[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 134 (Thursday, July 12, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41198-41200]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-17004]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R9-IA-2012-N162; FXIA16710900000P5-123-FF09A30000]


Endangered Species; Marine Mammals; Receipt of Applications for 
Permit

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of applications for permit.

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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 species, marine mammals, or both. With some exceptions, 
the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Marine Mammal Protection Act 
(MMPA) prohibit activities with listed species unless Federal 
authorization is acquired that allows such activities.

DATES: We must receive comments or requests for documents on or before 
August 13, 2012. We must receive requests for marine mammal permit 
public hearings, in writing, at the address shown in the ADDRESSES 
section by August 13, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Brenda Tapia, Division of Management Authority, U.S. Fish 
and Wildlife Service, 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Room 212, Arlington, VA 
22203; fax (703) 358-2280; or email [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brenda Tapia, (703) 358-2104 
(telephone); (703) 358-2280 (fax); [email protected] (email).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Public Comment Procedures

A. How do I request copies of applications or comment on submitted 
applications?

    Send your request for copies of applications or comments and 
materials concerning any of the applications to the contact listed 
under ADDRESSES. Please include the Federal Register notice publication 
date, the PRT-number, and the name of the applicant in your request or 
submission. We will not consider requests or comments sent to an email 
or address not listed under ADDRESSES. If you provide an email address 
in your request for copies of applications, we will attempt to respond 
to your request electronically.
    Please make your requests or comments as specific as possible. 
Please confine your comments to issues for which we seek comments in 
this notice, and explain the basis for your

[[Page 41199]]

comments. Include sufficient information with your comments to allow us 
to authenticate any scientific or commercial data you include.
    The comments and recommendations that will be most useful and 
likely to influence agency decisions are: (1) Those supported by 
quantitative information or studies; and (2) Those that include 
citations to, and analyses of, the applicable laws and regulations. We 
will not consider or include in our administrative record comments we 
receive after the close of the comment period (see DATES) or comments 
delivered to an address other than those listed above (see ADDRESSES).

B. May I review comments submitted by others?

    Comments, including names and street addresses of respondents, will 
be available for public review at the street address listed under 
ADDRESSES. The public may review documents and other information 
applicants have sent in support of the application unless our allowing 
viewing would violate the Privacy Act or Freedom of Information Act. 
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.

II. Background

    To help us carry out our conservation responsibilities for affected 
species, and in consideration of section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered 
Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), and the 
Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1361 et 
seq.), along with Executive Order 13576, ``Delivering an Efficient, 
Effective, and Accountable Government,'' and the President's Memorandum 
for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies of January 21, 
2009--Transparency and Open Government (74 FR 4685; January 26, 2009), 
which call on all Federal agencies to promote openness and transparency 
in Government by disclosing information to the public, we invite public 
comment on these permit applications before final action is taken. 
Under the MMPA, you may request a hearing on any MMPA application 
received. If you request a hearing, give specific reasons why a hearing 
would be appropriate. The holding of such a hearing is at the 
discretion of the Service Director.

III. Permit Applications

A. Endangered Species

Applicant: Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, Los Angeles, CA; PRT-
76851A

    The applicant requests a permit to re-import a male and a female 
mountain tapir (Tapirus pinchaque), which were captive bred at the 
applicant's facility, Mountain View Conservation and Breeding Center, 
Langley, BC, Canada, for the purpose of enhancement of the survival of 
the species.

Applicant: NOAA/National Marine Fisheries Service, Miami, FL; PRT-
045532

    The applicant requests reissuance of their permit to import and/or 
introduce from the sea biological samples collected from on the high 
seas and the land, from wild animals opportunistically salvaged and 
incidentally captured, and captive-held animals of Kemp's ridley sea 
turtle (Lepidochelys kempii), hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys 
imbricata), leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), green sea 
turtle (Chelonia mydas), and olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys 
olivacea) for the purpose of scientific research. This notification 
covers activities conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period.

Applicant: Sacramento Zoo, Sacramento, CA; PRT-76156A

    The applicant requests a permit to import one male captive-born 
snow leopard (Uncia uncia) from Zoo De Granby, Quebec, Canada, for the 
purpose of enhancement of the species through captive breeding and 
conservation education.

Applicant: Denver Zoological Foundation, Denver, CO; PRT-69465A

    The applicant requests a permit to import two male Asian elephants 
(Elephas maximus) born in captivity from Emmen Zoo, Emmen, Netherlands, 
for the purpose of enhancement of the survival of the species through 
captive breeding and conservation education.

Applicant: Denver Zoological Foundation, Denver, CO; PRT-69463A

    The applicant request a permit to import one male Asian elephant 
(Elephas maximus) born in captivity from Dublin Zoo, Dublin, Ireland, 
for the purpose of enhancement of the survival of the species through 
captive breeding and conservation education.

Applicant: Marvin Turner, Henderson, TX; PRT-71824A

    The applicant requests a captive-bred wildlife registration under 
50 CFR 17.21(g) for the scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx dammah) and 
barasingha (Rucervus duvaucelii) to enhance their propagation or 
survival. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the 
applicant over a 5-year period.

Applicant: Marvin Turner, Henderson, TX; PRT-71826A

    The applicant requests a permit authorizing interstate and foreign 
commerce, export, and cull of excess scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx dammah) 
and barasingha (Rucervus duvaucelii) from the captive herd maintained 
at their facility, for the purpose of enhancement of the survival of 
the species. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the 
applicant over a 5-year period.

Applicant: Safari West, Santa Rosa, CA; PRT-755365

    The applicant requests renewal and amendment of their captive-bred 
wildlife registration under 50 CFR 17.21(g) for the following families 
and species, to enhance their propagation or survival. This 
notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 
5-year period.

Families:
    Bovidae
    Cervidae
    Equidae
Species:
    Lemur catta (ring-tailed lemur)
    Varecia variegata (black and white ruffed lemur)
    Acinonyx jubatus (cheetah).

Applicant: Lykes Bros. Inc., Alpine, TX; PRT-78004A

    The applicant requests a captive-bred wildlife registration under 
50 CFR 17.21(g) for the scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx dammah) to enhance 
their propagation or survival. This notification covers activities to 
be conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period.

Applicant: Lykes Bros. Inc., Alpine, TX; PRT-78003A

    The applicant requests a permit authorizing interstate and foreign 
commerce, export, and cull of excess scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx dammah) 
from the captive herd maintained at their facility, for the purpose of 
enhancement of the survival of the species. This notification covers 
activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period.

[[Page 41200]]

Multiple Applicants

    The following applicants each request a permit to import the sport-
hunted trophy of one male bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus pygargus) 
culled from a captive herd maintained under the management program of 
the Republic of South Africa, for the purpose of enhancement of the 
survival of the species.

Applicant: Gary Benmark, Joelton, TN; PRT-77994A

Applicant: Coleman Floyd, Midland, TX; PRT-77911A

Applicant: Charles Nace, Sylmar, CA; PRT-78569A

Applicant: Glenn Herman, Castle Rock, CO; PRT-59368A

Applicant: Kevin Perry, Peyton, CO; PRT-78581A

B. Endangered Marine Mammals and Marine Mammals

Applicant: Terrie M. Williams, University of California, Santa Cruz, 
CA; PRT-045447

    The applicant requests an amendment for the permit to take southern 
sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) to conduct Evans blue dye technique 
as part of the scientific research on the physiology of and metabolic 
demands on southern sea otters related to energetics, diving, and 
thermoregulation. This notification covers activities to be conducted 
by the applicant over the remainder of the 5-year permit.
    Concurrent with publishing this notice in the Federal Register, we 
are forwarding copies of the above applications to the Marine Mammal 
Commission and the Committee of Scientific Advisors for their review.

Brenda Tapia,
Program Analyst/Data Administrator, Branch of Permits, Division of 
Management Authority.
[FR Doc. 2012-17004 Filed 7-11-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P