[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 227 (Friday, November 25, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 85254-85255]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-28346]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R3-ES-2016-N190; FXES11130300000-178-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 December 27, 
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 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
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TE38856A.............  Skelly & Loy, Inc...  Indiana bat (Myotis   Rangewide...........  Conduct presence/     Capture, handle,     Amend, renew.
                                              sodalis), northern                          absence surveys,      radio-tag, release.
                                              long-eared bat                              document habitat
                                              (Myotis                                     use, conduct
                                              septentrionalis),                           population
                                              Virginia big eared                          monitoring,
                                              bat (Corynorhinus                           evaluate impacts.
                                              townsendii
                                              virginianus).

[[Page 85255]]

 
TE11135C.............  Herpetological        Copperbelly water     Michigan, Indiana,    Survey and            Capture and release  New.
                        Resource and          snake (Nerodia        Illinois,             Monitoring, Habitat
                        Management, LLC.      erythrogaster         Wisconsin, Ohio.      mapping and
                                              neglecta), Eastern                          assessment.
                                              massasauga
                                              (Sistrurus
                                              catenatus
                                              catenatus), Karner
                                              blue butterfly
                                              (Lycaeides melissa
                                              samuelis),
                                              Mitchell's satyr
                                              butterfly
                                              (Neonympha
                                              mitchellii
                                              mitchellii),
                                              Poweshiek
                                              skipperling
                                              butterfly (Oarisma
                                              poweshiek),
                                              Pitcher's Thistle
                                              (Cirsium pitcheri),
                                              Dwarf Lake Iris
                                              (Iris lacustris),
                                              Michigan monkey
                                              flower (Mimulus
                                              michiganensis), and
                                              Eastern prairie
                                              fringed orchid
                                              (Platanthera
                                              leucophaea).
TE11145C.............  Lisa Kleinschmidt...  Indiana bat,          Rangewide...........  Conduct presence/     Capture, handle,     New.
                                              northern long-eared                         absence surveys,      radio-tag, harp
                                              bat, gray bat                               document habitat      trap, release.
                                              (Myotis grisescens).                        use, conduct
                                                                                          population
                                                                                          monitoring,
                                                                                          evaluate impacts.
TE11170C.............  Ashleigh Cable......  Indiana bat,          Illinois............  Conduct presence/     Capture, handle,     New.
                                              northern long-eared                         absence surveys,      radio-tag, harp
                                              bat, gray bat.                              document habitat      trap, release.
                                                                                          use, conduct
                                                                                          population
                                                                                          monitoring,
                                                                                          evaluate impacts.
TE174388.............  Metropolitan Park     Karner blue           Ohio................  Conduct habitat       Conservation and     Renew.
                        District of the       butterfly                                   management for the    species management.
                        Toledo Area.          (Lycaeides melissa                          benefit of the
                                              samuelis).                                  species; document
                                                                                          habitat use.
TE64241B.............  Barker Lemar          Indiana bat,          Illinois, Iowa......  Conduct presence/     Capture, handle,     Amend.
                        Engineering           northern long-eared                         absence surveys,      radio-tag, release.
                        Consultants.          bat.                                        document habitat
                                                                                          use, conduct
                                                                                          population
                                                                                          monitoring,
                                                                                          evaluate impacts.
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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: November 18, 2016.
Lori H. Nordstrom,
Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, Midwest Region.
[FR Doc. 2016-28346 Filed 11-23-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P