[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 248 (Friday, December 27, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71378-71379]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-27890]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

    The Department of Commerce will submit to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of 
information under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 
U.S.C. Chapter 35).
    Agency: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
    Title: Basic Requirements for Special Exception Permits and 
Authorizations to Take, Import, and Export Marine Mammals, Threatened 
and Endangered Species, and for Maintaining a Captive Marine Mammal 
Inventory Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Fur Seal Act, 
and/or the Endangered Species Act.
    OMB Control Number: 0648-0084.
    Form Number(s): 89-880, 89-881, 89-882.
    Type of Request: Regular (revision of a currently approved 
collection).
    Number of Respondents: 963.
    Average Hours per Response: The estimated average amount of time it 
takes to complete each information collection instrument is as follows. 
Scientific research permit applications, 50 hours; public display 
permit applications, 50 hours; photography permit applications, 10 
hours; General Authorization Letters of Intent, 10 hours; major permit 
modification requests, 35 hours; minor permit modification requests, 3 
hours; scientific research permit reports, 12 hours; scientific 
research parts only permit reports, 8 hours; General Authorization 
reports, 8 hours; public display permit reports, 2 hours; photography 
permit reports, 2 hours; public display inventory reporting, 2 hours; 
and general record keeping, 2 hours per each type.
    Burden Hours: 6,771.
    Needs and Uses: The Marine Mammal Protection Act (16 U.S.C. 1361 et 
seq.; MMPA), Fur Seal Act (16 U.S.C. 1151 et seq.; FSA), and Endangered 
Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.; ESA) prohibit certain activities 
affecting marine mammals and endangered and threatened species, with 
exceptions. Pursuant to Section 104 of the MMPA and Section 10(a)(1)(A) 
of the ESA, special exception permits may be obtained for scientific 
research and enhancing the survival or recovery of a species or stock 
of marine mammals or endangered or threatened species.

[[Page 71379]]

Section 104 of the MMPA also provides for Letters of Confirmation under 
a General Authorization for scientific research and permits for 
commercial and educational photography of marine mammals that involve 
only Level B harassment of marine mammals; permits for capture and/or 
import of marine mammals for public display; and inventory reporting 
pertaining to marine mammals in public display facilities.
    The regulations pertaining to permits and associated reporting 
requirements under the MMPA and FSA are at 50 CFR part 216; the 
regulations for permit requirements under the ESA are at 50 CFR part 
222. The required information in this collection is used to make the 
determinations required by the MMPA, FSA, ESA and their implementing 
regulations prior to issuing a permit; to establish appropriate permit 
conditions; to evaluate the impacts of the proposed activity on 
protected species; and, to ensure compliance with the Acts. The marine 
mammal inventory forms ensure compliance with MMPA reporting 
requirements and allow NMFS to maintain the National Inventory of 
Marine Mammals (NIMM), as required by the MMPA.
    This information collection applies to certain protected species 
for which NMFS is responsible: Cetaceans (whales, dolphins and 
porpoises) and pinnipeds (seals and sea lions); and, for ESA scientific 
research and enhancement permits: Sawfish (largetooth and smalltooth), 
sea turtles (in water), sturgeon (Atlantic and shortnose), and certain 
foreign ESA-listed species. This information collection may be used for 
future ESA-listed species.
    Affected Public: Individuals; Business or other for-profit 
organizations; Not-for-profit institutions; State, Local, or Tribal 
government; Federal government.
    Frequency: Permit applications, once every five or ten years; 
permit reports, annually or more frequently if incidents occur; 
amendments and modifications to permits, as frequently as requested by 
permit holders; public display inventory reporting, 15 days prior to 
transporting or transferring marine mammals and 30 days after the date 
of birth or death of a marine mammal.
    Respondent's Obligation: $986.
    This information collection request may be viewed at reginfo.gov. 
Follow the instructions to view Department of Commerce collections 
currently under review by OMB.
    Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information 
collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice 
to [email protected] or fax to (202) 395-5806.

Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2019-27890 Filed 12-26-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P