[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 87 (Friday, May 4, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19799-19800]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-09443]



[[Page 19799]]

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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2018-0014; FXIA16710900000-178-FF09A30000]


Endangered Species; Receipt of Permit Applications

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of permit applications.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to 
comment on applications to conduct certain activities with foreign 
endangered species. With some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act 
(ESA) prohibits activities with listed species unless Federal 
authorization is acquired that allows such activities. The ESA also 
requires that we invite public comment before issuing these permits.

DATES: We must receive comments by June 4, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Document availability: The applications, as well as any 
comments and other materials that we receive, will be available for 
public inspection online in Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2018-0014 at http://www.regulations.gov.
    Submitting Comments: You may submit comments by one of the 
following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments on Docket No. FWS-HQ-
IA-2018-0014.
     U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, 
Attn: Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2018-0014; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
Headquarters, MS: BPHC; 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-
3803.

When submitting comments, please indicate the name of the applicant and 
the PRT# at the beginning of your comment. We will post all comments on 
http://www.regulations.gov. This generally means that we will post any 
personal information you provide us (see SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for 
more information).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brenda Tapia, (703) 358-2104 
(telephone); (703) 358-2281 (fax); [email protected] (email).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Public Comment Procedures

A. How do I comment on submitted applications?

    You may submit your comments and materials by one of the methods 
listed under Submitting Comments in the ADDRESSES section. We will not 
consider comments sent by email or fax, or to an address not in the 
ADDRESSES section.
    Please make your requests or comments as specific as possible, 
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. We 
will not consider or include in our administrative record comments we 
receive after the close of the comment period (see DATES) or comments 
delivered to an address other than those listed above in ADDRESSES).

B. May I review comments submitted by others?

    Comments, including names and street addresses of respondents, will 
be available for public review at the street address listed under 
ADDRESSES. The public may review documents and other information 
applicants have sent in support of the application unless our allowing 
viewing would violate the Privacy Act or Freedom of Information Act. 
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.

C. Who will see my comments?

    If you submit a comment via http://www.regulations.gov, your entire 
comment, including any personal identifying information, will be posted 
on the website. If you submit a hardcopy comment that includes personal 
identifying information, such as your address, phone number, or email 
address, 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.

II. Background

    Under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as 
amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), we invite public comment on 
these permit applications before final action is taken.

III. Permit Applications

    We invite the public to comment on applications to conduct certain 
activities with endangered species. With some exceptions, the ESA 
prohibits activities with listed species unless Federal authorization 
is acquired that allows such activities.

Applicant: Safari West, Santa Rose, CA; PRT-27040C

    In the Federal Register of 82 FR 35817, August 1, 2017, we 
published a notice inviting the public to comment on an application 
that we received from Safari West, Santa Rosa, CA for a captive-bred 
wildlife registration under 50 CFR 17.21(g). In that notice, two 
species were omitted in the notification to the public. We are inviting 
the public to comment on the following two species to be added to this 
applicant's existing registration: bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus 
pygargus) and red ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata) for the purpose to 
enhance species propagation or survival. This notification covers 
activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period.

Applicant: Ryan McDonald, Waxahachie, TX; PRT-82656A

    The applicant requests renewal of a captive-bred wildlife 
registration under 50 CFR 17.21(g) for radiated tortoise (Astrochelys 
radiata), and Galapagos tortoise (Chelonoidis nigra) to enhance species 
propagation or survival. This notification covers activities to be 
conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period.

Applicant: Cornell University, Ithaca, NY; PRT-62281C

    The applicant requests a permit to import dried blood samples from 
30 captive-held Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) from Elephant Stay, 
Thailand, for scientific research. This notification is for a single 
import.
Multiple Trophies
    The following applicants each request a permit to import sport-
hunted trophies of a male bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus pygargus) 
culled from a captive herd maintained under the management program of 
the Republic of South Africa, for the purpose of enhancing the 
propagation or survival of the species.

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Applicant: Steven Collins, McKinney, TX; PRT-69195C

Applicant: David Seeno, Concord, CA; PRT-72306C

Applicant: C. Tustin, Ridley Park, PA; PRT-66701C

Applicant: Tommie Fogle, Lampasas, TX; PRT-66547C

Applicant: Rudy Nix, Barksdale, TX; PRT-74969C

Applicant: Kevin Perry, Peyton, CO; PRT-74842C

IV. 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. You may locate the Federal Register notice announcing the 
permit issuance date by searching in www.regulations.gov under the 
application number listed in this document (e.g., PRT-12345X).

VI. Authority

    Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

Brenda Tapia,
Program Analyst/Data Administrator, Branch of Permits, Division of 
Management Authority.
[FR Doc. 2018-09443 Filed 5-3-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P