[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 167 (Monday, August 29, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59239-59241]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-20553]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[Docket Nos. FWS-HQ-IA-2016-0107 and FWS-HQ-IA-2016-0079: 
FXIA16710900000-156-FF09A30000]


Endangered Species; Receipt of Applications for Permit

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of new permit applications; reopening comment 
period for previously announced permit applications.

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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. With some exceptions, the Endangered Species 
Act (ESA) prohibits activities with listed species unless Federal 
authorization is acquired that allows such activities In this notice, 
we announce 8 new permit applications that we have received, and we 
reopen the comment period on 11 permit applications that we had 
previously announced for public comment.

DATES: We must receive comments or requests for documents on or before 
September 28, 2016.

ADDRESSES: 
    Submitting Comments: You may submit comments by one of the 
following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments on either Docket No. 
FWS-HQ-IA-2016-0107 for the applications discussed in section III.A. of 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION or Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2016-0079 for the 
applications discussed in section III.B. of SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
     U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, 
Attn: Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2016-0107; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
Headquarters, MS: BPHC; 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-
3803. (Make sure that you insert the correct docket number, either FWS-
HQ-IA-2016-0107 or FWS-HQ-IA-2016-0079. The permit applications in 
either docket are described in SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION in III.A. and 
B.)
    When submitting comments, please indicate the name of the applicant 
and the PRT# you are commenting on. We will post all comments on http://www.regulations.gov. This generally means that we will post any 
personal information you provide us (see the Public Comments section 
below for more information).
    Viewing Comments: Comments and materials we receive will be 
available for public inspection on http://www.regulations.gov, or by 
appointment, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays, at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of 
Management Authority, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803; 
telephone 703-358-2095.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brenda Tapia, 703-358-2104 
(telephone); 703-358-2281 (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 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

[[Page 59240]]

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.), 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.

III. Permit Applications

A. Endangered Species

Applicant: Wild Things Unlimited, Inc., Bozeman, MT; PRT-137719
    The applicant requests a renewal of their permit to export salvaged 
hair samples collected from grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) for 
the purpose of scientific research. This notification covers activities 
to be conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period.
Applicant: Cienegas Ranches, Ltd., Del Rio, TX; PRT-92685B
    The applicant requests a permit for interstate and foreign 
commerce, and to export and cull excess 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: Cienegas Ranches, Ltd., Del Rio, TX; PRT-92686B
    The applicant requests a captive-bred wildlife registration under 
50 CFR 17.21(g) for the following species to enhance species 
propagation or survival: Barasingha (Rucervus duvaucelii). This 
notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 
5-year period.
Applicant: Stanford University, Stanford, CA; PRT-04371C
    The applicant requests a permit to import biological samples 
collected from wild specimens of black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) 
for the purpose of scientific research.
Applicant: Qin Yi Yu, Temple City, CA; PRT-95968B
    The applicant requests a captive-bred wildlife registration under 
50 CFR 17.21(g) for the following species to enhance species 
propagation or survival: Radiated tortoise (Astrochelys radiata). This 
notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 
5-year period.
Applicant: Florida State University--Robert K. Godfrey Herbarium, 
Tallahassee, FL; PRT-230539
    The applicant requests the renewal of their permit to export and 
re-import nonliving museum/herbarium specimens of endangered and 
threatened species (excluding animals) previously legally accessioned 
into the permittee's collection for scientific research. This 
notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 
5-year period.
Applicant: Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC; PRT-96221B
    The applicant requests a permit to export to Georg-August 
University, Goettingen, Germany, a single leaf from one individual tree 
of 28 species of Melicope spp., 6 species of Myrsine spp., 3 species of 
Platydesma spp., and 3 species of Zanthoxylum spp., collected from the 
wild in Hawaii. The export of these specimens is for purposes of 
scientific research on plant systematics, evolution, and biogeography. 
This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant 
over a 5-year period.
Applicant: Charles Butler, Mankato, MN; PRT-03232C
    The applicant requests a permit to import a 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.

B. Reopening of Comment Period for Permit Applications (Docket No. FWS-
HQ-IA-2016-0079)

    On July 18, 2016, we published a Federal Register notice inviting 
the public to comment on 11 applications for permits to conduct certain 
activities with endangered species under Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2016-0079 
(81 FR 46698). Due to an issue with viewing and submitting comments, we 
are now reopening the comment period to allow the public the 
opportunity to review information submitted by the applicants.
Applicant: Exotic Feline Breeding Compound, Inc., Rosamond, CA; PRT-
88847B
    The applicant requests a permit to import one female captive-bred 
Persian leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor) from Tierpark-Nordhorn 
gGmbH, Nordhorn, Germany, for the purpose of enhancement of the 
survival of the species. This notification covers activities to be 
conducted by the applicant over a 1-year period.
Applicant: SeaWorld, San Antonio, TX; PRT-96334B
    The applicant requests a permit to export one male captive-born 
Palawan peacock pheasant (Polyplectron napoleonis) for the purpose of 
enhancement of the survival of the species. This notification covers 
activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 1-year period.
Applicant: Pamela Plotkin, College Station, TX; PRT-43484B
    The applicant requests reissuance of a permit to import biological 
samples from Costa Rica from wild-caught olive Ridley sea turtles 
(Lepidochelys olivacea) for the purpose of scientific research.
Applicant: A Walk on the Wild Side, Canby, OR; PRT-93730B
    The applicant requests a captive-bred wildlife registration under 
50 CFR 17.21(g) for the following species to enhance species 
propagation or survival: Ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta), leopard 
(Panthera pardus), African lion (Panthera leo), and tiger (Panthera 
tigris). This notification covers activities to be conducted by the 
applicant over a 5-year period.
Applicant: City of Saint Paul/Como Zoo, Saint Paul, MN; PRT 89851B and 
89852B
    The applicant requests a permit to import two captive-bred snow 
leopards (Uncia uncia), for the purpose of enhancement of the survival 
of the species. This notification covers activities to be conducted by 
the applicant over a 1-year period.

[[Page 59241]]

Applicant: Out of Africa Wildlife Park, LLC, Camp Verde, AZ; PRT-760354
    The applicant requests renewal of their captive-bred wildlife 
registration under 50 CFR 17.21(g) for the following species to enhance 
species propagation or survival: Leopard (Panthera pardus) and snow 
leopard (Uncia uncia). This notification covers activities to be 
conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period.
Applicant: James Mercer, Carbondale, KS; PRT-98881B
    The applicant requests a permit to import a sport-hunted trophy of 
two 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.
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: Marion Searle, Lake Forest, IL; PRT-99186B
Applicant: Kristian O'Meara, Powell, OH; PRT-99852B
Applicant: David Robertson, Lewistown, MT; PRT-94807B

Brenda Tapia,
Program Analyst/Data Administrator, Branch of Permits, Division of 
Management Authority.
[FR Doc. 2016-20553 Filed 8-26-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P