[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 185 (Wednesday, September 23, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59819-59821]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-20978]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2020-0099; FXIA16710900000-201-FF09A30000]
Foreign Endangered Species; Marine Mammals; Receipt of Permit
Applications
AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of receipt of permit applications; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), invite the
public to comment on applications to conduct certain activities with
foreign species that are listed as endangered under the Endangered
Species Act (ESA) and foreign or native species for which the Service
has jurisdiction under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). With
some exceptions, the ESA and the MMPA prohibit activities
[[Page 59820]]
with listed species unless Federal authorization is issued that allows
such activities. The ESA and MMPA also require that we invite public
comment before issuing permits for any activity otherwise prohibited by
the ESA or MMPA with respect to any endangered species or marine
mammals.
DATES: We must receive comments by October 23, 2020.
ADDRESSES:
Obtaining Documents: The applications, application supporting
materials, and any comments and other materials that we receive will be
available for public inspection at http://www.regulations.gov in Docket
No. FWS-HQ-IA-2020-0099.
Submitting Comments: When submitting comments, please specify the
name of the applicant and the permit number at the beginning of your
comment. You may submit comments by one of the following methods:
Internet: http://www.regulations.gov. Search for and
submit comments on Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2020-0099.
U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing,
Attn: Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2020-0099; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Headquarters, MS: PRB/3W; 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-
3803.
For more information, see Public Comment Procedures under
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brenda Tapia, by phone at 703-358-
2185, via email at DMAFR@fws.gov, or via the Federal Relay Service at
800-877-8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Public Comment Procedures
A. How do I comment on submitted applications?
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.
You may submit your comments and materials by one of the methods in
ADDRESSES. We will not consider comments sent by email or fax, or to an
address not in ADDRESSES. We will not consider or include in our
administrative record comments we receive after the close of the
comment period (see DATES).
When submitting comments, please specify the name of the applicant
and the permit number at the beginning of your comment. Provide
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.
B. May I review comments submitted by others?
You may view and comment on others' public comments at http://www.regulations.gov, unless our allowing so would violate the Privacy
Act (5 U.S.C. 552a) or Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552).
C. Who will see my comments?
If you submit a comment at http://www.regulations.gov, your entire
comment, including any personal identifying information, will be posted
on the website. If you submit a hardcopy comment that includes personal
identifying information, such as your address, phone number, or email
address, 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. 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.
II. Background
To help us carry out our conservation responsibilities for affected
species, and in consideration of section 10(c) of the Endangered
Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), and
section 104(c) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended
(MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), we invite public comments on permit
applications before final action is taken. With some exceptions, the
ESA and MMPA prohibit certain activities with listed species unless
Federal authorization is issued that allows such activities. Permits
issued under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA allow otherwise prohibited
activities for scientific purposes or to enhance the propagation or
survival of the affected species. Service regulations regarding
prohibited activities with endangered species, captive-bred wildlife
registrations, and permits for any activity otherwise prohibited by the
ESA with respect to any endangered species are available in title 50 of
the Code of Federal Regulations in part 17. Service regulations
regarding permits for any activity otherwise prohibited by the MMPA
with respect to any marine mammals are available in title 50 of the
Code of Federal Regulations in part 18. Concurrent with publishing this
notice in the Federal Register, we are forwarding copies of the marine
mammal applications to the Marine Mammal Commission and the Committee
of Scientific Advisors for their review.
III. Permit Applications
We invite comments on the following applications.
A. Endangered Species
Applicant: Animal Ark Wildlife Sanctuary, Reno NV, Permit No. 69790D
The applicant requests a permit to purchase three male captive-born
cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) in interstate commerce from Tanganyika
Wildlife Foundation, Goddard, KS, for the purpose of enhancing the
propagation or survival of the species. This notification is for a
single interstate commerce activity.
Applicant: National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution,
Washington, DC; Permit No. 56444D
The applicant requests a permit to import biological samples
derived from wild Amsterdam albatross (Diomedea amsterdamensis), band-
rumped storm-petrel (Oceanodroma castro), Fiji petrel (Pseudobulweria
macgillivrayi), Mascarene black petrel (Pterodroma aterrima), cahow
(Pterodroma cahow), and Madeira petrel (Pterodroma madeira), taken in
multiple locations, for the purpose of scientific research. This
notification is for a single import.
Applicant: Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, Baltimore, MD; Permit No. 70028D
The applicant requests a permit to import biological samples
derived from one wild maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus), taken in Noel
Kempff Mercado National Park, Bolivia, for the purpose of scientific
research. This notification is for a single import.
Applicant: Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, Norman, OK;
Permit No. 075249
The applicant requests authorization to export and reimport
nonliving museum specimens of endangered 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.
[[Page 59821]]
Applicant: Project Survival, Dunlap, CA; Permit No. 71734D
The applicant requests a permit to import one male and one female
captive-born cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) from Cango Wildlife Ranch,
Oudtshoorn, South Africa, for the purpose of enhancing the propagation
or survival of the species. This notification is for a single import.
Applicant: Saint Louis Zoo, Saint Louis, MO; Permit No. 62698C
The applicant requests a renewal of a permit to import blood and
swab samples from the Galapagos tortoise (Geochelone nigra), from three
locations in the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, for scientific research.
This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant
over a 5-year period.
Multiple Trophy Applicants
The following applicants request permits to import sport-hunted
trophies of male bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus pygargus) culled from a
captive herd maintained under the management program of the Republic of
South Africa, for the purpose of enhancing the propagation or survival
of the species.
Applicant: Gary Bourn, Bennett, CO; Permit No. 79873D
Applicant: Debra Mathews, Frenchtown, MT; Permit No. 80624D
B. Endangered Marine Mammals and Marine Mammals
Applicant: Charlie Hamilton James, Jackson, WY; Permit No. 37946D
The applicant requests a permit to photograph and film Southern sea
otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) along the coast of California, for the
purpose of commercial educational photography. This notification covers
activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 1-year period.
Applicant: Charlie Hamilton James, Jackson, WY; Permit No. 37058D
The applicant requests a permit to photograph and film Northern sea
otters (Enhydra lutrls kenyoni), for up to 28 days, in Alaska, for the
purpose of educational photography. This species is not listed under
the ESA. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the
applicant over a 1-year period.
C. Wild Bird Conservation Act
The public is invited to comment on the following application for
approval to conduct certain activities with a bird species covered
under the Wild Bird Conservation Act of 1992 (16 U.S.C. 4901-4916).
This notice is provided pursuant to section 112(4) of the Wild Bird
Conservation Act of 1992 (50 CFR 15.26(c)).
Applicant: Gregory P. Sercel, Pasadena, CA; Permit No. 76644D
The applicant wishes to establish a cooperative breeding program
for collared lory (Phigys solitarius), blue-crowned lorikeet (Vini
australis), and cardinal lorry (Chalcopsitta cardinalis), importing to
the United States 48 birds (16 of each species) currently held in
facilities in captive breeding facilities in the Czech Republic, Italy,
Germany, and Spain. The applicant wishes to be an active participant in
this program, along with Christine Touchton (Lecanto, Florida), Charles
Hawke (Portland, Oregon), and Jordan Berber (Atwater, California). If
approved, the program will be overseen by the Organization of
Professional Aviculturists, San Dimas, California.
IV. Next Steps
After the comment period closes, we will make decisions regarding
permit issuance. If we issue permits to any of the applicants listed in
this notice, we will publish a notice in the Federal Register. You may
locate the notice announcing the permit issuance by searching http://www.regulations.gov for the permit number listed above in this
document. For example, to find information about the potential issuance
of Permit No. 12345A, you would go to regulations.gov and search for
``12345A''.
V. Authority
We issue this notice under the authority of the Endangered Species
Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), and its implementing
regulations, and the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended
(16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), and its implementing regulations.
Brenda Tapia,
Management Analyst/Program Analyst, Branch of Permits, Division of
Management Authority.
[FR Doc. 2020-20978 Filed 9-22-20; 8:45 am]
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