[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 34 (Thursday, February 20, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9796-9800]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-03429]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R4-ES-2020-N016; FXES11140400000-201-FF04E00000]


Endangered Species; 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 written data or comments on the applications by 
March 23, 2020.

ADDRESSES: 

[[Page 9797]]

    Reviewing Documents: Documents and other information submitted with 
the applications are available for review, subject to the requirements 
of the Privacy Act and Freedom of Information Act. Submit a request for 
a copy of such documents to Karen Marlowe (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT).
    Submitting Comments: If you wish to comment, you may submit 
comments by one of the following methods:
     U.S. mail or hand-delivery: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
Regional Office, Ecological Services, 1875 Century Boulevard, Atlanta, 
GA 30345 (Attn: Karen Marlowe, Permit Coordinator).
     Email: [email protected]. Please include your name and 
return address in your email message. If you do not receive a 
confirmation from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that we have 
received your email message, contact us directly at the telephone 
number listed in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Marlowe, Permit Coordinator, 
404-679-7097 (telephone), [email protected] (email), or 404-679-
7081 (fax). Individuals who are hearing or speech impaired may call the 
Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 for TTY assistance.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We invite review and comment from local, 
State, and Federal agencies and the public on applications we have 
received for permits to conduct certain activities with endangered and 
threatened species under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species 
Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), and our 
regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 50 CFR part 17. 
With some exceptions, the ESA prohibits activities that constitute take 
of listed species unless a Federal permit is issued that allows such 
activities. The ESA's definition of ``take'' includes hunting, 
shooting, harming, wounding, or killing, and also such activities as 
pursuing, harassing, trapping, capturing, or collecting.
    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 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.
    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.

[[Page 9798]]



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 Permit Application
        No.               Applicant               Species/numbers                Location            Activity         Type of take       Permit action
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TE 56515D-0........  Leslie Meade,       Virginia big-eared bat             Alabama, Florida,   Presence/absence   Capture with mist  New.
                      Olympia, WA.        (Corynorhinus townsendii           Georgia,            surveys.           nets, handle,
                                          virginianus), gray bat (Myotis     Illinois,                              identify, band,
                                          grisescens), northern long-eared   Indiana, Iowa,                         radio-tag, and
                                          bat (Myotis septentrionalis),      Kentucky,                              release.
                                          and Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis).  Michigan,
                                                                             Mississippi,
                                                                             Missouri, North
                                                                             Carolina, Ohio,
                                                                             South Carolina,
                                                                             and Tennessee.
TE 56588D-0........  Martin Melville,    FISH: Laurel dace (Chrosomus       Florida, Georgia,   Presence/absence   Capture, handle,   New.
                      Marietta, GA.       saylori), blue shiner              North Carolina,     surveys.           identify, and
                                          (Cyprinella (=Notropis)            South Carolina,                        release.
                                          caerulea), bluemask darter         and Tennessee.
                                          (Etheostoma akatulo), Etowah
                                          darter (Etheostoma etowahae),
                                          Okaloosa darter (Etheostoma
                                          okaloosae), duskytail darter
                                          (Etheostoma percnurum), Cherokee
                                          darter (Etheostoma scotti),
                                          Cumberland darter (Etheostoma
                                          susanae), trispot darter
                                          (Etheostoma trisella), boulder
                                          darter (Etheostoma wapiti),
                                          smoky madtom (Noturus baileyi),
                                          chucky madtom (Noturus
                                          crypticus), pygmy madtom
                                          (Noturus stanauli), amber darter
                                          (Percina antesella), goldline
                                          darter (Percina aurolineata),
                                          Conasauga logperch (Percina
                                          jenkinsi), snail darter (Percina
                                          tanasi), blackside dace
                                          (Phoxinus cumberlandensis)
                                          MUSSELS: Cumberland elktoe
                                          (Alasmidonta atropurpurea),
                                          Appalachian elktoe (Alasmidonta
                                          raveneliana), fat threeridge
                                          (Amblema neislerii),
                                          spectaclecase (Cumberlandia
                                          monodonta), fanshell (Cyprogenia
                                          stegaria), dromedary
                                          pearlymussel (Dromus dromas),
                                          Chipola slabshell (Elliptio
                                          chipolaensis), Altamaha
                                          spinymussel (Elliptio spinosa),
                                          purple bankclimber (Elliptoideus
                                          sloatianus), Cumberlandian
                                          combshell (Epioblasma
                                          brevidens), oyster mussel
                                          (Epioblasma capsaeformis),
                                          yellow blossom (Epioblasma
                                          florentina florentina), tan
                                          riffleshell (Epioblasma
                                          florentina walkeri), upland
                                          combshell (Epioblasma
                                          metastriata), southern
                                          acornshell (Epioblasma
                                          othcaloogensis), southern
                                          combshell (Epioblasma penita),
                                          green blossom (Epioblasma
                                          torulosa gubernaculum),
                                          tubercled blossom (Epioblasma
                                          torulosa torulosa), snuffbox
                                          mussel (Epioblasma
                                          triquetra),turgid blossom
                                          (Epioblasma turgidula), tapered
                                          pigtoe (Fusconaia burkei), shiny
                                          pigtoe (Fusconaia cor),
                                          finerayed pigtoe (Fusconaia
                                          cuneolus), narrow pigtoe
                                          (Fusconaia escambia), round
                                          ebonyshell (Fusconaia rotulata),
                                          southern sandshell (Hamiota
                                          australis), cracking
                                          pearlymussel (Hemistena lata),
                                          pink mucket (Lampsilis abrupta),
                                          finelined pocketbook (Lampsilis
                                          altilis), orangenacre (Lampsilis
                                          perovalis), shinyrayed
                                          pocketbook (Lampsilis
                                          subangulata), Alabama lampmussel
                                          (Lampsilis virescens), Carolina
                                          heelsplitter (Lasmigona
                                          decorata), birdwing pearlymussel
                                          (Lemiox rimosus), Alabama
                                          moccasinshell (Medionidus
                                          acutissimus), Coosa
                                          moccasinshell (Medionidus
                                          parvulus), Gulf moccasinshell
                                          (Medionidus penicillatus),
                                          Ochlockonee moccasinshell
                                          (Medionidus simpsonianus),
                                          Suwannee moccasinshell
                                          (Medionidus walkeri), ring pink
                                          (Obovaria retusa), littlewing
                                          pearlymussel (Pegias fabula),
                                          white wartyback (Plethobasus
                                          cicatricosus), orangefoot
                                          pimpleback (Plethobasus
                                          cooperianus), sheepnose mussel
                                          (Plethobasus cyphyus), clubshell
                                          (Pleurobema clava), southern
                                          clubshell (Pleurobema decisum),
                                          southern pigtoe (Pleurobema
                                          georgianum), Cumberland pigtoe
                                          (Pleurobema gibberum), Georgia
                                          pigtoe (Pleurobema hanleyianum),
                                          ovate clubshell (Pleurobema
                                          perovatum), rough pigtoe
                                          (Pleurobema plenum), oval pigtoe
                                          (Pleurobema pyriforme), fuzzy
                                          pigtoe (Pleurobema strodeanum),
                                          slabside pearlymussel
                                          (Pleuronaia dolabelloides), fat
                                          pocketbook (Potamilus capax),
                                          triangular kidneyshell
                                          (Ptychobranchus greenii), fluted
                                          kidneyshell (Ptychobranchus
                                          subtentum), rabbitsfoot
                                          (Quadrula cylindrica
                                          cylindrica), rough rabbitsfoot
                                          (Quadrula cylindrica
                                          strigillata), winged mapleleaf
                                          (Quadrula fragosa), Cumberland
                                          monkeyface (Quadrula
                                          intermedia), Appalachian
                                          monkeyface (Quadrula sparsa),
                                          pale lilliput (Toxolasma
                                          cylindrellus), Choctaw bean
                                          (Villosa choctawensis), rayed
                                          bean (Villosa fabalis),purple
                                          bean (Villosa perpurpurea),
                                          Cumberland bean (Villosa
                                          trabalis), and CRAYFISH:
                                          Nashville crayfish (Orconectes
                                          shoupi).
TE 61239D-0........  Smithsonian         Red wolf (Canis rufus)...........  Washington, D.C...  Genome banking...  Sperm collection   New.
                      National Zoo,                                                                                 and
                      Washington, DC.                                                                               cryopreservation.
TE 62026D-0........  Catherine Haase,    Gray bat (Myotis grisescens),      Fort Campbell Army  Assessment of bat  Capture with mist  New.
                      Austin Peay State   northern long-eared bat (Myotis    Base, Kentucky      community          nets, band,
                      University,         septentrionalis), and Indiana      and Tennessee.      structure and      radio-tag, and
                      Clarksville, TN.    bat (Myotis sodalis).                                  habitat use.       release.

[[Page 9799]]

 
TE 064740-2........  Fort Stewart Fish   Red-cockaded woodpecker (Picoides  Georgia...........  Population         Red-cockaded       Renewal and
                      and Wildlife        borealis), eastern indigo snake                        monitoring and     woodpecker:        amendment.
                      Branch, Fort        (Drymarchon corais couperi),                           management;        capture, band,
                      Stewart, GA.        frosted flatwoods salamander                           surveys; and       construct and
                                          (Ambystoma cingulatum), and                            captive rearing    monitor
                                          smooth coneflower (Echinacea                           trials.            artificial nest
                                          laevigata).                                                               cavities and
                                                                                                                    restrictors, and
                                                                                                                    translocate;
                                                                                                                    eastern indigo
                                                                                                                    snake: capture,
                                                                                                                    measure, weigh,
                                                                                                                    and PIT-tag;
                                                                                                                    frosted
                                                                                                                    flatwoods
                                                                                                                    salamander:
                                                                                                                    capture with dip-
                                                                                                                    nets and minnow
                                                                                                                    traps, drift
                                                                                                                    fences and
                                                                                                                    buckets and
                                                                                                                    collect larvae
                                                                                                                    for captive
                                                                                                                    rearing trials;
                                                                                                                    smooth
                                                                                                                    coneflower:
                                                                                                                    remove and
                                                                                                                    reduce to
                                                                                                                    possession
                                                                                                                    (collect) seeds
                                                                                                                    for sowing on-
                                                                                                                    site.
TE 66005D-0........  Joseph T. Johnson,  Gray bat (Myotis grisescens),      Alabama, Arkansas,  Presence/absence   Enter hibernacula  New.
                      Todd, NC.           Indiana bat (M. sodalis),          Connecticut,        surveys, habitat   or maternity
                                          northern long-eared bat (M.        Delaware,           assessments,       roost caves,
                                          septentrionalis), Ozark big-       District of         habitat use        capture with
                                          eared bat (Corynorhinus            Columbia,           studies,           mist-nets or
                                          (=Plecotus) townsendii ingens),    Florida, Georgia,   population         harp traps,
                                          and Virginia big-eared bat         Illinois,           monitoring, and    handle, collect
                                          (Corynorhinus (=Plecotus)          Indiana, Iowa,      studies to         hair, fungal
                                          townsendii virginianus).           Kansas, Kentucky,   evaluate the       lift tape, swab,
                                                                             Louisiana, Maine,   effectiveness of   wing-punch,
                                                                             Maryland,           acoustic           band, radio-tag,
                                                                             Massachusetts,      identification     light-tag, PIT-
                                                                             Michigan,           methods.           tag, and salvage.
                                                                             Minnesota,
                                                                             Mississippi,
                                                                             Missouri,
                                                                             Montana,
                                                                             Nebraska, New
                                                                             Hampshire, New
                                                                             Jersey, New York,
                                                                             North Carolina,
                                                                             North Dakota,
                                                                             Ohio, Oklahoma,
                                                                             Pennsylvania,
                                                                             Rhode Island,
                                                                             South Carolina,
                                                                             South Dakota,
                                                                             Tennessee,
                                                                             Vermont,
                                                                             Virginia, West
                                                                             Virginia,
                                                                             Wisconsin, and
                                                                             Wyoming.
TE 56746B-4........  Joseph Johnson,     Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) and   Ohio..............  Migration study..  Capture with harp- Amendment.
                      Ohio University,    northern long-eared bat (M.                                               traps, band, and
                      Athens, OH.         septentrionalis).                                                         radio-tag.
TE 59318D-0........  Marie Selby         Harrisia (=Cereus) aboriginum      J.N. ``Ding''       Genetic research   Remove and reduce  New.
                      Botanical           (=gracilis) (aboriginal prickly-   Darling National    and artificial     to possession
                      Gardens,            apple).                            Wildlife Refuge,    propagation.       (collect)
                      Sarasota, FL.                                          Sanibel, FL.                           spines, areoles,
                                                                                                                    and seeds.
TE 65875D-0........  William Pruitt,     FISH: blue shiner (Cyprinella      Alabama, Georgia,   Presence/absence   Capture, handle,   New.
                      Roswell, GA.        (=Notropis) caerulea), bluemask    Mississippi,        surveys.           identify, and
                                          darter (Etheostoma akatulo),       North Carolina,                        release.
                                          relict darter (Etheostoma          Tennessee, and
                                          chienense), vermilion darter       Virginia.
                                          (Etheostoma chermocki), Etowah
                                          darter (Etheostoma etowahae),
                                          yellowcheek darter (Etheostoma
                                          moorei), watercress darter
                                          (Etheostoma nuchale), duskytail
                                          darter (Etheostoma percnurum),
                                          rush darter (Etheostoma
                                          phytophilum), Cherokee darter
                                          (Etheostoma scotti), Cumberland
                                          darter (Etheostoma susanae),
                                          trispot darter (Etheostoma
                                          trisella), boulder darter
                                          (Etheostoma wapiti), Cahaba
                                          shiner (Notropis cahabae), Cape
                                          Fear shiner (Notropis
                                          mekistocholas), smoky madtom
                                          (Noturus baileyi), pygmy madtom
                                          (Noturus stanauli), goldline
                                          darter (Percina aurolineata),
                                          Conasauga logperch (Percina
                                          jenkinsi), Roanoke logperch
                                          (Percina rex), snail darter
                                          (Percina tanasi), and blackside
                                          dace (Phoxinus cumberlandensis).
                                          MUSSELS: fat threeridge (Amblema
                                          neislerii), purple bankclimber
                                          (Elliptoideus sloatianus), shiny-
                                          rayed pocketbook (Lampsilis
                                          subangulata), Gulf moccasinshell
                                          (Medionidus penicillatus), and
                                          oval pigtoe (Pleurobema
                                          pyriforme).
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[[Page 9800]]

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.).

Matthew Dekar,
Acting Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, South 
Atlantic, Gulf & Mississippi Basin Regions.
[FR Doc. 2020-03429 Filed 2-19-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P