[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 79 (Wednesday, April 26, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19257-19259]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-08408]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R3-ES-2017-N035; 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 May 26, 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

[[Page 19258]]

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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TE19208C...............  Ashley Matteson....  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-                            use, conduct         band, release.
                                               eared bat (M.                             population
                                               septentrionalis).                         monitoring,
                                                                                         evaluate impacts.
TE71821A...............  David Zanatta......  Snuffbox             Michigan, Ohio,      Conduct presence/    Capture, handle,     Amend, renew.
                                               (Epioblasma          Wisconsin.           absence surveys,     relocate, release.
                                               triquetra), white                         relocations,
                                               cat's paw pearly                          transport.
                                               mussel (E.
                                               obliquata
                                               perobliqua),
                                               northern
                                               riffleshell (E.
                                               torulosa
                                               rangiana), rayed
                                               bean (Villosa
                                               fabalis),
                                               clubshell
                                               (Pleurobema
                                               clava),
                                               rabbitsfoot mussel
                                               (Quadrula
                                               cylindrica
                                               cylindrica).
TE120259...............  Missouri Department  Pallid sturgeon      Kansas, Missouri...  Capture, collect     Capture, handle,     Amend, renew.
                          of Conservation.     (Scaphirhynchus                           morphological        release, transport.
                                               albus).                                   data, collect
                                                                                         blood and tissue
                                                                                         samples, use gill
                                                                                         nets, conduct diet
                                                                                         evaluation, hold
                                                                                         and transport
                                                                                         individuals for
                                                                                         brood stock.
TE73584A...............  Illinois Natural     15 freshwater        Illinois...........  Conduct presence/    Capture, handle,     Renew.
                          History Survey.      mussel species.                           absence surveys,     release.
                                                                                         relocations,
                                                                                         transport.
TE40128B...............  Mainstream           27 freshwater        Rangewide..........  Conduct presence/    Capture, handle,     Renew.
                          Commercial Divers,   mussel species.                           absence surveys.     release.
                          Inc.
TE02344A...............  Mainstream           20 freshwater        Rangewide..........  Conduct presence/    Capture, handle,     Renew.
                          Commercial Divers,   mussel species.                           absence surveys.     release.
                          Inc.
TE48835A...............  Applied Science and  Snuffbox             Michigan, Ohio.....  Conduct presence/    Capture, handle,     Amend, renew.
                          Technology Inc.      (Epioblasma                               absence surveys.     release.
                                               triquetra), white
                                               cat's paw pearly
                                               mussel (E.
                                               obliquata
                                               perobliqua),
                                               purple cat's paw
                                               pearlymussel (E.
                                               o. obliquata),
                                               northern
                                               riffleshell (E.
                                               torulosa
                                               rangiana), rayed
                                               bean (Villosa
                                               fabalis),
                                               clubshell
                                               (Pleurobema clava).
TE697830...............  U.S. Fish and        Multiple mammal,     Illinois, Indiana,   Conduct approved     Capture, handle,     Amend.
                          Wildlife Service,    bird, amphibian,     Iowa, Michigan,      recovery             harass, transport,
                          Region 3.            fish, mussel,        Minnesota,           activities for       propagate, hold,
                                               snail, insect,       Missouri, Ohio,      scientific           relocate, release.
                                               crustacean, and      Wisconsin.           purposes or the
                                               plant species.                            enhancement of
                                                                                         propagation or
                                                                                         survival of the
                                                                                         species in the
                                                                                         wild.
TE207526...............  U.S. Geological      Pallid sturgeon      Illinois, Iowa,      Capture, collect     Capture, handle,     Amend, renew.
                          Survey, Columbia     (Scaphirhynchus      Kansas, Missouri,    morphological        release, transport.
                          Environmental        albus), Neosho       Nebraska, North      data, collect
                          Research Center.     madtom (Noturus      Dakota.              blood and tissue
                                               placidus).                                sample, hold and
                                                                                         transport
                                                                                         individuals for
                                                                                         brood stock.
TE206781...............  Ecological           58 freshwater        Rangewide..........  Conduct presence/    Capture, handle,     Amend.
                          Specialists, Inc.    mussel species.                           absence surveys.     release.

[[Page 19259]]

 
TE07358A...............  Civil and            Indiana bat (Myotis  Rangewide..........  Conduct presence/    Capture, handle,     Renew, amend.
                          Environmental        sodalis), gray bat                        absence surveys,     mist-net, harp
                          Consultants, Inc.    (M. grisescens),                          document habitat     trap, radio-tag,
                                               northern long-                            use, conduct         band, release.
                                               eared bat (M.                             population
                                               septentrionalis),                         monitoring,
                                               Virginia big-eared                        evaluate impacts.
                                               bat (Plecotus
                                               townsendii
                                               virginianus),
                                               Ozark big-eared
                                               bat (P.t.ingens).
TE06801A...............  Pittsburgh Wildlife  Indiana bat (Myotis  Rangewide..........  Conduct presence/    Capture, handle,     Amend.
                          & Environmental,     sodalis), gray bat                        absence surveys,     temporarily hold,
                          Inc.                 (M. grisescens),                          document habitat     release.
                                               northern long-                            use, conduct
                                               eared bat (M.                             population
                                               septentrionalis),                         monitoring,
                                               Big Sandy crayfish                        evaluate impacts.
                                               (Cambarus
                                               callainus),
                                               Guyandotte River
                                               crayfish (C.
                                               eateranus).
TE38842A...............  Sanders              Indiana bat (Myotis  Alabama, Arkansas,   Conduct presence/    Capture, handle,     Amend.
                          Environmental Inc.   sodalis), northern   Florida, Georgia,    absence surveys,     mist-net, radio-
                                               long- eared bat      Illinois, Indiana,   document habitat     tag, band, release.
                                               (M.                  Iowa, Kentucky,      use, conduct
                                               septentrionalis).    Louisiana,           population
                                                                    Michigan,            monitoring,
                                                                    Minnesota,           evaluate impacts.
                                                                    Mississippi.
                                                                   Missouri, North
                                                                    Carolina, Ohio,
                                                                    Oklahoma, South
                                                                    Carolina,
                                                                    Tennessee,
                                                                    Wisconsin.
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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: March 3, 2017.
Sean O. Marsan,
Acting Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, Midwest 
Region.
[FR Doc. 2017-08408 Filed 4-25-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P