[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 96 (Thursday, May 17, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29357-29358]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-11946]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R3-ES-2012-N111; FXES11130300000F3-123-FF03E00000]


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Permit 
Applications

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

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

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), invite the 
public to comment on the following applications to conduct certain 
activities with endangered species. With some exceptions, the 
Endangered Species Act (Act) prohibits activities with endangered and 
threatened species unless a Federal permit allows such activity. The 
Act requires that we invite public comment before issuing these 
permits.

DATES: We must receive any written comments on or before June 18, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments by U.S. mail to the Regional Director, 
Attn: Lisa Mandell, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological 
Services, 5600 American Blvd. West, Suite 990, Bloomington, MN 55437-
1458; or by electronic mail to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lisa Mandell, (612) 713-5343.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    We invite public comment on the following permit applications for 
certain activities with endangered species authorized by section 
10(a)(1)(A) of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) and our regulations 
governing the taking of endangered species in the Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR) at 50 CFR 17. Submit your written data, comments, or 
request for a copy of the complete application to the address shown in 
ADDRESSES.

Permit Applications

    Permit Application Number: TE73584A.
    Applicant: Illinois Natural History Survey, Champaign, IL.
    The applicant requests a permit to take (capture and release; 
capture and relocate) the following endangered mussel species: 
clubshell (Pleurobema clava), northern riffleshell (Epioblasma 
rangiana), orangefoot pimpleback (Plethobasus cooperianus), pink mucket 
(Lampsilis abrupta), sheepnose (Plethobasus cyphyus), spectaclecase 
(Cumberlandia monodonta), winged mapleleaf (Quadrula fragosa), fanshell 
(Cyprogenia stegaria), snuffbox (Epioblasma triquetra), Higgins' eye 
pearlymussel (Lampsilis higginsii), ring pink (Obovaria retusa), fat 
pocketbook (Potamilus capax), and rayed bean (Villosa fabalis). 
Proposed activities would occur throughout the State of Illinois, 
including presence/absence surveys and mussel relocation to enhance 
recovery of the species. Proposed activities are for the purpose of 
recovery of the species in the wild.
    Permit Application Number: TE73587A.
    Applicant: Missouri Department of Conservation, Jefferson City, MO.
    The applicant requests a permit to take the Ozark hellbender 
(Cryptobranchus alleganiensis bishopi) in Missouri for the propagation, 
augmentation, and reintroduction of the species. Proposed activities 
are for the survival and recovery of the species in the wild.
    Permit Application Number: TE73128A.
    Applicant: Malacological Consultants, LaCrosse, WI.
    The applicant requests a permit to take (capture and release; 
capture and relocate) Higgins' eye pearlymussel, fat pocketbook, winged 
mapleleaf, sheepnose, spectaclecase, scaleshell (Leptodea leptodon), 
and snuffbox mussels within the Upper Mississippi and Iowa Rivers, 
States of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois. Proposed activities 
are for the enhancement of survival and recovery of the species in the 
wild.
    Permit Application Number: TE73598A.
    Applicant: Fowler Ridge Wind Farm, LLC, Houston, TX.
    The applicant requests a permit to take (study, salvage, and 
monitor) the Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) at the

[[Page 29358]]

Fowler Ridge Wind Farm, Benton County, IN. The applicant proposes to 
monitor the nocturnal behavior of bats in and around turbines utilizing 
an experimental design to determine susceptibility of bats to turbine 
mortality at varying wind speeds and operating protocols. The study is 
proposed to further understand bat interactions with turbines at 
multiple spatial and temporal scales and to determine the best 
combination of methods for detecting and observing interactions. 
Proposed activities are for the enhancement of survival of the species 
in the wild.
    Permit Application Number: TE74589A.
    Applicant: Vesper Environmental, LLC, Hurley, NY.
    The applicant requests a permit to take (capture and release) 
Indiana bats in Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Vermont, 
Maryland, and Massachusetts. Proposed activities are for the 
enhancement of survival of the species in the wild.
    Permit Application Number: TE74592A.
    Applicant: R. Jeffrey Brown, Mason, OH.
    The applicant requests a permit to take (capture and release) 
Indiana bats, gray bats, Virginia big-eared bats, and Ozark big-eared 
bats throughout the range of the species. Proposed activities are for 
the enhancement of survival of the species in the wild.

Public Comments

    We seek 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, 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.

    Dated: May 10, 2012.
Robert Krska,
Acting Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, Midwest 
Region.
[FR Doc. 2012-11946 Filed 5-16-12; 8:45 am]
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