15248 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 55 / Monday, March 23, 2015 / Notices 

reintroduction into suitable sites 

identified by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

Service for the purpose of enhancing the 

species’ survival. 

Permit Application Number TE207946 

Applicant: Bureau of Reclamation, 

Denver Federal Center, Denver, CO. 

The applicant requests a permit to 

conduct presence/absence surveys for 

the New Mexico meadow jumping 

mouse (Zapus hudsonius luteus) in New 

Mexico to identify and avoid occupied 

habitat during reclamation activities for 

the purpose of enhancing the species’ 

survival. 

Permit Application Number TE227446 

Applicant: Clifton Sanitation District, 

3217 D Road, Clifton, CO. 

The applicant requests the renewal of 

a permit for educational display and 

propagation of bonytail (Gila elegans), 

Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus 

lucius), humpback chub (Gila cypha), 

and razorback sucker (Xyrauchen 

texanus) at the Clifton Sanitation 

District facility for the purpose of 

enhancing the species’ survival. 

National Environmental Policy Act 

In compliance with the National 

Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 

4321 et seq.), we have made an initial 

determination that the proposed 

activities in these permits are 

categorically excluded from the 

requirement to prepare an 

environmental assessment or 

environmental impact statement (516 

DM 6 Appendix 1, 1.4C(1)). 

Public Availability of Comments 

All comments and materials we 

receive in response to these requests 

will be available for public inspection, 

by appointment, during normal business 

hours at the address listed in the 

ADDRESSES section of this notice. 

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. 

Authority 

We provide this notice under section 

10 of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). 

Michael G. Thabault, 

Assistant Regional Director, Mountain-Prairie 

Region. 

[FR Doc. 2015–06520 Filed 3–20–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

[FWS–R6–ES–2015–N029]; 

[FXES11130600000–156–FF06E00000] 

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife 

and Plants; Recovery 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 four applications to 

conduct activities intended enhance the 

survival of target endangered or 

threatened species. The Endangered 

Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act), 

prohibits certain activities with 

endangered and threatened species 

unless authorized by a Federal permit. 

The Act requires that we invite public 

comment before issuing these permits. 

DATES: To ensure consideration, please 

send your written comments by April 

22, 2015. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

or requests for copies or more 

information by any of the following 

methods. Alternatively, you may use 

one of the following methods to request 

hard copies or a CD–ROM of the 

documents. Please specify the permit 

you are interested in by number (e.g., 

Permit No. TE–XXXXXX). 

• Email: permitsR6ES@fws.gov. 

Please refer to the respective permit 

number (e.g., Permit No. TE–XXXXXX) 

in the subject line of the message. 

• U.S. Mail: Ecological Services, U.S. 

Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 

25486–DFC, Denver, CO 80225. 

• In-Person Drop-off, Viewing, or 

Pickup: Call (719) 628–2670 to make an 

appointment during regular business 

hours at 134 Union Blvd., Suite 645, 

Lakewood, CO 80228. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Kathy Konishi, Recovery Permits 

Coordinator, Ecological Services, (719) 

628–2670 (phone); permitsR6ES@

fws.gov (email). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

The Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) 

prohibits certain activities with 

endangered and threatened species 

unless authorized by a Federal permit. 

Along with our implementing 

regulations at 50 CFR 17, the Act 

provides for permits and requires that 

we invite public comment before 

issuing these permits. 

A permit granted by us under section 

10(a)(1)(A) of the Act authorizes the 

permittees 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) 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. 

Applications Available for Review and 

Comment 

We invite local, State, and Federal 

agencies and the public to comment on 

the following applications. Documents 

and other information the applicants 

have submitted with their 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 Application Number TE43046A 

Applicant: Kirk Mammoliti, Greenwood, 

MO. 

The applicant requests a permit to 

conduct presence/absence surveys for 

Topeka shiner (Notropis topeka) in 

Kansas to identify and avoid occupied 

habitat during reclamation activities for 

the purpose of enhancing the species’ 

survival. 

Permit Application Number TE060668 

Applicants: Bellini Environmental 

Consulting, Midway, UT. 

The applicants request an amendment 

to expand the geographic survey area for 

Southwestern willow flycatcher 

(Empidonax traillii extimus) from Utah 

to range-wide authorization for the 

purpose of enhancing the species’ 

survival. 

Permit Application Number TE207946 

Applicant: Bureau of Reclamation, 

Denver, CO. 

The applicant requests a permit to 

conduct presence/absence surveys for 

New Mexico meadow jumping mouse 

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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 55 / Monday, March 23, 2015 / Notices 15249 

(Zapus hudsonius luteus) in Colorado to 

identify and avoid occupied habitat 

during land reclamation activities for 

the purpose of enhancing the species’ 

survival. 

Permit Application Number TE56902B 

Applicant: Bureau of Reclamation, 

Denver, CO. 

The applicant requests a permit to 

conduct presence/absence surveys for 

pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) 

in the Yellowstone River of Montana to 

develop a baseline analysis of occupied 

habitat. These data will assist in the 

evaluation of the effectiveness of a 

proposed fish bypass structure. The 

proposed structure will provide passage 

of pallid sturgeon and other native 

fishes around current impediments 

constructed in 1907 for the purpose of 

enhancing the species’ survival. 

National Environmental Policy Act 

In compliance with the National 

Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 

4321 et seq.), we have made an initial 

determination that the proposed 

activities in these permits are 

categorically excluded from the 

requirement to prepare an 

environmental assessment or 

environmental impact statement (516 

DM 6 Appendix 1, 1.4C(1)). 

Public Availability of Comments 

All comments and materials we 

receive in response to these requests 

will be available for public inspection, 

by appointment, during normal business 

hours at the address listed in the 

ADDRESSES section of this notice. 

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. 

Authority 

We provide this notice under section 

10 of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). 

Michael G. Thabault, 

Assistant Regional Director, Mountain-Prairie 

Region. 

[FR Doc. 2015–06521 Filed 3–20–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–55–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Fish and Wildlife Service 

[FWS–R3–R–2015–N032; FXRS1265030000– 

156–FF03R06000] 

Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife 

Refuge, Bayfield County, Wisconsin; 

Draft Comprehensive Conservation 

Plan and Environmental Assessment 

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of availability; request 

for comments. 

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and 

Wildlife Service (Service), announce the 

availability of a draft comprehensive 

conservation plan (CCP) and 

environmental assessment (EA) for the 

Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife 

Refuge (Refuge, NWR) for public review 

and comment. In this draft CCP/EA we 

describe how we propose to manage the 

Refuge for the next 15 years. 

DATES: To ensure consideration, we 

must receive your written comments by 

April 22, 2015. We will hold an open 

house-style meeting during the 

comment period to receive comments 

and provide information on the draft 

plan. In addition, we will use special 

mailings, newspaper articles, Internet 

postings, and other media 

announcements to inform people of 

opportunities for input. 

ADDRESSES: Send your comments or 

requests for more information by any of 

the following methods: 

• Email: r3planning@fws.gov. Include 

‘‘Whittlesey Creek Draft CCP/EA’’ in the 

subject line of the message. 

• Fax: Attention: Refuge Manager, 

Whittlesey Creek NWR, 715–685–2680. 

• U.S. Mail: Attention: Refuge 

Manager, Whittlesey Creek NWR, 

Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center, 

29270 County Highway G, Ashland, WI 

54806. 

• In-Person Drop Off: You may drop 

off comments during regular business 

hours at the above addresses. 

You will find the draft CCP/EA, as 

well as information about the planning 

process and a summary of the CCP, on 

the planning Web site at http://

www.fws.gov/midwest/planning/

whittleseycreek/index.html. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tom 

Kerr, 715–246–7784. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Introduction 

With this notice, we continue the CCP 

process for Whittlesey Creek National 

Wildlife Refuge, which we began by 

publishing a notice of intent in the 

Federal Register (78 FR 3909) on 

January 17, 2013. For more about the 

initial process and the history of this 

Refuge, see that notice. 

Background 

The National Wildlife Refuge System 

Administration Act of 1966, as amended 

by the National Wildlife Refuge System 

Improvement Act of 1997 (16 U.S.C. 

668dd–668ee) (Administration Act), 

requires us to develop a CCP for each 

national wildlife refuge. The purpose in 

developing a CCP is to provide refuge 

managers with a 15-year strategy for 

achieving refuge purposes and 

contributing toward the mission of the 

National Wildlife Refuge System 

(NWRS), consistent with sound 

principles of fish and wildlife 

management, conservation, legal 

mandates, and Service policies. In 

addition to outlining broad management 

direction on conserving wildlife and 

their habitats, CCPs identify wildlifedependent recreational opportunities 

available to the public, including 

opportunities for hunting, fishing, 

wildlife observation and photography, 

and environmental education and 

interpretation. We will review and 

update the CCP at least every 15 years 

in accordance with the Administration 

Act. 

Each unit of the NWRS was 

established for specific purposes. We 

use these purposes as the foundation for 

developing and prioritizing the 

management goals and objectives for 

each refuge within the NWRS mission, 

and to determine how the public can 

use each refuge. The planning process is 

a way for us and the public to evaluate 

management goals and objectives that 

will ensure the best possible approach 

to wildlife, plant, and habitat 

conservation, while providing for 

wildlife-dependent recreation 

opportunities that are compatible with 

each refuge’s establishing purposes and 

the mission of the NWRS. 

Additional Information 

The draft CCP/EA may be found at 

http://www.fws.gov/midwest/planning/

whittleseycreek/index.html. That 

document incorporates an EA, prepared 

in accordance with the National 

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (43 

U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). The draft CCP/EA 

includes detailed information about the 

planning process, refuge, issues, and 

management alternatives considered 

and proposed. The EA includes 

discussions of four alternative refuge 

management options. The Service’s 

preferred alternative is reflected in the 

draft CCP. 

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