[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 194 (Tuesday, October 10, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47020-47021]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-21660]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2017-0045; 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 
November 9, 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-2017-0045.
    <bullet> U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, 
Attn: Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2017-0045; 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. 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.

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,

[[Page 47021]]

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: Zoological Society of San Diego, San Diego, CA; PRT-33261C

    The applicant requests a permit to import one male captive-born 
Amur leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) from the Parco Faunistico La 
Torbiera Zoo, Piemonte, Italy, to enhance the propagation or survival 
of the species. This notification is for a single import.

Applicant: St. Catherine's Island Foundation, Midway, GA; PRT-34507C

    The applicant requests a permit to export 12 male captive-born 
ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) to Australia Zoo, Queensland, 
Australia, to enhance the propogation or survival of the species. This 
notification is for a single export.

Applicant: Auburn University, Auburn, AL; PRT-33510C

    The applicant requests a permit to import biological samples from 
captive-held Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) from Canada for the 
purpose of scientific research. This notification covers activities to 
be conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period.

Applicant: Columbus Zoo & Aquarium, Powell, Ohio; PRT-28059C

    The applicant requests a permit to export two captive-born bonobo 
(Pan paniscus) to Germany to enhance the propagation or survival of the 
species. This notification is for a single export.

Applicant: Thomas Wright, Queen Creek, AZ; PRT-21374C

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

Applicant: Ripley's Aquarium (Gatlinburg), L.L.C., Gatlinburg, TN; PRT-
72630A

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

Applicant: Lucky 7 Exotics Ranch, Eden, TX; PRT-70470A

    The applicant requests a renewal of a captive-bred wildlife 
registration under 50 CFR 17.21(g) for barasingha (Rucervus 
duvaucelii), Eld's deer (Rucervus eldii), Arabian oryx (Oryx leucoryx), 
and red lechwe (Kobus leche) to enhance the propagation or survival of 
the species. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the 
applicant over a 5-year period.

Multiple 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, to enhance the propagation or survival of 
the species.

Applicant: Ronald D. Urbanczyk, San Antonio, TX; PRT-36855C
Applicant: Richard Frank Rueden, New Berlin, WI; PRT-35535C
Applicant: John T. Tubbs, Belgrade, MT; PRT-33449C

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. 2017-21660 Filed 10-6-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P