[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 203 (Friday, October 19, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53073-53074]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-22764]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R3-ES-2018-N095; FXES11130300000-189-FF03E00000]


Endangered and Threatened Species; Receipt of 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, have received 
applications for permits to conduct activities intended to enhance the 
propagation or survival of endangered or threatened species under the 
Endangered Species Act, as amended. We invite the public and local, 
State, Tribal, and Federal agencies to comment on these applications. 
Before issuing any of the requested permits, we will take into 
consideration any information that we receive during the public comment 
period.

DATES: We must receive your written comments on or before November 19, 
2018.

ADDRESSES: Document availability and comment submission: You may, 
within 30 days of the date of publication of this notice (see DATES) 
submit requests for copies of the applications and related documents, 
and submit any comments by one of the following methods. All requests 
and comments should specify the applicant name(s) and application 
number(s) (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, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services, 5600 American Blvd. 
West, Suite 990, Bloomington, MN 55437-1458.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carlita Payne, 612-713-5343; 
[email protected]. Individuals who are hearing or speech impaired may 
call the Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 for TTY assistance.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
invite the public to comment on applications for permits under section 
10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 
1531 et seq.). The requested permits would allow the applicants to 
conduct activities intended to promote recovery of species that are 
listed as endangered or threatened under the ESA.

Background

    With some exceptions, the ESA prohibits activities that constitute 
take of listed species unless a Federal permit is issued that allows 
such activity. The ESA's definition of ``take'' includes such 
activities as pursuing, harassing, trapping, capturing, or collecting 
in addition to hunting, shooting, harming, wounding, or killing.
    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. These activities 
often include such prohibited actions as capture and collection. Our 
regulations implementing section 10(a)(1)(A) for these permits are 
found in the Code of Federal Regulations 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

    Proposed activities in the following permit requests are for the 
recovery and enhancement of propagation or survival of the species in 
the wild. The ESA requires that we invite public comment before issuing 
these permits. Accordingly, we invite local, State, Tribal, and Federal 
agencies and the public to submit written data, views, or arguments 
with respect to these applications. The comments and recommendations 
that will be most useful and likely to influence agency decisions are 
those supported by quantitative information or studies.

[[Page 53074]]



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                                                                                                                                               Permit
  Application No.          Applicant                                        Location                  Activity            Type of take         action
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TE64235B...........  William O'Leary,       Least tern (Sterna    IL, IN, KY..................  Conduct presence/     Harass, salvage.....  Renew.
                      Murphysboro, IL.       antillarum).                                        absence surveys,
                                                                                                 document habitat
                                                                                                 use, conduct
                                                                                                 population
                                                                                                 monitoring,
                                                                                                 evaluate impacts.
TE212427...........  Ecology and            Indiana bat (Myotis   AL, AR, CT, DE, FL, GA, IL,   Conduct presence/     Add new activity--    Amend.
                      Environment, Inc.,     sodalis), gray bat    IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD,   absence surveys,      salvage--to
                      Chicago, IL.           (M. grisescens),      MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE,   document habitat      existing authorized
                                             northern long-eared   NH, NJ, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK,   use, conduct          activities:
                                             bat (M.               PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, VT, VA,   population            Capture, handle,
                                             septentrionalis),     WV, WI, WY.                   monitoring,           mist-net, band,
                                             Ozark big-eared bat                                 evaluate impacts,     radio-tag, release.
                                             (Corynorhinus                                       identify genetics.
                                             towsendii ingens),
                                             Virginia big-eared
                                             bat (C.t.
                                             virginianus).
TE26854C...........  Brenna Hyzy,           Indiana bat (Myotis   AL, AR, CT, FL, GA, IL, IN,   Conduct presence/     Add new activity--    Amend.
                      Minneapolis, MN.       sodalis), gray bat    IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA,   absence surveys,      harp trap--to
                                             (M. grisescens),      MI, MN, MS, MO, NE, NH, NJ,   document habitat      existing authorized
                                             northern long-eared   NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, PA, RI,   use, conduct          activities:
                                             bat (M.               SC, SD, TN, VT, VA, WV, WI.   population            Capture, handle,
                                             septentrionalis).                                   monitoring,           mist-net, band,
                                                                                                 evaluate impacts.     radio-tag, release.
TE95096C...........  Duncan Schanz,         Indiana bat (Myotis   GA, IL, IN, KY, NY, TN, VA,   Conduct presence/     Capture, handle,      New.
                      Schoharie, NY.         sodalis), gray bat    WV.                           absence surveys,      mist-net, radio-
                                             (M. grisescens),                                    document habitat      tag, band, wing
                                             northern long-eared                                 use, conduct          biopsy, collect
                                             bat (M.                                             population            fecal and swab
                                             septentrionalis).                                   monitoring,           samples, release.
                                                                                                 evaluate impacts.
TE71737A...........  Roger Klocek, Oak      Add Orangefoot        Add new locations--MN--to     Conduct presence/     Capture, handle,      Amend.
                      Brook, IL.             pimpleback            existing authorized           absence surveys,      hold, release.
                                             (pearlymussel)        locations: IL, IA, OH.        document habitat
                                             (Plethobasus                                        use, conduct
                                             cooperianus),                                       population
                                             scaleshell mussel                                   monitoring,
                                             (Leptodea                                           evaluate impacts.
                                             leptodon), and
                                             winged mapleleaf
                                             (Quadrula fragosa)
                                             to existing
                                             permitted species:
                                             Clubshell
                                             (Pleurobema clava),
                                             fanshell
                                             (Cyprogenia
                                             stegaria), fat
                                             pocketbook
                                             (Potamilus capax),
                                             Higgins eye
                                             (pearlymussel)
                                             (Lampsilis
                                             higginsii), pink
                                             mucket
                                             (pearlymussel) (L.
                                             abrupta), northern
                                             riffleshell
                                             (Epioblasma
                                             torulosa rangiana),
                                             snuffbox mussel (E.
                                             triquetra),
                                             rabbitsfoot
                                             (Quadrula
                                             cylindrica
                                             cylindrica),
                                             sheepnose mussel
                                             (Plethobasus
                                             cyphyus), rayed
                                             bean (Villosa
                                             fabalis),
                                             spectaclecase
                                             (mussel)
                                             (Cumberlandia
                                             monodonta).
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Public Availability of Comments

    Written comments we receive become part of the administrative 
record associated with this action. 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 request in your comment that we 
withhold your personal identifying information from public review, 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.

Next Steps

    If we decide 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.).

    Dated: July 23, 2018.
Lori H. Nordstrom,
Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, Midwest Region.

    Editorial Note: The Office of the Federal Register received this 
document for publication on October 15, 2018.

[FR Doc. 2018-22764 Filed 10-18-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P