[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 181 (Wednesday, September 20, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43998-43999]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-19983]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2017-0049; FXIA16710900000-178-FF09A30000]


Foreign Endangered and Threatened Species; Receipt of 
Applications for Permit

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of applications for permit.

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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to 
comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities 
with endangered and threatened species. With some exceptions, the 
Endangered Species Act (ESA) prohibits activities with listed species 
unless Federal authorization is acquired that allows such activities.

DATES: We must receive comments or requests for documents on or before 
October 20, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Submitting Comments: You may submit comments by one of the 
following methods:
    <bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments on Docket No. FWS-HQ-
IA-2017-0049.
    <bullet> U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, 
Attn: Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2017-0043; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
MS: BPHC; 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.
    When submitting comments, please indicate the name of the applicant 
and the PRT# you are commenting on. We will post all comments on http://www.regulations.gov. This generally means that we will post any 
personal information you provide us (see Public Comments, below, for 
more information).
    Viewing Comments: Comments and materials we receive will be 
available for public inspection on http://www.regulations.gov, or by 
appointment, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays, at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of 
Management Authority, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803; 
telephone 703-358-2095.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joyce Russell, Government Information 
Specialist, Division of Management Authority, U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service Headquarters, MS: IA; 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 
22041-3803; telephone 703-358-2023; facsimile 703-358-2280.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Public Comment Procedures

A. How do I request copies of applications or comment on submitted 
applications?

    Send your request for copies of applications or comments and 
materials concerning any of the applications to the contact listed 
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Please include the Federal 
Register notice publication date, the PRT-number, and the name of the 
applicant in your request or submission. We will not consider requests 
or comments sent to an email or address not listed under ADDRESSES. If 
you provide an email address in your request for copies of 
applications, we will attempt to respond to your request 
electronically.
    Please make your requests or 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 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. We 
will not consider or include in our administrative record comments we 
receive after the close of the comment period (see DATES) or comments 
delivered to an address other than those listed above (see ADDRESSES).

B. May I review comments submitted by others?

    Comments, including names and street addresses of respondents, will 
be available for public review at the street address listed under 
ADDRESSES. The public may review documents and other information 
applicants have sent in support of the application unless our allowing 
viewing would violate the Privacy Act or Freedom of Information Act. 
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.

[[Page 43999]]

II. Background

    To help us carry out our conservation responsibilities for affected 
species, and in consideration of section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered 
Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), along with 
Executive Order 13576, ``Delivering an Efficient, Effective, and 
Accountable Government,'' and the President's Memorandum for the Heads 
of Executive Departments and Agencies of January 21, 2009--Transparency 
and Open Government (74 FR 4685; Jan. 26, 2009), which call on all 
Federal agencies to promote openness and transparency in Government by 
disclosing information to the public, we invite public comment on these 
permit applications before final action is taken.

III. Permit Applications

    We invite the public to comment on applications to conduct certain 
activities with endangered species. With some exceptions, the 
Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.; ESA) prohibits 
activities with listed species unless Federal authorization is acquired 
that allows such activities.

Applicant: Matthew Barber, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR; PRT-38968C

    The applicant requests a permit to purchase in interstate commerce 
cell lines of gorilla (Gorilla gorilla), bonobo (Pan paniscus), and 
Borneo orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) from Coriell Institute for Medical 
Research, Camden, NJ, for the purpose of scientific research. This 
notification is for a single interstate commerce transaction.

Applicant: William Montgomery, Elgin, TX; PRT-65009A

    The applicant requests renewal of a captive-bred wildlife 
registration under 50 CFR 17.21(g) for radiated tortoise (Astrochelys 
radiata) to enhance species propagation or survival. This notification 
covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 5-year 
period.

Applicant: Mario Gutierrez, San Antonio, TX; PRT-32933C

    The applicant requests a captive-bred wildlife registration under 
50 CFR 17.21(g) for radiated tortoise (Astrochelys radiata) to enhance 
species propagation or survival. This notification covers activities to 
be conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period

Applicant: New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM; PRT-36123C

    The applicant requests a permit to import scientific samples from 
captive-bred blue-throated macaw (Ara glaucogularis) from the United 
Kingdom, for scientific research. This notification is for a single 
import.

Applicant: Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Tacoma, WA; PRT-31674C

    The applicant requests authorization to import 16 clouded leopards 
(Neofelis nebulosa) from Thailand to enhance propagation or survival of 
the species. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the 
applicant over a 5-year period.

Applicant: Little Rock Zoological Gardens, Little Rock, AR; PRT-680316

    The applicant requests a renewal and amendment to a captive-bred 
wildlife registration under 50 CFR 17.21(g) for cheetah (Acinonyx 
jubatus) and chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) to enhance species 
propagation or survival. This notification covers activities to be 
conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period.

Applicant: Zoo of Acadiana, LLC, WA; PRT-209126

    The applicant requests a captive-bred wildlife registration under 
50 CFR 17.21(g) for the following species, to enhance species 
propagation or survival: Scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx dammah), addax 
(Addax nasomaculatus), brown lemur (Eulemur fulvus), black lemur 
(Eulemur macaco), ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta), black and white 
ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata), red ruffed lemur (Varecia rubra), 
Diana monkey (Cercopithecus diana), lion-tailed macaque (Macaca 
silenus), white-handed gibbon (Hylobates lar), leopard (Panthera 
pardus), salmon-crested cockatoo (Cacatua moluccensis), white cockatoo 
(Cacatua alba), military macaw (Ara militaris), Bactrian camel (Camelus 
bactrianus), African lion (Panthera leo), tiger (Panthera tigris), and 
clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa). This notification covers 
activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period.

Trophy Applicants

    The following applicants each request a permit to import sport-
hunted trophies of a male bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus pygargus) 
culled from a captive herd maintained under the management program of 
the Republic of South Africa, for the purpose of enhancing the 
propagation or survival of the species.

Applicant: John Thomas, Kootenai, ID; PRT-32052C

Applicant: Joseph F. Mandola, Columbus, TX; PRT-39695C

Applicant: David R. Puck, Double Oak, TX; PRT-36319C

IV. 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. You may locate the Federal Register notice announcing the 
permit issuance date by searching regulations.gov under the permit 
number listed in this document.

V. Public Comments

    You may submit your comments and materials concerning this notice 
by one of the methods listed in ADDRESSES. We will not consider 
comments sent by email or fax or to an address not listed in ADDRESSES.
    If you submit a comment via regulations.gov, your entire comment, 
including any personal identifying information, will be posted on the 
Web site. If you submit a hardcopy comment that includes personal 
identifying information, you may request at the top of your document 
that we withhold this information from public review. However, we 
cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
    We will post all hardcopy comments on regulations.gov.

VI. Authority

    The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of 1973 
(16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

Joyce Russell,
Government Information Specialist, Branch of Permits, Division of 
Management Authority.
[FR Doc. 2017-19983 Filed 9-19-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P