[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 30 (Tuesday, February 13, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6210-6212]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-02878]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R1-ES-2017-N182; FXES11130100000-189-FF01E00000]


U.S. Endangered Species; Receipt of Recovery and Interstate 
Commerce Permit Applications

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

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

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

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to 
comment on applications for permits to conduct activities intended to 
enhance the propagation or survival of endangered species. With some 
exceptions, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) prohibits certain 
activities that constitute take of listed species unless a Federal 
permit is issued that allows such activity. The ESA also requires that 
we invite public comment before issuing these permits.

DATES: To ensure consideration, we must receive your written comments 
by March 15, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Requesting Copies of Applications or Public Comments: Copies 
of applications or public comments concerning any of the applications 
in this notice may be obtained 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, subject to the 
requirements of the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a) and the Freedom of 
Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552): Program Manager, Restoration and 
Endangered Species Classification, Ecological Services, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, Pacific Regional Office, 911 NE 11th Avenue, 
Portland, OR 97232-4181.
    Submitting Comments: You may submit comments by one of the 
following methods. Please specify applicant name(s) and application 
number(s) to which your comments pertain (e.g., TE-XXXXXX).
     Email: [email protected]. Please refer to the respective 
permit number (e.g., Application No. TE-XXXXXX) in the subject line of 
your email message.
     U.S. Mail: Program Manager, Restoration and Endangered 
Species Classification, Ecological Services, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Pacific Regional Office, 911 NE 11th Avenue, Portland, OR 
97232-4181.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Colleen Henson, Recovery Permits 
Coordinator, Ecological Services, (503) 231-6131 (phone); 
[email protected] (email).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
(Service), invite the public to comment on applications for permits to 
conduct activities intended to promote recovery of endangered species. 
With some exceptions, the ESA prohibits certain activities with 
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.

[[Page 6211]]

    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.

Permit Applications Available for Review and Comment

    We invite local, State, Tribes, Federal agencies and the public to 
comment on the following applications.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Application No.           Applicant            Species               Location              Activity          Type of take          Permit action
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TE-003483..............  U.S. Geological     Add the following   Hawaii.................  Population surveys  For all species:    Amend.
                          Survey, Pacific     species: Hawaiian                            and ecological      survey, record
                          Island Ecosystems   hawk or `Io                                  research.           and/or use tape-
                          Research Center,    (Buteo                                                           playback
                          Hawaii National     solitarius), Maui                                                vocalizations,
                          Park, Hawaii.       parrotbill or                                                    capture, handle,
                                              Kiwikiu                                                          band, mark,
                                              (Pseudonestor                                                    measure, weigh,
                                              xanthophrys),                                                    biosample,
                                              Crested                                                          release,
                                              honeycreeper or                                                  recapture, and
                                              Akohekohe                                                        salvage.
                                              (Palmeria dolei),                                               For Hawaiian hawk:
                                              Oahu elepaio                                                     attach radio and/
                                              (Chasiempis                                                      or satellite
                                              ibidis).                                                         transmitters,
                                                                                                               survey and
                                                                                                               monitor nests.
                                                                                                              For `i`iwi: attach
                                                                                                               radio
                                                                                                               transmitters and
                                                                                                               monitor nests.
TE-056557..............  U.S. Bureau of      Snake River physa   Idaho..................  Population surveys  Survey, capture,    Renew.
                          Reclamation,        snail (Physa                                 and ecological      mark, transport,
                          Boise, Idaho.       natricina).                                  research.           release, and
                                                                                                               sacrifice.
TE-060179..............  San Diego Zoo       Add the following   Hawaii.................  Population surveys  Survey, capture,    Amend.
                          Global, San         species: Hawaiian                            and ecological      handle,
                          Diego, California.  hawk or `Io                                  research.           biosample, attach
                                              (Buteo                                                           GPS biologgers,
                                              solitarius).                                                     release,
                                                                                                               recapture, and
                                                                                                               salvage.
TE-068803..............  Jerry Lynn Kinser,  Hawaiian goose or   Texas..................  Captive             Purchase, in        New.
                          Conroe, Texas.      Nene (Branta                                 propagation.        interstate
                                              sandvicensis).                                                   commerce, two
                                                                                                               male and two
                                                                                                               female captive
                                                                                                               bred goslings.
TE-25955C..............  Melissa Price,      Band-rumped storm   Hawaii.................  Population,         For both species:   Amend.
                          University of       petrel                                       predation,          survey, capture,
                          Hawaii--Manoa,      (Oceanodroma                                 mortality, and      handle, measure,
                          Honolulu, Hawaii.   castro), Hawaiian                            genetic studies.    weigh, release,
                                              stilt or Aeo                                                     recapture, and
                                              (Himantopus                                                      salvage.
                                              mexicanus                                                       For petrels:
                                              knudseni).                                                       biosample.
                                                                                                              For stilts: band,
                                                                                                               attach radio-
                                                                                                               transmitters, and
                                                                                                               monitor nests.
TE-62696C..............  Assured Bio Labs,   Bidens amplectens   Hawaii.................  Hybridization       Remove/reduce to    New.
                          LLC, Oak Ridge,     (Ko`oko`olau).                               study.              possession from
                          Tennessee.                                                                           lands under
                                                                                                               Federal
                                                                                                               jurisdiction--col
                                                                                                               lect leaves,
                                                                                                               flowering
                                                                                                               portions, stems,
                                                                                                               and herbarium
                                                                                                               specimens.
TE-64600C..............  University of       Serianthes          Guam, Rota.............  Population          Remove/reduce to    New.
                          Guam, Center for    nelsonii ( Hayun                             surveys, captive    possession from
                          Island              lagu, Tronkon                                propagation,        lands under
                          Sustainability,     guafi), Eugenia                              genetic studies,    Federal
                          Mangilqo, Guam.     bryanii (No                                  and recovery        jurisdiction--col
                                              Common Name                                  actions.            lect seeds and
                                              (NCN)), Hedyotis                                                 leaves; survey,
                                              megalantha                                                       propagate,
                                              (Paudedo),                                                       outplant, genetic
                                              Heritiera                                                        analysis, and
                                              longipetiolata                                                   salvage.
                                              (Ufa-halomtano),
                                              Phyllanthus
                                              saffordii (NCN),
                                              Psychotria
                                              malaspinae
                                              (Aplokating-
                                              palaoan),
                                              Tinospora
                                              homosepala (NCN).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Public Availability of Comments

    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. If you submit 
a hardcopy comment that includes personal identifying information, you 
may request at the top of your document that we withhold this 
information from public review; however, we cannot guarantee that we 
will be able to do so.

Contents of Public Comments

    Please make your comments as specific as possible. Please confine 
your comments to issues for which we seek comments in this notice, and 
explain

[[Page 6212]]

the basis for your comments. Include sufficient information with your 
comments to allow us to authenticate any scientific or commercial data 
you include.
    The comments and recommendations that will be most useful and 
likely to influence agency decisions are: (1) Those supported by 
quantitative information or studies; and (2) Those that include 
citations to, and analyses of, the applicable laws and regulations.

Next Steps

    If the Service decides to issue permits to any of the applicants 
listed in this notice, we will publish a notice in the Federal 
Register.

Authority

    Section 10(c) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

Eric Hein,
Acting Assistant Regional Director--Ecological Services, Pacific 
Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-02878 Filed 2-12-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P