[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 140 (Monday, July 24, 2023)] [Notices] [Pages 47518-47519] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2023-15552] [[Page 47518]] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service [FWS-R3-ES-2023-N047; 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 August 23, 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): [email protected]. 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); [email protected] (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 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 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ES02344A............... Mainstream Add new species-- Add new locations-- Conduct presence/ Capture, handle, Amend. Commercial Divers, round hickorynut KS, NE, OK, SD--to absence surveys, release, and Inc., Murray, KY. (Obovaria existing authorized document habitat relocate due to subrotunda) and locations: AL, AR, use, conduct stranding. longsolid FL, GA, IN, IL, IA, population (Fusconaia KY, LA, MI, MN, MO, monitoring, and subrotunda)--to MS, OH, PA, TN, WV, evaluate impacts. existing authorized WI. species: 26 freshwater mussel species. PER2549878............. Morgan E. Christman, Rusty patched bumble IA, IL, IN, MI, OH, Conduct presence/ Capture, handle, New. Columbus, OH. bee (Bombus WI. absence temporary hold, affinis). surveys,document release, collect habitat use, bio-samples. conduct population monitoring, and evaluate impacts. PER1462021............. Keystone Ecological Northern long-eared Add new locations-- Conduct presence/ Capture, handle, Amend. Services, LLC, bat (Myotis CT, NJ, TX, WY--to absence surveys, identify, band, Wellsboro, PA. septentrionalis), existing authorized document habitat attach radio Indiana bat (M. locations: DE, DC, use, conduct transmitters, sodalis), Virginia IA, KY, LA, MA, MD, population collect non- big-eared bat ME, MI, MN, MT, NC, monitoring, and intrusive (Corynorhinus ND, NE, NH, NY, OH, evaluate impacts. measurements, townsendii PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, release. virginianus). VA, VT, WI, WV. [[Page 47519]] ES06801A............... Pittsburgh Wildlife Add new species--tri- Add new locations-- Conduct presence/ Capture, handle, Amend. & Environmental, colored bat CT, DE, ME, MD, MA, absence surveys, band, attach radio Inc., McDonald, PA. (Perimyotis MN, MT, NH, RI, TX, document habitat transmitters, enter subflavus) and VT, WY--to existing use, conduct hibernacula, Virginia big-eared authorized population release. bat (Corynorhinus locations: AL, AR, monitoring, and townsendii FL, GA, IL, IN, IA, evaluate impacts. virginianus)--to KS, KY, LA, MI, MO, existing authorized MS, NE, NJ, NY, NC, species: gray bat ND, OK, OH, PA, SC, (Myotis SD TN, VA, WV, WI. grisescens), Indiana bat (M. sodalis) and northern long-eared bat (M. septentrionalis). ES26855C............... Jeanette Bailey, Gray bat (Myotis IL, IA, IN, MI, MN, Conduct presence/ Add new activity-- Renew/Amend. Deerfield, IL. grisescens), MO, OH, WI, AL, AR, absence surveys, Attach radio Indiana bat (M. FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, document habitat transmitters--to sodalis) and NC, SC, TN, CT, DE, use, conduct existing authorized northern long-eared DC, ME, MD, MA, NH, population activities: bat (M. NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT, monitoring, and Capture, handle, septentrionalis). VA, WV. evaluate impacts. release. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. 2023-15552 Filed 7-21-23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4333-15-P