[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 247 (Tuesday, December 27, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79346-79348]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-28060]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R3-ES-2022-N073; FXES11130300000-223-FF03E00000]


Endangered and Threatened Species; Receipt of 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 or threatened species under the 
ESA. 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 your written comments on or before January 26, 
2023.

ADDRESSES:
    Document availability and comment submission: Submit requests for 
copies of the applications and related documents, as well as any 
comments, by one of the following methods. All requests and comments 
should specify the applicant name(s) and application number(s) (e.g., 
ESXXXXXX; see table in SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION):
     Email (preferred method): [email protected]. Please 
refer to the respective application number (e.g., Application No. 
ESXXXXXX) in the subject line of your email message.
     U.S. Mail: Regional Director, Attn: Nathan Rathbun, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services, 5600 American Blvd. 
West, Suite 990, Bloomington, MN 55437-1458.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nathan Rathbun, 612-713-5343 (phone); 
[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 and the Freedom of 
Information Act.

Background

    The Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 
et seq.), prohibits certain activities with endangered and threatened 
species unless authorized by a Federal permit. The ESA and our 
implementing regulations in part 17 of title 50 of the Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR) provide for the issuance of such permits and require 
that we invite public comment before issuing permits for activities 
involving endangered species.
    A recovery permit issued by us under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA 
authorizes the permittee to conduct activities with endangered species 
for scientific purposes that promote recovery or for enhancement of 
propagation or survival of the species. 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.

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    Application No.           Applicant               Species              Location              Activity            Type of take        Permit action
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TE 38087B.............  Jessica Miller,        Indiana bat (Myotis   AL, AR, CT, DC, DE,   Conduct presence/     Capture with mist-    Renew and amend.
                         Northfield, OH.        sodalis), northern    GA, IA, IL, IN, KS,   absence.              nets,.
                                                long-eared bat        KY, LA, MA, MD, ME,  surveys, document...  handle, identify,
                                                (Myotis               MI, MN, MO, MS, MT,  habitat use, conduct   radio-tag,.
                                                septentrionalis),     NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ,  population            band, collect
                                                and gray bat          NY, OH, OK, PA, RI,   monitoring,.          nonintrusive.
                                                (Myotis grisescens).  SC, SD, TN, VA, VT,  and evaluate impacts  measurements,.......
                                                                      WI, WV, WY.                                and release.........

[[Page 79347]]

 
TE 234121.............  Western Ecosystem      Indiana bat (Myotis   AL, AR, CT, DC, DE,   Conduct presence/     Capture with mist-    Renew and amend.
                         Technology, Inc.,      sodalis), northern    FL, GA, IA, IL, IN,   absence.              nets and harp
                         Cheyenne, WY.          long-eared bat        KS, KY, LA, MA, MD,  surveys, document...   traps,.
                                                (Myotis               ME, MI, MN, MO, MS,  habitat use, conduct  handle, identify,
                                                septentrionalis),     MT, NC, ND, NE, NH,  population             radio-tag,.
                                                gray bat (Myotis      NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA,   monitoring,.         band, collect
                                                grisescens), Ozark    RI, SC, SD, TN, VA,  and evaluate impacts   nonintrusive.
                                                big-eared bat         VT, WI, WV, WY.                            measurements,.......
                                                (Corynorhinus                                                    and release.........
                                                townsendii ingens),
                                                and Virginia big-
                                                eared bat
                                                (Corynorhinus
                                                townsendii
                                                virginianus).
ES26854C..............  Brenna Hyzy,           Indiana bat (Myotis   AL, AR, CT, FL, GA,   Conduct presence/     Capture with mist-    Renew.
                         Minneapolis, MN.       sodalis), northern    IA, IL, IN, KS, KY,   absence.              nets and harp
                                                long-eared bat        LA, MA, MD, MI, ME,  surveys, document...   traps,.
                                                (Myotis               MN, MO, MS, NC, ND,  habitat use, conduct  handle, identify,
                                                septentrionalis),     NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH,  population             radio-tag, collect
                                                gray bat (Myotis      OK, PA, RI, SC, SD,   monitoring,.          nonintrusive.
                                                grisescens).          TN, VT, VA, WI, WV.  and evaluate impacts  measurements,.......
                                                                                                                 and release.........
ES30970B..............  Jefferey Miller,       Indiana bat (Myotis   AR, CT, DE, D.C.,     Conduct presence/     Capture with mist-    Renew.
                         Newnan, GA.            sodalis), northern    IA, IL, IN, KY, MA,   absence surveys,      nets and harp
                                                long-eared bat        MD, MI, ME, MN, MO,   document habitat      traps, handle,
                                                (Myotis               ND, NH, NJ, NY, OH,   use, conduct          identify, radio-
                                                septentrionalis),     OK, PA, RI, SD, TN,   population            tag, band, enter
                                                gray bat (Myotis      VT, VA, WI, WV.       monitoring, and       hibernacula,
                                                grisescens), Ozark                          evaluate impacts.     collect
                                                big-eared bat                                                     nonintrusive
                                                (Corynorhinus                                                     measurements, and
                                                townsendii ingens),                                               release.
                                                and Virginia big-
                                                eared bat
                                                (Corynorhinus
                                                townsendii
                                                virginianus).
PER0036813............  Adam Benshoff, Kent,   Roanoke logperch      AL, AR, CT, DC, GA,   Conduct presence/     Capture, handle,      New.
                         OH.                    (Percina rex); 32     IA, KS, KY, IL, IN,   absence surveys,      release, and
                                                freshwater mussel     LA, MA, MD, MI, MN,   document habitat      relocate due to
                                                species.              MO, MS, NC, NE, NH,   use, conduct          stranding.
                                                                      NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA,   population
                                                                      SC, TN, VA, VT, WI,   monitoring, and
                                                                      WV.                   evaluate impacts.
TE70488C..............  Scott Bergeson.......  Indiana bat (Myotis   AL, AR, CT, FL, GA,   Conduct presence/     Capture with mist-    Renew.
                        Fort Wayne, IN.......   sodalis), northern    IA, IL, IN, KS, KY,   absence surveys,      nets and harp
                                                long-eared bat        LA, MA, MD, MI, ME,   document habitat      traps, handle,
                                                (Myotis               MN, MO, MS, MT, NC,   use, conduct          identify, radio-
                                                septentrionalis),     ND, NE, NH, NJ, NY,   population            tag, band, enter
                                                and gray bat          OH, OK, PA, RI, SC,   monitoring, and       hibernacula,
                                                (Myotis grisescens).  SD, TN, VT, VA, WI,   evaluate impacts.     collect
                                                                      WV.                                         nonintrusive
                                                                                                                  measurements, and
                                                                                                                  release.
ES64081B..............  Joseph Hoyt,           Indiana bat (Myotis   IL, MI, WI..........  Conduct presence/     Enter hibernacula,    Renew.
                         Blacksburg, VA.        sodalis) and                                absence surveys,      capture, handle,
                                                northern long-eared                         document habitat      collect skin swabs.
                                                bat (Myotis                                 use, conduct
                                                septentrionalis).                           population
                                                                                            monitoring, and
                                                                                            evaluate impacts.
ES40247C..............  Minnesota Department   Rusty patched bumble  MN..................  Conduct presence/     Capture, handle,      Renew/Amend.
                         of Natural             bee (Bombus                                 absence surveys,      release.
                         Resources, Saint       affinis).                                   document habitat
                         Paul, MN.                                                          use, conduct
                                                                                            population
                                                                                            monitoring, and
                                                                                            evaluate impacts.
ES62286A..............  Jason Whittle,         Indiana bat (Myotis   AL, AR, CN, GA, IL,   Conduct presence/     Capture with mist     Renew.
                         Richfield, OH.         sodalis) and          IN, IA, KY, ME, MD,   absence surveys,      nets, harp trap,
                                                northern long-eared   MA, MI, MS, MO, NH,   document habitat      handle, radio-tag,
                                                bat (Myotis           NJ, NY, NC, OK, OH,   use, conduct          band, collect non-
                                                septentrionalis).     PA, SC, TN, VT, VA,   population            intrusive
                                                                      WV.                   monitoring, and       measurements,
                                                                                            evaluate impacts.     collect biological
                                                                                                                  samples and release.
ES02651A..............  Ohio Department of     Indiana bat (Myotis   OH..................  Conduct presence/     Capture, handle,      Renew.
                         Transportation,        sodalis), northern                          absence surveys,      radio-tag, release.
                         Columbus, OH.          long-eared bat                              document habitat
                                                (Myotis                                     use, conduct
                                                septentrionalis),                           population
                                                American burying                            monitoring, and
                                                beetle (Nicrophorus                         evaluate impacts.
                                                americanus).
ES38793A..............  Kenneth Mierzwa,       Hine's emerald        AL, IL, IN, MI, MO,   Conduct presence/     Capture, release,     Renew.
                         Eureka, CA.            dragonfly             OH, WI.               absence surveys,      collect exuviae.
                                                (Somatochlora                               document habitat
                                                hineana).                                   use, conduct
                                                                                            population
                                                                                            monitoring, and
                                                                                            evaluate impacts.

[[Page 79348]]

 
ES151107..............  Resource               Indiana bat (Myotis   AL, AR, CN, DE, GA,   Conduct presence/     Capture with mist     Renew.
                         Environmental          sodalis), northern    IL, IN, IA, KY, MD,   absence surveys,      nets, harp trap,
                         Solutions,             long-eared bat        MA, MS, MI, MO, NH,   document habitat      handle, radio-tag,
                         Louisville, KY.        (Myotis               NJ, NY, NC, OK, OH,   use, conduct          band, enter
                                                septentrionalis),     PA, RI, SC, TN, VT,   population            hibernacula,
                                                gray bat (Myotis      VA, WV, WI.           monitoring, and       collect non-
                                                grisescens), Ozark                          evaluate impacts.     intrusive
                                                big-eared bat                                                     measurements,
                                                (Corynorhinus                                                     collect biological
                                                townsendii ingens),                                               samples and release.
                                                and Virginia big-
                                                eared bat
                                                (Corynorhinus
                                                townsendii
                                                virginianus).
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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 request in your comment that we 
withhold your personal identifying information from public review, 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.

Next Steps

    If we decide to issue permits to any of the applicants 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.).

Lori Nordstrom,
Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services. USFWS Region 3.
[FR Doc. 2022-28060 Filed 12-23-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P