[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 5 (Monday, January 8, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 937-939]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-00159]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R3-ES-2023-N099; 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 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 7, 
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):
    <bullet> Email (preferred method): <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#502035223d39242302631503103627237e373f26"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c6b6a3b4abafb2b594f5839586a0b1b5e8a1a9b0">[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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nathan Rathbun, 612-713-5343 (phone); 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#621207100f0b161130512731220415114c050d14"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="403025322d29343312730513002637336e272f36">[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

[[Page 938]]

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
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PER0003405......................  Crystal Griffin,     Add new species--    AL, AR, CT, DE, GA,  Conduct presence/   Capture with mist   Amend.
                                   Overland Park, KS.   tricolored bat       IA, IL, IN, KS,      absence surveys,    nets or harp
                                                        (Perimyotis          KY, MA, MD, MI,      document habitat    traps, identify,
                                                        subflavus)--to       MN, MS, MO, NC,      use, conduct        handle, collect
                                                        existing             ND, NE, NH, NJ,      population          non-intrusive
                                                        authorized           NY, OH, OK, PA,      monitoring, and     measurements,
                                                        species: Indiana     RI, SC, SD, TN,      evaluate impacts.   band, radio-tag,
                                                        bat (Myotis          VA, VT, WI, WV.                          and release.
                                                        sodalis), northern
                                                        long-eared bat (M.
                                                        septentrionalis),
                                                        gray bat (M.
                                                        grisescens), and
                                                        Ozark big-eared
                                                        bat (Corynorhinus
                                                        townsendii ingens).
PER0037956......................  Cory Murphy,         Add new species--    AL, AR, CO, CT, DC,  Conduct presence/   Capture with mist   Amend.
                                   Granger, IN.         tricolored bat       DE, GA, FL, IA,      absence surveys,    nets or harp
                                                        (Perimyotis          IL, IN, KS, KY,      document habitat    traps, identify,
                                                        subflavus)--to       LA, MA, MD, MI,      use, conduct        handle, collect
                                                        existing             MN, MS, MO, NC,      population          non-intrusive
                                                        authorized           ND, NE, NH, NJ,      monitoring, and     measurements,
                                                        species: Indiana     NM, NY, OH, OK,      evaluate impacts.   band, radio-tag,
                                                        bat (Myotis          PA, RI, SC, SD,                          wing biopsy
                                                        sodalis), northern   TN, TX, VA, VT,                          samples, hair
                                                        long-eared bat (M.   WI, WV, WY.                              samples, swab
                                                        septentrionalis),                                             samples, and
                                                        and gray bat (M.                                              release.
                                                        grisescens).
PER5166267......................  Jordan Myers,        Pink mucket          OH.................  Conduct presence/   Capture, handle,    New.
                                   Columbus, OH.        (Lampsilis                                absence surveys,    release, and
                                                        orbiculata                                document habitat    relocate under
                                                        orbiculata), rayed                        use, conduct        special
                                                        bean (Villosa                             population          circumstances.
                                                        fabalis),                                 monitoring, and
                                                        rabbitsfoot                               evaluate impacts.
                                                        (Quadrula
                                                        cylindrica
                                                        cylindrica),
                                                        clubshell
                                                        (Pleurobema
                                                        clava), fanshell
                                                        (Cyprogenia
                                                        stegaria), long
                                                        solid (Fusconaia
                                                        subrotunda),
                                                        northern
                                                        riffleshell
                                                        (Epioblasma
                                                        rangiana), round
                                                        hickorynut
                                                        (Obovaria
                                                        subrotunda),
                                                        sheepnose mussel
                                                        (Plethobasus
                                                        cyphyus), snuffbox
                                                        mussel (Epioblasma
                                                        triquetra), white
                                                        catspaw
                                                        (Epioblasma
                                                        perobliqua),
                                                        purple catspaw
                                                        (Epioblasma
                                                        obliquata).
PER1896698......................  Caleb Knerr,         Add new species--    MO.................  Conduct presence/   Capture, handle,    Amend.
                                   Jefferson City, MO.  western fanshell                          absence surveys,    release, and
                                                        (Cyprogenia                               document habitat    relocate under
                                                        aberti) and pink                          use, conduct        special
                                                        mucket (Lampsilis                         population          circumstances.
                                                        abrupta)--to                              monitoring, and
                                                        existing                                  evaluate impacts.
                                                        authorized
                                                        species:
                                                        rabbitsfoot
                                                        (Quadrula
                                                        cylindrica
                                                        cylindrica),
                                                        snuffbox
                                                        (Epioblasma
                                                        triquetra), and
                                                        spectaclecase
                                                        (Cumberlandia
                                                        monodonta).
ES809630........................  Allen Kurta,         Add new species--    IL, IN, MI, OH.....  Conduct presence/   Capture with mist   Renew and
                                   Ypsilanti, MI.       tricolored bat                            absence surveys,    nets or harp        amend.
                                                        (Perimyotis                               document habitat    traps, identify,
                                                        subflavus)--to                            use, conduct        handle, collect
                                                        existing                                  population          non-intrusive
                                                        authorized                                monitoring, and     measurements,
                                                        species: Indiana                          evaluate impacts.   band, radio-tag,
                                                        bat (Myotis                                                   and release.
                                                        sodalis) and
                                                        northern long-
                                                        eared bat (Myotis
                                                        septentrionalis).
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[[Page 939]]

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. 2024-00159 Filed 1-5-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P


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