[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 37 (Friday, February 23, 2018)] [Notices] [Pages 8098-8101] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2018-03725] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service [FWS-R3-ES-2018-N005; FXES11130300000-189-FF03E00000] Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Permit Applications AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on applications for permits to conduct activities intended to enhance the propagation or survival of endangered or threatened species. Federal law prohibits certain activities with endangered species unless a permit is obtained. DATES: We must receive any written comments on or before March 26, 2018. ADDRESSES: Send written comments by U.S. mail to the Regional Director, Attn: Carlita Payne, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services, 5600 American Blvd. West, Suite 990, Bloomington, MN 55437- 1458; or by electronic mail to [email protected]. Requesting Copies of Applications or Public Comments: Copies of applications or public comments concerning any of the applications in this notice may be obtained by any party who submits a written request for a copy of such documents to the above-mentioned office within 30 days of the date of publication of this notice, subject to the requirements of the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a) and the Freedom of Information Act (5.U.S.C. 552). Submitting Comments: You may submit comments by one of the following methods. Please specify applicant name(s) and application number(s) to which your comments pertain (e.g., TEXXXXXX).Email: [email protected]. Please refer to the respective permit number (e.g., Application No. TEXXXXXX) in the subject line of your email message. U.S. Mail: Regional Director, Attn: Carlita Payne (address above). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carlita Payne, 612-713-5343; [email protected]. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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 enhance the propagation or survival of endangered or threatened species. Federal law prohibits certain activities with endangered species unless a permit is obtained. Background The Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.; ESA), prohibits certain activities with endangered and threatened species unless the activities are specifically 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. [[Page 8099]] A permit granted by us under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA authorizes the permittee to conduct activities with U.S. endangered or threatened species for scientific purposes, enhancement of propagation or survival, or interstate commerce (the latter only in the event that it facilitates scientific purposes or enhancement of propagation or survival). Our regulations implementing section 10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA 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 We invite local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies and the public to comment on the following applications. Please refer to the permit number when you submit comments. Documents and other information the applicants have submitted with the applications are available for review, subject to the requirements of the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a) and Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552). Permit Applications Proposed activities in the following permit requests are for the recovery and enhancement of propagation or survival of the species in the wild. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Application No. Applicant Species Location Activity Type of take Permit action -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TE64079B......... Minnesota Zoological Dakota skipper IA, MI, MN, ND, SD, WI... Conduct presence/ Capture, handle, Amend, renew. Garden, Apple (Hesperia dacotae), absence surveys, collect eggs, Valley, MN. Poweshiek conduct population propagate, release. skipperling monitoring. (Oarisma poweshiek). TE85228B......... Eric Schroder, Add Indiana bat Add new locations--AL, Conduct presence/ Capture, handle, Amend, renew. Fairmont, WV. (Myotis sodalis) AR, CT, GA, IL, KY, MD, absence surveys, mist-net, radio- and Virginia big- MI, MN, MS, MO, NJ, NY, document habitat tag, band, release. eared bat NC, OH, OK, PA, TN, VT, use, conduct (Corynorhinus WI, WV--to existing population townsendii authorized locations: monitoring, virginianus) to Northern IA, northern evaluate impacts. existing permitted MI, central/southern AL, species: Northern central/southern AR, long-eared bat (M. central/southern GA, LA, septentrionalis). central/southern MS, central/eastern NC, SC, northern CT, DE, DC, southern/eastern MD, MA, NH, southern NJ, RI, eastern VT, central/ eastern VA, KS, MT, NE, ND, SD, IA. TE73587A......... Missouri Department Ozark hellbender MO....................... Research, conduct Capture, handle, Renew. of Conservation, (Cryptobranchus presence/absence collect sperm and Jefferson City, MO. alleganiensis surveys, document eggs, transport, bishop). habitat use, hold, propagate, conduct population pit-tag, augment, monitoring, reintroduce, evaluate impacts. release. TE71682A......... Megan Martin, Add northern long- AL, AR, CT, DE, DC, FL, Conduct presence/ Add new activity-- Amend, renew. Indianapolis, IN. eared bat (Myotis GA, IL, IN, IA, KY, MA, absence surveys, band--to existing septentrionalis) to MD, MI, MS, MN, MO, NH, document habitat authorized existing permitted NJ, NY, NC, OK, OH, PA, use, conduct activities: species: Indiana RI, SC, TN, VT, VA, WV, population Capture, handle, bat (M. sodalis), WI. monitoring, mist-net, radio- gray bat (M. evaluate impacts. tag, release. grisescens). TE62286A......... Jason Whittle, Indiana bat (Myotis AL, AR, CT, GA, IL, IN, Conduct presence/ Capture, handle, Renew. Richfield, OH. sodalis), northern IA, KY, ME, MD, MA, MI, absence surveys, mist-net, harp long-eared bat (M. MS, MO, NH, NJ, NY, NC, document habitat trap, radio-tag, septentrionalis). OK, OH, PA, SC, TN, VT, use, conduct band, wing biopsy, VA, WV. population collect hair, monitoring, fungal lift tape evaluate impacts. and swab samples, release. TE151107......... Redwing Ecological Indiana bat (Myotis AL, AR, CT, DE, GA, IL, Conduct presence/ Capture, handle, Renew. Services, Inc., sodalis), gray bat IN, IA, KY, MD, MA, MI, absence surveys, mist-net, harp Louisville, KY. (M. grisescens), MS, MO, NH, NJ, NY, NC, document habitat trap, radio-tag, northern long-eared OK, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, use, conduct band, enter bat (M. VT, VA, WV, WI. population hibernacula, septentrionalis), monitoring, release. Ozark big-eared bat evaluate impacts. (Corynorhinus towsendii ingens), Virginia big-eared bat (C.t. virginianus). TE64074B......... TeaLeaf Ecological, Indiana bat (Myotis AL, AR, CT, DE, DC, FL, Conduct presence/ Capture, handle, Renew. LLC, Chambersburg, sodalis), gray bat GA, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, absence surveys, mist-net, harp PA. (M. grisescens), LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, document habitat trap, radio-tag, northern long-eared MS, MO, MT, NE, NH, NJ, use, conduct band, wing biopsy, bat (M. NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, PA, population collect hair, septentrionalis), RI, SC, SD, TN, VT, VA, monitoring, fungal lift tape Virginia big-eared WV, WI, WY. evaluate impacts. and swab samples, bat (Corynorhinus release. towsendii virginianus). [[Page 8100]] TE74592A......... Robert Brown, Indiana bat (Myotis Add new locations--DC, Conduct presence/ Add new activities-- Amend, renew. Cincinnati, OH. sodalis), gray bat FL, LA, ME, MN, MT, NE, absence surveys, collect hair and (M. grisescens), ND, SD, WY--to existing document habitat guano samples--to northern long-eared authorized locations: use, conduct existing bat (M. AL, AR, CT, DE, GA, IL, population authorized septentrionalis), IN, IA, KS, KY, MD, MA, monitoring, activities: Ozark big-eared bat MI, MS, MO, NH, NJ, NY, evaluate impacts. Capture, handle, (Corynorhinus NC, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, mist-net, harp towsendii ingens), TN, VT, VA, WV, WI. trap, radio-tag, Virginia big-eared band, enter bat (C.t. hibernacula, virginianus). release. TE30970B......... Jeffrey Miller, Indiana bat (Myotis AR, CT, DE, DC, IL, IN, Conduct presence/ Capture, handle, Renew. Vancouver, WA. sodalis), gray bat IA, KS, KY, ME, MD, MA, absence surveys, mist-net, harp (M. grisescens), MI, MN, MO, NH, NJ, NY, document habitat trap, radio-tag, northern long-eared ND, OH, OK, PA, RI, SD, use, conduct release, salvage. bat (M. TN, VT, VA, WV, WI. population septentrionalis), monitoring, Ozark big-eared bat evaluate impacts. (Corynorhinus towsendii ingens). TE21829B......... Larisa Bishop-Boros, Add lesser long- Add new locations--AZ, Conduct presence/ Add new activities-- Amend, renew. Laramie, WY. nosed bat NM--to existing absence surveys, collect pollen (Leptonycteris authorized locations: document habitat samples, light- curasoae AL, AR, CT, DE, DC, FL, use, conduct tag, enter roosts-- yerbabuenae) to GA, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, population to existing existing permitted LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, monitoring, authorized species: Indiana MS, MO, MT, NE, NH, NJ, evaluate impacts. activities: bat (Myotis NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, PA, Capture, handle, sodalis), gray bat RI, SC, SD, TN, VT, VA, mist-net, harp (M. grisescens), WV, WI, WY. trap, radio-tag, northern long-eared wing biopsy, bat (M. collect hair, septentrionalis), guano, fungal lift Ozark big-eared bat tape and swab (Corynorhinus samples, enter towsendii ingens), hibernacula, Virginia big-eared release, salvage. bat (C.t. virginianus). TE70488C......... Scott Bergeson, Fort Indiana bat (Myotis AL, AR, CT, DE, FL, GA, Conduct presence/ Capture, handle, New. Wayne, IN. sodalis), gray bat IN, IA, KS, KY, ME, MD, absence surveys, mist-net, harp (M. grisescens), MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, NE, document habitat trap, radio-tag, northern long-eared NH, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, use, conduct band, wing biopsy, bat (M. PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, VT, population collect hair septentrionalis). VA, WV, WI. monitoring, samples, enter evaluate impacts. hibernacula and maternity roost caves, release, salvage. TE35859B......... Charles Mills, Least tern (Sterna IN....................... Conduct population Harass, handle Amend, renew. Newburgh, IN. antillarum). monitoring, eggs, salvage. document reproductive behavior and productivity. TE90090B......... Power Engineers Remove 83 mussel DE, KS, ME, MA, MN, MT, Conduct presence/ Capture, handle, Amend, renew. Inc., Freeport, species and 41 fish NE, NH, ND, OK, RI, SD, absence surveys, mist-net, release. Maine. species from WI, WY. document habitat existing permitted use, conduct species: Northern population long-eared bat monitoring, (Myotis evaluate impacts. septentrionalis). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Public Availability of Comments We seek public review and comments on these permit applications. Please refer to the permit number when you submit comments. Comments and materials we receive in response to this notice are available for public inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the address listed in ADDRESSES. 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. Contents of Public Comments Please make your comments as specific as possible. Please confine your comments to issues for which we seek comments in this notice, and explain the basis for your comments. Include sufficient information with your comments to allow us to authenticate any scientific or commercial data you include. The comments and recommendations that will be most useful and likely to [[Page 8101]] influence agency decisions are: (1) Those supported by quantitative information or studies; and (2) Those that include citations to, and analyses of, the applicable laws and regulations. Next Steps If the Service decides to issue permits to any of the applicants listed in this notice, we will publish a notice in the Federal Register. Authority Section 10 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). Dated: January 10, 2018. Lori H. Nordstrom, Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, Midwest Region. [FR Doc. 2018-03725 Filed 2-22-18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4333-15-P