[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 239 (Thursday, December 12, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67953-67955]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-26753]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2019-0108; FXIA16710900000-201-FF09A30000]


Foreign Endangered Species; Receipt of 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, 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 issued that allows such 
activities. The ESA also requires that we invite public comment before 
issuing permits for any activity

[[Page 67954]]

otherwise prohibited by the ESA with respect to any endangered species.

DATES: We must receive comments by January 13, 2020.

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-2019-0108.
    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-2019-0108.
     U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, 
Attn: Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2019-0108; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
Headquarters, MS: PERMA; 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?

    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.
    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. 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 at 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 at 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. Moreover, 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(c) of the Endangered 
Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), we 
invite public comments on permit applications before final action is 
taken. With some exceptions, the ESA prohibits certain activities with 
listed species unless Federal authorization is issued that allows such 
activities. Permits issued under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA allow 
otherwise prohibited activities for scientific purposes or to enhance 
the propagation or survival of the affected species. Service 
regulations regarding prohibited activities with endangered species, 
captive-bred wildlife registrations (CBWs), and permits for any 
activity otherwise prohibited by the ESA with respect to any endangered 
species are available in title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations in 
part 17.

III. Permit Applications

    We invite comments on the following applications.

Applicant: Sea Turtle Conservancy, Gainesville, FL; Permit No. 56757D

    The applicant requests authorization to import blood and tissue 
samples of live or gut contents from dead hawksbill sea turtles 
(Eretmochelys imbricata) and Kemp's ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys 
kempii) from Bermuda for the purpose of scientific research. This 
notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 
5-year period.

Applicant: Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch dba Fund for Animals, 
Murchison, TX; Permit No. 54793D

    The applicant requests authorization to import two female tigers 
(Panthera tigris) from SPCA de Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. This 
notification is for a single import.

Applicant: Safe Haven Wildlife Sanctuary, Imlay, NV; Permit No. 54785D

    The applicant requests authorization to import one male tiger 
(Panthera tigris) from SPCA de Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. This 
notification is for a single import.

Applicant: The Wildcat Sanctuary, Sandstone, MN; Permit No. 54787D

    The applicant requests authorization to import one male and one 
female tiger (Panthera tigris) from SPCA de Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, 
Canada. This notification is for a single import.
Applicant: Triple D Game Farm, Kalispell, MT; Permit No. 44811D

    The applicant requests a captive-bred wildlife registration (CBW) 
under 50 CFR 17.21(g) for snow leopard (Uncia uncia) and Amur leopard 
(Panthera pardus orientalis) to enhance the propagation or survival of 
the species. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the 
applicant over a 5-year period.

Applicant: Palfram Ranch Management LLC, Giddings TX; Permit No. 64737A

    The applicant requests a CBW under 50 CFR 17.21(g) for barasingha 
(Rucervus duvaucelii) and red lechwe (Kobus leche) to enhance the 
propagation or survival of the species. This notification covers 
activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 3-year period.

Applicant: Jeffrey Kengor, Brunswick, MD; Permit No. 41285D

    The applicant requests a CBW under 50 CFR 17.21(g) for radiated 
tortoise (Astrochelys radiata) to enhance the propagation or survival 
of the species. This notification covers activities to be conducted by 
the applicant over a 5-year period.

Applicant: New Jersey Aquarium LLC dba Adventure Aquarium, Camden, NJ; 
Permit No. 44974D


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    The applicant requests a CBW under 50 CFR 17.21(g) for African 
penguin (Spheniscus demersus) to enhance the propagation or survival of 
the species. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the 
applicant over a 5-year period.

Applicant: City of San Jose dba Happy Hollow Zoo, San Jose, CA; Permit 
No. 44888D

    The applicant requests a CBW under 50 CFR 17.21(g) for Parma 
wallaby (Macropus parma) to enhance the propagation or survival of the 
species. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the 
applicant over a 5-year period.

Applicant: Potter Park Zoo, Ingham County, Lansing, MI; Permit No. 
15052D

    On August 16, 2019, we published a Federal Register notice inviting 
the public to comment on an application for a captive-bred wildlife 
registration (84 FR 42006). The comment period closed on September 16, 
2019. We are now reopening the comment period for this application, 
because our August 16, 2019, notice listed six species, inadvertently 
omitting one species, the African lion (Panthera leo leo). The 
applicant requests a CBW under 50 CFR 17.21(g) for the following seven 
species, to enhance the propagation or survival of the species. This 
notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 
5-year period.

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                Common name                        Scientific name
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Black rhinoceros..........................  Diceros bicornis.
Golden lion tamarin.......................  Leontopithecus rosalia.
Tiger.....................................  Panthera tigris.
Snow leopard..............................  Uncia uncia.
Mandrill..................................  Mandrillus sphinx.
Cottontop marmoset........................  Saguinus oedipus.
African lion..............................  Panthera leo.
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Multiple Trophy Applicants

    The following applicants request permits to import sport-hunted 
trophies of 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: Aaron Clements, Midland, TX; Permit No. 50006D
Applicant: John Stagg, Zachary LA; Permit No. 55013D
Applicant: James Eubanks, Ebony, VA; Permit No. 56372D
Applicant: Chrys Potts, Anchorage, AK; Permit No. 38251D

IV. Next Steps

    After the comment period closes, we will make decisions regarding 
permit issuance. 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 by searching http://www.regulations.gov for the permit number listed above in this 
document. For example, to find information about the potential issuance 
of Permit No. 12345A, you would go to regulations.gov and search for 
``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.), and its implementing 
regulations.

Brenda Tapia,
Program Analyst/Data Administrator, Branch of Permits, Division of 
Management Authority.
[FR Doc. 2019-26753 Filed 12-11-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P