[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 161 (Tuesday, August 22, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39901-39903]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-17710]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R2-ES-2017-N082; FXES11130200000-178-FF02ENEH00]


U.S. Endangered Species; Recovery Permit Applications

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of permit applications; 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 recover and enhance the survival of endangered 
species. With some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as 
amended (ESA), prohibits certain activities that may impact endangered 
species unless a Federal permit allows such activity. The ESA also 
requires that we invite public comment before issuing these permits.

DATES: To ensure consideration, please send your written comments by 
September 21, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Request documents or submit comments to Susan Jacobsen, 
Chief, Division of Classification and Restoration, by U.S. mail at 
Division of Classification and Recovery, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, P.O. Box 1306, Albuquerque, NM 87103. Please specify the 
permit you are interested in by number (e.g., Permit No. TE-123456).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Jacobsen, Chief, Division of 
Classification and Restoration, by U.S. mail at P.O. Box 1306, 
Albuquerque, NM 87103; or by telephone at 505-248-6641.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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 recover and enhance the survival of 
endangered species. With some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act of 
1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.; ESA), prohibits certain 
activities that may impact endangered species, unless a Federal permit 
allows such activity. The ESA also requires that we invite public 
comment before issuing these permits.

Background

    The ESA prohibits certain activities with endangered and threatened 
species unless 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 recovery permit issued by us under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA 
authorizes the permittee to conduct activities with endangered or 
threatened species for scientific purposes that promote recovery or for 
enhancement of propagation or survival of the species. 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.
    In accordance with section 10(c) of the ESA; Executive Order 13576, 
``Delivering an Efficient, Effective, and Accountable Government''; and 
the President's Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and 
Agencies of January 21, 2009, ``Transparency and Open Government'' (74 
FR 4685; January 26, 2009), all of which call on Federal agencies to 
promote openness and transparency in Government by disclosing 
information to the public, we invite public comment on these permit 
applications before final action is taken.

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 by any party who submits a written request to 
the Program Manager for Restoration and Endangered Species 
Classification at the address listed in the ADDRESSES section. Requests 
must be submitted within 30 days of the date of publication of this 
notice. Release of documents is subject to the requirements of the 
Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a) and the 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.

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   Application No.         Applicant                Species               Location            Activity          Type of take          Permit action
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TE-22964C...........  Memphis Zoo,         Houston toad (Bufo        Tennessee.........  Captive             Harm and harass...  New.
                       Memphis, Tennessee.  houstonensis).                                propagation and
                                                                                          genetic research.
TE-25105C...........  Heidi Kloeppel       Southwestern willow       Arizona...........  Presence/absence    Harass............  New.
                       Trathnigg,           flycatcher (Empidonax                         surveys.
                       Flagstaff, Arizona.  traillii extimus).
TE-829761...........  Bureau of Land       Gila chub (Gila           New Mexico........  Presence/absence    Capture and harass  Amend.
                       Management, Las      intermedia).                                  surveys.
                       Cruces, New Mexico.
TE-216075...........  Martin R. Heaney,    Pink mucket (Lampsilis    Arkansas..........  Presence/absence    Capture and harass  Amend.
                       Rosenberg, Texas.    abrupta) and winged                           surveys.
                                            mapleleaf (Quadrula
                                            fragosa).

[[Page 39902]]

 
TE-048464...........  Joanne M. Roberts,   Lesser long-nosed bat     Arizona...........  Presence/absence    Capture, harm, and  Amend and Renew.
                       Hereford, Arizona.   (Leptonycteris curasoae                       surveys.            harass.
                                            yerbabuenae),
                                            southwestern willow
                                            flycatcher (Empidonax
                                            traillii extimus), and
                                            Lilaeopsis
                                            schaffneriana var.
                                            recurva (Huachuca water
                                            umbel).
TE-29890C...........  Matrix Consulting    Southwestern willow       Arizona, Colorado,  Presence/absence    Harass............  New.
                       NM, Albuquerque,     flycatcher (Empidonax     New Mexico,         surveys.
                       New Mexico.          traillii extimus).        Texas, and Utah.
TE-794593...........  Texas State          Masked bobwhite quail     Texas.............  Enhancement of      None..............  Amend.
                       Aquarium, Corpus     (Colinus virginianus                          propagation or
                       Christi, Texas.      ridgwayi).                                    survival of
                                                                                          species.
TE-232639...........  DESCO Environmental  American burying beetle   Oklahoma and Texas  Presence/absence    Capture and harass  Amend.
                       Consultants, LP,     (Nicrophorus                                  surveys.
                       Magnolia, Texas.     americanus).
TE-21840C...........  Wildwood             Gray bat (Myotis          Arkansas,           Presence/absence    Capture, harm, and  New.
                       Environmental        grisescens), Indiana      Louisiana, North    surveys.            harass.
                       Credit Company,      bat (Myotis sodalis),     Carolina,
                       Tyler, Texas.        Ozark big-eared bat       Oklahoma,
                                            (Corynorhinus             Tennessee, and
                                            (=plecotus) townsendii    Texas.
                                            ingens), and Virginia
                                            big-eared bat
                                            (Corynorhinus
                                            (=plecotus) townsendii
                                            virginianus).
TE-72079A...........  John N. Rinne,       Loach minnow (Tiaroga     New Mexico........  Presence/absence    Capture, harm, and  Renew.
                       Flagstaff, Arizona.  cobitis), and spikedace                       surveys.            harass.
                                            (Meda fulgida).
TE-32832C...........  U.S. Fish and        Masked bobwhite (Colinus  Arizona...........  Captive             Capture, harm, and  New.
                       Wildlife Service--   virginianus ridgwayi).                        propagation,        harass.
                       Buenos Aires                                                       research, and
                       National Wildlife                                                  reintroduction.
                       Refuge, Sasabe,
                       Arizona.
TE-32916C...........  G.M. Sutton Avian    Masked bobwhite (Colinus  Oklahoma..........  Captive breeding,   Capture, harm, and  New.
                       Research Center.     virginianus ridgwayi).                        and subsequent      harass.
                                                                                          tracking and
                                                                                          monitoring of
                                                                                          released birds.
TE-32917C...........  Ashley M. Long.....  Golden-cheeked warbler    Texas.............  Presence/absence    Capture, harm, and  New.
                                            (Setophaga                                    surveys, mist       harass.
                                            chrysoparia), Black-                          netting and
                                            capped vireo (Vireo                           banding, use of
                                            atricapilla).                                 geolocators and
                                                                                          radiotrackers.
TE-40886B...........  Jennifer Zahratka,   New Mexico meadow         Colorado, New       Radio-collaring     Capture, harm, and  Amend.
                       Durango, Colorado.   jumping mouse (Zapus      Mexico.             and collecting      harass.
                                            hudsonius luteus).                            tissue samples to
                                                                                          confirm taxonomic
                                                                                          identification
                                                                                          with genetic
                                                                                          analysis.
TE43754A............  Turner Endangered    Chupadera springsnail     New Mexico........  Monitor, survey,    Capture, harm, and  Amend.
                       Species Fund,        (Pyrgulopsis                                  handle, and         harass..
                       Bozeman, Montana.    chupaderae).                                  collect.
TE34460C............  Grouse Mountain      Southwestern willow       Arizona, Colorado,  Presence/absence    Harm and harass...  New.
                       Environmental        flycatcher (Empidonax     New Mexico,         surveys.
                       Consultants, Santa   traillii extimus).        Texas, Utah,
                       Fe, New Mexico.                                Wyoming.
TE35802C............  Geodata Crawler      American burying beetle   Arkansas, Kansas,   Presence/absence    Harm and harass...  New.
                       Research             (Nicrophorus              Nebraska,           surveys.
                       Institute, Fort      americanus).              Oklahoma, South
                       Smith, Arkansas.                               Dakota, Texas.
TE00479C............  Kevin Johnson,       American burying beetle   Alabama, Arkansas,  Presence/absence    Harm and harass...  New.
                       Oklahoma City,       (Nicrophorus              Florida, Georgia,   surveys.
                       Oklahoma.            americanus), Red          Kentucky,
                                            cockaded woodpecker       Louisiana,
                                            (Picoides borealis).      Mississippi,
                                                                      Nebraska, North
                                                                      Carolina, Ohio,
                                                                      Oklahoma, South
                                                                      Carolina, South
                                                                      Dakota,
                                                                      Tennessee, Texas,
                                                                      Virginia.
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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 in ADDRESSES.

[[Page 39903]]

    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.).

    Dated: June 7, 2017.
Benjamin N. Tuggle,
Regional Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-17710 Filed 8-21-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P