity to the Secretary.
This is a nonform collection. Respondents must comply with the
regulations at 50 CFR 18.27, which outline the procedures and
requirements for submitting a request. Specific regulations governing
authorized incidental take of marine mammals activities are contained
in 50 CFR 18, subparts J (Beaufort Sea) and K (Cook Inlet). These
regulations provide the applicant with a detailed description of
information that we need to evaluate the proposed activity and
determine if it is appropriate to issue specific regulations and,
subsequently, LOAs.
We use the information to verify the findings required to issue
incidental take regulations, to decide if we should issue an LOA, and
(if an LOA is issued) what conditions should be included in the LOA. In
addition, we analyze the information to determine impacts to polar
bears, Pacific walruses, northern sea otters, and the availability of
those marine mammals for subsistence purposes of Alaska Natives.
Title of Collection: Incidental Take of Marine Mammals During
Specified Activities, 50 CFR 18.27 and 50 CFR 18, Subparts J and K.
OMB Control Number: 1018-0070.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
Respondents/Affected Public: Oil and gas industry companies.
Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit.
Frequency of Collection: On occasion.
Total Estimated Annual Nonhour Burden Cost: None.
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Number of Average
Type of action annual Number of Total annual completion Total annual
respondents responses each responses time (hours) burden hours
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Polar Bear Den Detection Report:
Private Sector.............. 4 1 4 50 200
Incidental Take of Marine
Mammals--Final Monitoring
Report:
Private Sector.............. 20 1.25 25 10 250
Incidental Take of Marine
Mammals--Onsite Monitoring and
Observation Reports:
Private Sector.............. 20 15 300 1.5 450
Incidental Take of Marine
Mammals--Application for
Regulations: \1\
Private Sector.............. 20 0.1 2 150 300
Incidental Take of Marine
Mammals--LOA Requests:
Private Sector.............. 20 1.25 25 24 600
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Total................... 84 .............. 356 .............. 1,800
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\1\ Occurs once every 5 years.
[[Page 19773]]
An agency may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required
to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a
currently valid OMB control number.
The authority for this action is the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).
Dated: April 3, 2020.
Madonna Baucum,
Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-07385 Filed 4-7-20; 8:45 am]
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