[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 165 (Monday, August 28, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58597-58599]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-18481]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R3-ES-2023-N069; 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 
ESA. 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 September 27, 
2023.

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):
    <bullet> Email (preferred method): <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#89f9ecfbe4e0fdfadbbaccdac9effefaa7eee6ff"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f68693849b9f8285a4c5b3a5b6908185d8919980">[email protected]</span></a>. Please 
refer to the respective application number (e.g., Application No. 
ESXXXXXX) in the subject line of your email message.
    <bullet> 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.

[[Page 58598]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nathan Rathbun, 612-713-5343 (phone); 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#433326312e2a373011700610032534306d242c35"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="433326312e2a373011700610032534306d242c35">[email protected]</span></a> (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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ES98298A........................  Ohio Environmental  Add new species--   OH................  Conduct presence/   Capture, handle,    Amend.
                                   Protection          round hickorynut                        absence surveys,    release.
                                   Agency, Columbus,   (Obovaria                               document habitat
                                   OH.                 subrotunda), pink                       use, conduct
                                                       mucket (Lampsilis                       population
                                                       abrupta), and                           monitoring, and
                                                       longsolid                               evaluate impacts.
                                                       (Fusconaia
                                                       subrotunda)--to
                                                       existing
                                                       authorized 10
                                                       freshwater mussel
                                                       species.
ES206781........................  EcoAnalysts, Inc.,  Add new species--   AR, CO, CT, DE,     Conduct presence/   Capture, handle,    Amend.
                                   O'Fallon, MO.       round hickorynut    IA, IN, IL, KS,     absence surveys,    release, and
                                                       (Obovaria           KY, MA, MD, ME,     document habitat    relocate under
                                                       subrotunda) and     MI, MN, MO, NE,     use, conduct        special
                                                       longsolid           NH, NJ, NY, OH,     population          circumstances.
                                                       (Fusconaia          OK, PA, RI, SD,     monitoring, and
                                                       subrotunda)--to     TN, TX, VA, VT,     evaluate impacts.
                                                       existing            WI, WV.
                                                       authorized 60
                                                       freshwater mussel
                                                       species.
ES48835A........................  Applied Science &   Add new species--   MI, OH............  Conduct presence/   Capture, handle,    Amend.
                                   Technology, Inc.,   round hickorynut                        absence surveys,    release, and
                                   Brighton, MI.       (Obovaria                               document habitat    relocate under
                                                       subrotunda) and                         use, conduct        special
                                                       longsolid                               population          circumstances.
                                                       (Fusconaia                              monitoring, and
                                                       subrotunda)--to                         evaluate impacts.
                                                       existing
                                                       authorized eight
                                                       freshwater mussel
                                                       species.
ES53616C........................  Illinois Natural    Rusty patched       IL................  Conduct presence/   Capture, handle,    Renew and amend.
                                   History Survey,     bumble bee                              absence surveys,    sample, salvage,
                                   Champaign, IL.      (Bombus affinis).                       document habitat    and release.
                                                                                               use, conduct
                                                                                               population
                                                                                               monitoring, and
                                                                                               evaluate impacts.
PER3213383......................  Heidi McMullin,     Indiana bat         AL, AR, CT, DE,     Conduct presence/   Capture with mist   New.
                                   Poplar Bluff, MO.   (Myotis sodalis),   FL, GA, IA, IL,     absence surveys,    nets or harp
                                                       northern long-      IN, KS, KY, LA,     document habitat    traps, identify,
                                                       eared bat (Myotis   MA, MD, ME, MI,     use, conduct        handle, collect
                                                       septentrionalis),   MN, MS, MO, NC,     population          non-intrusive
                                                       gray bat (Myotis    NE, NH, NJ, NY,     monitoring, and     measurements,
                                                       grisescens),        OH, OK, PA, RI,     evaluate impacts.   band, radio-tag,
                                                       Virginia big-       SC, TN, TX, VA,                         and release.
                                                       eared bat           VT, WI, WV.
                                                       (Corynorhinus
                                                       townsendii
                                                       virginianus), and
                                                       Ozark big-eared
                                                       bat (Corynorhinus
                                                       townsendii
                                                       ingens).
ESPER0011986....................  Lindsey             Add new species--   OK, IL, IN, IA,     Conduct presence/   Capture, handle,    Amend.
                                   Jakovljavic,        round hickorynut    MI, MN, MO, OH,     absence surveys,    release, and
                                   Kirtland, OH.       (Obovaria           WI, AL, AR, KY,     document habitat    relocate under
                                                       subrotunda) and     MS, TN, NJ, NY,     use, conduct        special
                                                       longsolid           PA, WV, KS.         population          circumstances.
                                                       (Fusconaia                              monitoring, and
                                                       subrotunda)--to                         evaluate impacts.
                                                       existing
                                                       authorized 20
                                                       freshwater mussel
                                                       species.

[[Page 58599]]

 
PER3542792......................  Burke Engineering,  Sheepnose mussel    IL................  Conduct presence/   Capture, handle,    New.
                                   Rosemont, IL.       (Plethobasus                            absence surveys,    release, and
                                                       cyphyus).                               document habitat    relocate under
                                                                                               use, conduct        special
                                                                                               population          circumstances.
                                                                                               monitoring, and
                                                                                               evaluate impacts.
ESPER1224186....................  Greg Gaulke,        Add new species--   IL, IN, IA, MI,     Conduct presence/   Capture, handle,    Amend.
                                   Madison, WI.        sheepnose           MN, MO, OH, WI.     absence surveys,    release, and
                                                       (Plethobasus                            document habitat    relocate under
                                                       cyphyus),                               use, conduct        special
                                                       clubshell,                              population          circumstances.
                                                       (Pleurobema                             monitoring, and
                                                       clava), fanshell                        evaluate impacts.
                                                       (Cyprogenia
                                                       stegaria),
                                                       northern
                                                       riffleshell
                                                       (Epioblasma
                                                       rangiana), purple
                                                       cat's paw
                                                       pearlymussel
                                                       (Epioblasma
                                                       obliquata), rayed
                                                       bean (Villosa
                                                       fabalis), white
                                                       cat's paw
                                                       (Epioblasma
                                                       perobliqua),
                                                       round hickorynut
                                                       (Obovaria
                                                       subrotunda),
                                                       pyramid pigtoe
                                                       (Pleurobema
                                                       rubrum),
                                                       longsolid
                                                       (Fusconaia
                                                       subrotunda)--to
                                                       six existing
                                                       authorized
                                                       freshwater mussel
                                                       species.
ES81968B........................  Curtis Hart,        Indiana bat         OK, IL, IN, IA,     Conduct presence/   Add New             Amend.
                                   Hudson, MI.         (Myotis sodalis),   MI, MN, MO, OH,     absence surveys,    Activities--Colle
                                                       northern long-      WI, AL, AR, FL,     document habitat    ct wing punches
                                                       eared bat (M.       GA, KY, LA, MS,     use, conduct        and tissue
                                                       septentrionalis),   NC, SC, TN, CT,     population          samples--to
                                                       gray bat (M.        DE, DC, MD, MA,     monitoring, and     existing
                                                       grisescens),        NH, NJ, NY, PA,     evaluate impacts.   authorized
                                                       Virginia big-       RI, VT, VA, WV,                         activities:
                                                       eared bat           KS, MT, NE, ND,                         Capture with mist
                                                       (Corynorhinus       SD, WY.                                 nets, identify,
                                                       townsendii                                                  handle, collect
                                                       virginianus), and                                           non-intrusive
                                                       Ozark big-eared                                             measurements,
                                                       bat (C.                                                     band, radio-tag,
                                                       townsendii                                                  and release.
                                                       ingens).
ES70488C........................  Scott Bergeson,     Add new species--   AL, AR, CT, FL,     Conduct presence/   Capture with mist-  Amend.
                                   Fort Wayne, IN.     tri-colored bat     GA, IA, IL, IN,     absence surveys,    nets and harp
                                                       (Perimyotis         KS, KY, LA, MA,     document habitat    traps, handle,
                                                       subflavus)--to      MD, MI, ME, MN,     use, conduct        identify, radio-
                                                       existing            MO, MS, MT, NC,     population          tag, band, enter
                                                       authorized          ND, NE, NH, NJ,     monitoring, and     hibernacula,
                                                       species: Indiana    NY, OH, OK, PA,     evaluate impacts.   collect
                                                       bat (Myotis         RI, SC, SD, TN,                         nonintrusive
                                                       sodalis),           VT, VA, WI, WV.                         measurements, and
                                                       northern long-                                              release.
                                                       eared bat (Myotis
                                                       septentrionalis),
                                                       and gray bat
                                                       (Myotis
                                                       grisescens).
ES62048D........................  Carly Kalina, Des   Indiana bat         AL, AR, CT, DC,     Conduct presence/   Capture with mist-  Amend.
                                   Moines, IA.         (Myotissodalis),    DE, GA, IA, IL,     absence surveys,    nets, handle,
                                                       northern long-      IN, KS, KY, LA,     document habitat    identify, radio-
                                                       eared bat (Myotis   MA, MD, MI, ME,     use, conduct        tag, band, enter
                                                       septentrionalis),   MN, MO, MS, MT,     population          hibernacula,
                                                       and gray bat        NC, ND, NE, NH,     monitoring, and     collect
                                                       (Myotis             NJ, NY, OH, OK,     evaluate impacts.   nonintrusive
                                                       grisescens).        PA, RI, SC, SD,                         measurements,
                                                                           TN, VT, VA, WI,                         collect tissue/
                                                                           WV, WY.                                 fecal samples,
                                                                                                                   and release.
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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 Services, Midwest Region.
[FR Doc. 2023-18481 Filed 8-25-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P


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