[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 201 (Tuesday, October 18, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64374-64375]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-26866]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R1-ES-2011-N201; 10120-1113-0000-F5]


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Recovery Permit 
Application

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), invite the 
public to comment on the following application for a recovery permit to 
conduct enhancement of survival activities with endangered species. The 
Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), prohibits activities 
with endangered species unless a Federal permit allows such activity. 
The Act also requires that we invite public comment before issuing such 
permits.

DATES: To ensure consideration, please send your written comments by 
November 17, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Endangered Species Program Manager, Ecological Services, 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Pacific Regional Office, 911 NE 11th 
Avenue, Portland, OR 97232-4181. Please refer to the permit number for 
the application when submitting comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Grant Canterbury, Fish and Wildlife 
Biologist, at the above address or by telephone (503-231-2071) or fax 
(503-231-6243).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) prohibits activities with 
endangered and threatened species unless a Federal permit allows such 
activity. Along with our implementing regulations in the Code of 
Federal Regulations (CFR) at 50 CFR 17, the Act provides for permits, 
and requires that we invite public comment before issuing these 
permits.
    A permit granted by us under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Act 
authorizes the permittee to conduct activities with U.S. endangered or 
threatened species for scientific purposes, enhancement of propagation 
or survival, or interstate commerce. Our regulations implementing 
section 10(a)(1)(A) for these permits are found at 50 CFR 17.22 for 
endangered wildlife species, 50 CFR 17.32 for threatened wildlife 
species, 50 CFR 17.62 for endangered plant species, and 50 CFR 17.72 
for threatened plant species.

Application Available for Review and Comment

    We invite local, State, and Federal agencies, and the public to 
comment on the following application. Please refer to the appropriate 
permit number for the application when submitting comments.
    Documents and other information submitted with this application are 
available for review, subject to the requirements of the Privacy Act (5 
U.S.C. 552a) and Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552).

Permit Number: TE-003483

Applicant: U.S. Geological Survey, Pacific Island Ecosystem Research 
Center, Honolulu, Hawaii.

    The permittee requests an amendment to an existing permit to take 
(capture; band; collect blood, ectoparasites, fecal samples, feather 
samples, and tissue scrapings of lesions; measure, and release) the 
Maui akepa (Loxops coccineus ochraceus), small Kauai thrush (Myadestes 
palmeri), and Kauai creeper (Oreomystis bairdi); and take (capture; 
band; collect blood, ectoparasites, fecal samples, feather samples, and 
tissue scrapings of lesions; measure, attach radio transmitters, 
release, and search for and monitor nests) the akiapolaau (Hemignathus 
munroi), Hawaii akepa (Loxops coccineus coccineus), and Hawaii creeper 
(Oreomystis mana) in conjunction with monitoring and population studies 
on the islands of Hawaii and Kauai in the State of Hawaii, for the 
purpose of enhancing the species' survival.
    The existing permit currently covers limited take of the following 
species:
    Palila (Loxioides bailleui),
    Laysan duck (Anas laysanensis),
    Hawaiian hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus semotus),
    Nene (Branta sandvicensis).
    The existing permit also currently covers removal and reduction to 
possession of the following species:
    Cyrtandra giffardii (haiwale),
    Melicope zahlbruckneri (alani),
    Nothocestrum breviflorum (aiea),
    Phyllostegia parviflora var. glabriuscula (no common name),

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    Pleomele hawaiiensis (hala pepe),
    Portulaca sclerocarpa (poe),
    Sesbania tomentosa (ohai).

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

    In compliance with NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), we have made an 
initial determination that the proposed activities in this permit are 
categorically excluded from the requirement to prepare an environmental 
assessment or environmental impact statement (516 DM 6 Appendix 1, 
1.4C(1)).

Public Availability of Comments

    All comments and materials we receive in response to this request 
will be available for public inspection, by appointment, during normal 
business hours at the address listed in the ADDRESSES section of this 
notice.
    Before including your address, phone number, email 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.

Authority

    We provide this notice under section 10 of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 
et seq.)

    Dated: October 7, 2011.
Richard R. Hannan,
Acting Regional Director, Pacific Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-26866 Filed 10-17-11; 8:45 am]
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