[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 56 (Thursday, March 23, 2023)] [Notices] [Pages 17603-17610] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2023-05907] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service [FWS-R4-ES-2023-N025; FXES11140400000-223-FF04E00000] Endangered Species; Recovery Permit Applications AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of receipt of permit applications; request for comments. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 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 written data or comments on the applications by April 24, 2023. ADDRESSES: Reviewing Documents: Submit requests for copies of applications and other information submitted with the applications to Karen Marlowe (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT). All requests and comments should specify the applicant name and application number (e.g., Mary Smith, ESPER0001234). Submitting Comments: If you wish to comment, you may submit comments by one of the following methods:Email (preferred method): permitsR4ES@fws.gov. Please include your name and return address in your email message. If you do not receive a confirmation from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that we have received your email message, contact us directly at the telephone number listed in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. U.S. mail: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regional Office, Ecological Services, 1875 Century Boulevard, Atlanta, GA 30345 (Attn: Karen Marlowe, Permit Coordinator). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Marlowe, Permit Coordinator, 404-679-7097 (telephone) or karen_marlowe@fws.gov (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 [[Page 17604]] 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 of 1974, as amended (5 U.S.C. 552a) and the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552). Background With some exceptions, the ESA prohibits take of listed species unless a Federal permit is issued that authorizes such take. The ESA's definition of ``take'' includes hunting, shooting, harming, wounding, or killing, and also such activities as pursuing, harassing, trapping, capturing, or collecting. A recovery permit issued by us under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA authorizes the permittee to take endangered or threatened species while engaging in activities that are conducted for scientific purposes that promote recovery of species or for enhancement of propagation or survival of species. These activities often include the capture and collection of species, which would result in prohibited take if a permit were not issued. 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 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. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Permit application No. Applicant Species Location Activity Type of take Permit action -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ES812344-7............. Pennington and Fishes: amber darter Alabama, Georgia, Presence/probable Fishes: capture, Renewal. Associates, Inc.; (Percina antesella), Kentucky, North absence surveys, handle, Cookeville, TN. blackside dace Carolina, population identify, and (Phoxinus Tennessee, and estimates, and release; cumberlandensis), blue Virginia. age class Mussels: shiner (Cyprinella determinations. capture, handle, caerulea), bluemask identify, darter (Etheostoma release, and akatulo), boulder salvage relic darter (Etheostoma shells; Snails: wapiti), chucky madtom capture, handle, (Noturus crypticus), identify, and Conasauga logperch release; (Percina jenkinsi), Crustaceans: Cumberland darter capture, handle, (Etheostoma susanae), identify, duskytail darter measure, sex, (Etheostoma and release. percnurum), laurel dace (Chrosomus saylori), palezone shiner (Notropis albizonatus), pygmy madtom (Noturus stanauli), and smoky madtom (Noturus baileyi); Mussels: Alabama lampmussel (Lampsilis virescens), Alabama moccansinshell (Medionidus acutissimus), Appalachian elktoe (Alasmidonta raveneliana), Appalachian monkeyface (Theliderma sparsa), birdwing pearlymussel (Lemiox rimosus), clubshell (Pleurobema clava), Coosa moccasinshell (Medionidus parvulus), cracking pearlymussel (Hemistena lata), Cumberland bean (Villosa trabalis), Cumberland elktoe (Alasmidonta atropurpurea), Cumberland monkeyface (Theliderma intermedia), Cumberland pigtoe (Pleuronaia gibber), Cumberlandian combshell (Epioblasma brevidens), dromedary pearlymussel (Dromus dromas), fanshell (Cyprogenia stegaria), finelined pocketbook (Hamiota altilis), finerayed pigtoe (Fusconaia cuneolus), fluted kidneyshell (Ptychobranchus subtentus), Georgia pigtoe (Pleurobema hanleyianum), littlewing [[Page 17605]] pearlymussel (Pegias fabula), orangefoot pimpleback (Plethobasus cooperianus), ovate clubshell (Pleurobema perovatum), oyster mussel (Epioblasma capsaeformis), pale lilliput (Toxolasma cylindrellus), pink mucket (Lampsilis abrupta), purple bean (Villosa perpurpurea), purple cat's paw (Epioblasma obliquata), rayed bean (Villosa fabalis), ring pink (Obovaria retusa), rough pigtoe (Pleurobema plenum), rough rabbitsfoot (Quadrula cylindrica strigillata), scaleshell (Leptodea leptodon), sheepnose (Plethobasus cyphyus), shiny pigtoe (Fusconaia cor), slabside pearlymussel (Pleuronaia dolabelloides), snuffbox mussel (Epioblasma triquetra), southern acornshell (Epioblasma othcaloogensis), southern pigtoe (Pleurobema georgianum), spectaclecase (Cumberlandia monodonta), tan riffleshell (Epioblasma florentina walkeri [=E. walkeri]), triangular kidneyshell (Ptychobranchus greenii), upland combshell (Epioblasma metastriata), white wartyback (Plethobasus cicatricosus), and winged mapleleaf (Quadrula fragosa); Snails: Anthony's riversnail (Athearnia anthonyi) and royal marstonia (Marstonia ogmorhaphe); Crustaceans: Nashville crayfish (Orconectes shoupi). ES11866B-1............. Francis Marion and Red-cockaded woodpecker South Carolina.... Red-cockaded Red-cockaded Renewal and amendment. Sumter National (Picoides borealis) woodpecker: woodpecker: Forests, U.S. and American chaffseed population capture, band, Forest Service; (Schwalbea americana). management and drill nest Columbia, SC. monitoring; cavities, American install inserts chaffseed: and restrictors, germination and install snake reintroduction. and squirrel excluders, monitor nest cavities and artificial nest cavities, recapture, and translocate; American chaffseed: collect seeds. PER0388631-0........... Gordon-Bryon Amphibians: Neuse River North Carolina and Presence/probable Amphibians and New. Stuart Marsh; waterdog (Necturus Virginia. absence surveys. Fishes: capture, Raleigh, NC. lewisi); Fishes: handle, Carolina madtom identify, mark, (Noturus furiosus) and and release; Roanoke logperch Mussels: (Percina rex); capture, handle, Mussels: Atlantic identify, mark, pigtoe (Fusconaia release, and masoni), dwarf salvage relic wedgemussel shells. (Alasmidonta heterodon), Tar River spinymussel (Parvaspina steinstansana), and yellow lance (Elliptio lanceolata). ES67197D-2............. Tyler Black; Neuse River waterdog North Carolina, Presence/probable Capture, handle, Amendment. Chapel Hill, NC. (Necturus lewisi), Tennessee, and absence surveys. identify, and Carolina madtom Virginia. release. (Noturus furiosus), and sickle darter (Percina williamsi). [[Page 17606]] ES206872-12............ Joy O'Keefe, Gray bat (Myotis Alabama, Arkansas, Presence/probable Enter hibernacula Renewal and amendment. University of grisescens), Indiana Connecticut, absence surveys, or maternity Illinois at bat (Myotis sodalis), Delaware, studies to roost caves, Urbana-Champaign; northern long-eared District of document habitat capture with Urbana, IL. bat (Myotis Columbia, use, population mist nets or septentrionalis), Florida, Georgia, monitoring, and harp traps, tricolored bat Illinois, to evaluate handle, (Perimyotis Indiana, Iowa, potential identify, band, subflavus), and Kansas, Kentucky, impacts of white- radio tag, Virginia big-eared bat Louisiana, Maine, nose syndrome or collect hair (Corynorhinus Maryland, other threats. samples, swab, townsendii Massachusetts, use tape to virginianus). Michigan, collect mites, Minnesota, wing punch, and Mississippi, release. Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. ES38792A-3............. U.S. Army; Fort Red-cockaded woodpecker Fort Gordon, Fort Population Capture, band, Renewal and amendment. Gordon, GA. (Picoides borealis). Stewart, and Fort management and drill nest Benning, Georgia; monitoring. cavities, Apalachicola and install inserts Ocala National and restrictors, Forests, Florida; install snake and Fort Bragg, and squirrel North Carolina. excluders, monitor nest cavities and artificial nest cavities, recapture, and translocate. ES05565B-2............. UT-Battelle Corp.; Gray bat (Myotis Oak Ridge Presence/probable Capture with mist Renewal and amendment. Oak Ridge, TN. grisescens), Indiana Reservation, absence surveys. nets, handle, bat (Myotis sodalis), Tennessee. identify, band, northern long-eared wing punch, bat (Myotis salvage, and septentrionalis), and release. tricolored bat (Perimyotis subflavus). [[Page 17607]] ES56515D-1............. Leslie Meade; Gray bat (Myotis Arkansas, Presence/probable Enter hibernacula Amendment. Richmond, KY. grisescens), Indiana Connecticut, absence surveys, or maternity bat (Myotis sodalis), Delaware, Kansas, studies to roost caves, northern long-eared Louisiana, Maine, document habitat capture with bat (Myotis Maryland, use, population harp traps, septentrionalis), Massachusetts, monitoring, and collect hair Ozark big-eared bat Minnesota, studies to samples, wing (Corynorhinus Montana, evaluate punch, swab, and townsendii ingens), Nebraska, New potential release. and Virginia big-eared Hampshire, New impacts of white- bat (Corynorhinus Jersey, New York, nose syndrome or townsendii North Dakota, other threats. virginianus). Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. ES089074-5............. Corblu Ecology Fishes: amber darter Alabama and Presence/probable Fishes: capture, Renewal. Group, LLC; (Percina antesella), Georgia. absence surveys handle, Woodstock, GA. blue shiner and population identify, and (Cyprinella caerulea), monitoring. release; Cherokee darter Mussels: (Etheostoma scotti), capture, handle, Conasauga logperch identify, (Percina jenkinsi), release, and Etowah darter salvage relic (Etheostoma etowahae), shells. and goldline darter (Percina aurolineata); Mussels: Alabama moccasinshell (Medionidus acutissimus), Coosa moccasinshell (Medionidus parvulus), fat threeridge (Amblema neislerii), finelined pocketbook (Hamiota altilis), Georgia pigtoe (Pleurobema hanleyianum), Gulf moccasinshell (Medionidus penicillatus), oval pigtoe (Pleurobema pyriforme), purple bankclimber (Elliptoideus sloatianus), shinyrayed pocketbook (Hamiota subangulata), southern clubshell (Pleurobema decisum), southern pigtoe (Pleurobema georgianum), and triangular kidneyshell (Ptychobranchus greenii). ES054973-7............. Nicholas Haddad, Mitchell's satyr Alabama, Michigan, Scientific Collect Amendment. Michigan State butterfly (Neonympha Mississippi, and research. caterpillars and University; mitchellii mitchellii). North Carolina. sacrifice or Hickory Corners, retain all lab- MI. reared caterpillars. ES56746B-5............. Joseph Johnson; Gray bat (Myotis Alabama, Kentucky, Presence/probable Enter hibernacula Renewal and amendment. Cincinnati, OH. grisescens), Indiana Ohio, absence surveys, and maternity bat (Myotis sodalis), Pennsylvania, and investigate roost caves, northern long-eared West Virginia. impacts of white- capture with bat (Myotis nose syndrome mist nets or septentrionalis), and habitat harp traps, tricolored bat management on handle, (Perimyotis bat communities, identify, band, subflavus), and migration radio tag, wing Virginia big-eared bat studies, and punch, and (Corynorhinus genetic analyses. release. townsendii virginianus). ES37652B-3............. Blue Ridge Spruce-fir moss spider North Carolina and Presence/probable Spruce-fir moss Amendment. Parkway, National (Microhexura Virginia. absence surveys. spider: lift Park Service; montivaga) and rusty bryophyte mats; Asheville, NC. patched bumble bee rusty patched (Bombus affinis). bumble bee: capture, handle, identify, and release. [[Page 17608]] ES060988-5............. U.S. Army; Fort Red-cockaded woodpecker South Carolina.... Population Capture, band, Renewal and amendment. Jackson, SC. (Picoides borealis). management and monitor nest monitoring. cavities, construct and monitor artificial nest cavities and restrictors, translocate, recapture, and release. ES43261B-1............. Ann Altman; Carolina heelsplitter North Carolina and Presence/probable Capture, handle, Renewal. Columbia, SC. (Lasmigona decorata). South Carolina. absence surveys. identify, release, and salvage relic shells. ES79580A-4............. Jason Butler; Mammals: gray bat Kentucky, Presence/probable Mammals: enter Renewal. Midway, KY. (Myotis grisescens), Tennessee, absence surveys. hibernacula or Indiana bat (Myotis Virginia, and maternity roost sodalis), and northern West Virginia. caves, capture long-eared bat (Myotis with mist nets septentrionalis); or harp traps, Fishes: blackside dace handle, (Phoxinus identify, band, cumberlandensis) and radio tag, Cumberland darter salvage dead (Etheostoma susanae). bats, and release; Fishes: capture, handle, identify, and release. ES100626-10............ Selby Reptiles: flattened Alabama, Arkansas, Presence/probable Reptiles: Renewal. Environmental, musk turtle Florida, Georgia, absence surveys. flattened musk Inc.; Decatur, AL. (Sternotherus Illinois, turtle: capture, depressus); Fishes: Indiana, Iowa, identify, amber darter (Percina Kansas, Kentucky, measure, and antesella), blue Louisiana, release; Fishes: shiner (Cyprinella Michigan, capture, handle, caerulea), boulder Minnesota, identify, and darter (Etheostoma Mississippi, release; wapiti), Cahaba shiner Missouri, Mussels: (Notropis cahabae), Nebraska, New capture, handle, chucky madtom (Noturus Mexico, New York, identify, crypticus), Cumberland North Carolina, release, and darter (Etheostoma Ohio, Oklahoma, salvage relic susanae), goldline Pennsylvania, shells; Snails: darter (Percina South Dakota, capture, handle, aurolineata), laurel Tennessee, Texas, identify, dace (Chrosomus Virginia, West release, collect saylori), palezone Virginia, and vouchers, and shiner (Notropis Wisconsin. salvage relic albizonatus), rush shells; darter (Etheostoma Crustaceans: phytophilum), spring Nashville pygmy sunfish crayfish: (Elassoma alabamae), capture, vermilion darter identify, (Etheostoma measure, sex, chermocki), and and release. watercress darter (Etheostoma nuchale); Mussels: Alabama lampmussel (Lampsilis virescens), Alabama moccasinshell (Medionidus acutissimus), Alabama pearlshell (Margaritifera marrianae), Altamaha spinymussel (Elliptio spinosa), Appalachian elktoe (Alasmidonta raveneliana), Appalachian monkeyface (Theliderma sparsa), black clubshell (Pleurobema curtum), Chipola slabshell (Elliptio chipolaensis), Choctaw bean (Obovaria choctawensis), clubshell (Pleurobema clava), Coosa moccasinshell (Medionidus parvulus), cracking pearlymussel (Hemistena lata), Cumberland bean (Villosa trabalis), Cumberland elktoe (Alasmidonta atropurpurea), Cumberland monkeyface (Theliderma intermedia), Cumberland pigtoe (Pleuronaia gibber), Cumberlandian combshell [[Page 17609]] (Epioblasma brevidens), dark pigtoe (Pleurobema furvum), dromedary pearlymussel (Dromus dromas), fanshell (Cyprogenia stegaria), fat pocketbook (Potamilus capax), fat threeridge (Amblema neislerii), finelined pocketbook (Hamiota altilis), finerayed pigtoe (Fusconaia cuneolus), flat pigtoe (Pleurobema marshalli), fluted kidneyshell (Ptychobranchus subtentus), fuzzy pigtoe (Pleurobema strodeanum), Georgia pigtoe (Pleurobema hanleyianum), green blossom (Epioblasma torulosa gubernaculum), Gulf moccasinshell (Medionidus penicillatus), heavy pigtoe (Pleurobema taitianum), inflated heelsplitter (Potamilus inflatus), littlewing pearlymussel (Pegias fabula), narrow pigtoe (Fusconaia escambia), Neosho mucket (Lampsilis rafinesqueana), Ochlockonee moccasinshell (Medionidus simpsonianus), orangefoot pimpleback (Plethobasus cooperianus), orangenacre mucket (Hamiota perovalis), Ouachita rock pocketbook (Arcidens wheeleri), oval pigtoe (Pleurobema pyriforme), ovate clubshell (Pleurobema perovatum), pale lilliput (Toxolasma cylindrellus), pink mucket (Lampsilis abrupta), purple bean (Villosa perpurpurea), purple cat's paw (Epioblasma obliquata), rabbitsfoot (Quadrula cylindrica cylindrica), rayed bean (Villosa fabalis), ring pink (Obovaria retusa), rough pigtoe (Pleurobema plenum), round ebonyshell (Reginaia rotulata), rought rabbitsfoot (Quadrula cylindrica strigillata), scaleshell (Leptodea leptodon), shiny pigtoe (Fusconaia cor), shinyrayed pocketbook (Hamiota subangulata), slabside pearlymussel (Pleuronaia dolabelloides), southern acornshell (Epioblasma othcaloogensis), southern clubshell (Pleurobema decisum), southern combshell (Epioblasma penita), southern kidneyshell (Ptychobranchus jonesi), southern pigtoe (Pleurobema georgianum), southern sandshell (Hamiota australis), spectaclecase (Cumberlandia monodonta), stirrupshell (Quadrula stapes), tapered pigtoe (Fusconaia burkei), triangular kidneyshell (Ptychobranchus greenii), tubercled blossom (Epioblasma torulosa torulosa), turgid blossom (Epioblasma turgidula), upland combshell (Epioblasma metastriata), white wartyback (Plethobasus cicatricosus), and winged mapleleaf (Quadrula fragosa); Snails: Anthony's riversnail (Athearnia anthonyi), armored snail (Marstonia pachyta), cylindrical lioplax (Lioplax cyclostomaformis), diamond tryonia (Pseudotryonia adamantina), flat pebblesnail (Lepyrium showalteri), Gonzales tryonia (Tryonia circumstriata [=stocktonensis]), interrupted rocksnail (Leptoxis foremani), lacy elimia (Elimia crenatella), painted rocksnail (Leptoxis taeniata), Pecos assimenia snail (Assiminea pecos), phantom tryonia (Tryonia cheatumi), plicate rocksnail (Leptoxis plicata), rough hornsnail (Pleurocera foremani), round rocksnail (Leptoxis ampla), royal marstonia (Marstonia ogmorhaphe), slender campeloma (Campeloma decampi), and tulotoma snail (Tulotoma magnifica); Crustaceans: Nashville crayfish (Orconectes shoupi). PER1408431-0........... Carnivorous Plant Sarracenia oreophila Maryland.......... Interstate Sell artificially New. Nursery; (green pitcher-plant), commerce. propagated Smithsburg, MD. Sarracenia rubra ssp. plants in alabamensis (Alabama interstate canebrake pitcher- commerce. plant), and Sarracenia rubra ssp. jonesii (mountain sweet pitcher-plant). [[Page 17610]] ES38397A-2............. Kathryn Craven; Green sea turtle Georgia........... Monitor and Salvage hatched Renewal and amendment. Savannah, GA. (Chelonia mydas), evaluate nest eggs, inviable hawksbill sea turtle hatching success eggs, and dead (Eretmochelys and conduct embryos, and imbricata), Kemp's scientific collect cloacal ridley sea turtle research. swabs from wild (Lepidochelys kempii), or captive leatherback sea turtle individuals. (Dermochelys coriacea), and loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 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. 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 a permit to an applicant 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.). John Tirpak, Deputy Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, Southeast Region. [FR Doc. 2023-05907 Filed 3-22-23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4333-15-P