[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 27 (Thursday, February 9, 2012)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 6771]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-3051]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 218
RIN 0648-BB14
Taking and Importing Marine Mammals: Taking Marine Mammals
Incidental to U.S. Navy Operations of Surveillance Towed Array Sensor
System Low Frequency Active Sonar
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment period.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: On January 6, 2012, the NMFS published its proposed
regulations to govern the take of marine mammals, by harassment,
incidental to conducting operations of Surveillance Towed Array Sensor
System (SURTASS) Low Frequency Active (LFA) sonar in areas of the
world's oceans (with the exception of Arctic and Antarctic waters and
certain geographic restrictions), from August 16, 2012, through August
15, 2017.
The Federal Register notice indicated that written comments were
due by February 6, 2012, which allowed 30 calendar days for public
input. In response to a request from the Natural Resources Defense
Council, NMFS has decided to extend the public comment period by 15
days, to February 21, 2012, which allows a total of 45 days for public
input.
DATES: NMFS has extended the public comment period for this action from
February 6, 2012, to February 21, 2012. NMFS must receive written
comments and information no later than February 21, 2012.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by 0648-BB14, by any one
of the following methods:
Electronic Submissions: Submit all electronic public
comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov, using the Keyword or ID 0648-BB14.
Hand delivery or mailing of paper, disk, or CD-ROM
comments should be addressed to P. Michael Payne, Chief, Permits and
Conservation Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine
Fisheries Service, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
Instructions: All comments received are a part of the public record
and will generally be posted to http://www.regulations.gov without
change. All Personal Identifying Information (for example, name,
address, etc.) voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be publicly
accessible. Do not submit Confidential Business Information or
otherwise sensitive or protected information.
NMFS will accept anonymous comments (enter N/A in the required
fields if you wish to remain anonymous). Attachments to electronic
comments will be accepted in Microsoft Word, Excel, WordPerfect, or
Adobe PDF file formats only. To help NMFS process and review comments
more efficiently, please use only one method to submit comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeannine Cody, Office of Protected
Resources, NMFS, (301) 427-8401.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NMFS refers the reader to the January 6,
2012, Federal Register notice (77 FR 842) for background information
concerning the proposed regulations. The information in the notice of
proposed rulemaking is not repeated here. For additional information
regarding the Navy's associated draft Supplemental Environmental Impact
Statement/Supplemental Overseas Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS/
SOEIS) for employment of SURTASS LFA sonar, please visit http://www.surtass-lfa-eis.com.
Dated: February 3, 2012.
Helen M. Golde,
Deputy Director, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-3051 Filed 2-8-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P