[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 71 (Monday, April 13, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20518-20520]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-07638]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2020-0020; FXIA16710900000-201-FF09A30000]


Foreign Endangered Species; Marine Mammals; 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 (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) and foreign or native species for which the Service 
has jurisdiction under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). With 
some exceptions, the ESA and the MMPA prohibit activities with listed 
species unless Federal authorization is issued that allows such 
activities. The ESA and MMPA also require that we invite public comment 
before issuing permits for any activity otherwise prohibited by the ESA 
or MMPA with respect to any endangered species or marine mammals.

DATES: We must receive comments by May 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-2020-0020.
    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-2020-0020.
     U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, 
Attn: Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2020-0020; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
Headquarters, MS:

[[Page 20519]]

PRB/3W; 5275 Leesburg Pike; Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.
For more information, see Public Comment Procedures under SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Monica Thomas, by phone at 703-358-
2185, 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.), and 
section 104(c) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended 
(MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), we invite public comments on permit 
applications before final action is taken. With some exceptions, the 
ESA and MMPA prohibit 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, 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. Service regulations 
regarding permits for any activity otherwise prohibited by the MMPA 
with respect to any marine mammals are available in title 50 of the 
Code of Federal Regulations in part 18. Concurrent with publishing this 
notice in the Federal Register, we are forwarding copies of the marine 
mammal applications to the Marine Mammal Commission and the Committee 
of Scientific Advisors for their review.

III. Permit Applications

    We invite comments on the following applications.

A. Endangered Species

Applicant: Patty Parker c/o Saint Louis Zoo, St. Louis, MO; Permit No. 
45594D
    The applicant requests authorization to import biological samples 
derived from wild Galapagos penguins (Spheniscus mendiculus) taken in 
the Galapagos, for the purpose of scientific research. This 
notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 
5-year period.
Applicant: Kristin Brzeski, Houghton, MI; Permit No. 51283D
    The applicant requests a permit to export to Canada biological 
samples taken from gray wolves (Canis lupus) in the wild for the 
purpose of scientific research. This notification is for a single 
export.
Applicant: John Ball Zoo, Grand Rapids, MI; Permit No. 54616D
    The applicant requests a permit to import a male captive-born snow 
leopard (Uncia uncia) from the Toronto Zoo, Toronto, Canada, for the 
purpose of enhancing the propagation or survival of the species. This 
notification is for a single import.
Applicant: Dylan T. Carr, Garberville, CA; Permit No. 62721D
    The applicant requests a permit to import a sport-hunted trophy of 
a male scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx dammah) culled from a captive herd 
maintained in Mexico, to enhance the species' propagation and survival. 
This notification is for a single import.
Applicant: Center for the Conservation of Tropical Ungulates, LLC., 
Punta Gorda, FL; Permit No. 59204D
    The applicant requests a permit to export two male and three female 
captive-born lowland tapirs (Tapirus terrestris) to the Darling Downs 
Zoo, Pilton, Australia, for the purpose of enhancing the propagation or 
survival of the species. This notification is for a single export.
Applicant: Rockin' S Exotic Game Ranch, San Angelo, TX; Permit No. 
50118D
    The applicant requests a captive-bred wildlife registration under 
50 CFR 17.21(g) for Arabian oryx (Oryx leucoryx) and Eld's deer 
(Rucervus eldii) 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: Dallas Zoo Management, dba Dallas Zoo, Dallas, TX; Permit 
No. 56427D
    The applicant requests a captive-bred wildlife registration under 
50 CFR 17.21(g) for the following species, to enhance the propagation 
or survival of the species: Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), Tomistoma 
(Tomistoma schlegelii), and Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis). This 
notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 
5-year period.

[[Page 20520]]

Applicant: Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology, Camarillo, CA; 
Permit No. 695190
    The applicant requests authorization to export and reimport 
nonliving museum specimens of endangered 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.
Applicant: The Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 
Philadelphia, PA; Permit No. 67714D
    The applicant requests authorization to export and reimport 
nonliving museum specimens of endangered 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.
Applicant: Kyle Wildlife Limited Partnership, Bandera, TX; Permit No. 
52973D
    The applicant requests a permit authorizing the culling of excess 
swamp deer (Cervus duvauceli) from the captive herd maintained at their 
facility, to enhance the species' propagation and survival. This 
notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 
5-year period.
Applicant: Rockin' S Exotic Game Ranch, San Angelo, TX; Permit No. 
50097D
    The applicant requests a permit authorizing the culling of excess 
Arabian oryx (Oryx leucoryx) and Eld's deer (Rucervus eldii) from the 
captive herd maintained at their facility, to enhance the species' 
propagation and survival. This notification covers activities to be 
conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period.
Applicant: Gary C. Ball, Indianapolis, IN; Permit No. 66461D
    The applicant requests a permit to import one 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.

B. Endangered Marine Mammals and Marine Mammals

Applicant: Seward Association for the Advancement of Marine Science dba 
Alaska Sealife Center, Seward, AK; Permit No. 73634A
    The applicant requests a renewal of their permit for public display 
of the non-depleted population of northern sea otters (Enhydra lutris 
kenyoni) that have been rescued, rehabilitated, and deemed non-
releasable by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This notification 
covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 5-year 
period.

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, and the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended 
(16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), and its implementing regulations.

Monica Thomas,
Management Analyst, Branch of Permits, Division of Management 
Authority.
[FR Doc. 2020-07638 Filed 4-10-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P