[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 37 (Friday, February 24, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11928-11929]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-03893]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R4-ES-2023-N001; 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 
March 27, 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 11929]]



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      Permit
  application No.         Applicant                Species                 Location              Activity            Type of take        Permit action
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ES56588D-2........  Martin Melville;      Fishes: Cumberland darter  Kentucky............  Presence probable/    Capture, handle,      Amendment.
                     Marietta, GA.         (Etheostoma susanae);                            absence surveys.      identify, and
                                           Mussels: clubshell                                                     release.
                                           (Pleurobema clava),
                                           cracking pearlymussel
                                           (Hemistena lata),
                                           Cumberland bean (Villosa
                                           trabalis), Cumberland
                                           elktoe (Alasmidonta
                                           atropurpurea),
                                           Cumberlandian combshell
                                           (Epioblasma brevidans),
                                           dromedary pearlymussel
                                           (Dromus dromas),
                                           fanshell (Cyprogenia
                                           stegaria), fat
                                           pocketbook (Potamilus
                                           capax), fluted
                                           kidneyshell
                                           (Ptychobranchus
                                           subtentus), littlewing
                                           pearlymussel (Pegias
                                           fabula), orangefoot
                                           pimpleback (Plethobasus
                                           cooperianus), oyster
                                           mussel (Epioblasma
                                           capsaeformis), pink
                                           mucket (Lampsilis
                                           abrupta), rayed bean
                                           (Villosa fabalis), ring
                                           pink (Obovaria retusa),
                                           rough pigtoe (Pleurobema
                                           plenum), rough
                                           rabbitsfoot (Quadrula
                                           cylindrica strigillata),
                                           sheepnose (Plethobasus
                                           cyphyus), slabside
                                           pearlymussel (Pleuronaia
                                           dolabelloides), snuffbox
                                           (Epioblasma triquetra),
                                           spectaclecase
                                           (Cumberlandia
                                           monodonta), tan
                                           riffleshell (Epioblasma
                                           florentina walkeri [= E.
                                           walkeri]), and winged
                                           mapleleaf (Quadrula
                                           fragosa).
ES079863-4........  Michael Gangloff;     Canoe Creek clubshell      Alabama, Georgia,     Presence/probable     Capture, identify,    Renewal and
                     Boone, NC.            (Pleurobema athearni),     Kentucky,             absence surveys.      tag, collect buccal   amendment.
                                           fluted kidneyshell         Tennessee, and                              swabs, release, and
                                           (Ptychobranchus            Virginia.                                   salvage relic
                                           subtentus), Georgia                                                    shells.
                                           pigtoe (Pleurobema
                                           hanleyianum), rayed bean
                                           (Villosa fabalis), and
                                           spectaclecase
                                           (Cumberlandia monodonta).
ES31057A-3........  North Carolina        Fishes: Cape Fear shiner   North Carolina and    Scientific research,  Collect, transport,   Renewal and
                     Wildlife Resources    (Notropis                  South Carolina.       captive               hold in captivity     amendment.
                     Commission;           mekistocholas), Carolina                         propagation, and      for longer than 45
                     Raleigh, NC.          madtom (Noturus                                  relocation and        days, release,
                                           furiosus), and Roanoke                           reintroduction        translocate, and
                                           logperch (Percina rex);                          activities.           euthanize.
                                           Mussels: Appalachian
                                           elktoe (Alasmidonta
                                           raveneliana), Carolina
                                           heelsplitter (Lasmigona
                                           decorata), dwarf
                                           wedgemussel (Alasmidonta
                                           heterodon), James
                                           spinymussel (Parvaspina
                                           collina), littlewing
                                           pearlymussel (Pegias
                                           fabula), and Tar River
                                           spinymussel (Parvaspina
                                           steinstansana).
ES069280-6........  Alabama Department    Mammals: Alabama beach     Alabama.............  Presence/probable     Mammals, flattened    Renewal.
                     of Transportation;    mouse (Peromyscus                                absence surveys.      musk turtle, and
                     Montgomery, AL.       polionotus ammobates);                                                 amphibians:
                                           Reptiles: eastern indigo                                               Capture, handle,
                                           snake (Drymarchon                                                      and release; and
                                           couperi), flattened musk                                               eastern indigo
                                           turtle (Sternotherus                                                   snake and gopher
                                           depressus), and gopher                                                 tortoise: scope
                                           tortoise (Gopherus                                                     burrows.
                                           polyphemus); Amphibians:
                                           Red Hills salamander
                                           (Phaeognathus hubrichti).
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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. 2023-03893 Filed 2-23-23; 8:45 am]
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