[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 135 (Tuesday, July 14, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42422-42424]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-15180]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R4-ES-2020-N097; 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 
August 13, 2020.

ADDRESSES: 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: 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

[[Page 42423]]

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.

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      Permit
 application No.         Applicant                Species                 Location              Activity            Type of take        Permit  action
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TE 18825B-1......  Timothy Savidge,      FISH: Amber darter         Alabama, Georgia,     Presence/absence      Fish: Capture with   Renewal and
                    Durham, NC.           (Percina antesella),       North Carolina,       surveys.              hand nets and        Amendment.
                                          blue shiner (Cyprinella    South Carolina.                             seines, handle,
                                          caerulea), Cape Fear                                                   identify, and
                                          shiner (Notropis                                                       release; Mussels:
                                          mekistocholas), Carolina                                               Capture, handle,
                                          madtom (Noturus                                                        identify, release,
                                          furiosus),.                                                            and salvage relict
                                         Cherokee darter                                                         shells.
                                          (Etheostoma scotti),
                                          Conasauga logperch
                                          (Percina jenkinsi),
                                          Etowah darter
                                          (Etheostoma etowahae),
                                          goldline darter (Percina
                                          aurolineata), Roanoke
                                          logperch (Percina rex),
                                          and snail darter
                                          (Percina tanasi);
                                          MUSSELS: Altamaha
                                          spinymussel (Elliptio
                                          spinosa), Appalachian
                                          elktoe (Alasmidonta
                                          raveneliana), Carolina
                                          heelsplitter (Lasmigona
                                          decorata), Chipola
                                          slabshell (Elliptio
                                          chipolaensis), Coosa
                                          moccasinshell
                                          (Medionidus parvulus),
                                          Cumberland bean (Villosa
                                          trabalis), dwarf-wedge
                                          mussel (Alasmidonta
                                          heterodon), fat three-
                                          ridge (Amblema
                                          neislerii), finelined
                                          pocketbook (Lampsilis
                                          altilis), Georgia pigtoe
                                          (Pleurobema
                                          hanleyianum), Gulf
                                          moccasinshell
                                          (Medionidus
                                          penicillatus), James
                                          spinymussel (Pleurobema
                                          collina), littlewing
                                          pearlymussel (Pegias
                                          fabula), oval pigtoe
                                          (Pleurobema pyriforme),
                                          oyster mussel
                                          (Epioblasma
                                          capsaeformis), purple
                                          bankclimber
                                          (Elliptoideus
                                          slotianus), shinyrayed
                                          pocketbook (Lampsilis
                                          subangulata), southern
                                          acornshell (Epioblasma
                                          othcaloogensis),
                                          southern clubshell
                                          (Pleurobema decisum),
                                          southern pigtoe
                                          (Pleurobema georgianum),
                                          tan riffleshell
                                          (Epioblasma florentina
                                          walkeri), tar
                                          spinymussel (Elliptio
                                          steinstansanna), upland
                                          combshell (Epioblasma
                                          metastriata), and yellow
                                          lance (Elliptio
                                          lanceolata).
TE 75524D-0......  Daniel Magoulick,     Yellowcheek darter         Arkansas............  Assessment of         Capture via kick     New.
                    U.S. Geological       (Etheostoma moorei).                             habitat selection.    seine, handle,
                    Survey,                                                                                      identify, and
                    Fayetteville, AR.                                                                            release.
TE 21809A-3......  Monica Folk,          Red-cockaded woodpecker    Alabama, Arkansas,    Population            RCW: Capture, band,  Renewal.
                    Kissimmee, FL.        (RCW; Picoides borealis)   Florida, Georgia,     management and        monitor nest
                                          and Florida scrub jays     Louisiana,            monitoring.           cavities,
                                          (Aphelocoma                Mississippi,                                construct and
                                          coerulescens).             Missouri, North                             monitor artificial
                                                                     Carolina, South                             nest cavities and
                                                                     Carolina.                                   restrictors, and
                                                                                                                 translocate;
                                                                                                                 Florida scrub jay:
                                                                                                                 capture, band, and
                                                                                                                 monitor nests.
TE 56749B-4......  Patrick Moore,        Indiana bat (Myotis        Connecticut, Maine,   Presence/absence      Enter hibernacula    Amendment.
                    Harrison, AR.         sodalis) and northern      Massachusetts,        surveys, studies to   and maternity
                                          long-eared bat (Myotis     Montana, Nebraska,    document habitat      roost caves,
                                          septentrionalis).          New Hampshire North   use, and population   capture with mist
                                                                     Dakota, Rhode         monitoring.           nets or harp
                                                                     Island, South                               traps, handle,
                                                                     Dakota, and Wyoming.                        identify, collect
                                                                                                                 hair samples,
                                                                                                                 band, radio-tag,
                                                                                                                 light-tag, swab,
                                                                                                                 and wing-punch.
TE 75914D-0......  North Carolina State  Spruce-fir moss spider     Grandfather Mountain  Presence/absence      Capture, handle,     New.
                    Parks, Raleigh, NC.   (Microhexura montivaga).   State Park and        surveys, population   identify,
                                                                     Mount Mitchell        monitoring.           photograph, and
                                                                     State Park, North                           release.
                                                                     Carolina.
TE 76153D-0......  Jaime Collazo, North  Llanero coqui              Puerto Rico.........  Genetic structure     Remove from the      New.
                    Carolina State        (Eleutherodactylus                               and diversity         wild for temporary
                    University,           juanariveroi).                                   research and          holding in
                    Raleigh, NC.                                                           thermal limit         captivity of up to
                                                                                           research.             14 individuals for
                                                                                                                 CTMax experiments;
                                                                                                                 removal from the
                                                                                                                 wild and
                                                                                                                 euthanasia of up
                                                                                                                 to 50 individuals
                                                                                                                 for genetic
                                                                                                                 research.
TE 37219B-2......  Roger Perry, U.S.     Gray bat (Myotis           Arkansas, Louisiana,  Presence/absence      Enter hibernacula    Renewal.
                    Forest Service, Hot   grisescens), Indiana bat   and Oklahoma.         surveys and studies   or maternity roost
                    Springs, AR.          (Myotis sodalis), and                            to document habitat   caves, capture
                                          northern long-eared bat                          use.                  with mist nets,
                                          (Myotis septentrionalis).                                              handle, identify,
                                                                                                                 band, radio-tag,
                                                                                                                 collect hair,
                                                                                                                 light-tag, wing-
                                                                                                                 punch, and salvage.
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[[Page 42424]]

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.).

John Tirpak,
Deputy Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services.
[FR Doc. 2020-15180 Filed 7-13-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P