[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 184 (Monday, September 25, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65739-65741]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-20614]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R2-ES-2023-N073; FXES11130200000-234-FF02ENEH00]


Endangered Wildlife; 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, invite the public to 
comment on the following applications for a permit to conduct 
activities intended to recover and enhance endangered species survival. 
With some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) prohibits 
certain activities that may impact endangered species, unless a Federal 
permit allows such activity. The ESA also requires that we invite 
public comment before issuing these permits.

DATES: To ensure consideration, please submit your written comments by 
October 25, 2023.

ADDRESSES: 
    Document availability: Request documents from the contact in the 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section.
    Comment submission: Submit comments by email to 
[email protected]. Please specify the permit application you are 
interested in by number (e.g., Permit Record No. PER1234567).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marty Tuegel, Supervisor, 
Environmental Review Division, by phone at 505-248-6651, or via email 
at [email protected]. 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:

Background

    With some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as 
amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), prohibits activities that 
constitute take of listed species unless a Federal permit is issued 
that allows such activity. The ESA's definition of ``take'' includes 
hunting, shooting, harming, wounding, or killing, and also such 
activities as pursuing, harassing, trapping, capturing, or collecting.
    The ESA and our implementing regulations in the Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR) at title 50, part 17, provide for issuing such 
permits and require that we invite public comment before issuing 
permits for activities involving listed species.
    A recovery permit we issue under the ESA, section 10(a)(1)(A), 
authorizes the permittee to conduct activities with endangered or 
threatened species for scientific purposes that promote recovery or 
enhance the species' propagation or survival. These activities often 
include such prohibited actions as capture and collection. 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

    Documents and other information submitted with these applications 
are available for review by any party who submits a request as 
specified in ADDRESSES. Our release of documents is subject to Privacy 
Act (5 U.S.C. 552a) and Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) 
requirements.

[[Page 65740]]

    Proposed activities in the following permit requests are for the 
recovery and enhancement of propagation or survival of the species in 
the wild. 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. Please refer to the permit record 
number when submitting comments.

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  Permit  record No.        Applicant                   Species                   Location           Activity        Type of take       Permit action
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PER2682699............  Grouse Mountain    Lesser prairie chicken            Colorado, Kansas,  Presence/absence   Harass, harm....  Amend.
                         Environmental      (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus).     New Mexico,        surveys, lek
                         Consultants,                                         Oklahoma, Texas.   surveys.
                         LLC.; Buffalo,
                         Wyoming.
PER2691439............  Zara               Golden-cheeked warbler            Oklahoma, Texas..  Presence/absence   Harass, harm,     Renew/Amend.
                         Environmental,     (Setophaga chrysoparia),                             surveys, habitat   kill.
                         LLC.; Manchaca,    Comanche Springs pupfish                             assessments,
                         Texas.             (Cyprinodon elegans), Pecos                          voucher specimen
                                            gambusia (Gambusia nobilis),                         collection,
                                            Mexican blindcat (Prietella                          collection,
                                            phreatophila), fountain darter                       biomonitoring.
                                            (Etheostoma fonticola), San
                                            Marcos gambusia (Gambusia
                                            georgei), smalleye shiner
                                            (Notropis buccula), sharpnose
                                            shiner (Notropis oxyrhynchus),
                                            Barton Springs salamander
                                            (Eurycea sosorum), Austin blind
                                            salamander (Eurycea
                                            waterlooensis), Texas blind
                                            salamander (Eurycea rathbuni),
                                            Comal Springs riffle beetle
                                            (Heterelmis comalensis), Comal
                                            Springs dryopid beetle
                                            (Stygoparnus comalensis),
                                            Peck's cave amphipod
                                            (Stygobromus pecki), Bee Creek
                                            Cave harvestman (Texella
                                            reddelli), Bone Cave harvestman
                                            (Texella reyesi), Cokendolpher
                                            Cave harvestman (Texella
                                            cokendolpheri), Government
                                            Canyon Bat Cave meshweaver
                                            (Cicurina vespera), Government
                                            Canyon Bat Cave spider
                                            (Tayshaneta microps), Madla
                                            Cave meshweaver (Cicurina
                                            madla), Robber Baron Cave
                                            meshweaver (Cicurina baronia),
                                            Tooth Cave pseudoscorpion
                                            (Tartarocreagris texana), Tooth
                                            Cave spider (Tayshaneta
                                            myopica), Beetle (Rhadine
                                            infernalis), Beetle (Rhadine
                                            exilis), Coffin Cave mold
                                            beetle (Batrisodes texanus),
                                            Helotes mold beetle (Batrisodes
                                            venyivi), Kretschmarr Cave mold
                                            beetle (Texamaurops reddelli),
                                            Tooth Cave ground beetle
                                            (Rhadine persephone), phantom
                                            tryonia (Tryonia cheatumi),
                                            phantom springsnail
                                            (Pyrgulopsis texana),
                                            diminutive amphipod (Gammarus
                                            hyalleloides), Texas hornshell
                                            (Popenaias popeii), Ouachita
                                            rock pocketbook (Arcidens
                                            wheeleri), scaleshell (Leptodea
                                            leptodon), winged mapleleaf
                                            (Quadrula fragosa).
PER0052843............  Pernicano,         Southwestern willow flycatcher    Arizona,           Presence/absence   Harass, harm....  Renew/Amend.
                         Martina; Golden,   (Empidonax traillii extimus).     California,        surveys.
                         Colorado.                                            Colorado, New
                                                                              Mexico, Nevada,
                                                                              Utah, Texas.
PER3012383............  Nueces County      Kemp's ridley sea turtle          Texas............  Document,          Harass, harm,     New.
                         Coastal Parks;     (Lepidochelys kempii),                               examine, and       capture,
                         Corpus Christi,    hawksbill sea turtle                                 salvage stranded   collect.
                         Texas.             (Eretmochelys imbricata),                            sea turtles;
                                            leatherback sea turtle                               capture/handle,
                                            (Dermochelys coriacea).                              transport, and
                                                                                                 release
                                                                                                 rehabilitated
                                                                                                 sea turtles;
                                                                                                 tissue/blood
                                                                                                 sample
                                                                                                 collection;
                                                                                                 educational
                                                                                                 display.
PER2756918............  Courage, Susan;    Golden-cheeked warbler            Texas............  Presence/absence   Harass, harm....  Renew.
                         San Antonio,       (Setophaga chrysoparia).                             surveys, habitat
                         Texas.                                                                  assessments.
PER3111685............  Boeing, Wiebke;    Pecos assiminea (Assiminea        New Mexico.......  Salvage relic      Collect.........  Amend.
                         Las Cruces, New    pecos).                                              shells.
                         Mexico.

[[Page 65741]]

 
PER3115282............  Karraker, Nancy;   Jemez Mountains salamander        New Mexico.......  Presence/absence   Harass, harm,     Renew.
                         Kingston, Rhode    (Plethodon neomexicanus).                            surveys,           capture.
                         Island.                                                                 capture, handle,
                                                                                                 bio-sample, and
                                                                                                 release.
PER3856727............  City of Austin--   Barton Springs salamander         Texas............  Presence/absence   Harass, harm,     Renew.
                         Watershed          (Eurycea sosorum), Austin blind                      surveys,           kill, capture.
                         Protection         salamander (Eurycea                                  handling,
                         Department;        waterlooensis), Tooth Cave                           capture, voucher
                         Austin, Texas.     spider (Tayshaneta myopica),                         specimen
                                            Tooth Cave pseudoscorpion                            collection.
                                            (Tartarocreagris texana), Bee
                                            Creek Cave harvestman (Texella
                                            reddelli), Kretschmarr Cave
                                            mold beetle (Texamaurops
                                            reddelli), Tooth Cave ground
                                            beetle (Rhadine persephone),
                                            Bone Cave harvestman (Texella
                                            reyesi), Coffin Cave mold
                                            beetle (Batrisodes texanus),
                                            ground beetle (Rhadine exilis),
                                            ground beetle (Rhadine
                                            infernalis), Helotes mold
                                            beetle (Batrisodes venyivi),
                                            Cokendolpher Cave harvestman
                                            (Texella cokendolpheri), Robber
                                            Baron Cave meshweaver (Cicurina
                                            baronia), Madla Cave meshweaver
                                            (Cicurina madla), Government
                                            Canyon Bat Cave meshweaver
                                            (Cicurina vespera), Government
                                            Canyon Bat Cave spider
                                            (Neoleptoneta microps).
PER3324977............  Savarino,          Lesser prairie chicken            Colorado, Kansas,  Presence/absence   Harass, harm....  New.
                         Patrick;           (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus).     New Mexico,        surveys, habitat
                         Dripping                                             Oklahoma, Texas.   assessments.
                         Springs, Texas.
PER4208629............  Turtles Fly Too;   Kemp's ridley sea turtle          Arizona, New       Transport........  Harass, harm....  New.
                         Boise, Idaho.      (Lepidochelys kempii);            Mexico,
                                            leatherback sea turtle            Oklahoma, Texas.
                                            (Dermochelys coriacea); Olive
                                            ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys
                                            olivacea); hawskbill sea turtle
                                            (Eretmochelys imbricata).
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Public Availability of Comments

    All comments we receive become part of the public record associated 
with this action. Requests for copies of comments will be handled in 
accordance with the Freedom of Information Act, National Environmental 
Policy Act, and Service and Department of the Interior policies and 
procedures. 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 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.

Authority

    We provide this notice under section 10 of the Endangered Species 
Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

Amy Lueders,
Regional Director, Southwest Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-20614 Filed 9-22-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P