[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 204 (Monday, October 22, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53289-53290]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-22967]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R6-ES-2018-N087; FXES11130600000-189-FF06E00000]


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 species under the Endangered 
Species Act of 1973, 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 by November 21, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Document availability and comment submission: 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].
     U.S. Mail: Kate Norman, Ecological Services, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service, 134 Union Blvd., Suite 670, Lakewood, CO 80228.
     Pickup/hand-delivery: Call 303-236-4224 to make an 
appointment during regular business hours at Ecological Services, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, 134 Union Blvd., Suite 670, Lakewood, CO 
80228.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathy Konishi, Recovery Permits 
Coordinator, Ecological Services, 303-236-4224 (phone); 
[email protected] (email). 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 a permit 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 Application 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 
this permit. 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.

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                                     Applicant, city,
         Application No.                   state                  Species                 Location              Take activity           Permit action
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TE91970C-0.......................  US Army Corps of      Interior least tern        Montana, Nebraska,    Survey and monitor to      New.
                                    Engineers, Yankton,   (Sternula antillarum       North Dakota, South   determine baseline
                                    SD.                   athalassos).               Dakota.               population numbers.
TE103272-4.......................  Virginia Polytechnic  Interior least tern        Montana, Nebraska,    Survey, monitor, attach    Renew.
                                    Institute and State   (Sternula antillarum       North Dakota, South   radio transmitters to
                                    University.           athalassos).               Dakota, Georgia,      determine baseline
                                                                                     South Carolina.       population numbers.
TE186282-2.......................  Nebraska Department   American burying beetle    Nebraska............  Survey and monitor to      Renew.
                                    of Transportation.    (Nicrophorus americanus).                        determine baseline
                                                                                                           population numbers.
TE08832A-1.......................  Utah State            Bonytail chub (Gila        Utah................  Survey and monitor to      Renew.
                                    University.           elegans), Colorado                               determine baseline
                                                          pikeminnow                                       population numbers.
                                                          (Ptychocheilus lucius),
                                                          razorback sucker
                                                          (Xyrauchen texanus).

[[Page 53290]]

 
TE99824C-0.......................  RedFISH               Bonytail chub (Gila        Colorado, Utah,       Survey and monitor to      New.
                                    Environmental.        elegans), Colorado         Wyoming.              determine baseline
                                                          pikeminnow                                       population numbers.
                                                          (Ptychocheilus lucius),
                                                          razorback sucker
                                                          (Xyrauchen texanus),
                                                          humpback chub (Gila
                                                          cypha).
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Public Availability of Comments

    Written comments we receive become part of the administrative 
record associated with this Federal Register notice. 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

    We publish this notice under section 10(c) of the Endangered 
Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

Michael Thabault,
Assistant Regional Director, Mountain-Prairie Region.
[FR Doc. 2018-22967 Filed 10-19-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P