[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 11, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15597-15598]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-07446]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[FWS-R6-ES-2017-N171; FXES11130600000-178-FF06E00000]
U.S. Endangered Species; Receipt of Recovery Permit Application
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of receipt of permit application; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to
comment on an application for a permit to conduct activities intended
to enhance the propagation or survival of an endangered species. With
some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) prohibits activities
that constitute take of listed species unless a Federal permit is
issued that allows such activity. The ESA also requires that we invite
public comment before issuing these permits.
DATES: We must receive your written comments by May 11, 2018.
ADDRESSES: Document availability: The application, as well as any
comments and other materials that we receive, will be available for
public inspection in hard copy for viewing by appointment between 8
a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays, at
Ecological Services, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 134 Union Blvd.,
Suite 645, Lakewood, CO 80228; telephone 303-236-4224.
Submitting comments: You may submit comments by one of the
following methods. Please specify the applicant's name and the
application number (TE59243C-0).
Email: permitsR6ES@fws.gov. Please refer to the permit
number (Application No. TE59243C-0) in the subject line of your email
message.
U.S. mail: Ecological Services, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, P.O. Box 25486-DFC, Denver, CO 80225.
Hand-delivery, Pickup, or Viewing: Call 303-236-4224 to
make an appointment during regular business hours at 134 Union Blvd.,
Suite 645, Lakewood, CO 80228.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathy Konishi, Recovery Permits
Coordinator, Ecological Services, 303-236-4224 (phone);
permitsR6ES@fws.gov (email).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
invite the public to comment on an application for a permit to conduct
activities intended to promote recovery of a species that is listed as
endangered under the Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq,;
ESA). 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.
Background
The ESA prohibits certain activities with endangered and threatened
species unless authorized by a Federal permit. 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 Application Available for Review and Comment
We invite local, State, and Federal agencies, Tribes, and the
public to comment on the following application:
Permit Application Number TE59243C-0
Applicant: Revive and Restore, Sausalito, CA.
The applicant requests a permit to conduct ``Phase 1'' of a multi-
phase process to generate disease-resistant black-footed ferrets
(Mustela nigripes). This phase would involve research in laboratories
located in North Rose, NY, and San Diego, CA. The studies aim to
develop, test, and optimize model cisgenic and novel disease-resistance
pathways in the black-footed ferret, both in vitro and in vivo,
leveraging domestic ferret resources for comparative genomics,
comparative proteomics, and interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer
(iSCNT) reproductive techniques for the purpose of enhancing the
species' survival.
Integration of genetically modified black-footed ferrets into wild
populations would require careful execution and constitutes ``Phase 2''
of the long-term program.
Public Availability of Comments
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. 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.
[[Page 15598]]
Contents of Public Comments
Please make your comments as specific as possible and explain the
basis for your comments. Include sufficient information 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.
Next Steps
If we decide to issue a permit to the 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.)
Michael Thabault,
Assistant Regional Director, Mountain-Prairie Region.
[FR Doc. 2018-07446 Filed 4-10-18; 8:45 am]
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