[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 45 (Wednesday, March 8, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14385-14387]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-04772]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R3-ES-2023-N016; FXES11130300000-234-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 April 7, 
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

[[Page 14386]]

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 ESA 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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ES48835A.......................  Applied Science &       Snuffbox           MI, OH...........  Conduct presence/  Capture, handle,        Renew.
                                  Technology, Inc.,       (Epioblasma                           absence surveys,   release.
                                  Brighton, MI.           triquetra),                           document habitat
                                                          rayed bean                            use, conduct
                                                          (Villosa                              population
                                                          fabalis),                             monitoring, and
                                                          clubshell                             evaluate impacts.
                                                          (Pleurobema
                                                          clava), white
                                                          catspaw
                                                          (Epioblasma
                                                          obliquata
                                                          perobliquata),
                                                          purple cat's paw
                                                          (Epioblasma
                                                          obliquata
                                                          obliquata),
                                                          rabbitsfoot
                                                          (Quadrula
                                                          cylindrica
                                                          cylindrica),
                                                          sheepnose mussel
                                                          (Plethobasus
                                                          cyphyus),
                                                          fanshell
                                                          (Cyprogenia
                                                          stegaria).
ESPER1224019...................  Eric Snyder, Spring     Snuffbox           MI...............  Conduct presence/  Capture, handle,        New.
                                  Lake, MI.               (Epioblasma                           absence surveys,   release.
                                                          triquetra).                           document habitat
                                                                                                use, conduct
                                                                                                population
                                                                                                monitoring, and
                                                                                                evaluate impacts.
ESPER1224186...................  Greg Gaulke, O'Fallon,  Snuffbox           IL, IA, MI, MN,    Conduct presence/  Capture, handle,        New.
                                  MO.                     (Epioblasma        MO, OK, OH, WI.    absence surveys,   relocate, release.
                                                          triquetra),pink                       document habitat
                                                          mucket                                use, conduct
                                                          (Lampsilis                            population
                                                          abrupta),                             monitoring, and
                                                          spectaclecase                         evaluate impacts.
                                                          (Cumberlandia
                                                          monodonta),
                                                          Ouachita rock
                                                          pocketbook
                                                          (Arcidens
                                                          wheeleri),
                                                          winged mapleleaf
                                                          (Quadrula
                                                          fragosa)
                                                          rabbitsfoot
                                                          (Quadrula
                                                          cylindrica
                                                          cylindrica),
                                                          Higgins' eye
                                                          pearlymussel
                                                          (Lampsilis
                                                          higginsii).
ES26953C.......................  Karen Goodell, Newark,  Rusty patched      Add new            Conduct presence/  Add new activities--    Renew and
                                  OH.                     bumblebee          locations--NY,     absence surveys,   bio sample--to          amend.
                                                          (Bombus affinis).  IL, WI--to         document habitat   existing authorized
                                                                             existing           use, conduct       activities: capture,
                                                                             authorized         population         handle, release.
                                                                             locations: OH,     monitoring, and
                                                                             PA, MD, VA, WV.    evaluate impacts.
ES62048D.......................  Carly Kalina, Des       Indiana bat        Add new States--   Conduct presence/  Capture, handle, band,  Amend.
                                  Moines, IA.             (Myotis            DC, KS, LA, ME,    absence surveys,   attach radio
                                                          sodalis), gray     MN, MT, NE, ND,    document habitat   transmitters, release.
                                                          bat (M.            RI, SD, WI, WY--   use, conduct
                                                          grisescens),       to existing        population
                                                          northern long-     authorized         monitoring, and
                                                          eared bat (M.      States: AL, AR,    evaluate impacts.
                                                          septentrionalis).  CT, DE, GA, IL,
                                                                             IN, IA, KY, MD,
                                                                             MA, MI, MS, MO,
                                                                             NH, NJ, NY, NC,
                                                                             OH, OK, PA, SC,
                                                                             TN, VT, VA, WV.

[[Page 14387]]

 
PER1306120.....................  Anthony Marinelli,      Indiana bat        AL, AR, CT, DE,    Conduct presence/  Capture, handle, band,  New.
                                  Lexington, SC.          (Myotis            GA, IA, IL, IN,    absence surveys,   attach radio
                                                          sodalis), gray     KS, KY, LA, ME,    document habitat   transmitters, release.
                                                          bat (M.            MD, MA, MS, MO,    use, conduct
                                                          grisescens),       NC, ND, NE, NH,    population
                                                          northern long-     NJ, NY, OH, OK,    monitoring, and
                                                          eared bat (M.      PA, RI, SC, SD,    evaluate impacts.
                                                          septentrionalis).  TN, TX, VA, VT,
                                                                             WV, WI, WY.
ESPER1369190...................  Hennepin County,        Rusty patched      MN...............  Conduct presence/  Capture, handle,        New.
                                  Minneapolis, MN.        bumble bee                            absence surveys,   release.
                                                          (Bombus affinis).                     document habitat
                                                                                                use, conduct
                                                                                                population
                                                                                                monitoring, and
                                                                                                evaluate impacts.
PER1462021.....................  Keystone Ecological     Northern long-     DE, DC, IA, KY,    Conduct presence/  Capture, handle,        New.
                                  Services, LLC,          eared bat          LA, MA, MD, ME,    absence surveys,   identify, band,
                                  Wellsboro, PA.          (Myotis            MI, MN, MT, NC,    document habitat   attach radio
                                                          septentrionalis)   ND, NE, NH, NY,    use, conduct       transmitters, collect
                                                          , Indiana bat      OH, PA, RI, SC,    population         non-intrusive
                                                          (M. sodalis),      SD, TN, VA, VT,    monitoring, and    measurements, release.
                                                          Virginia big-      WI, WV.            evaluate impacts.
                                                          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. 2023-04772 Filed 3-7-23; 8:45 am]
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