Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Assessment for a Proposed Rule to Revise Marine Mammal Special Exception Permit Requirements

الملخص

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announces its intent to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) to analyze the potential environmental impacts of a proposed rule to revise Federal regulations implementing the Section 104 permit provisions of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.). NMFS proposes changes to the regulations to clarify existing permitting procedures and to codify procedures currently being implemented through agency policy. By this notice, NMFS requests public participation in the scoping process that will help identify alternatives and determine the scope of environmental issues to be addressed in the EA. This notice also provides information on how to participate in the scoping process.