[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 248 (Tuesday, December 27, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 80960-80961]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-33081]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R6-ES-2011-N260; FXES11130600000D2-123-FF06E00000]


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Recovery Permit 
Applications

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, invite the public to 
comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities 
with endangered or threatened species. The Endangered Species Act of 
1973, as amended (Act), prohibits activities with endangered and 
threatened species unless a Federal permit allows such activity. The 
Act also requires that we invite public comment before issuing these 
permits.

DATES: To ensure consideration, please send your written comments by 
January 26, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Kris Olsen, Permit Coordinator by U.S. mail at Ecological 
Services, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 25486-DFC, Denver, 
CO 80225, or by telephone at (303) 236-4256. Please refer to the 
respective permit number (e.g., Permit No. TE-123456) for each 
application when submitting comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kris Olsen, Permit Coordinator, 
Ecological Services, (303) 236-4256 (phone); [email protected] 
(email).

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 part 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 you to conduct activities with U.S. endangered or threatened 
species for scientific purposes, enhancement of propagation or 
survival, or interstate commerce (the latter only in the event that it 
facilitates scientific purposes or enhancement of propagation or 
survival). 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.

Applications Available for Review and Comment

    We invite local, State, and Federal agencies, and the public to 
comment on the following applications. Please refer to the appropriate 
permit number (e.g., Permit No. TE-123456) for the application when 
submitting comments.
    Documents and other information the applicants have submitted with 
these applications 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 Application Number: TE-054237

    Applicant: U.S. Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region, Lakewood, 
Colorado.
    The applicant requests renewal of an existing permit to perform the 
following recovery activities with the following species, in 
conjunction with surveys and population monitoring activities 
throughout the range of each species in Colorado, for the purpose of 
enhancing the species' survival:
    Take (harass by survey) the Preble's meadow jumping mouse (Zapus 
hudsonius preblei), the Mexican spotted owl (Strix occidentalis 
lucida), and the Southwestern willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii 
extimus); and
    Take (capture, handle, and release) the greenback cutthroat trout 
(Oncorhynchus clarki stomias).

Permit Application Number: TE-067729

    Applicant: Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas.
    The applicant requests renewal of an existing permit to perform the 
following recovery activities with the following species, in 
conjunction with surveys and population monitoring activities 
throughout the range of each species in Colorado and Kansas, for the 
purpose of enhancing the species' survival:
    Take (capture, handle, and release) the Topeka shiner (Notropis 
topeka); and
    Take (collect and kill) 100 each of hatchery-reared Colorado 
pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius) and razorback sucker (Xyrauchen 
texanus) for prey behavior trials; and
    Take (capture, PIT tag, fin clip, and release) 100 each of 
hatchery-reared Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius) and 
razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus) to determine the use and 
importance of tributaries to sustaining native fish communities in the 
San Juan River and identify potential barriers to fish passage.

Permit Application Number: TE-069300

    Applicant: Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Lincoln, Nebraska.
    The applicant requests renewal of an existing permit to take 
(capture, collect, tag, hold, and transport) the pallid sturgeon 
(Scaphirhynchus albus) in conjunction with surveys and population 
monitoring activities throughout its range in Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, 
and South Dakota, for the purpose of enhancing the species' survival.

Permit Application Number: TE-064682

    Applicant: Prairie Wildlife Research, Inc., Wellington, Colorado.
    The applicant requests renewal of an existing permit to take 
(harass by

[[Page 80961]]

survey, live trap, anesthetize, tag, collect genetic materials) the 
black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) in conjunction with surveys and 
population monitoring activities throughout its entire range, including 
Canada and Mexico, for the purpose of enhancing the species' survival.

National Environmental Policy Act

    In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 
4321 et seq.), we have made an initial determination that the proposed 
activities in these permits 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: December 13, 2011.
Michael Thabault,
Assistant Regional Director-Ecological Services, Denver, CO.
[FR Doc. 2011-33081 Filed 12-23-11; 8:45 am]
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