[Federal Register: October 25, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 206)] [Notices] [Page 60690-60691] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr25oc07-98] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service Information Collection Sent to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Approval; OMB Control Number 1018-0070; Incidental Take of Marine Mammals During Specified Activities AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice; request for comments. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: We (Fish and Wildlife Service) have sent an Information Collection Request (ICR) to OMB for review and approval. The ICR, which is summarized below, describes the nature of the collection and the estimated burden and cost. This ICR is scheduled to expire on October 31, 2007. We 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. However, under OMB regulations, we may continue to conduct or sponsor this information collection while it is pending at OMB. DATES: You must submit comments on or before November 26, 2007. ADDRESSES: Send your comments and suggestions on this ICR to the Desk Officer for the Department of the Interior at OMB-OIRA at (202) 395- 6566 (fax) or OIRA_DOCKET@OMB.eop.gov (e-mail). Please provide a copy of your comments to Hope Grey, Information Collection Clearance Officer, Fish and Wildlife Service, MS 222-ARLSQ, 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203 (mail); (703) 358-2269 (fax); or hope_grey@fws.gov (e-mail). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request additional information about this IC, contact Hope Grey by mail, fax, or e-mail (see ADDRESSES) or by telephone at (703) 358-2482. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OMB Control Number: 1018-0070. Title: Incidental Take of Marine Mammals During Specified Activities, 50 CFR 18.27 and 50 CFR 18, Subpart J. Service Form Numbers: None. Type of Request: Revision of currently approved collection. Affected Public: Oil and gas industry companies. Respondent's Obligation: Required to obtain or retain a benefit. Frequency of Collection: On occasion. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of annual Number of annual Completion time per Annual burden Activity respondents responses response hours ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- One-time application for 1 (per term of 1 300 hours.......... 300 procedural regulations. regulations) LOA requests.................... 10 12 24 hours........... 288 Onsite monitoring and 10 72 1.5 hours.......... 108 observation reports. Final monitoring report......... 10 12 8 hours............ 96 Totals...................... 31 97 ................... 792 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Abstract: The Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) of 1972, as amended (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. Once we issue specific regulations, applicants seeking to conduct activities must request a Letter of Authorization (LOA) for the specific activity and submit onsite monitoring reports and a final report of the activity to the Secretary. Regulations at 50 CFR 18.27 outline the procedures and requirements for submitting a request. Specific regulations governing authorized activities in the Beaufort Sea are in 50 CFR 18, subpart J. Comments: On June 1, 2007, we published a proposed rule in the Federal Register (72 FR 30670) to establish regulations on incidental take of marine mammals in the Chukchi Sea. Because activities and requirements are nearly identical for the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, we planned to combine the information collections in one ICR. However, we do not expect the final rule for the Chukchi Sea to publish prior to the expiration date of the information collection for the Beaufort Sea requirements, and have separated the requests for approval. This request for approval includes requirements to cover only activities in the Beaufort Sea. The proposed rule for incidental take regulations in the Chukchi Sea invited interested members of the public and affected agencies to comment on the proposed information collection and recordkeeping activities for both the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas. The comment period was open for 60 days, and we did not receive any comments relating to the Beaufort Sea information collection requirements. We again invite comments concerning this information collection on: (1) whether or not the collection of information is necessary, including whether or not the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy of our estimate of the burden for this collection of information; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents. Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of public record. Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, [[Page 60691]] 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 can ask OMB in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that it will be done. Dated: August 23, 2007. Hope Grey, Information Collection Clearance Officer, Fish and Wildlife Service. [FR Doc. E7-21010 Filed 10-24-07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-55-S