[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 251 (Friday, December 30, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 96473-96474]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-31700]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R3-ES-2016-N229; FXES11130300000-178-FF03E00000]


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Permit 
Applications

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 January 30, 
2017.

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.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Application No.          Applicant              Species              Location              Activity            Type of take         Permit  action
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TE38793A............  Kenneth Mierzwa.....  Hine's emerald        Alabama, Illinois,    Survey and monitor,   Capture and release,  Renew.
                                             dragonfly             Indiana, Iowa,        habitat assessment.   exuviae collection,
                                             (Somatochlora         Michigan, Missouri,                         adult counts.
                                             hineana).             Ohio, Wisconsin.
TE11170C............  Ashleigh Cable......  Indiana bat (Myotis   Illinois............  Conduct presence/     Capture, handle,      New.
                                             sodalis), gray bat                          absence surveys,      radio-tag, harp
                                             (M. grisescens),                            document habitat      trap, release.
                                             northern long-eared                         use, conduct
                                             bat (M.                                     population
                                             septentrionalis).                           monitoring,
                                                                                         evaluate impacts.
TE01311C............  Shawn McKinley......  Indiana bat (Myotis   Rangewide...........  Conduct presence/     Capture, handle,      New.
                                             sodalis), gray bat                          absence surveys,      mist-net, harp
                                             (M. grisescens),                            document habitat      trap, radio-tag,
                                             northern long-eared                         use, conduct          band, release.
                                             bat (M.                                     population
                                             septentrionalis),                           monitoring,
                                             Virginia big-eared                          evaluate impacts.
                                             bat (Plecotus
                                             townsendii
                                             virginianus).
TE13571C............  Jennifer Moore......  Eastern massasauga    Michigan............  Survey and            Capture, handle, pit- New.
                                             rattlesnake                                 monitoring, habitat   tag, tissue
                                             (Sistrurus                                  assessment,           collection, release.
                                             catenatus).                                 population
                                                                                         connectivity
                                                                                         assessment.
TE14588C............  Dane Smith..........  Indiana bat (Myotis   Missouri............  Conduct presence/     Capture, handle,      New.
                                             sodalis), gray bat                          absence surveys,      mist-net, radio-
                                             (M. grisescens),                            document habitat      tag, band, tissue
                                             northern long-eared                         use, conduct          collection, release.
                                             bat (M.                                     population
                                             septentrionalis).                           monitoring,
                                                                                         evaluate impacts.

[[Page 96474]]

 
TE15664C............  April McKay.........  Indiana bat (Myotis   Rangewide...........  Conduct presence/     Capture, handle,      New.
                                             sodalis), gray bat                          absence surveys,      mist-net, harp
                                             (M. grisescens),                            document habitat      trap, radio-tag,
                                             northern long-eared                         use, conduct          band, release.
                                             bat (M.                                     population
                                             septentrionalis).                           monitoring,
                                                                                         evaluate impacts.
TE106217............  The Toledo            Mitchell's satyr      Ohio................  Propagation and       Capture, handle,      Amend, renew.
                       Zoological Society.   butterfly                                   transport.            hold, release.
                                             (Neonympha
                                             mitchellii
                                             mitchellii).
TE85231B............  Kalamazoo Nature      Mitchell's satyr      Michigan............  Propagation and       Capture, handle,      Amend.
                       Center.               butterfly (N.m.                             transport.            temporarily hold,
                                             mitchellii).                                                      release.
TE02373A............  Environmental         Indiana bat (Myotis   Rangewide...........  Conduct presence/     Capture, handle,      Amend, renew.
                       Solutions and         sodalis), gray bat                          absence surveys,      temporarily hold,
                       Innovations.          (M. grisescens),                            habitat assessment,   release.
                                             northern long-eared                         DNA sampling,
                                             bat (M.                                     relocation,
                                             septentrionalis),                           transport.
                                             Virginia big-eared
                                             bat (Plecotus
                                             townsendii
                                             virginianus), Ozark
                                             big-eared bat
                                             (P.t.ingens),
                                             American burying
                                             beetle (Nicrophorus
                                             americanus),
                                             eastern massasauga
                                             rattlesnake
                                             (Sistrurus
                                             catenatus), Karner
                                             blue butterfly
                                             (Lycaeides melissa
                                             samuelis),
                                             Mitchell's satyr
                                             butterfly
                                             (Neonympha
                                             mitchellii
                                             mitchellii), St.
                                             Francis' satyr
                                             butterfly (N.m.
                                             francisci), rusty
                                             patched bumble bee
                                             (Bombus affinis),
                                             Guyandotte River
                                             crayfish (Cambarus
                                             veteranus), Big
                                             Sandy crayfish (C.
                                             callainus), 12 fish
                                             species, 57
                                             freshwater mussel
                                             species.
TE194099............  Michael Hoggarth....  30 freshwater mussel  Indiana, Michigan,    Conduct presence/     Capture, handle,      Renew.
                                             species.              Ohio, Kentucky, New   absence surveys,      relocate, release.
                                                                   York, Pennsylvania,   relocations,
                                                                   West Virginia.        transport.
TE14549C............  Larissa Herrera.....  10 freshwater mussel  Illinois, Iowa,       Conduct presence/     Capture, handle,      New.
                                             species.              Indiana, Michigan,    absence surveys.      release
                                                                   Ohio, Wisconsin.
TE181256............  Lewis Environmental   62 freshwater mussel  Alabama, Arkansas,    Conduct presence/     Capture, handle,      Amend, renew.
                       Consulting, LLC.      species.              Florida, Georgia,     absence surveys,      hold, transport,
                                                                   Illinois, Indiana,    transport,            release.
                                                                   Iowa, Kentucky,       propagation.
                                                                   Michigan,
                                                                   Mississippi,
                                                                   Missouri, Ohio,
                                                                   Pennsylvania,
                                                                   Tennessee, West
                                                                   Virginia.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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: December 23, 2016.
Lori H. Nordstrom,
Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, Midwest Region.
[FR Doc. 2016-31700 Filed 12-29-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P