[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 179 (Friday, September 14, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46752-46753]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-20011]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2018-0031; FXIA16710900000-178-FF09A30000]


Foreign 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 
species that are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act 
(ESA). With some exceptions, the 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 permits for endangered species.

DATES: We must receive comments by October 15, 2018.

ADDRESSES: 
    Obtaining Documents: The applications, application supporting 
materials, and any comments and other materials that we receive will be 
available for public inspection at http://www.regulations.gov in Docket 
No. FWS-HQ-IA-2018-0031.
    Submitting Comments: When submitting comments, please specify the 
name of the applicant and the permit number at the beginning of your 
comment. You may submit comments by one of the following methods:
     Internet: http://www.regulations.gov. Search for and 
submit comments on Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2018-0031.
     U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, 
Attn: Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2018-0031; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
Headquarters, MS: BPHC; 5275 Leesburg Pike; Falls Church, VA 22041-
3803.

For more information, see Public Comment Procedures under SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brenda Tapia, by phone at 703-358-
2104, via email at [email protected], or via the Federal Relay Service at 
800-877-8339.

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 in 
ADDRESSES. We will not consider comments sent by email or fax, or to an 
address not in ADDRESSES. We will not consider or include in our 
administrative record comments we receive after the close of the 
comment period (see DATES).
    When submitting comments, please specify the name of the applicant 
and the permit number at the beginning of your comment. 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. Provide sufficient information 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.

B. May I review comments submitted by others?

    You may view and comment on others' public comments on http://www.regulations.gov, unless our allowing so would violate the Privacy 
Act (5 U.S.C. 552a) or Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552).

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. All submissions from organizations or 
businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as 
representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, will be 
made available for public disclosure in their entirety.

II. Background

    To help us carry out our conservation responsibilities for affected 
species, and in consideration of 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 permit applications before final action is 
taken. With some exceptions, the ESA prohibits activities with listed 
species unless Federal authorization is acquired that allows such 
activities. Permits issued under section 10 of the ESA allow activities 
for scientific purposes or to enhance the propagation or survival of 
the affected species.

III. Permit Applications

    We invite the public to comment on the following applications.

Applicants: Erich D. Jarvis and Olivier Fedrigo, Rockefeller 
University, New York, NY; Permit No. 43635C

    The applicants request a permit to import biological samples of all 
endangered vertebrate species worldwide for the purposes of scientific 
research. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the 
applicant over a 5-year period.
Applicant: North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC; Permit No. 
53023C
    The applicant requests a permit to import hawksbill sea turtle 
(Eretmochelys imbricata) biological samples for the purposes of 
scientific research. This notification covers activities to be 
conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period.

Applicant: Robert Temple, East Stroudsburg, PA; Permit No. 66265C


[[Page 46753]]


    The applicant requests a captive-bred wildlife registration under 
50 CFR 17.21(g) for the golden parakeet (Guarouba guarouba) to enhance 
species propagation or survival. This notification covers activities to 
be conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period.

Applicant: Viktoria Oelze, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa 
Cruz, CA; Permit No. 70671C

    The applicant requests a permit to import 70 hair samples derived 
from wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) from the Max Planck 
Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany, to enhance 
the propagation or survival of the species through scientific research. 
This notification is for a single import.

Applicant: Regents of University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN; Permit No. 
78622C

    The applicant requests a permit to import one non-viable egg from a 
Galapagos hawk (Buteo galapagoensis) from the Galapagos, Ecuador, for 
the purpose of scientific research. This notification is for a single 
import.

Applicant: Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, Fort Wayne, 
IN; Permit No. 59230C

    The applicant requests a permit to import 10 skin biopsy samples 
derived from wild leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) from 
the Goldring-Gund Marine Biology Station, Playa Grande, Santa Cruz, 
Costa Rica, for scientific research. This notification is for a single 
import.

Applicant: Noel Garcia, Sterling, VA; Permit No. 60345C

    The applicant requests a captive-bred wildlife registration under 
50 CFR 17.21(g) for the golden parakeet (Guarouba guarouba) to enhance 
species propagation or survival. This notification covers activities to 
be conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period.

Applicant: Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, Claremont, CA; Permit No. 
15316B

    The applicant requests renewal of a permit to export and reimport 
nonliving museum/herbarium specimens of endangered and threatened 
species (excluding animals) previously legally accessioned into the 
applicant's collection for scientific research. This notification 
covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 5-year 
period.

Applicant: Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL; Permit No. 
698170

    The applicant requests renewal of a permit to export and reimport 
nonliving museum specimens of endangered and threatened species 
previously accessioned into the applicant's collection for scientific 
research. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the 
applicant over a 5-year period.

Multiple Trophy Applicants

    Each of the following applicants requests a permit to import a 
sport-hunted trophy 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.

Applicant: James Wilson, Meridian, ID; Permit No. 79707C
Applicant: Louis Wickas, Gallipolis, OH; Permit No. 78075C
Applicant: Scott Goeddel, Waterloo, IL; Permit No. 80972C
Applicant: Ray Penner, North Newton, KS; Permit No. 80975C

IV. Next Steps

    If we issue permits to any of the applicants listed in this notice, 
we will publish a notice in the Federal Register. You may locate the 
notice announcing the permit issuance date by searching http://www.regulations.gov for the permit number listed above in this document 
(e.g., Permit No. 12345A).

V. Authority

    We issue this notice under the authority of the Endangered Species 
Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

Brenda Tapia,
Program Analyst/Data Administrator, Branch of Permits, Division of 
Management Authority.
[FR Doc. 2018-20011 Filed 9-13-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P