[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 12 (Thursday, January 21, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6358-6360]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-01137]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R3-ES-2020-N001; FXES11130300000-201-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.

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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 
Endangered Species Act. 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 February 22, 
2021.

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., TEXXXXXX; see table in SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION):
     Email: permitsR3ES@fws.gov. Please refer to the respective 
application number (e.g., Application No. TEXXXXXX) 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 who are hearing or speech

[[Page 6359]]

impaired may call the Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 for TTY 
assistance.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

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

    We invite local, State, and Federal agencies; Tribes; and the 
public to comment on the following applications:

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    Application No.           Applicant               Species              Location              Activity            Type of take        Permit action
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TE71524B..............  Theresa Burke,         Gray bat (Myotis      AL, AR, CT, DE, GA,   Conduct presence/     Capture, handle,      Renew.
                         Charleston, WV.        grisescens),          IL, IN, IA, KY, MD,   absence surveys,      mist-net, band,
                                                Indiana bat (M.       MA, MI, MS, MO, NH,   document habitat      radio-tag, release.
                                                sodalis), northern    NJ, NY, NC, OH, PA,   use, conduct
                                                long-eared bat (M.    RI, SC, TN, VT, VA,   population
                                                septentrionalis),     WV, WI.               monitoring,
                                                Virginia big-eared                          evaluate impacts.
                                                bat (Corynorhinus
                                                towsendii
                                                virginianus).
TE120231..............  John Timpone,          Gray bat (Myotis      AL, AR, CT, DE, GA,   Conduct presence/     Capture, handle,      Renew.
                         Wenatchee, WA.         grisescens),          IL, IN, IA, KS, KY,   absence surveys,      mist-net, band,
                                                Indiana bat (M.       LA, ME, MD, MA, MI,   document habitat      radio-tag, release.
                                                sodalis), northern    MN, MS, MO, NE, NH,   use, conduct
                                                long-eared bat (M.    NJ, NY, NC, ND, OH,   population
                                                septentrionalis).     OK, PA, RI, SC, SD,   monitoring,
                                                                      TN, VT, VA, WV, WI.   evaluate impacts.
TE38842A..............  Sanders                Indiana bat (Myotis   AL, AR, GA, IL, IN,   Conduct presence/     Capture, handle,      Renew.
                         Environmental, Inc.,   sodalis), northern    IA, KY, LA, MI, MN,   absence surveys,      mist-net, band,
                         Bellefonte, PA.        long-eared bat (M.    MS, MO, NC, OH, OK,   document habitat      radio-tag, release.
                                                septentrionalis).     SC, TN, WI.           use, conduct
                                                                                            population
                                                                                            monitoring,
                                                                                            evaluate impacts.
TE06809A..............  USDA Forest Service,   Gray bat (Myotis      AL, AR, GA, IL, IN,   Conduct presence/     Capture; handle;      Renew.
                         North Central          grisescens),          IA, KS, KY, MI, MO,   absence surveys,      mist-net; harp
                         Research Station,      Indiana bat (M.       NC, OH, OK, PA, SC,   document habitat      trap; band; radio-
                         Columbia, MO.          sodalis), northern    TN, VA, WI, WV.       use, conduct          tag; collect hair,
                                                long-eared bat (M.                          scientific research   serum, guano,
                                                septentrionalis),                           and population        microbial skin
                                                Ozark big-eared bat                         monitoring,           swabs, and wing
                                                (Corynorhinus                               evaluate impacts.     biopsy samples; PIT
                                                towsendii ingens).                                                tag; hold; release.
TE66724A..............  Cleveland Metroparks,  Indiana bat (Myotis   OH..................  Conduct presence/     Capture, handle,      Renew.
                         Strongsville, OH.      sodalis), northern                          absence surveys,      mist-net, band,
                                                long-eared bat (M.                          document habitat      radio-tag, release.
                                                septentrionalis).                           use, conduct
                                                                                            population
                                                                                            monitoring,
                                                                                            evaluate impacts.
TE105320..............  Tragus Environmental   Gray bat (Myotis      AL, AR, GA, IA, IL,   Conduct presence/     Capture, handle,      Renew.
                         Consulting, Inc.,      grisescens),          IN, KY, LA, MA, ME,   absence surveys,      mist-net, band,
                         Akron, OH.             Indiana bat (M.       MD MI, MN, MO, MS,    document habitat      radio-tag, release.
                                                sodalis), northern    NC, ND, NH, NJ, NY,   use, conduct
                                                long-eared bat (M.    PA, OH, OK, RI, SC,   population
                                                septentrionalis).     SD, TN, VA, VT, WI,   monitoring,
                                                                      WV.                   evaluate impacts.
TE144832..............  Detroit Zoological     Karner blue           MI..................  Capture, ship,        Capture, ship,        Amend, Renew.
                         Society, Royal Oak,    butterfly                                   house, feed, breed,   house, feed, breed,
                         MI.                    (Lycaeides melissa                          rear larvae,          rear larvae,
                                                samuelis), Piping                           overwinter,           overwinter,
                                                plover (Charadrius                          release, and          release, and
                                                melodus).                                   monitor.              monitor.
TE31310A..............  Minnesota Pollution    Topeka shiner         MN..................  Conduct presence/     Capture, handle,      Renew.
                         Control Agency,        (Notropis topeka).                          absence surveys,      release.
                         Saint Paul, MN.                                                    document habitat
                                                                                            use, conduct
                                                                                            population
                                                                                            monitoring,
                                                                                            evaluate impacts.

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TE07730A..............  Redwing Ecological     30 freshwater mussel  IA, IL, IN, KY, MI,   Conduct presence/     Capture, collect,     Renew.
                         Services, Inc.,        species, relict       MN, MO, PA, TN, WI,   absence surveys,      handle, release.
                         Louisville, KY.        darter (Etheostoma    WV.                   document habitat
                                                chienense), tuxedo                          use, conduct
                                                darter (Etheostoma                          population
                                                lemniscatum),                               monitoring,
                                                Cumberland darter                           evaluate impacts.
                                                (Etheostoma
                                                susanae), Kentucky
                                                arrow darter
                                                (Etheostoma
                                                spilotum), palezone
                                                shiner (Notropis
                                                albizonatus),
                                                Scioto madtom
                                                (Noturus trautmam),
                                                blackside dace
                                                (Phoxinus
                                                cumberlandensis),Bi
                                                g Sandy crayfish
                                                (Cambarus
                                                callainus).
PER0002332............  Minnesota Department   Spectaclecase         IA, MN, WI..........  Conduct presence/     Collect, handle,      New.
                         of Natural             (Cumberlandia                               absence surveys,      release, transport,
                         Resources, Lake        monodonta),                                 document habitat      hold, mark, tissue
                         City, MN.              snuffbox                                    use, conduct          sample, buccal
                                                (Epioblasma                                 population            swab, translocate,
                                                triquetra), Higgins                         monitoring,           headstart.
                                                eye (Lampsilis                              evaluate impacts,
                                                higginsii),                                 headstart.
                                                sheepnose
                                                (Plethobasus
                                                cyphyus), winged
                                                mapleleaf (Quadrula
                                                fragosa).
TE06841A..............  U.S. Fish and          American burying      OH..................  Conduct presence/     Capture, handle,      Renew.
                         Wildlife Service,      beetle (Nicrophorus                         absence surveys,      release.
                         Ecological Services    americanus).                                document habitat
                         Field Office,                                                      use, conduct
                         Columbus, OH.                                                      population
                                                                                            monitoring,
                                                                                            evaluate impacts.
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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.
[FR Doc. 2021-01137 Filed 1-19-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P