[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 240 (Wednesday, December 14, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 90377-90378]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-29971]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R6-ES-2016-N173; FXES11130600000-178-FF06E00000]


Endangered Species Recovery Permit Applications

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of permit applications; request for comment.

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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 species. With 
some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), 
prohibits certain activities that may impact endangered and threatened 
species unless a Federal permit allows such activity. The Act also 
requires that we invite public comment before issuing these permits.

DATES: To ensure consideration, please send your written comments by 
January 13, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Documents and other information submitted with the 
applications are available for review, subject to the requirements of 
the Privacy Act and Freedom of Information Act, by any party who 
submits a written request for a copy of such documents to the following 
office within 30 days of the date of publication of this notice. You 
may use one of the following methods to request hard copies or a CD-ROM 
of the documents. Please specify the permit you are interested in by 
number (e.g., Permit No. TE-XXXXXX).
     Email: [email protected]. Please refer to the respective 
permit number (e.g., Permit No. TE-XXXXXX) in the subject line of the 
message.
     U.S. Mail: Ecological Services, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, P.O. Box 25486-DFC, Denver, CO 80225.
     In-Person Drop-off, Viewing, or Pickup: Call (719) 628-
2670 to make an appointment during regular business hours at 134 Union 
Blvd., Suite 645, Lakewood, CO 80228.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathy Konishi, Recovery Permits 
Coordinator, Ecological Services, (719) 628-2670 (phone); 
[email protected] (email).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) prohibits certain activities with 
endangered and threatened species unless authorized by a Federal 
permit. The Act 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 Act 
authorizes the permittee to conduct activities with U.S.

[[Page 90378]]

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) 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 for the application when submitting comments.
    Documents and other information submitted with these 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 Application Number TE069300

Applicant: Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Lincoln, NE

    The applicant requests the renewal of their permit to continue 
surveying and monitoring activities for pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus 
albus) in Nebraska, South Dakota, Kansas, Missouri, and Iowa for the 
purpose of enhancing the species' survival.

Permit Application Number TE09897C

Applicant: Deidre Duffy, Durango, CO

    The applicant requests a new recovery permit to conduct presence/
absence surveys of southwestern willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii 
extimus) in Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico for the purpose of enhancing 
the species' survival.

Permit Application Number TE04585C

Applicant: Fort Belknap Fish and Wildlife Department, Harlem, MT

    The applicant requests an amendment to their current permit to 
conduct presence/absence surveys for black-footed ferrets (Mustela 
nigripes) in Montana for the purpose of enhancing the species' 
survival.

Permit Application Number TE27491B

Applicant: PG Environmental, LLC, Golden, CO

    The applicant requests the renewal of their permit to continue 
surveying and monitoring activities for bonytail chub (Gila elegans), 
Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius), humpback chub (Gila cypha), 
and razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus) in Colorado for the purpose of 
enhancing the species' survival.

Permit Application Number TE049109

Applicant: Red Butte Garden and Arboretum, Salt Lake City, UT

    The applicant requests an amendment to their current permit to 
collect vouchers and seeds in Arizona and propagate Gierisch mallow 
(Sphaeralcea gierischii) for genetic research purposes to enhance the 
species' survival.

Permit Application Number TE85664B

Applicant: Wingate Biological Solutions, Durango, CO

    The applicant requests an amendment to their current permit to 
conduct presence/absence surveys for southwestern willow flycatcher 
(Empidonax traillii extimus) in Arizona and New Mexico for the purpose 
of enhancing the species' survival.

Permit Application Number TE039100

Applicant: Nebraska Public Power District, Lincoln, NE

    The applicant requests the renewal of their permit to continue 
surveying and monitoring activities for the interior least tern 
(Sternula antillarum athalassos) and the American burying beetle 
(Nicrophorus americanus) in Nebraska for the purpose of enhancing the 
species' survival.

Permit Application Number TE038221

Applicant: Central Nebraska Public Power District, Gothenburg, NE

    The applicant requests the renewal of their permit to continue 
surveying and monitoring activities for the interior least tern 
(Sternula antillarum athalassos) and the American burying beetle 
(Nicrophorus americanus) in Nebraska for the purpose of enhancing the 
species' survival.

Permit Application Number TE067729

Applicant: Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS

    The applicant requests an amendment to their current permit to 
conduct telemetry studies of Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus 
lucius), and razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus) in Colorado and Utah. 
Upon review and approval, the applicant's permit will extend for 
another five years. The extension encompasses previously approved 
survey and monitoring projects for loach minnow (Tiaroga cobitis) and 
spikedace (Meda fulgida) in New Mexico and Topeka shiner (Notropis 
topeka) in Kansas. All projects are for the purpose of enhancing the 
species' survival.

Permit Application Number TE047290

Applicant: Colorado Parks and Wildlife John W. Mumma Native Aquatic 
Species Restoration Facility, Alamosa, CO

    The applicant requests the renewal of their permit for research, 
propagation, transport, and release of bonytail chub (Gila elegans), 
Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius), humpback chub (Gila cypha), 
and razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus) into the wild for the purpose 
of enhancing the species' survival.

Permit Application Number TE040748

Applicant: Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Colorado Springs, CO

    The applicant requests the renewal of their permit to exhibit 
Mexican wolf (Canis lupus spp. baileyi) and to exhibit, propagate, and 
transport black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes) and Wyoming toad 
(Anaxyrus baxteri), for the purpose of enhancing the species' survival.

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 Code of Federal Regulations (43 CFR 46.205, 
46.210, and 46.215).

Public Availability of Comments

    All comments and materials we receive in response to these requests 
will be 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 Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 
et seq.).

Michael G. Thabault,
Assistant Regional Director, Mountain-Prairie Region.
[FR Doc. 2016-29971 Filed 12-13-16; 8:45 am]
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