[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 249 (Wednesday, December 28, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 95628-95630]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-31241]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2016-0148; FXIA16710900000-178-FF09A30000]
Endangered Species; Marine Mammals; 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
[[Page 95629]]
to conduct certain activities with endangered species, marine mammals,
or both. With some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the
Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) prohibit 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
January 27, 2017. We must receive requests for marine mammal permit
public hearings, in writing, at the address shown in the ADDRESSES
section by January 27, 2017.
ADDRESSES: Submitting Comments: You may submit comments by one of the
following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments on Docket No. FWS-HQ-
IA-2016-0148.
U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing,
Attn: Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2016-0148; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Headquarters, 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 the Public Comments section
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: Brenda Tapia, (703) 358-2104
(telephone); (703) 358-2281 (fax); DMAFR@fws.gov (email).
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 ADDRESSES. 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.), and the
Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1361 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; January 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.
Under the MMPA, you may request a hearing on any MMPA application
received. If you request a hearing, give specific reasons why a hearing
would be appropriate. The holding of such a hearing is at the
discretion of the Service Director.
III. Permit Applications
A. Endangered Species
Applicant: NOAA/National Marine Fisheries Service, Miami, FL; PRT-
045532
The applicant requests reissuance of their permit to import and/or
introduce from the sea biological samples collected on the high seas
and on land, from wild animals opportunistically salvaged and
incidentally captured, and captive-held animals of loggerhead sea
turtle (Caretta caretta), Kemp's ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys
kempii), olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), hawksbill sea
turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), and leatherback seas turtle
(Dermochelys coriacea) for the purpose of scientific research. This
notification covers activities conducted by the applicant over a 5-year
period.
Applicant: Wildlife Conservation Society, New York, NY; PRT-06738C
The applicant requests a permit to conduct interstate transport for
one captive-bred Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) for the purpose of
enhancement of the survival of the species. This notification covers
activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 1-year period.
Applicant: California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA; PRT-
07990C
The applicant requests a permit to export and reimport nonliving
museum specimens of endangered and threatened species previously
accessioned into the applicant's collection for scientific research.
This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant
over a 5-year period.
B. Endangered Marine Mammals and Marine Mammals
Applicant: North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management,
Barrow, AK; PRT-80164B
The applicant requests a permit to conduct hair snare population
surveys of wild polar bears (Ursus maritimus) and to opportunistically
collect samples from beach-cast carcasses and
[[Page 95630]]
subsistence-harvested wild polar bears (Ursus maritimus) and Pacific
walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) for purposes of scientific
research. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the
applicant over a 5-year period.
Concurrent with publishing this notice in the Federal Register, we
are forwarding copies of the above applications to the Marine Mammal
Commission and the Committee of Scientific Advisors for their review.
Brenda Tapia,
Program Analyst/Data Administrator, Branch of Permits, Division of
Management Authority.
[FR Doc. 2016-31241 Filed 12-27-16; 8:45 am]
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