2022-24645. Marine Mammals and Endangered Species

AGENCY:

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION:

Notice; issuance of permits, permit amendments, and permit modifications.

SUMMARY:

Notice is hereby given that permits, permit amendments, and permit modifications have been issued to the following entities 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 [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Amy Hapeman (Permit Nos. 26268 and 26329), Shasta McClenahan, Ph.D., (No. 21422-01, 25987, 26594, 26596, and 26602), Erin Markin, Ph.D., (Permit Nos. 20528-04 and 25818), Courtney Smith, Ph.D. (Permit Nos. 20648-02 and 26614), and Sara Young (Permit No. 26532); at [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Notices were published in the Federal Register on the dates listed below that requests for a permit, permit amendment, or permit modification had been submitted by the below-named applicants. To locate the Federal Register notice that announced our receipt of the application and a complete description of the activities, go to www.federalregister.gov and search on the permit number provided in Table 1 below.

Table 1—Issued Permits, Permit Amendments, and Permit Modifications

Permit No.	RTID	Applicant	Previous Federal Register Notice	Issuance date
20528-04	0648-XC354	South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, 217 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, SC 29412 (Responsible Party: Bill Post)	87 FR 56002, September 13, 2022	October 31, 2022.
20648-02	0648-XC126	Heidi Pearson, Ph.D., University of Alaska—Southeast, 11120 Glacier Hwy, AND1, Juneau, AK 99801	87 FR 41291, July 12, 2022	October 28, 2022.
21422-01	0648-XC100	James Lloyd-Smith, Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles, 610 Charles E. Young Dr. South, Box 723905, Los Angeles, CA 90095	82 FR 48985, October 23, 2017	October 24, 2022.
25818	0648-XC238	Paul Jobsis, Ph.D., University of the Virgin Islands, Center for Marine and Environmental Studies, 2 John Brewers Bay, St. Thomas, VI 00802	87 FR 48157, August 8, 2022	October 25, 2022.
25987	0648-XC239	James Darling, Ph.D., Whale Trust, P.O. Box 384, Tofino, BC V0R2Z0, Canada	87 FR 47985, August 5, 2022	October 26, 2022.
26268	0648-XC209	Kate Mansfield, Ph.D., University of Central Florida, Biology, 4000 Central Florida Blvd. Bldg 20, Room 301, Orlando, FL 32816	87 FR 45761, July 29, 2022	October 19, 2022.
26329	0648-XC195	Brandon Southall, Ph.D., Southall Environmental Associates, Inc., 9099 Soquel Drive, Suite 8, Aptos, CA 95076	87 FR 43501, July 21, 2022	October 21, 2022.
26532	0648-XC279	The Marine Mammal Center, 2000 Bunker Road, Sausalito, CA 94965 (Responsible Party: Dominic Travis)	87 FR 51060, August 19, 2022	October 31, 2022.
26596	0648-XC295	Robin Baird, Ph.D., Cascadia Research Collective, 2181/2 West Fourth Avenue, Olympia, WA 98501	87 FR 51969, August 24, 2022	October 31, 2022.
26602	0648-XC313	Alison Stimpert, Ph.D., Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, 8272 Moss Landing Rd, Moss Landing, CA 95039	87 FR 52749, August 29, 2022	October 28, 2022.
26614	0648-XC198	Craig Matkin, North Gulf Oceanic Society, 3430 Main St. Suite B1, Homer, AK 99603	87 FR 47722, August 4, 2022	October 28, 2022.
26954	0648-XC312	Ann Zoidis, Cetos Research Organization, 51 Kebo Ridge Road, Bar Harbor, ME 04609	87 FR 52752, August 29, 2022	October 26, 2022.

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), a final determination has been made that the activities proposed are categorically excluded from the requirement to prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement.

As required by the ESA, as applicable, issuance of these permit 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.

Authority: 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 through 226), as applicable.

Dated: November 7, 2022.

Julia M. Harrison,

Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.