[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 212 (Friday, November 1, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58694-58695]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-23889]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

RIN 0648-PR-A003 X


Marine Mammals; File No. 22629

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

ACTION: Notice of public hearing.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the NMFS Office of Protected 
Resources will hold a public hearing related to a permit application 
(File No. 22629) submitted by Mystic Aquarium (Responsible Party: 
Stephen M. Coan, Ph.D.) to import five beluga whales (Delphinapterus 
leucas) for scientific research purposes.

DATES: The public hearing will be held from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. (local 
time) on November 18, 2019.

ADDRESSES: The public hearing will be held in the Great Hall (1st 
Floor) at the Silver Spring Civic Center, 1 Veterans Place, Silver 
Spring, MD 20910.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy Sloan, Courtney Smith, or Jennifer 
Skidmore, (301) 427-8401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

[[Page 58695]]

Background

    On October 1, 2019, NMFS published notice of receipt of a permit 
application submitted by Mystic Aquarium to import five captive-born 
beluga whales for scientific research purposes (84 FR 52072). The 
permit application, Federal Register notice of receipt of the 
application, and information on how to submit written comments are 
available online at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/permit-application-import-5-beluga-whales-scientific-research-file-no-22629-mystic-aquarium. The public comment period ends on December 2, 2019.

Public Hearing

    The public hearing will begin with a brief presentation by NMFS 
describing the permit application and decision process. Following the 
presentation, members of the public will have the opportunity to 
provide oral comments regarding the permit application and may also 
submit written comments at the hearing. Any interested person may 
appear in person, or through representatives, and may submit any 
relevant material, data, views, or comments. A record of the hearing 
will be kept. All personal identifying information (e.g., name, 
address, etc.), confidential business information, or otherwise 
sensitive information submitted voluntarily by the commenter will be 
publicly accessible.

Reasonable Accommodations

    People needing accommodations so that they may attend and 
participate at the public hearings should submit a request for 
reasonable accommodations as soon as possible, and no later than 7 
business days prior to the hearing date, by contacting Jennifer 
Skidmore at (301) 427-8401.

    Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1374.

    Dated: October 29, 2019.
Julia Marie Harrison,
Chief, Permits and Conservation Division, Office of Protected 
Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-23889 Filed 10-31-19; 8:45 am]
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