[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 20 (Tuesday, January 30, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3050-3051]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-1732]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service


Notice of Receipt of Applications for Permit

    The following applicants have applied for a permit to conduct 
certain activities with endangered species. This notice is provided 
pursuant to Section 10(c) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as 
amended (16 U.S.C. 1531, et seq.):

PRT-810290

Applicant: International Wildlife Museum, Tucson, AZ.

    The applicant requests a permit to import one taxidermied cheetah 
(Acinonyx jubatus) mount from the estate of a foreign individual to 
enhance the survival of the species. The cheetah was originally taken 
in 1992 as a personal sport-hunted trophy in Zimbabwe.

PRT-810330

Applicant: Mary Katherine Gonder, New York, NY.

    The applicant requests a permit to import hair samples of 
chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) collected from sleeping nests and museum 
specimens in Nigeria for enhancement of the species through scientific 
research.

PRT-785441

Applicant: Zoological Society of San Diego, San Diego, CA.

    The applicant requests a permit to import an additional captive-
born female Persian fallow deer (Dama dama mesopotamica) from the Opel 
Zoo, Kronberg, Germany, to enhance the propagation of survival of the 
species through captive-breeding.
    Written data or comments should be submitted to the Director, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Management Authority, 4401 North 
Fairfax Drive, Room 420(c), Arlington, Virginia 22203 and must be 
received by the Director within 30 days of the date of this 
publication.
    Documents and other information submitted with these applications 
are available for review, subject to the requirements of the Privacy 
Act and Freedom of Information Act, by any party who submits a written 
request for a copy of such documents to the following office within 30 
days of the date of publication of this notice: U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Office of Management Authority, 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Room 
420(c), Arlington, Virginia 22203. Phone: (703/358-2104); FAX: (703/
358-2281).
    The Fish and Wildlife Service regrets that due to circumstances 
beyond its control, the Office of Management Authority's permitting 
process and other work have been significantly impacted by the recent 
partial Federal furlough and inclement weather. While the Fish and 
Wildlife Service is attempting to deal with these circumstances, please 
be aware that there will be delays in permit processing, response to 
informational inquiries, returning of phone calls, and other office 
activities. Your understanding and patience are greatly appreciated 
during this time.
    The furlough of December 18 to January 5, 1996, followed by severe 
weather conditions the week of January 8, created a significant backlog 
of unprocessed permit applications, while delaying our ability to 
complete applications already received. The Service's Office of 
Management Authority processes more than 5,000 permits annually, or 
approximately 450 per month. Prior to the furlough, streamlined 
procedures had cut the processing time in half for certain permits. Due 
to these events, the time required to process permit applications 
temporarily has increased significantly.
    Six hundred applications were pending at the time of the furlough, 
slightly more than our monthly average. During the intervening three 
weeks of Federal closure, 205 new applications and 114 new written 
requests for information were received. Due to this backlog, 
applications received after December 16 may require an additional 30 
days beyond the normal 60-90 days. Please note that applications are 
being processed in date order. We anticipate needing the extra time to 
work through the 600 applications pending before the furlough and 
complete subsequent applications. Since our goal is to reduce the 
number of backlogged applications as quickly as possible, this activity 
is the office's priority until the backlog is reduced and will preclude 
work on other office commitments.
    These circumstances also resulted in an increased volume of phone 
calls. We are returning calls as quickly as possible. To help us help 
you, leave a detailed voice mail message if a biologist is unavailable 
to take your call directly. You may fax specific questions to (703) 
358-2281. If requesting an application, include your name, phone and 
fax numbers, type of activity and species. If inquiring about the 
status of a permit, include the date you mailed 

[[Page 3051]]
your application, purpose of the permit, and, if known, permit number 
and name of the permit biologist processing it.
    The Fish and Wildlife Service is operating under a temporary 
spending authority. Should another Federal shutdown occur, our 
capability to carry out our responsibilities to the public to process 
applications expeditiously will be further delayed. Please be assured 
that we will continue to do everything we can to process applications 
as quickly and effectively as possible.

    Dated: January 25, 1996.
Caroline Anderson,
Acting Chief, Branch of Permits, Office of Management Authority.
[FR Doc. 96-1732 Filed 1-29-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-P