[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 243 (Tuesday, December 20, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77871-77874]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-27612]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R4-ES-2022-N074; FXES11140400000-223-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. 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 
January 19, 2023.

ADDRESSES: 
    Reviewing Documents: Submit requests for copies of applications and 
other information submitted with the applications to Karen Marlowe (see 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). All requests and comments should 
specify the applicant name and application number (e.g., Mary Smith, 
ESPER0001234).
    Submitting Comments: If you wish to comment, you may submit 
comments by one of the following methods:
     Email (preferred method): [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.
     U.S. mail: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regional Office, 
Ecological Services, 1875 Century Boulevard, Atlanta, GA 30345 (Attn: 
Karen Marlowe, Permit Coordinator).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Marlowe, Permit Coordinator, 
404-679-7097 (telephone) or [email protected] (email). Individuals 
in the United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have 
a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access 
telecommunications relay services. Individuals outside the United 
States should use the relay services offered within their country to 
make international calls to the point-of-contact in the United States.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
invite review and comment from the public and local, State, Tribal, and 
Federal agencies 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. Documents and other 
information submitted with the applications are available for review, 
subject to the requirements of the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (5 
U.S.C. 552a) and the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552).

Background

    With some exceptions, the ESA prohibits take of listed species 
unless a Federal permit is issued that authorizes such take. 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 take endangered or threatened species while 
engaging in activities that are conducted for scientific purposes that 
promote recovery of species or for enhancement of propagation or 
survival of species. These activities often include the capture and 
collection of species, which would result in prohibited take if a 
permit were not issued. 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

    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. Proposed 
activities in the following permit requests are for the recovery and 
enhancement of propagation or survival of the species in the wild.

[[Page 77872]]



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Permit  application No.        Applicant              Species              Location              Activity            Type of take        Permit action
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ES02166C-3.............  Zoe Bryant; St.       Ozark big-eared bat   Alabama, Arkansas,    Presence/probable     Capture with mist     Amendment.
                          Augustine, FL.        (Corynorhinus         Connecticut,          absence surveys.      nets or harp traps,
                                                townsendii ingens)    Delaware, District                          handle, identify,
                                                and tricolored bat    of Columbia,                                band, radio tag,
                                                (Perimyotis           Georgia, Illinois,                          and release.
                                                subflavus).           Indiana, Iowa,
                                                                      Kansas, Kentucky,
                                                                      Louisiana, Maine,
                                                                      Maryland,
                                                                      Massachusetts,
                                                                      Michigan,
                                                                      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,
                                                                      West Virginia,
                                                                      Vermont, Wisconsin,
                                                                      and Wyoming.
ES49227D-1.............  Riverside             Gopher tortoise       Alabama, Arkansas,    Presence/probable     Reptiles: Scope       Amendment.
                          Environmental         (Gopherus             Florida, Georgia,     absence surveys and   burrows; Birds:
                          Consulting;           polyphemus) and red-  Louisiana,            population            Construct and
                          Birmingham, AL.       cockaded woodpecker   Mississippi, North    management and        monitor artificial
                                                (Picoides borealis).  Carolina, Oklahoma,   monitoring.           nest cavities and
                                                                      South Carolina,                             restrictors.
                                                                      Texas, and Virginia.
PER0056298-0...........  Phillip Jordan; USDA  Gray bat (Myotis      Alabama, Arkansas,    Presence/probable     Enter hibernacula or  New.
                          Forest Service,       grisescens),          Louisiana,            absence surveys and   maternity roost
                          Southern Research     Indiana bat (Myotis   Missouri, and         studies to document   caves, capture with
                          Station, Hot          sodalis), northern    Oklahoma.             habitat use.          mist nets or harp
                          Springs, AR.          long-eared bat                                                    traps, handle,
                                                (Myotis                                                           identify, band,
                                                septentrionalis),                                                 radio tag, and
                                                Ozark big-eared bat                                               release.
                                                (Corynorhinus
                                                townsendii ingens),
                                                and tricolored bat
                                                (Perimyotis
                                                subflavus).
ES056510-7.............  Joseph Pechmann;      Dusky gopher frog     Mississippi.........  Research population   Capture, examine,     Renewal and
                          Western Carolina      (Rana sevosa).                              monitoring and        measure, mark, tag,   amendment.
                          University,                                                       headstarting.         radio tag,
                          Cullowhee, NC.                                                                          temporarily hold,
                                                                                                                  collect tail fin
                                                                                                                  tissue samples,
                                                                                                                  swab, sacrifice
                                                                                                                  tadpoles, and
                                                                                                                  salvage.

[[Page 77873]]

 
ES21570C-3.............  Tennessee Wildlife    Alabama lampmussel    Tennessee...........  Scientific research,  Collect, transport,   Renewal and
                          Resources Agency;     (Lampsilis                                  captive               hold in captivity     amendment.
                          Nashville, TN.        virescens),                                 propagation, and      for more than 45
                                                Appalachian elktoe                          relocation and        consecutive days,
                                                (Alasmidonta                                reintroduction        release,
                                                raveneliana),                               activities.           translocate, and
                                                Appalachian                                                       euthanize.
                                                monkeyface
                                                (Theliderma
                                                sparsa), birdwing
                                                pearlymussel
                                                (Lemiox rimosus),
                                                clubshell
                                                (Pleurobema clava),
                                                Coosa moccasinshell
                                                (Medionidus
                                                parvulus), cracking
                                                pearlymussel
                                                (Hemistena lata),
                                                Cumberland bean
                                                (Villosa trabalis),
                                                Cumberland elktoe
                                                (Alasmidonta
                                                atropurpurea),
                                                Cumberland
                                                monkeyface
                                                (Theliderma
                                                intermedia),
                                                Cumberland pigtoe
                                                (Pleuronaia
                                                gibber),
                                                Cumberlandian
                                                combshell
                                                (Epioblasma
                                                brevidans),
                                                dromedary
                                                pearlymussel
                                                (Dromus dromas),
                                                fanshell
                                                (Cyprogenia
                                                stegaria),
                                                finerayed pigtoe
                                                (Fusconaia
                                                cuneolus), fluted
                                                kidneyshell
                                                (Ptychobranchus
                                                subtentus), Georgia
                                                pigtoe (Pleurobema
                                                hanleyianum), green
                                                blossom (Epioblasma
                                                torulosa
                                                gubernaculum),
                                                littlewing
                                                pearlymussel
                                                (Pegias fabula),
                                                orangefoot
                                                pimpleback
                                                (Plethobasus
                                                cooperianus),
                                                oyster mussel
                                                (Epioblasma
                                                capsaeformis), pale
                                                lilliput (Toxolasma
                                                cylindrellus), pink
                                                mucket (Lampsilis
                                                abrupta), purple
                                                bean (Villosa
                                                perpurpurea),
                                                purple cat's paw
                                                (Epioblasma
                                                obliquata
                                                obliquata), rayed
                                                bean (Villosa
                                                fabalis), ring pink
                                                (Obovaria retusa),
                                                rough pigtoe
                                                (Pleurobema
                                                plenum), rough
                                                rabbitsfoot
                                                (Quadrula
                                                cylindrica
                                                strigillata),
                                                scaleshell
                                                (Leptodea
                                                leptodon),
                                                sheepnose
                                                (Plethobasus
                                                cyphyus), shiny
                                                pigtoe (Fusconaia
                                                cor), slabside
                                                pearlymussel
                                                (Pleuronaia
                                                dolabelloides),
                                                snuffbox
                                                (Epioblasma
                                                triquetra),
                                                southern acornshell
                                                (Epioblasma
                                                othcaloogensis),
                                                southern clubshell
                                                (Pleurobema
                                                decisum), southern
                                                pigtoe (Pleurobema
                                                georgianum),
                                                spectaclecase
                                                (Cumberlandia
                                                monodonta), tan
                                                riffleshell
                                                (Epioblasma
                                                florentina walkeri
                                                [=E. walkeri]),
                                                triangular
                                                kidneyshell
                                                (Ptychobranchus
                                                greenii), tubercled
                                                blossom (Epioblasma
                                                torulosa torulosa),
                                                turgid blossom
                                                (Epioblasma
                                                turgidula), upland
                                                combshell
                                                (Epioblasma
                                                metastriata), white
                                                wartyback
                                                (Plethobasus
                                                cicatricosus),
                                                winged mapleleaf
                                                (Quadrula fragosa),
                                                and yellow blossom
                                                (Epioblasma
                                                florentina
                                                florentina).

[[Page 77874]]

 
ES88809B-1.............  Ray Eaton; Berea, KY  Gray bat (Myotis      Alabama, Arkansas,    Presence/probable     Enter hibernacula or  Renewal and
                                                grisescens),          Colorado,             absence surveys,      maternity roost       amendment.
                                                Indiana bat (Myotis   Connecticut,          studies to document   caves, capture with
                                                sodalis), northern    Delaware, District    habitat use,          mist nets or harp
                                                long-eared bat        of Columbia,          population            traps, handle,
                                                (Myotis               Florida, Georgia,     monitoring, and       identify, band,
                                                septentrionalis),     Illinois, Indiana,    evaluation of         radio tag, collect
                                                Ozark big-eared bat   Iowa, Kansas,         potential impacts     hair samples, swab,
                                                (Corynorhinus         Kentucky,             of white-nose         and release.
                                                townsendii ingens),   Louisiana, Maine,     syndrome or other
                                                tricolored bat        Maryland,             threats.
                                                (Perimyotis           Massachusetts,
                                                subflavus), and       Michigan,
                                                Virginia big-eared    Minnesota,
                                                bat (Corynorhinus     Mississippi,
                                                townsendii            Missouri, Montana,
                                                virginianus).         Nebraska, New
                                                                      Hampshire, New
                                                                      Jersey, New Mexico,
                                                                      New York, North
                                                                      Carolina, North
                                                                      Dakota, Ohio,
                                                                      Oklahoma,
                                                                      Pennsylvania, Rhode
                                                                      Island, South
                                                                      Carolina, South
                                                                      Dakota, Tennessee,
                                                                      Texas, Vermont,
                                                                      Virginia, West
                                                                      Virginia,
                                                                      Wisconsin, and
                                                                      Wyoming.
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Public Availability of Comments

    Written comments we receive become part of the administrative 
record associated with this action. 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. 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 a permit to an applicant 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.).

John Tirpak,
Deputy Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, Southeast 
Region.
[FR Doc. 2022-27612 Filed 12-19-22; 8:45 am]
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