[Federal Register: January 16, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 9)]
[
Proposed Rules]
[Page 1689-1690]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16ja07-15]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
50 CFR Part 229
[Docket No. 060928250-6250-01; I.D. 092506A]
RIN 0648-AU90
Taking of Marine Mammals Incidental to Commercial Fishing
Operations; Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Proposed rule; reopening of public comment period.
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SUMMARY: On November 15, 2006, NMFS proposed to revise the regulations
implementing the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan (ALWTRP) by
expanding the southeast U.S. restricted area to include waters out to
35 nautical miles from the South Carolina coast and modifying
regulations pertaining to gillnetting within the southeast U.S.
restricted area. The proposed action was determined to be necessary to
protect northern right whales from serious injury or mortality from
entanglement in gillnet gear in their calving area in Atlantic Ocean
waters off the Southeastern U.S. With this notice, NMFS is reopening
the public comment period for 15 days beginning January 16, 2007.
DATES: Written comments on this proposed rule must be received by 5
p.m. EST on January 31, 2007. Comments received between the close of
the first comment period on December 15, 2006, and the reopening of the
comment period on January 16, 2007 will be considered timely received.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be identified by the Regulatory
Information Number (RIN) ``0648-AU90'' and submitted by any of the
following methods:
E-mail: sewhalerule.comments@noaa.gov. Include RIN 0648-
AU90 in the subject line of the message.
Mail: Assistant Regional Administrator for Protected
Resources, NMFS, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.
Facsimile (fax) to: 727-824-5309, Attn: Assistant Regional
Administrator, Protected Resources, NMFS.
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
[[Page 1690]]
Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name
and docket number or RIN for this proposed rulemaking.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Engleby, 727-824-5312, or Barb
Zoodsma, 904-321-2806. Individuals who use telecommunications devices
for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service at 1-
800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. eastern time, Monday through
Friday, excluding Federal holidays.
Electronic Access: Regulations and background documents for the
ALWTRP can be downloaded from the ALWTRP web site at http://
www.nero.noaa.gov/whaletrp/
.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On November 15, 2006, NMFS published a proposed rule to revise the
regulations implementing the ALWTRP by expanding the southeast U.S.
restricted area and modifying regulations pertaining to gillnetting
within the southeast U.S. restricted area (71 FR 66482). That proposed
rule allowed for a NMFS' 30-day public comment period, which ended on
December 15, 2006.
NMFS subsequently received requests from the State of North
Carolina and the Marine Mammal Commission (MMC) to extend the comment
period. These requests stated that more time is necessary for the North
Carolina public and members of the MMC to more fully review and provide
comments on the proposed rule. Therefore, NMFS is reopening the public
comment period for 15 additional days to allow additional time for
these requesters and other interested parties to provide comments while
ensuring permanent protections are in place for right whales before the
end of the calving season. In this notice, NMFS is reopening the public
comment period for 15 days from January 16, 2007 until January 31,
2007.
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.; Sec. 229.32(f) also issued
under 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.
Dated: Januaary 8, 2007.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine
Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E7-367 Filed 1-12-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S