[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 104 (Wednesday, May 29, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46414-46416]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-11738]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R3-ES-2024-N027; FXES11130300000-245-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 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 June 28, 
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

[[Page 46415]]

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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PER8956483...........  Jeff Klahn,           Rusty patched bumble  IA.................  Conduct presence/    Capture, handle,     New.
                        Riverside, IA.        bee (Bombus                                absence surveys,     release, kill.
                                              affinis).                                  document habitat
                                                                                         use, conduct
                                                                                         population
                                                                                         monitoring, and
                                                                                         evaluate impacts.
ES02560A.............  Timothy Carter,       Add new species--     GA, IA, IL, IN, MI,  Conduct presence/    Capture with mist    Amend.
                        Muncie, IN.           tricolored bat        MO, OH, WI.          absence surveys,     nets and harp
                                              (Perimyotis                                document habitat     traps, enter
                                              subflavus)--to                             use, conduct         hibernacula,
                                              existing authorized                        population           identify, handle,
                                              species: Indiana                           monitoring, and      collect non-
                                              bat (Myotis                                evaluate impacts.    intrusive
                                              sodalis), northern                                              measurements,
                                              long-eared bat (M.                                              band, radio-tag,
                                              septentrionalis),                                               and release.
                                              and gray bat (M.
                                              grisescens).
PER10215758..........  Isle Royale National  Gray wolf (Canis      MI.................  Conduct presence/    Capture with         New.
                        Park, Houghton, MI.   lupus).                                    absence surveys,     foothold traps,
                                                                                         document habitat     cable restraints,
                                                                                         use, conduct         or net guns/aerial
                                                                                         population           darting from
                                                                                         monitoring, and      helicopter,
                                                                                         evaluate impacts.    handle, hold,
                                                                                                              translocation,
                                                                                                              chemical
                                                                                                              immobilization,
                                                                                                              radio-tag, collect
                                                                                                              non-intrusive
                                                                                                              measurements,
                                                                                                              collect hair/
                                                                                                              whisker samples,
                                                                                                              collect blood/
                                                                                                              fecal samples,
                                                                                                              collect biopsy
                                                                                                              punches,
                                                                                                              euthanasia, and
                                                                                                              release.
ES06778A.............  USDA Forest Service,  Indiana bat (Myotis   IL, IN, MO, OH; add  Conduct presence/    Capture with mist    Amend.
                        Vienna, IL.           sodalis), northern    KY, VA, WV.          absence surveys,     nets and harp
                                              long-eared bat (M.                         document habitat     traps, enter
                                              septentrionalis),                          use, conduct         hibernacula, bio
                                              and gray bat (M.                           population           sample, identify,
                                              grisescens).                               monitoring, and      handle, collect
                                                                                         evaluate impacts.    non-intrusive
                                                                                                              measurements,
                                                                                                              band, radio-tag,
                                                                                                              and release.
ES26855C.............  Jeanette Baily,       Add new species--     AL, AR, CT, DE, GA,  Conduct presence/    Capture with mist    Amend.
                        Deerfield, IL.        tricolored bat        IA, IL, IN, KY,      absence surveys,     nets and harp
                                              (Perimyotis           LA, MA, MD, ME MI,   document habitat     traps, enter
                                              subflavus)--to        MN, MS, MO, NC,      use, conduct         hibernacula, bio
                                              existing authorized   NE, NH, NJ, NY,      population           sample, identify,
                                              species: Indiana      OH, PA, RI, SC,      monitoring, and      handle, collect
                                              bat (Myotis           TN, VA, VT, WI, WV.  evaluate impacts.    non-intrusive
                                              sodalis), northern                                              measurements,
                                              long-eared bat (M.                                              band, radio-tag,
                                              septentrionalis),                                               and release.
                                              and gray bat (M.
                                              grisescens).

[[Page 46416]]

 
ES64986C.............  Jeffrey Gordon,       Add new species--     OH.................  Conduct presence/    Capture, handle,     Amend.
                        Columbus, OH.         round hickorynut                           absence surveys,     release, and
                                              (Obovaria                                  document habitat     relocate under
                                              subrotunda) and                            use, conduct         special
                                              longsolid                                  population           circumstances.
                                              (Fusconaia                                 monitoring, and
                                              subrotunda)--to                            evaluate impacts.
                                              existing authorized
                                              species: 10
                                              freshwater mussel
                                              species.
TE90423C.............  Barr Engineering,     Add new species--     IL, IN, OH.........  Conduct presence/    Capture, handle,     Renew/amend.
                        Shaughn Barnett,      round hickorynut                           absence surveys,     release, and
                        Ann Arbor, MI.        (Obovaria                                  document habitat     relocate under
                                              subrotunda) and                            use, conduct         special
                                              rabbitsfoot                                population           circumstances.
                                              (Quadrula                                  monitoring, and
                                              cylindrica                                 evaluate impacts.
                                              cylindrica)--to
                                              existing authorized
                                              species: 14
                                              freshwater mussel
                                              species.
PER0039249...........  Meredith L. Hoggatt,  Add new species--     Add new States--AZ   Conduct presence/    Capture with mist    Amend.
                        Pittsboro, IN.        tricolored bat        and NM--to           absence surveys,     nets and harp
                                              (Perimyotis           existing             document habitat     traps, bio sample,
                                              subflavus)--to        authorized States:   use, conduct         identify, handle,
                                              existing authorized   OK, TX, IL, IN,      population           collect non-
                                              species: Indiana      IA, MI, MN, MO,      monitoring, and      intrusive
                                              bat (Myotis           OH, WI, AL, AR,      evaluate impacts.    measurements,
                                              sodalis), northern    FL, GA, KY, LA,                           band, radio-tag,
                                              long-eared bat (M.    MS, NC, SC, TN,                           and release.
                                              septentrionalis),     CT, DE, DC, ME,
                                              and gray bat (M.      MD, MA, NH, NJ,
                                              grisescens).          NY, PA, RI, VT,
                                                                    VA, WV, KS, MT,
                                                                    NE, ND, SD, WY.
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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. 2024-11738 Filed 5-28-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P