[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 114 (Thursday, June 15, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27518-27519]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-12399]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R3-ES-2017-N054; 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 July 17, 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, as amended (ESA; 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
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TE24914C............  Northern Research    Rusty patched bumble bee  Michigan,           Conduct presence/   Capture, handle,    New.
                       Station, U.S.        (Bombus affinis).         Minnesota,          absence surveys.    hold, release.
                       Forest Service,                                Wisconsin.
                       Amherst, MA.
TE82665A............  Melody Myers-        Clubshell (Pleurobema     Illinois, Indiana,  Conduct presence/   Capture, handle,    Renew.
                       Kinzie,              clava), fanshell          Iowa, Michigan,     ab-sence surveys.   release.
                       Indianapolis, IN.    (Cyprogenia stegaria),    Ohio, Wisconsin.
                                            fat pocketbook
                                            (Potamilus capax),
                                            northern riffleshell
                                            (Epioblasma torulosa
                                            rangiana), pink mucket
                                            (pearlymussel)
                                            (Lampsilis abrupta),
                                            purple cat's paw
                                            pearlymussel
                                            (Epioblasma obliquata
                                            obliquata), rabbitsfoot
                                            (Quadrula cylindrica
                                            cylindrica), rayed bean
                                            (Villosa fabalis),
                                            rough pigtoe
                                            (Pleurobema plenum),
                                            sheepnose mussel
                                            (Plethobasus cyphyus),
                                            snuffbox mussel
                                            (Epioblasma triquetra),
                                            spectaclecase (mussel)
                                            (Cumberlandia
                                            monodonta), white
                                            catspaw (pearlymussel)
                                            (Epioblasma obliquata
                                            perobliqua), winged
                                            mapleleaf (Quadrula
                                            fragosa).

[[Page 27519]]

 
TE26921C............  World Bird           Least tern (interior      Missouri..........  Conduct presence/   Capture, handle,    New.
                       Sanctuary, Valley    population) (Sterna                           ab-sence surveys;   band, release.
                       Park, MO.            antillarum).                                  evaluate site
                                                                                          fidelity,
                                                                                          dispersal
                                                                                          patterns, and
                                                                                          longevity.
TE26856C............  Sean M. Langley,     Indiana bat (Myotis       Rangewide.........  Conduct presence/   Capture, handle,    New.
                       Tipton, IN.          sodalis), northern long-                      absence surveys,    mist-net, harp
                                            eared bat (M.                                 document habitat    trap, radio-tag,
                                            septentrionalis).                             use, conduct        light-tag, pit-
                                                                                          population          tag, band, wing
                                                                                          monitoring,         biopsy, enter
                                                                                          evaluate impacts.   hibernacula and
                                                                                                              maternity sites,
                                                                                                              release, salvage.
TE26855C............  Jeanette C. Bailey,  Indiana bat (Myotis       Rangewide.........  Conduct presence/   Capture, handle,    New.
                       Makanda, IL.         sodalis), gray bat (M.                        absence surveys,    mist-net, release.
                                            grisescens), northern                         document habitat
                                            long-eared bat (M.                            use, conduct
                                            septentrionalis).                             population
                                                                                          monitoring,
                                                                                          evaluate impacts.
TE26854C............  Brenna A. Hyzy,      Indiana bat (Myotis       Rangewide.........  Conduct presence/   Capture, handle,    New.
                       Stevens Point, WI.   sodalis), gray bat (M.                        absence surveys,    mist-net, radio-
                                            grisescens), northern                         document habitat    tag, release.
                                            long-eared bat (M.                            use, conduct
                                            septentrionalis).                             population
                                                                                          monitoring,
                                                                                          evaluate impacts.
TE64071B............  Gerald L. Zuercher,  Indiana bat (Myotis       Illinois, Iowa....  Conduct presence/   Capture, handle,    Amend.
                       Dubuque, IA.         sodalis), northern long-                      absence surveys,    mist-net, radio-
                                            eared bat (M.                                 document habitat    tag, release.
                                            septentrionalis).                             use, conduct
                                                                                          population
                                                                                          monitoring,
                                                                                          evaluate impacts.
TE26953C............  Karen Goodell,       Rusty patched bumble bee  Ohio..............  Conduct presence/   Capture, handle,    New.
                       Newark, OH.          (Bombus affinis).                             absence surveys,    hold, and clip
                                                                                          collect tarsus      tarsus or
                                                                                          and antennae        antennae, release.
                                                                                          clippings.
TE26975C............  University of        Karner blue butterfly     Minnesota.........  Capture,            Capture, handle,    New.
                       Minnesota, Saint     (Lycaeides melissa                            propagate,          hold, transport,
                       Paul, MN.            samuelis).                                    transport,          release.
                                                                                          release.
TE27007C............  Minnesota            Northern long-eared bat   Minnesota.........  Conduct presence/   Capture, handle,    New.
                       Department of        (Myotis                                       absence surveys,    mist-net, hold,
                       Transportation,      septentrionalis), rusty                       document habitat    release.
                       Saint Paul, MN.      patched bumble bee                            use, conduct
                                            (Bombus affinis).                             population
                                                                                          monitoring,
                                                                                          evaluate impacts.
TE38085B............  Mountain State       Indiana bat (Myotis       Rangewide.........  Conduct presence/   Capture, handle,    Amend, renew.
                       Biosurveys, LLC,     sodalis), gray bat (M.                        absence surveys,    mist-net, harp
                       Glenwood, WV.        grisescens), northern                         document habitat    trap, release.
                                            long-eared bat (M.                            use, conduct
                                            septentrionalis).                             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: March 31, 2017.
Lori H. Nordstrom,
Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, Midwest Region.
[FR Doc. 2017-12399 Filed 6-14-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P