[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 199 (Tuesday, October 14, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60709-60710]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-24251]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R3-ES-2008-N0252; 30120-1113-0000-F6]


Endangered and Threatened Species Permit Applications

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of permit applications; request for 
comments.

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SUMMARY: The following applicants have applied for permits to conduct 
certain activities with endangered species.

DATES: We must receive written comments on or before November 13, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to the Regional Director, Attn: Peter 
Fasbender, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services, 1 
Federal Drive, Fort Snelling, MN 55111-4056; electronic mail, 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Fasbender (612) 713-5343.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

[[Page 60710]]

Endangered Species

    The Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
seq. ) (Act), with some exceptions, prohibits activities affecting 
endangered species unless authorized by a permit from the Fish and 
Wildlife Service. Before issuing a permit, we invite public comment on 
it. Accordingly, we invite public comment on the following applicants' 
permit applications for certain activities with endangered species 
authorized by section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Act and the regulations 
governing the taking of endangered species (50 CFR 17). Submit your 
written data, comments, or request for a copy of the complete 
application to the address shown in ADDRESSES.

Permit Number: TE187501

Applicant: Hocking College, Nelsonville, Ohio.

    The applicant requests a permit to take Indiana bats (Myotis 
sodalis) throughout the State of Ohio in conjunction with the Ohio 
Department of Transportation roadway projects. The applicant requests 
authorization to conduct presence/absence surveys; assess habitat 
characteristics associated with foraging, roosting and rearing of 
offspring; and evaluate the ecology of adult and juvenile bats. 
Proposed ``take'' is in the form of capturing, handling, and 
radiotagging. Proposed research activities are aimed at enhancement of 
recovery of the species in the wild.

Permit Number: TE191225

Applicant: Kathleen A. Dunlap, Columbus, Ohio.

    The applicant requests a permit to take Indiana bats (Myotis 
sodalis) throughout the States of Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky, 
and West Virginia. The activities proposed involve capture using mist 
nets and harp traps and marking of individual bats to identify 
populations of this listed species and to develop methods to minimize 
or avoid project-related impacts. Applicant seeks to provide site 
assessments and pre-construction surveys for projects such as highway 
and other development projects. Survey data are used to assist with 
development of project design features aimed at enhancement of survival 
of the species in the wild.

Permit Number: TE838715

Applicant: The Nature Conservancy, Swanton, Ohio.
    The applicant requests a renewal of their permit to take Karner 
blue butterflies (Lycaeides melissa samuelis) at the Kitty Todd Nature 
Preserve in Northwest Ohio. The activities proposed involve habitat 
management in the form of prescribed burning, mowing, exotic species 
control, woody plant control, establishment of oaks, and management of 
plant community succession. Specified habitat management activities are 
proposed to enhance the survival of this disturbance-dependent species 
in the wild.

Permit Number: TE192348

Applicant: USDA-U.S. Forest Service, Mark Twain National Forest, Rolla, 
Missouri.
    The applicant requests a permit to take (harass) Indiana bats 
(Myotis sodalis), Gray bats (Myotis grisescens), and Ozark big-eared 
bats (Corynorhinus townscendii ingens). The applicant proposes to 
survey and inventory cave resources throughout the Mark Twain National 
Forest. Disturbance to bats may occur while entering these caves. No 
direct handling of bats is proposed; disturbance may occur through 
temporary arousal of hibernating bats. Activities are proposed to 
enhance the survival of the species in the wild by providing biological 
data regarding status of bats within cave resources in the forest.

Permit Number: TE193614

Applicant: Mainstream Commercial Divers, Inc., Murray, Kentucky.
    The applicant requests a permit renewal to take listed mussel 
species throughout Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, 
Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, 
Pennsylvania, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Activities 
include diving surveys to determine presence/absence of listed species 
involving capture and temporary holding of specimens for identification 
purposes. Data collected will assist entities involved in construction 
projects, such as bridge projects and others, in implementing measures 
to protect species in the design of their projects. Therefore, the 
scientific research is aimed at enhancement of survival of the species 
in the wild.

Permit Number: TE194099

Applicant: Dr. Michael A. Hoggarth, Otterbein College, Westerville, 
Ohio.
    The applicant requests a permit renewal to take listed mussel 
species throughout the State of Ohio. Take activities include surveys 
to determine presence/absence and to monitor populations of listed 
species. This involves capture, temporary holding of specimens, and 
release at or near the location of capture. Status surveys and 
monitoring data collected will assist the State Wildlife Agency and the 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in recovery activities for the species. 
Therefore, the scientific research is aimed at enhancement of survival 
of the species in the wild.

Permit Number: TE195082

Applicant: Dr. Thomas E. Tomasi, Missouri State University, 
Springfield, Missouri.
    The applicant requests a permit renewal to take Indiana bats 
(Myotis sodalis) and Gray bats (Myotis grisescens) in selected 
locations within New York, Pennsylvania, and Missouri. While these 
endangered bats are not the direct subject of the research, take is 
possible in the form of disturbance to hibernation by arousal while 
conducting pathology studies for little brown bats. Data collected will 
assist in the study of an apparent disease epidemic (white nose 
syndrome) in the bat community. Through collection of important 
epidemiological data, this scientific research is aimed at enhancement 
of survival of the species in the wild.

Public Comments

    We solicit public review and comments on these permit applications. 
Please refer to the permit number when you submit comments. Comments 
and materials we receive are available for public inspection, by 
appointment, during normal business hours at the address shown in the 
ADDRESSES section. Before including your address, phone number, e-mail 
address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you 
should be aware that your entire comment--including your personal 
identifying information-may be made publicly available at any time. 
While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal 
identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we 
will be able to do so.

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

    In compliance with NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), we have made an 
initial determination that the activities proposed in these permits are 
categorically excluded from the requirement to prepare an environmental 
assessment or environmental impact statement.

    Dated: September 22, 2008.
Lynn M. Lewis,
Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, Region 3, Fort 
Snelling, Minnesota.
 [FR Doc. E8-24251 Filed 10-10-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P