[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 56 (Thursday, March 23, 2023)] [Notices] [Pages 17599-17601] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2023-05929] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service [FWS-R3-ES-2023-N031; FXES11130300000-234-FF03E00000] Endangered and Threatened Species; Receipt of 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 or threatened species under the ESA. 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 your written comments on or before April 24, 2023. ADDRESSES: Document availability and comment submission: Submit requests for copies of the applications and related documents, as well as any comments, by one of the following methods. All requests and comments should specify the applicant name(s) and application number(s) (e.g., ESXXXXXX; see table in SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION):Email (preferred method): permitsR3ES@fws.gov. Please refer to the respective application number (e.g., Application No. ESXXXXXX) in the subject line of your email message. U.S. Mail: Regional Director, Attn: Nathan Rathbun, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services, 5600 American Blvd. West, Suite 990, Bloomington, MN 55437-1458. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nathan Rathbun, 612-713-5343 (phone); permitsR3ES@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 [[Page 17600]] 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 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 and the Freedom of Information Act. Background The Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), prohibits certain activities with endangered and threatened species unless authorized by a Federal permit. The ESA and our implementing regulations in part 17 of title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) provide for the issuance of such permits and require that we invite public comment before issuing permits for activities involving endangered species. A recovery permit issued by us under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA authorizes the permittee to conduct activities with endangered species for scientific purposes that promote recovery or for enhancement of propagation or survival of the species. 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. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Application No. Applicant Species Location Activity Type of take Permit action -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TE30471C............... Randy Mitchell, Rusty patched bumble OH, WI.............. Conduct presence/ Capture, handle, and Renew and amend. Akron, OH. bee (Bombus absence surveys, release. affinis). document habitat use, conduct population monitoring, and evaluate impacts. PER1867075............. Jackson County Rusty patched bumble IA.................. Conduct presence/ Capture, handle, and New. Conservation Board, bee (Bombus absence surveys, release. Maquoketa, IA. affinis). document habitat use, conduct population monitoring, and evaluate impacts. ES181256............... Lewis Environmental Add--Round AL, AR, FL, GA, IL, Conduct presence/ Capture, handle, and Amend. Consulting, Murray, hickorynut IN, IA, KY, MI, MO, absence surveys, release. KY. (Obovaria MS, OH, PA, TN, WV, document habitat subrotunda) and WI. use, conduct longsolid population (Fusconaia monitoring, and subrotunda)--to evaluate impacts. existing authorized species--60 freshwater mussel species. PER1896698............. Caleb Knerr, Eleven species...... AR, IA, IL, KS, KY, Conduct presence/ Capture, handle, New. Jefferson City, MO. MO, NE, OK, TN. absence surveys, release, and document habitat relocate due to use, conduct stranding. population monitoring, and evaluate impacts. TE11145C............... Lisa Kleinschmidt, Indiana bat (Myotis AL, AR, CT, DE, GA, Conduct presence/ Capture, handle, Renew. Syracuse, NY. sodalis), gray bat IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, absence surveys, band, radio-track, (M. grisescens), MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, document habitat collect bio- northern long-eared MO, NC, ND, NE, NH, use, conduct samples, release. bat (M. NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, population septentrionalis). RI, SC, SD, TN, VA, monitoring, and VT, WV, WI. evaluate impacts. ES28570D............... Midwest Natural Rusty patched bumble IL, IN, IA, ME, MD, Conduct presence/ Capture, handle, Renew and amend. Resources, St. bee (Bombus MA, MN, NC, NY, OH, absence surveys, temporary hold, Paul, MN. affinis), Dakota TN, VA, WV, WI. document habitat release, salvage. skipper (Hesperia use, conduct dacotae). population monitoring, and evaluate impacts. PER0039255............. Ryan Schwegman, Add--Round AR, DE, IL, IN, IA, Conduct presence/ Capture, handle, Amend. College Corner, OH. hickorynut KS, KY, MD, MI, MN, absence surveys, tag, release. (Obovaria MO, NY, OK, OH, PA, document habitat subrotunda) and TX, VA, WV, WI. use, conduct longsolid population (Fusconaia monitoring, and subrotunda)--to evaluate impacts. existing authorized species--11 freshwater mussel species. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [[Page 17601]] 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 request in your comment that we withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. Moreover, 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 permits to any of the applicants 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.). Lori Nordstrom, Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, USFWS Region 3. [FR Doc. 2023-05929 Filed 3-22-23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4333-15-P