80_FR_57923 80 FR 57737 - Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fishery Management Council Freedom of Information Act Requests Regulations; Technical Amendments to Regulations

80 FR 57737 - Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fishery Management Council Freedom of Information Act Requests Regulations; Technical Amendments to Regulations

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 186 (September 25, 2015)

Page Range57737-57738
FR Document2015-24364

NMFS is hereby making technical amendments without altering the substance of the regulations governing the operation of Regional Fishery Management Councils (Councils) under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). The intent of this action is to update existing Council regulations to reflect the current procedure for processing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests received by Councils. These changes will make our rules more internally consistent and easier to use.

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 186 (Friday, September 25, 2015)
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 186 (Friday, September 25, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 57737-57738]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-24364]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

50 CFR Part 600

[Docket No. 141212999-5843-01]
RIN 0648-BE73


Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Fishery Management Council 
Freedom of Information Act Requests Regulations; Technical Amendments 
to Regulations

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

ACTION: Final rule; technical amendments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: NMFS is hereby making technical amendments without altering 
the substance of the regulations governing the operation of Regional 
Fishery Management Councils (Councils) under the Magnuson-Stevens 
Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). The 
intent of this action is to update existing Council regulations to 
reflect the current procedure for processing Freedom of Information Act 
(FOIA) requests received by Councils. These changes will make our rules 
more internally consistent and easier to use.

DATES: This final rule is effective October 26, 2015.

ADDRESSES: 1315 East West Highway, SSMC3, Room #10843, Silver Spring, 
MD 20910.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steven Goodman at 301-427-8732, 
steven.goodman@noaa.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Recently, the Department of Commerce (DOC) published a proposed 
rule and a final rule in the Federal Register (79 FR 11025, February 
27, 2014; 79 FR 62553, October 20, 2014) implementing revisions to DOC 
FOIA regulations. The DOC FOIA regulations were revised to clarify, 
update and streamline the language of several procedural provisions, 
including using FOIAonline, a web-based tracking and processing tool 
for FOIA requests. NOAA now uses FOIAonline to receive, securely manage 
and respond to FOIA requests submitted by the public.
    NMFS has existing regulations for handling FOIA requests received 
by the Councils entitled ``Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 
requests.'' 50 CFR 600.155. These regulations provide that the NOAA 
FOIA Officer will prepare a Form CD-244, ``FOIA Request and Action 
Record,'' for FOIA requests received by a Council.

Corrections

    NMFS is revising regulations at Sec.  600.155(a) and (b) to reflect 
the use of FOIAonline. This action specifically amends the regulations 
to remove the requirement to prepare a Form CD-244 and to clarify that, 
after FOIA requests received by a Council are coordinated with the 
appropriate NMFS Regional Office (Region), the Region then forwards the 
request to the NOAA FOIA officer who enters the FOIA request into 
FOIAonline. No other changes are being considered or implemented.

Classification

    The NMFS Assistant Administrator has determined that this rule is 
consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and 
Management Act and other applicable laws.
    This rule has been determined to be not significant for purposes of 
Executive Order 12866.
    This rule pertains solely to agency procedure and corrects existing 
regulations to reflect the current practice for processing FOIA 
requests received by a Council. It makes no changes to the substantive 
legal rights, obligations, or interests of affected parties. This rule 
therefore is a ``rule of agency organization, procedure or practice'' 
and is therefore exempt from the notice-and-comment requirements of the 
Administrative Procedure Act at 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(A).

[[Page 57738]]

List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 600

    Administrative practice and procedure, Confidential business 
information, Fisheries, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    Dated: September 21, 2015.
Samuel D. Rauch III,
Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs, National Marine 
Fisheries Service.

    For the reasons set out in the preamble, NMFS amends 50 CFR part 
600 as follows:

PART 600--MAGNUSON-STEVENS ACT PROVISIONS

0
1. The authority citation for part 600 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  5 U.S.C 561 and 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.


0
2. Section 600.155 is revised to read as follows:


Sec.  600.155  Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.

    (a) FOIA requests received by a Council should be coordinated 
promptly with the appropriate NMFS Regional Office. The Region will 
forward the request to the NOAA FOIA Officer to secure a FOIA number 
and log the request into FOIAonline. The Region will also obtain 
clearance from the NOAA General Counsel's Office concerning initial 
determination for denial of requested information.
    (b) FOIA request processing will be controlled and documented in 
the Region. The requests should be forwarded to the NOAA FOIA Officer 
who will enter the request into FOIAonline. The request will be 
assigned an official FOIA number and due date. In the event the Region 
determines that the requested information is exempt from disclosure, in 
full or in part, under the FOIA, the denial letter prepared for the 
Assistant Administrator's signature, along with the ``Foreseeable 
Harm'' Memo and list of documents to be withheld, must be cleared 
through the NMFS FOIA Liaison. Upon completion, a copy of the signed 
letter transmitting the information to the requester should be posted 
to FOIAonline by NMFS.

[FR Doc. 2015-24364 Filed 9-24-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-22-P



                                                                  Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 186 / Friday, September 25, 2015 / Rules and Regulations                                                    57737

                                                                                                                                                                                                       Date certain
                                                                                                                                                                                                    federal assistance
                                                                                                        Community      Effective date authorization/cancellation of      Current effective
                                                               State and Location                                                                                                                       no longer
                                                                                                           No.            sale of flood insurance in community              map date                     available
                                                                                                                                                                                                        in SFHAs

                                                Herberg, Township of, Traill County .............          380621     September 25, 1978, Emerg; August 5,               ......do ...............      Do.
                                                                                                                        1986, Reg; October 16, 2015, Susp.
                                                Kelso, Township of, Traill County .................        380644     April 11, 1980, Emerg; August 5, 1986,             ......do ...............      Do.
                                                                                                                        Reg; October 16, 2015, Susp.
                                                Mandan, City of, Morton County ..................          380072     April 4, 1974, Emerg; September 30, 1987,          ......do ...............      Do.
                                                                                                                        Reg; October 16, 2015, Susp.
                                                Mercer County, Unincorporated Areas .........              380294     October 20, 1993, Emerg; May 4, 1998,              ......do ...............      Do.
                                                                                                                        Reg; October 16, 2015, Susp.
                                                Morton County, Unincorporated Areas .........              380148     September 13, 1973, Emerg; September               ......do ...............      Do.
                                                                                                                        30, 1987, Reg; October 16, 2015, Susp.
                                                Stavanger, Township of, Traill County .........            380642     February 29, 1980, Emerg; August 5, 1986,          ......do ...............      Do.
                                                                                                                        Reg; October 16, 2015, Susp.
                                                Three Affiliated Tribes, Dunn, McKenzie,                   380721     August 23, 2000, Emerg; August 19, 2010,           ......do ...............      Do.
                                                  McLean, Mercer and Mountrail Counties..                               Reg; October 16, 2015, Susp.
                                                Traill County, Unincorporated Areas ............           380130     June 30, 1997, Emerg; May 4, 1998, Reg;            ......do ...............      Do.
                                                                                                                        October 16, 2015, Susp.
                                                Zap, City of, Mercer County .........................      380068     April 7, 1975, Emerg; July 16, 1979, Reg;          ......do ...............      Do.
                                                                                                                        October 16, 2015, Susp.
                                                               Region IX
                                                Arizona: Cottonwood, City              of,   Yavapai       040096     May 5, 1975, Emerg; September 16, 1981,            ......do ...............      Do.
                                                  County.                                                              Reg; October 16, 2015, Susp.
                                                   ......* do = Ditto.
                                                   Code for reading third column: Emerg. —Emergency; Reg. —Regular; Susp. —Suspension.


                                                  Dated: September 8, 2015.                               of this action is to update existing                  and Action Record,’’ for FOIA requests
                                                Roy E. Wright                                             Council regulations to reflect the current            received by a Council.
                                                Deputy Associate Administrator, Federal                   procedure for processing Freedom of
                                                                                                                                                                Corrections
                                                Insurance and Mitigation Administration,                  Information Act (FOIA) requests
                                                Department of Homeland Security, Federal                  received by Councils. These changes                     NMFS is revising regulations at
                                                Emergency Management Agency.                              will make our rules more internally                   § 600.155(a) and (b) to reflect the use of
                                                [FR Doc. 2015–24433 Filed 9–24–15; 8:45 am]               consistent and easier to use.                         FOIAonline. This action specifically
                                                BILLING CODE 9110–12–P                                    DATES: This final rule is effective                   amends the regulations to remove the
                                                                                                          October 26, 2015.                                     requirement to prepare a Form CD–244
                                                                                                          ADDRESSES: 1315 East West Highway,                    and to clarify that, after FOIA requests
                                                DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE                                    SSMC3, Room #10843, Silver Spring,                    received by a Council are coordinated
                                                                                                          MD 20910.                                             with the appropriate NMFS Regional
                                                National Oceanic and Atmospheric                          FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                      Office (Region), the Region then
                                                Administration                                            Steven Goodman at 301–427–8732,                       forwards the request to the NOAA FOIA
                                                                                                          steven.goodman@noaa.gov.                              officer who enters the FOIA request into
                                                50 CFR Part 600                                                                                                 FOIAonline. No other changes are being
                                                                                                          SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                                                [Docket No. 141212999–5843–01]                                                                                  considered or implemented.
                                                                                                          Background
                                                RIN 0648–BE73                                                                                                   Classification
                                                                                                             Recently, the Department of
                                                                                                          Commerce (DOC) published a proposed                     The NMFS Assistant Administrator
                                                Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions;                                                                                has determined that this rule is
                                                Fishery Management Council Freedom                        rule and a final rule in the Federal
                                                                                                          Register (79 FR 11025, February 27,                   consistent with the Magnuson-Stevens
                                                of Information Act Requests                                                                                     Fishery Conservation and Management
                                                Regulations; Technical Amendments                         2014; 79 FR 62553, October 20, 2014)
                                                                                                          implementing revisions to DOC FOIA                    Act and other applicable laws.
                                                to Regulations                                                                                                    This rule has been determined to be
                                                                                                          regulations. The DOC FOIA regulations
                                                AGENCY:  National Marine Fisheries                        were revised to clarify, update and                   not significant for purposes of Executive
                                                Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and                      streamline the language of several                    Order 12866.
                                                Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),                        procedural provisions, including using                  This rule pertains solely to agency
                                                Commerce.                                                 FOIAonline, a web-based tracking and                  procedure and corrects existing
                                                ACTION: Final rule; technical                             processing tool for FOIA requests.                    regulations to reflect the current
                                                amendments.                                               NOAA now uses FOIAonline to receive,                  practice for processing FOIA requests
                                                                                                          securely manage and respond to FOIA                   received by a Council. It makes no
                                                SUMMARY: NMFS is hereby making                            requests submitted by the public.                     changes to the substantive legal rights,
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                                                technical amendments without altering                        NMFS has existing regulations for                  obligations, or interests of affected
                                                the substance of the regulations                          handling FOIA requests received by the                parties. This rule therefore is a ‘‘rule of
                                                governing the operation of Regional                       Councils entitled ‘‘Freedom of                        agency organization, procedure or
                                                Fishery Management Councils                               Information Act (FOIA) requests.’’ 50                 practice’’ and is therefore exempt from
                                                (Councils) under the Magnuson-Stevens                     CFR 600.155. These regulations provide                the notice-and-comment requirements
                                                Fishery Conservation and Management                       that the NOAA FOIA Officer will                       of the Administrative Procedure Act at
                                                Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act). The intent                    prepare a Form CD–244, ‘‘FOIA Request                 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(A).


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                                                57738            Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 186 / Friday, September 25, 2015 / Rules and Regulations

                                                List of Subjects in 50 CFR Part 600                     DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE                                SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

                                                  Administrative practice and                           National Oceanic and Atmospheric                      Background
                                                procedure, Confidential business                        Administration                                           In the 2015 annual management
                                                information, Fisheries, Reporting and                                                                         measures for ocean salmon fisheries (80
                                                recordkeeping requirements.                             50 CFR Part 660                                       FR 25611, May 5, 2015), NMFS
                                                  Dated: September 21, 2015.                                                                                  announced the commercial and
                                                                                                        [Docket No. 150316270–5270–01]
                                                                                                                                                              recreational fisheries in the area from
                                                Samuel D. Rauch III,                                    RIN 0648–XE187                                        the U.S./Canada border to the U.S./
                                                Deputy Assistant Administrator for                                                                            Mexico border, beginning May 1, 2015,
                                                Regulatory Programs, National Marine                    Fisheries Off West Coast States;                      and 2016 salmon fisheries opening
                                                Fisheries Service.                                      Modifications of the West Coast                       earlier than May 1, 2016. NMFS is
                                                                                                        Commercial and Recreational Salmon                    authorized to implement inseason
                                                  For the reasons set out in the                        Fisheries; Inseason Actions #30
                                                preamble, NMFS amends 50 CFR part                                                                             management actions to modify fishing
                                                                                                        Through #36                                           seasons and quotas as necessary to
                                                600 as follows:
                                                                                                        AGENCY:  National Marine Fisheries                    provide fishing opportunity while
                                                PART 600—MAGNUSON-STEVENS                               Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and                  meeting management objectives for the
                                                ACT PROVISIONS                                          Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),                    affected species (50 CFR 660.409).
                                                                                                        Commerce.                                             Inseason actions in the salmon fishery
                                                ■ 1. The authority citation for part 600                ACTION: Modification of fishing seasons;
                                                                                                                                                              may be taken directly by NMFS (50 CFR
                                                                                                        request for comments.                                 660.409(a)—Fixed inseason
                                                continues to read as follows:
                                                                                                                                                              management provisions) or upon
                                                   Authority: 5 U.S.C 561 and 16 U.S.C. 1801            SUMMARY: NMFS announces seven                         consultation with the Pacific Fishery
                                                et seq.                                                 inseason actions in the ocean salmon                  Management Council (Council) and the
                                                                                                        fisheries. These inseason actions                     appropriate State Directors (50 CFR
                                                ■ 2. Section 600.155 is revised to read                                                                       660.409(b)—Flexible inseason
                                                                                                        modified the commercial and
                                                as follows:                                                                                                   management provisions). The state
                                                                                                        recreational salmon fisheries in the area
                                                § 600.155 Freedom of Information Act                    from the U.S./Canada border to Cape                   management agencies that participated
                                                (FOIA) requests.                                        Falcon, OR.                                           in the consultations described in this
                                                                                                        DATES: The effective dates for the                    document were: Oregon Department of
                                                  (a) FOIA requests received by a                                                                             Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) and
                                                                                                        inseason actions are set out in this
                                                Council should be coordinated                           document under the heading Inseason                   Washington Department of Fish and
                                                promptly with the appropriate NMFS                      Actions. Comments will be accepted                    Wildlife (WDFW).
                                                Regional Office. The Region will                        through October 13, 2015.                                Management of the salmon fisheries is
                                                forward the request to the NOAA FOIA                    ADDRESSES: You may submit comments,                   generally divided into two geographic
                                                Officer to secure a FOIA number and log                 identified by NOAA–NMFS–2015–0001,                    areas: north of Cape Falcon (U.S./
                                                the request into FOIAonline. The Region                 by any one of the following methods:                  Canada border to Cape Falcon, OR) and
                                                will also obtain clearance from the                        • Electronic Submissions: Submit all               south of Cape Falcon (Cape Falcon, OR,
                                                NOAA General Counsel’s Office                           electronic public comments via the                    to the U.S./Mexico border). The
                                                concerning initial determination for                    Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to                     inseason actions reported in this
                                                denial of requested information.                        www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=                 document affect fisheries north of Cape
                                                                                                        NOAA-NMFS-2015-0001, click the                        Falcon. The north of Cape Falcon area
                                                  (b) FOIA request processing will be
                                                                                                        ‘‘Comment Now!’’ icon, complete the                   is further subdivided into four
                                                controlled and documented in the
                                                                                                        required fields, and enter or attach your             management subareas: Neah Bay
                                                Region. The requests should be                                                                                Subarea (U.S./Canada border to Cape
                                                forwarded to the NOAA FOIA Officer                      comments.
                                                                                                           • Mail: William W. Stelle, Jr.,                    Alava, WA), La Push Subarea (Cape
                                                who will enter the request into                                                                               Alava, WA, to Queets River, WA),
                                                FOIAonline. The request will be                         Regional Administrator, West Coast
                                                                                                        Region, NMFS, 7600 Sand Point Way                     Westport Subarea (Queets River, WA, to
                                                assigned an official FOIA number and                                                                          Leadbetter Point, WA), and Columbia
                                                                                                        NE., Seattle WA 98115–6349.
                                                due date. In the event the Region                          Instructions: Comments sent by any                 River Subarea (Leadbetter Point, WA, to
                                                determines that the requested                           other method, to any other address or                 Cape Falcon, OR). All times mentioned
                                                information is exempt from disclosure,                  individual, or received after the end of              refer to Pacific daylight time.
                                                in full or in part, under the FOIA, the                 the comment period, may not be
                                                denial letter prepared for the Assistant                                                                      Inseason Actions
                                                                                                        considered by NMFS. All comments
                                                Administrator’s signature, along with                   received are a part of the public record              Inseason Action #30
                                                the ‘‘Foreseeable Harm’’ Memo and list                  and will generally be posted for public                 Description of action: Inseason action
                                                of documents to be withheld, must be                    viewing on www.regulations.gov                        #30 reduced the landing and possession
                                                cleared through the NMFS FOIA                           without change. All personal identifying              limit for Chinook salmon in the
                                                Liaison. Upon completion, a copy of the                 information (e.g., name, address, etc.),              commercial salmon fishery north of
                                                signed letter transmitting the                          confidential business information, or                 Cape Falcon from 40 to 35 Chinook
                                                information to the requester should be                  otherwise sensitive information                       salmon per vessel per open period. This
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                                                posted to FOIAonline by NMFS.                           submitted voluntarily by the sender will              action superseded inseason action #29
                                                [FR Doc. 2015–24364 Filed 9–24–15; 8:45 am]             be publicly accessible. NMFS will                     (80 FR 53015, September 2, 2015).
                                                BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
                                                                                                        accept anonymous comments (enter                        Effective dates: Inseason action #30
                                                                                                        ‘‘N/A’’ in the required fields if you wish            took effect on August 28, 2015, and
                                                                                                        to remain anonymous).                                 remained in effect until superseded by
                                                                                                        FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                      inseason action #34 on September 4,
                                                                                                        Peggy Mundy at 206–526–4323.                          2015.


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Document Created: 2018-02-26 10:19:54
Document Modified: 2018-02-26 10:19:54
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionRules and Regulations
ActionFinal rule; technical amendments.
DatesThis final rule is effective October 26, 2015.
ContactSteven Goodman at 301-427-8732, [email protected]
FR Citation80 FR 57737 
RIN Number0648-BE73
CFR AssociatedAdministrative Practice and Procedure; Confidential Business Information; Fisheries and Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements

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