[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 15 (Tuesday, January 23, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4329-4333]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-01258]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R3-ES-2023-N004; 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 
Endangered Species Act. We invite the public and local, State, Tribal, 
and Federal agencies to comment on these

[[Page 4330]]

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 February 22, 
2024.

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 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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ESPER5565041..................  Julia Leone, Saint   Rusty patched        MN................  Conduct presence/   Capture, handle,    New.
                                 Paul, MN.            bumble bee (Bombus                       absence surveys,    and release.
                                                      affinis).                                document habitat
                                                                                               use, conduct
                                                                                               population
                                                                                               monitoring, and
                                                                                               evaluate impacts.
ES64079B......................  Minnesota Zoo,       Dakota skipper       MI, MN, ND, SD, WI  Conduct presence/   Capture, handle,    Renew and amend.
                                 Apple Valley, MN.    (Hesperia                                absence surveys,    identify, mark,
                                                      dacotae),                                document habitat    monitor and
                                                      poweshiek                                use, conduct        survey, captive
                                                      skipperling                              population          rearing,
                                                      (Oarisma                                 monitoring, and     propagation, and
                                                      poweshiek), rusty                        evaluate impacts.   release.
                                                      patched bumble bee
                                                      (Bombus affinis).
TE06845A......................  Lochmueller Group,   Add new species--    GA, IL, IN, KY,     Conduct presence/   Capture with mist   Renew and amend.
                                 Evansville, IN.      tricolored bat       OH; add: AL, AR,    absence surveys,    nets, identify,
                                                      (Perimyotis          CO, DC, FL, IA,     document habitat    handle, collect
                                                      subflavus)--to       KS, LA, MA, MD,     use, conduct        non-intrusive
                                                      existing             ME, MI, MN, MS,     population          measurements,
                                                      authorized           MO, MT, NE, NC,     monitoring, and     band, radio-tag,
                                                      species: Indiana     NH, NJ, NY, ND,     evaluate impacts.   and release.
                                                      bat (Myotis          OK, PA, RI, SD,
                                                      sodalis), northern   TN, TX, UT, VI,
                                                      long-eared bat (M.   VT, WI, WY, WV.
                                                      septentrionalis),
                                                      and gray bat (M.
                                                      grisescens).
ESPER5664139..................  Kevyn Juneau, River  Rusty patched        WI................  Conduct presence/   Capture, handle,    New.
                                 Falls, WI.           bumble bee (Bombus                       absence surveys,    hold, and release.
                                                      affinis).                                document habitat
                                                                                               use, conduct
                                                                                               population
                                                                                               monitoring, and
                                                                                               evaluate impacts.

[[Page 4331]]

 
ES08501D......................  Alyssa Roberts,      Rusty patched        IA, IL, IN, MI,     Conduct presence/   Capture, handle,    Renew.
                                 Grand Rapids, MN.    bumble bee (Bombus   MN, MO, OH, WI.     absence surveys,    hold, and release.
                                                      affinis).                                document habitat
                                                                                               use, conduct
                                                                                               population
                                                                                               monitoring, and
                                                                                               evaluate impacts.
ES81122C......................  Three Rivers Park    Rusty patched        MN................  Conduct presence/   Capture, handle,    Renew.
                                 District,            bumble bee (Bombus                       absence surveys,    and release.
                                 Plymouth, MN.        affinis).                                document habitat
                                                                                               use, conduct
                                                                                               population
                                                                                               monitoring, and
                                                                                               evaluate impacts.
ES74742C......................  Benjamin Smith,      Add new species--    AL, AR, CT, DC,     Conduct presence/   Capture with mist   Renew and amend.
                                 Kearney, MO.         Tricolored bat       DE, FL, GA, KS,     absence surveys,    nets and harp
                                                      (Perimyotis          KY, IA, IL, IN,     document habitat    traps, identify,
                                                      subflavus) and       LA, MA, MD, ME,     use, conduct        handle, collect
                                                      Ozark big-eared      MI, MN, MO, MS,     population          non-intrusive
                                                      bat (Corynorhinus    NC, NE, ND, NH,     monitoring, and     measurements,
                                                      townsendii           NJ, NY, OK, OH,     evaluate impacts.   band, radio-tag,
                                                      ingens)--to          PA, RI, SC, SD,                         and release.
                                                      existing             TN, TX, VA, VT,
                                                      authorized           WI, WV, WY.
                                                      species: Indiana
                                                      bat (Myotis
                                                      sodalis), northern
                                                      long-eared bat (M.
                                                      septentrionalis),
                                                      and gray bat (M.
                                                      grisescens).
ES74592A......................  Robert Brown,        Add new species--    AL, AR, CT, DE,     Conduct presence/   Capture with mist   Renew and amend.
                                 Liberty Township,    Tricolored bat       DC, FL, GA, IL,     absence surveys,    nets and harp
                                 OH.                  (Perimyotis          IN, IA, KS, KY,     document habitat    traps, identify,
                                                      subflavus)--to       LA, ME, MD, MA,     use, conduct        handle, collect
                                                      existing             MI, MN, MO, MS,     population          non-intrusive
                                                      authorized           MT, NE, NH, NJ,     monitoring, and     measurements,
                                                      species: Indiana     NY, NC, ND, OK,     evaluate impacts.   band, enter
                                                      bat (Myotis          OH, PA, RI, SC,                         hibernacula,
                                                      sodalis), northern   SD, TN, VT, VA,                         radio-tag, and
                                                      long-eared bat (M.   WV, WI, WY.                             release.
                                                      septentrionalis),
                                                      gray bat (M.
                                                      grisescens), Ozark
                                                      big-eared bat
                                                      (Corynorhinus
                                                      townsendii
                                                      ingens), Virginia
                                                      big-eared bat (C.
                                                      t. virginianus).
ES06452D......................  National Park        Piping plover        WI................  Conduct presence/   Capture, handle,    Renew.
                                 Service Apostle      (Charadrius                              absence surveys,    salvage, release,
                                 Islands National     melodus).                                document habitat    and erect
                                 Lakeshore,                                                    use, conduct        exclosures.
                                 Bayfield, WI.                                                 population
                                                                                               monitoring, and
                                                                                               evaluate impacts.
ES38842A......................  Sanders              Indiana bat (Myotis  Add new states--    Conduct presence/   Capture, handle,    Amend.
                                 Environmental,       sodalis), northern   TX--to existing     absence surveys,    radio-tag, band,
                                 Inc., Bellefonte,    long-eared bat (M.   authorized          document habitat    and release.
                                 PA.                  septentrionalis),    states: AL, AR,     use, conduct
                                                      gray bat (M.         FL, GA, IL, IN,     population
                                                      grisescens), Ozark   IA, KS, KY, LA,     monitoring, and
                                                      big-eared bat        MI, MN, MO, MS,     evaluate impacts.
                                                      (Corynorhinus        MT, NC, ND, OK,
                                                      townsendii           OH, SC, SD, TN,
                                                      ingens), Virginia    WI, WY.
                                                      big-eared bat (C.
                                                      t. virginianus).

[[Page 4332]]

 
ES03494B......................  GAI Consultants,     Add new species--    AL, AR, CO, CT,     Conduct presence/   Capture with mist   Renew and amend.
                                 Florence, KY.        Tricolored bat       DC, DE, FL, GA,     absence surveys,    nets and harp
                                                      (Perimyotis          KS, KY, IA, IL,     document habitat    traps, identify,
                                                      subflavus)--to       IN, LA, MA, MD,     use, conduct        handle, collect
                                                      existing             ME, MI, MN, MO,     population          non-intrusive
                                                      authorized           MS, MT, NC, NE,     monitoring, and     measurements,
                                                      species: Indiana     ND, NH, NJ, NM,     evaluate impacts.   band, radio-tag,
                                                      bat (Myotis          NY, OK, OH, PA,                         and release.
                                                      sodalis), northern   RI, SC, SD, TN,
                                                      long-eared bat (M.   TX, VA, VT, WI,
                                                      septentrionalis),    WV, WY.
                                                      gray bat (M.
                                                      grisescens), Ozark
                                                      big-eared bat
                                                      (Corynorhinus
                                                      townsendii
                                                      ingens), Virginia
                                                      big-eared bat (C.
                                                      t. virginianus).
ES24566D......................  Nicholas Smeenk,     Eastern massasauga   IA, IL, IN, MI,     Conduct presence/   Capture, temporary  Renew.
                                 Columbus, OH.        rattlesnake          NY, OH, PA, WI.     absence surveys,    hold for
                                                      (Sistrurus                               document habitat    processing,
                                                      catenatus) and                           use, conduct        handle, collect
                                                      copperbelly water                        population          tissue samples,
                                                      snake (Nerodia                           monitoring, and     mark with PIT
                                                      erythrogaster                            evaluate impacts.   tags and/or
                                                      neglecta).                                                   ventral scale
                                                                                                                   clips, and
                                                                                                                   release.
ES37065D......................  U.S. Army Corps of   Eastern massasauga   IL................  Conduct presence/   Capture, temporary  Renew.
                                 Engineers, Carlyle   rattlesnake                              absence surveys,    hold for
                                 Lake Project         (Sistrurus                               document habitat    processing,
                                 Office, Carlyle,     catenatus).                              use, conduct        handle, and
                                 IL.                                                           population          release.
                                                                                               monitoring, and
                                                                                               evaluate impacts.
ES14549C......................  Larissa Herrera,     Add new species--    IA, IL, IN, MI,     Conduct presence/   Capture, handle,    Amend.
                                 Belmont, MI.         round hickorynut     MN, OH, WI.         absence surveys,    release, and
                                                      (Obovaria                                document habitat    relocate due to
                                                      subrotunda), to                          use, conduct        stranding..
                                                      existing                                 population
                                                      authorized                               monitoring, and
                                                      species: 11                              evaluate impacts.
                                                      freshwater mussel
                                                      species.
TE90426C......................  Natalie Dingledine,  Hungerford's         MI................  Conduct presence/   Capture, handle,    Renew.
                                 Haslett, MI.         crawling water                           absence surveys,    temporarily hold,
                                                      beetle (Brychius                         document habitat    handle, release,
                                                      hungerfordi).                            use, conduct        relocate, and
                                                                                               population          salvage.
                                                                                               monitoring,
                                                                                               conduct health
                                                                                               and disease
                                                                                               monitoring, and
                                                                                               evaluate impacts.
TE60958A......................  Bat Calls            Indiana bat (Myotis  AL, AR, CT, DE,     Conduct presence/   Capture with mist   Renew.
                                 Identification,      sodalis), northern   FL, GA, IL, IN,     absence surveys,    nets, identify,
                                 Inc. Kansas City,    long-eared bat (M.   IA, KS, KY, LA,     document habitat    handle, collect
                                 MO.                  septentrionalis),    ME, MD, MA, MI,     use, conduct        non-intrusive
                                                      gray bat (M.         MN, MO, MS, MT,     population          measurements,
                                                      grisescens), Ozark   NE, NH, NJ, NY,     monitoring, and     band, radio-tag,
                                                      big-eared bat        NC, ND, OK, OH,     evaluate impacts.   and release.
                                                      (Corynorhinus        PA, RI, SC, SD,
                                                      townsendii           TN, VT, VA, WV,
                                                      ingens), Virginia    WI, WY.
                                                      big-eared bat (C.
                                                      t. virginianus).
ES30472.......................  Elaine Evans, St.    Rusty patched        MN, WI............  Conduct presence/   Capture, handle,    Renew and Amend.
                                 Paul, MN.            bumble bee (Bombus                       absence surveys,    identify, mark,
                                                      affinis).                                document habitat    bio sample and
                                                                                               use, conduct        release.
                                                                                               population
                                                                                               monitoring, and
                                                                                               evaluate impacts.
TE64073B......................  Ecological and GIS   Dakota skipper       IA, MN, SD........  Conduct presence/   Capture, handle,    Renew.
                                 Services,            (Hesperia                                absence surveys,    release.
                                 Indianola, IA.       dacotae),                                document habitat
                                                      Poweshiek                                use, conduct
                                                      skipperling                              population
                                                      (Oarisma                                 monitoring, and
                                                      poweshiek).                              evaluate impacts.

[[Page 4333]]

 
ESPER1462021..................  Keystone Ecological  Add new species--    Add new states--    Conduct presence/   Add new activity--  Amend.
                                 Services, LLC,       Gray bat (Myotis     AL, AR, CO, GA,     absence surveys,    capture with harp
                                 Wellsboro, PA.       grisescens),         IL, IN, KS, MO,     document habitat    traps--to
                                                      tricolored bat       MS, NM, OK--to      use, conduct        existing
                                                      (Perimyotis          existing            population          authorized
                                                      subflavus)--to       authorized          monitoring, and     activities:
                                                      existing             states: CT, DC,     evaluate impacts.   capture with mist
                                                      authorized           DE, IA, KY, LA,                         nets, identify,
                                                      species: Indiana     MA, MD, ME, MI,                         handle, collect
                                                      bat (M. sodalis),    MN, MT, NC, ND,                         non-intrusive
                                                      northern long-       NE, NH, NJ, NY,                         measurements,
                                                      eared bat (M.        OH, PA, RI, SC,                         band, radio-tag,
                                                      septentrionalis),    SD, TN, TX, VA,                         and release.
                                                      Virginia big-eared   VT, WI, WV, WY.
                                                      bat (Corynorhinus
                                                      townsendii
                                                      virginianus).
ESPER0002430..................  David Ford, Spring,  Add new species--    AL, AR, GA, IL,     Conduct presence/   Capture, handle,    Amend.
                                 TX.                  Round hickorynut     IN, IA, KS, KY,     absence surveys,    release, and
                                                      (Obovaria            LA, MI, MN, MO,     document habitat    relocate.
                                                      subrotunda) and      MS, NE, NM, NY,     use, conduct
                                                      longsolid            NC, OK, OH, PA,     population
                                                      (Fusconaia           SD, TN, TX, VA,     monitoring, and
                                                      subrotunda), to      WV, WI.             evaluate impacts.
                                                      existing
                                                      authorized
                                                      species: 21
                                                      freshwater mussel
                                                      species.
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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 Service, Midwest Region.
[FR Doc. 2024-01258 Filed 1-22-24; 8:45 am]
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