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    <RIN_INFO>
        <RIN>0648-AR99</RIN>
        <PUBLICATION>
            <PUBLICATION_ID>200904</PUBLICATION_ID>
            <PUBLICATION_TITLE>Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions</PUBLICATION_TITLE>
        </PUBLICATION>
        <AGENCY>
            <CODE>0648</CODE>
            <NAME>National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</NAME>
            <ACRONYM>NOAA</ACRONYM>
        </AGENCY>
        <PARENT_AGENCY>
            <CODE>0600</CODE>
            <NAME>Department of Commerce</NAME>
            <ACRONYM>DOC</ACRONYM>
        </PARENT_AGENCY>
        <RULE_TITLE>Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Navy Low-Frequency Sonar Operations</RULE_TITLE>
        <ABSTRACT><![CDATA[The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) amends its regulations governing the taking of marine mammals incidental to operations of the U.S. Navy's SURTASS LFA sonar to implement provisions of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2004 (NDAA).  The President signed into law the NDAA (P.L. 108-136) on November 24, 2003.  Included in this law were amendments to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) that apply where a "military readiness activity" is concerned.  NMFS and the Navy have determined that the Navy's SURTASS LFA sonar testing and training operations that are the subject of NMFS' July 16, 2002 (67 FR 46712) final rule constitute a military readiness activity because those activities constitute "training and operations of the Armed Forces that relate to combat" and constitute "adequate and realistic testing of military equipment, vehicles, weapons and sensors for proper operation and suitability for combat use."]]></ABSTRACT>
        <PRIORITY_CATEGORY>Other Significant</PRIORITY_CATEGORY>
        <RIN_STATUS>Previously Published in The Unified Agenda</RIN_STATUS>
        <RULE_STAGE>Final Rule Stage</RULE_STAGE>
        <MAJOR>No</MAJOR>
        <UNFUNDED_MANDATE_LIST>
            <UNFUNDED_MANDATE>No</UNFUNDED_MANDATE>
        </UNFUNDED_MANDATE_LIST>
        <CFR_LIST>
            <CFR>50 CFR 216</CFR>
        </CFR_LIST>
        <LEGAL_AUTHORITY_LIST>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>16 USC 1371 et seq</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
        </LEGAL_AUTHORITY_LIST>
        <LEGAL_DLINE_LIST/>
        <RPLAN_ENTRY>No</RPLAN_ENTRY>
        <TIMETABLE_LIST>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>NPRM</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>06/29/2004</TTBL_DATE>
                <FR_CITATION>69 FR 38873</FR_CITATION>
            </TIMETABLE>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>NPRM Comment Period End</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>07/29/2004</TTBL_DATE>
            </TIMETABLE>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>Final Action</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>04/00/2009</TTBL_DATE>
            </TIMETABLE>
        </TIMETABLE_LIST>
        <RFA_REQUIRED>No</RFA_REQUIRED>
        <SMALL_ENTITY_LIST>
            <SMALL_ENTITY>No</SMALL_ENTITY>
        </SMALL_ENTITY_LIST>
        <GOVT_LEVEL_LIST>
            <GOVT_LEVEL>Federal</GOVT_LEVEL>
        </GOVT_LEVEL_LIST>
        <FEDERALISM>No</FEDERALISM>
        <ENERGY_AFFECTED>No</ENERGY_AFFECTED>
        <PRINT_PAPER>No</PRINT_PAPER>
        <INTERNATIONAL_INTEREST>No</INTERNATIONAL_INTEREST>
        <AGENCY_CONTACT_LIST>
            <CONTACT>
                <FIRST_NAME>Kenneth</FIRST_NAME>
                <LAST_NAME>Hollingshead</LAST_NAME>
                <MIDDLE_NAME>R.</MIDDLE_NAME>
                <TITLE>Fishery Biologist</TITLE>
                <AGENCY>
                    <CODE>0648</CODE>
                    <NAME>National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration</NAME>
                    <ACRONYM>NOAA</ACRONYM>
                </AGENCY>
                <PHONE>301 713-2055</PHONE>
                <PHONE_EXT>128</PHONE_EXT>
                <EMAIL>ken.hollingshead@noaa.gov</EMAIL>
                <MAILING_ADDRESS>
                    <STREET_ADDRESS>Office of Protected Resources, 1315 East-West Highway,</STREET_ADDRESS>
                    <CITY>Silver Spring</CITY>
                    <STATE>MD</STATE>
                    <ZIP>20912</ZIP>
                </MAILING_ADDRESS>
            </CONTACT>
        </AGENCY_CONTACT_LIST>
    </RIN_INFO>
</REGINFO_RIN_DATA>
