[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 130 (Monday, July 10, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43622-43626]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-14509]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R4-ES-2023-N058; FXES11140400000-234-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

[[Page 43623]]

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 9, 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.

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 Permit application
         No.               Applicant                Species                Location             Activity           Type of take         Permit action
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ES35594A-5..........  Alabama Power        Canoe Creek clubshell     Alabama............  Presence/probable    Capture, handle,     Renewal and
                       Company;             (Pleurobema athearni),                         absence surveys      identify, tag,       amendment.
                       Birmingham, AL.      Coosa moccasinshell                            and population       release, and
                                            (Medionidus parvulus),                         monitoring.          collect relic
                                            ovate clubshell                                                     shells.
                                            (Pleurobema perovatum),
                                            southern acornshell
                                            (Epioblasma
                                            othcaloogensis),
                                            triangular kidneyshell
                                            (Ptychobranchus
                                            greenii), and upland
                                            combshell (Epioblasma
                                            metastriata).
ES237549-3..........  Cory Holliday;       Gray bat (Myotis          Tennessee..........  Presence/probable    Enter hibernacula    Renewal.
                       Gainesboro, TN.      grisescens), Indiana                           absence surveys,     or maternity
                                            bat (Myotis sodalis),                          studies to           roosts, capture
                                            and northern long-eared                        document habitat     with mist nets or
                                            bat (Myotis                                    use, population      harp traps,
                                            septentrionalis).                              monitoring, and      handle, identify,
                                                                                           white-nose           band, radio tag,
                                                                                           syndrome             light tag, swab,
                                                                                           surveillance.        collect hair
                                                                                                                samples, wing
                                                                                                                punch, and release.
ES80381A-3..........  Department of        Gray bat (Myotis          Kentucky and         Presence/probable    Enter hibernacula    Renewal and
                       Defense (Army);      grisescens), Indiana      Tennessee.           absence surveys,     or maternity         amendment.
                       Fort Campbell, KY.   bat (Myotis sodalis),                          studies to           roosts, capture
                                            northern long-eared bat                        document habitat     with mist nets,
                                            (Myotis                                        use, and             handle, identify,
                                            septentrionalis), and                          population           band, radio tag,
                                            tricolored bat                                 monitoring.          and release.
                                            (Perimyotis subflavus).
PER2789344-0........  Glenn M. Rohrbach;   Nashville crayfish        Tennessee..........  Presence/probable    Capture, handle,     New.
                       Nashville, TN.       (Orconectes shoupi).                           absence surveys.     identify, and
                                                                                                                release.

[[Page 43624]]

 
ES14105A-3..........  Breedlove, Dennis,   Red-cockaded woodpecker   Alabama, Arkansas,   Population           Capture, handle,     Renewal.
                       and Associates,      (Picoides borealis).      Florida, Georgia,    monitoring and       band, and monitor
                       Inc.; Winter Park,                             Louisiana,           management.          nest and
                       FL.                                            Mississippi, North                        artificial nest
                                                                      Carolina, and                             cavities.
                                                                      South Carolina.
ES37490B-2..........  Melissa Littrell;    Gray bat (Myotis          Alabama, Arkansas,   Presence/probable    Capture with mist    Renewal.
                       Lexington, KY.       grisescens), Indiana      Georgia, Illinois,   absence surveys      nets or harp
                                            bat (Myotis sodalis),     Indiana, Kentucky,   and white-nose       traps, handle,
                                            northern long-eared bat   Mississippi,         syndrome             identify, band,
                                            (Myotis                   Missouri, North      surveillance.        radio tag, swab,
                                            septentrionalis), and     Carolina, Ohio,                           collect hair
                                            Virginia big-eared bat    South Carolina,                           samples, wing
                                            (Corynorhinus             Tennessee,                                punch, and release.
                                            townsendii virginianus).  Virginia, and West
                                                                      Virginia.
ES088889-4..........  The Nature           Florida scrub-jay         Florida............  Population           Florida scrub-jay:   Renewal.
                       Conservancy;         (Aphelocoma                                    monitoring and       bait with unsalted
                       Kissimmee, FL.       coerulescens) and red-                         management.          peanuts, trap,
                                            cockaded woodpecker                                                 handle, band, and
                                            (Picoides borealis).                                                release; red-
                                                                                                                cockaded
                                                                                                                woodpecker:
                                                                                                                capture, handle,
                                                                                                                band, construct
                                                                                                                and monitor
                                                                                                                artificial nest
                                                                                                                cavities and
                                                                                                                restrictors,
                                                                                                                release, and
                                                                                                                translocate.
ES27608B-2..........  McGehee Engineering  Gray bat (Myotis          Alabama............  Presence/probable    Enter hibernacula    Renewal.
                       Corporation;         grisescens), Indiana                           absence surveys      or maternity roost
                       Jasper, AL.          bat (Myotis sodalis),                          and population       caves, capture
                                            and northern long-eared                        monitoring.          with mist nets or
                                            bat (Myotis                                                         harp traps,
                                            septentrionalis).                                                   handle, identify,
                                                                                                                band, radio tag,
                                                                                                                and release.
ES48579B-5..........  Ecological           Gray bat (Myotis          Alabama, Arkansas,   Presence/probable    Enter hibernacula    Renewal.
                       Solutions, Inc.;     grisescens), Indiana      Connecticut,         absence surveys,     or maternity roost
                       Roswell, GA.         bat (Myotis sodalis),     Delaware, District   studies to           caves, capture
                                            and northern long-eared   of Columbia,         document habitat     with mist nets or
                                            bat (Myotis               Georgia, Illinois,   use, population      harp traps,
                                            septentrionalis).         Indiana, Iowa,       monitoring, and      handle, identify,
                                                                      Kansas, Kentucky,    white-nose           collect hair
                                                                      Louisiana, Maine,    syndrome             samples, band,
                                                                      Maryland,            surveillance.        radio tag, light
                                                                      Massachusetts,                            tag, swab, wing
                                                                      Michigan,                                 punch, and release.
                                                                      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,
                                                                      Vermont, Virginia,
                                                                      West Virginia,
                                                                      Wisconsin, and
                                                                      Wyoming.
ES54578B-3..........  Mary Frazer;         Gray bat (Myotis          Alabama, Arkansas,   Presence/probable    Enter hibernacula    Renewal and
                       Raleigh, NC.         grisescens), Indiana      Connecticut,         absence surveys,     or maternity roost   amendment.
                                            bat (Myotis sodalis),     Delaware, District   studies to           caves, capture
                                            northern long-eared bat   of Columbia,         document habitat     with mist nets or
                                            (Myotis                   Florida, Georgia,    use, population      harp traps,
                                            septentrionalis),         Illinois, Indiana,   monitoring, and      handle, identify,
                                            tricolored bat            Iowa, Kansas,        white-nose           collect hair
                                            (Perimyotis subflavus),   Kentucky,            syndrome             samples, band,
                                            and Virginia big-eared    Louisiana, Maine,    surveillance.        radio tag, light
                                            bat (Corynorhinus         Maryland,                                 tag, wing punch,
                                            townsendii virginianus).  Massachusetts,                            and release.
                                                                      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,
                                                                      Vermont, Virginia,
                                                                      West Virginia,
                                                                      Wisconsin, and
                                                                      Wyoming.

[[Page 43625]]

 
ES119937-5..........  Susan Loeb;          Gray bat (Myotis          Alabama, Arkansas,   Presence/probable    Enter hibernacula    Renewal and
                       Clemson, SC.         grisescens), Indiana      Georgia, Kentucky,   absence surveys,     or maternity roost   amendment.
                                            bat (Myotis sodalis),     Missouri, North      studies to           caves, capture
                                            northern long-eared bat   Carolina, Ohio,      document habitat     with mist nets or
                                            (Myotis                   South Carolina,      use, population      harp traps,
                                            septentrionalis), and     Tennessee,           monitoring, and      handle, identify,
                                            tricolored bat            Virginia, and West   white-nose           band, radio tag,
                                            (Perimyotis subflavus).   Virginia.            syndrome             collect hair
                                                                                           surveillance.        samples, light
                                                                                                                tag, wing punch,
                                                                                                                and release.
ES37663B-2..........  Rebecca Ijames;      Gray bat (Myotis          Indiana, Kentucky,   Presence/probable    Capture with mist    Renewal.
                       Central City, KY.    grisescens), Indiana      Missouri, Ohio,      absence surveys,     nets, handle,
                                            bat (Myotis sodalis),     and Tennessee.       studies to           identify, band,
                                            and northern long-eared                        document habitat     radio-tag, and
                                            bat (Myotis                                    use, and             release.
                                            septentrionalis).                              population
                                                                                           monitoring.
PER3128179-0........  Justin Hoffman,      Northern long-eared bat   Kisatchie National   Presence/probable    Capture with mist    New.
                       McNeese State        (Myotis                   Forest, Louisiana.   absence surveys.     nets and hand-held
                       University; Lake     septentrionalis) and                                                mesh nets, handle,
                       Charles, LA.         tricolored bat                                                      identify, and
                                            (Perimyotis subflavus).                                             release.
ES64393C-2..........  Vanasse Hangen       Gray bat (Myotis          Alabama, Arkansas,   Presence/probable    Capture with mist    Renewal.
                       Brustlin, Inc.;      grisescens), Indiana      Connecticut,         absence surveys.     nets, handle,
                       Raleigh, NC.         bat (Myotis sodalis),     Delaware, District                        identify, band,
                                            northern long-eared bat   of Columbia,                              radio tag, and
                                            (Myotis                   Georgia, Illinois,                        release.
                                            septentrionalis), and     Indiana, Iowa,
                                            Virginia big-eared bat    Kansas, Kentucky,
                                            (Corynorhinus             Louisiana, Maine,
                                            townsendii virginianus).  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,
                                                                      Vermont, Virginia,
                                                                      West Virginia,
                                                                      Wisconsin, and
                                                                      Wyoming.
ES88778B-3..........  John Lamb; Decherd,  Tricolored bat            Tennessee..........  Presence/probable    Enter hibernacula    Amendment.
                       TN.                  (Perimyotis subflavus).                        absence surveys,     or maternity roost
                                                                                           studies to           caves, capture
                                                                                           document habitat     with mist nets or
                                                                                           use, population      harp traps,
                                                                                           monitoring, and      handle, identify,
                                                                                           white-nose           band, collect hair
                                                                                           syndrome             samples, radio
                                                                                           surveillance.        tag, and release.
ES81353B-2..........  Stephanie Penk;      Gray bat (Myotis          Alabama, Arkansas,   Presence/probable    Capture with mist    Amendment.
                       Sylva, NC.           grisescens), Indiana      Colorado,            absence surveys,     nets and harp
                                            bat (Myotis sodalis),     Connecticut,         habitat use and      traps, handle,
                                            northern long-eared bat   Delaware, District   assessment           identify, band,
                                            (Myotis                   of Columbia,         research,            radio tag, and
                                            septentrionalis), and     Florida, Georgia,    population           release.
                                            tricolored bat            Illinois, Indiana,   dynamics
                                            (Perimyotis subflavus).   Iowa, Kansas,        evaluations, and
                                                                      Kentucky,            migration research.
                                                                      Louisiana, Maine,
                                                                      Maryland,
                                                                      Massachusetts,
                                                                      Michigan,
                                                                      Minnesota,
                                                                      Mississippi,
                                                                      Missouri,
                                                                      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.

[[Page 43626]]

 
PER3315996-0........  Dominique DiLandro;  Gray bat (Myotis          Alabama, Arkansas,   Presence/probable    Enter roosts         New.
                       Holly Springs, NC.   grisescens), northern     Colorado,            absence surveys,     (bridges,
                                            long-eared bat (Myotis    Connecticut,         habitat use and      culverts, and
                                            septentrionalis), and     Delaware, District   roost selection      abandoned
                                            tricolored bat            of Columbia,         research, and        buildings),
                                            (Perimyotis subflavus).   Florida, Georgia,    population           capture via mist
                                                                      Illinois, Indiana,   dynamics studies.    nets and harp
                                                                      Iowa, Kansas,                             traps, handle,
                                                                      Kentucky,                                 identify, band,
                                                                      Louisiana, Maine,                         radio tag, collect
                                                                      Maryland,                                 swabs and hair
                                                                      Massachusetts,                            samples, and
                                                                      Michigan,                                 release.
                                                                      Minnesota,
                                                                      Mississippi,
                                                                      Missouri,
                                                                      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.
ES94704A-4..........  Dorothy Brown;       Mammals: Carolina         Alabama, Arkansas,   Presence/probable    Carolina northern    Renewal and
                       Arden, NC.           northern flying           Colorado,            absence surveys,     flying squirrel:     amendment.
                                            squirrel (Glaucomys       Connecticut,         white-nose           capture, handle,
                                            sabrinus coloratus),      Delaware, District   syndrome research,   ear-tag, pit-tag,
                                            gray bat (Myotis          of Columbia,         studies to           radio-tag, collect
                                            grisescens), Indiana      Florida, Georgia,    document habitat     fur and tissue
                                            bat (Myotis sodalis),     Illinois, Indiana,   use, population      samples, and
                                            northern long-eared bat   Iowa, Kansas,        monitoring, and      conduct den
                                            (Myotis                   Kentucky,            genetic sampling.    surveys; Bats:
                                            septentrionalis),         Louisiana, Maine,                         enter hibernacula
                                            tricolored bat            Maryland,                                 or maternity roost
                                            (Perimyotis subflavus),   Massachusetts,                            caves, capture
                                            and Virginia big-eared    Michigan,                                 with mist nets or
                                            bat (Corynorhinus         Minnesota,                                harp traps,
                                            townsendii                Mississippi,                              handle, identify,
                                            virginianus); Reptile:    Missouri,                                 collect hair
                                            Bog turtle (Clemmys       Nebraska, New                             samples, band, pit-
                                            muhlenbergii).            Hampshire, New                            tag, radio-tag,
                                                                      Jersey, New                               light-tag, wing-
                                                                      Mexico, New York,                         punch, swab for
                                                                      North Carolina,                           white-nose
                                                                      North Dakota,                             syndrome testing,
                                                                      Ohio, Oklahoma,                           and release; Bog
                                                                      Pennsylvania,                             turtle: capture,
                                                                      Rhode Island,                             mark, pit-tag, and
                                                                      South Carolina,                           radio-tag.
                                                                      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. 2023-14509 Filed 7-7-23; 8:45 am]
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