[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 56 (Thursday, March 22, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12588-12590]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-05828]


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

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R3-ES-2018-N014; FXES11130300000-189-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 applications for permits to conduct activities intended to 
enhance the propagation or 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 April 23, 
2018.

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].
    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 above-mentioned 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).
    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., TEXXXXXX).
     Email: [email protected]. Please refer to the respective 
permit number (e.g., Application No. TEXXXXXX) in the subject line of 
your email message.
     U.S. Mail: Regional Director, Attn: Carlita Payne (address 
above).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carlita Payne, 612-713-5343; 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
invite the public to comment on the following

[[Page 12589]]

applications for a permit to conduct activities intended to enhance the 
propagation or survival of endangered or threatened species. Federal 
law prohibits certain activities with endangered species unless a 
permit is obtained.

Background

    The Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et 
seq.; ESA), 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.

Permit 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 propagation or survival of the species in 
the wild.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Application No.            Applicant              Species              Location              Activity            Type of take        Permit action
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TE82666A...............  Justin Boyles,        Indiana bat (Myotis   AL, AR, GA, IL, IN,   Conduct presence/     Capture, handle,      Renew.
                          Southern Illinois     sodalis), gray bat    IA, KS, KY, MD, MA,   absence surveys,      mist-net, harp
                          University,           (M. grisescens),      MI, MS, MO, NH, NJ,   document habitat      trap, radio-tag,
                          Carbondale, IL.       northern long-eared   NY, NC, OH, OK, PA,   use, conduct          data-log, band,
                                                bat (M.               RI, SC, TN, VT, VA,   population            wing biopsy,
                                                septentrionalis).     WV, WI.               monitoring,           collect hair,
                                                                                            evaluate impacts.     blood, fungal lift
                                                                                                                  tape and swab
                                                                                                                  samples, enter
                                                                                                                  hibernacula,
                                                                                                                  release, salvage.
TE21831B...............  Katherine Caldwell,   Indiana bat (Myotis   AL, AR, CT, GA, IL,   Conduct presence/     Capture, handle,      Renew.
                          Asheville, NC.        sodalis), northern    IN, IA, KY, MD, MI,   absence surveys,      mist-net, radio-
                                                long-eared bat (M.    MO, NJ, NY, NC, OH,   document habitat      tag, band, wing
                                                septentrionalis).     OK, PA, SC, TN, VT,   use, conduct          biopsy, collect
                                                                      VA, WV.               population            hair, fungal lift
                                                                                            monitoring,           tape and swab
                                                                                            evaluate impacts.     samples, release,
                                                                                                                  salvage.
TE64238B...............  Jocelyn Karst,        Indiana bat (Myotis   AL, AR, CT, DE,       Conduct presence/     Capture, handle,      Renew.
                          Champaign, IL.        sodalis), northern    D.C., FL, GA, IL,     absence surveys,      mist-net, radio-
                                                long-eared bat (M.    IN, IA, KS, KY, LA,   document habitat      tag, band, wing
                                                septentrionalis).     MD, MA, MI, MN, MS,   use, conduct          biopsy, collect
                                                                      MO, MT, NE, NH, NJ,   population            hair, fungal lift
                                                                      NY, NC, ND, OH, OK,   monitoring,           tape and swab
                                                                      PA, RI, SC, SD, TN,   evaluate impacts.     samples, release,
                                                                      VT, VA, WV, WI, WY.                         salvage.
TE74742C...............  Benjamin Smith,       Indiana bat (Myotis   AL, AR, CT, DE,       Conduct presence/     Capture, handle,      New.
                          Springfield, MO.      sodalis), gray bat    D.C., FL, GA, IL,     absence surveys,      mist-net, harp
                                                (M. grisescens),      IN, IA, KS, KY, LA,   document habitat      trap, radio-tag,
                                                northern long-eared   ME, MD, MA, MI, MN,   use, conduct          band, wing biopsy,
                                                bat (M.               MS, MO, NE, NH, NJ,   population            collect hair,
                                                septentrionalis).     NY, NC, ND, OH, OK,   monitoring,           fecal, fungal lift
                                                                      PA, RI, SC, SD, TN,   evaluate impacts.     tape and swab
                                                                      VT, VA, WV, WI, WY.                         samples, release.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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 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.

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


[[Page 12590]]


    Dated: February 12, 2018.
Lori H. Nordstrom,
Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, Midwest Region.
[FR Doc. 2018-05828 Filed 3-21-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P