[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 153 (Tuesday, August 9, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52708-52710]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-18819]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R3-ES-2016-N123; FXES11130300000-167-FF03E00000]


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 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 for a permit to conduct 
activities intended to enhance the survival of endangered or threatened 
species. Federal law prohibits certain activities with endangered 
species unless a permit is obtained.

DATES: We must receive any written comments on or before September 8, 
2016.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments by U.S. mail to the Regional Director, 
Attn: Carlita Payne, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological 
Services, 5600

[[Page 52709]]

American Blvd. West, Suite 990, Bloomington, MN 55437-1458; or by 
electronic mail to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carlita Payne, (612) 713-5343.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA), as amended (16 U.S.C. 
1531 et seq.), prohibits certain activities with endangered and 
threatened species unless the activities are specifically authorized by 
a Federal permit. The ESA and our implementing regulations in part 17 
of title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) provide for the 
issuance of such permits and require that we invite public comment 
before issuing permits for activities involving endangered species.
    A permit granted by us under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA 
authorizes the permittee 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) of the ESA 
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, Tribal, and Federal agencies and the public 
to comment on the following applications. Please refer to the permit 
number when you submit comments. Documents and other information the 
applicants have submitted with the 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 Applications

    Proposed activities in the following permit requests are for the 
recovery and enhancement of survival of the species in the wild.

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    Application No.           Applicant             Species              Location             Activity           Type of take          Permit action
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TE217351...............  U.S. Department of   Indiana bat (Myotis  OH, KY, IL.........  Conduct presence/    Capture, handle,     Amend, renew.
                          Agriculture          sodalis), northern                        absence surveys,     radio-tag, release.
                          (USDA)--Forest       long-eared bat                            document habitat
                          Service,             (Myotis                                   use, conduct
                          Nelsonville, OH.     septentrionalis),                         population
                                               gray bat (Myotis                          monitoring,
                                               grisescens).                              evaluate impacts.
TE03495B...............  Kristina Hammond,    Indiana bat,         Rangewide..........  Conduct presence/    Capture, handle,     Amend, renew.
                          Cheyenne, WY.        northern long-                            absence surveys,     radio-tag, release.
                                               eared bat.                                document habitat
                                                                                         use, conduct
                                                                                         population
                                                                                         monitoring,
                                                                                         evaluate impacts.
TE64238B...............  Jocelyn Karsk, Ball  Indiana bat,         Rangewide..........  Conduct presence/    Capture, handle,     Amend.
                          State University,    northern long-                            absence,             radio-tag, release.
                          Muncie, IN.          eared bat.                                migration, and
                                                                                         telemetry surveys.
TE10887A...............  U.S. Geological      Karner blue          WI.................  Establish captive    Capture, collect,    Amend, renew.
                          Survey,              butterfly                                 colony for climate   obtain eggs,
                          Chesterton, IN.      (Lycaeides melissa                        change research.     maintain/rear in
                                               samuelis).                                                     captivity.
TE77313A...............  Egret Environmental  Indiana bat,         Rangewide..........  Conduct presence/    capture, handle,     Amend.
                          Consulting, LLC.     northern long-                            absence surveys,     radio-tag, release.
                                               eared bat, gray                           document habitat
                                               bat, Hine's                               use, conduct
                                               emerald dragonfly                         population
                                               (Somatochlora                             monitoring,
                                               hineana).                                 evaluate impacts.
TE31355B...............  Brooke Hines,        Indiana bat,         Rangewide..........  Conduct presence/    Capture, handle,     Amend, renew.
                          Paris, KY.           northern long-                            absence surveys,     radio-tag, release.
                                               eared bat, gray                           document habitat
                                               bat, Virginia big-                        use, conduct
                                               eared bat                                 population
                                               (Plecotus                                 monitoring,
                                               townsendii                                evaluate impacts.
                                               virginianus),
                                               Ozark big-eared
                                               bat (Plecotus
                                               townsendii ingens).
TE049738...............  Third Rock           Indiana bat,         AL, FL, GA, IA, IL,  Conduct presence/    Capture, handle      Amend, renew.
                          Consultants, LLC,    northern long-       IN, KY, MI, MO,      absence surveys,     (bats); harass
                          Lexington, KY.       eared bat, gray      MS, NC, OH, SC, TN.  document habitat     (mussels and
                                               bat, Virginia big-                        use, conduct         fish); capture,
                                               eared bat, Ozark                          population           handle, release
                                               big-eared bat,                            monitoring,          (beetle).
                                               American burying                          evaluate impacts.
                                               beetle
                                               (Nicrophorus
                                               americanus), 18
                                               fish species, and
                                               50 mussel species.
TE98294A...............  Normandale           Indiana bat,         IL, IN, IA, MI, MN,  Conduct presence/    Capture, handle,     Amend, renew.
                          Associates Inc.,     northern long-       MO, OH, WI.          absence surveys.     radio-tag, release.
                          Stowe, PA.           eared bat.
TE01322C...............  USDA--Forest         Indiana bat,         Rangewide..........  Conduct presence/    Capture, handle,     New.
                          Service, Northern    northern long-                            absence surveys,     radio-tag, band,
                          Research Station,    eared bat.                                conduct population   collect samples,
                          Rhinelander, WI.                                               monitoring,          release.
                                                                                         conduct white-nose
                                                                                         syndrome research.
TE01320C...............  Kristi Confortin,    Indiana bat,         IL, IN.............  Conduct presence/    Capture, handle,     New.
                          Ball State           northern long-                            absence surveys,     radio-tag, band,
                          University,          eared bat.                                conduct population   collect samples,
                          Muncie, IN.                                                    monitoring,          release, salvage.
                                                                                         conduct white-nose
                                                                                         syndrome research.
TE01311C...............  Shawn McKinley,      Indiana bat,         OH.................  Conduct presence/    Capture, band,       New.
                          Grafton, WV.         northern long-                            absence surveys.     release.
                                               eared bat, gray
                                               bat, Virginia big-
                                               eared bat.
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[[Page 52710]]

National Environmental Policy Act

    The proposed activities in the requested permits qualify as 
categorical exclusions under the National Environmental Policy Act, as 
provided by Department of the Interior implementing regulations in part 
46 of title 43 of the CFR (43 CFR 46.205, 46.210, and 46.215).

Public Availability of 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 in response to this notice are available for 
public inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the 
address listed above in ADDRESSES.
    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 ESA (16 U.S.C. 1531 
et seq.).

    Dated: July 29, 2016.
Sean Marsan,
Acting Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, Midwest 
Region.
[FR Doc. 2016-18819 Filed 8-8-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P