[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 243 (Tuesday, December 20, 2022)] [Notices] [Pages 77868-77871] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2022-27605] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service [FWS-R2-ES-2022-N069; FXES11130200000-234-FF02ENEH00] Endangered Wildlife; 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, invite the public to comment on the following applications for a permit to conduct activities intended to recover and enhance [[Page 77869]] endangered species survival. With some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) prohibits certain activities that may impact endangered species, unless a Federal permit allows such activity. The ESA also requires that we invite public comment before issuing these permits. DATES: To ensure consideration, please submit your written comments by January 19, 2023. ADDRESSES: Document availability: Request documents from the contact in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section. Comment submission: Submit comments by email to fw2_te_permits@fws.gov. Please specify the permit application you are interested in by number (e.g., Permit Record No. PER1234567). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marty Tuegel, Supervisor, Environmental Review Division, by phone at 505-248-6651, or via email at marty_tuegel@fws.gov. 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: Background With some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), prohibits activities that constitute take of listed species unless a Federal permit is issued that allows such activity. The ESA's definition of ``take'' includes hunting, shooting, harming, wounding, or killing, and also such activities as pursuing, harassing, trapping, capturing, or collecting. The ESA and our implementing regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at title 50, part 17, provide for issuing such permits and require that we invite public comment before issuing permits for activities involving listed species. A recovery permit we issue under the ESA, section 10(a)(1)(A), authorizes the permittee to conduct activities with endangered or threatened species for scientific purposes that promote recovery or enhance the species' propagation or survival. These activities often include such prohibited actions as capture and collection. 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 Documents and other information submitted with these applications are available for review by any party who submits a request as specified in ADDRESSES. Our release of documents is subject to Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a) and Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) requirements. Proposed activities in the following permit requests are for the recovery and enhancement of propagation or survival of the species in the wild. 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. Please refer to the permit record number when submitting comments. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Permit Record No. Applicant Species Location Activity Type of take Permit action -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PER0055320............... George Miksch Masked bobwhite Arizona, Oklahoma.. Captive propagation Harass, harm, Renew. Sutton Avian quail (Colinus capture. Research Center; virginianus Bartlesville, ridgwayi). Oklahoma. PER0055321............... Boatright, Patrick; Golden-cheeked Texas.............. Presence/absence Harass, harm....... Amend. Dripping Springs, warbler (Setophaga surveys, habitat Texas. chrysoparia). assessment. PER0055322............... East Foundation; Ocelot (Leopardus Texas.............. Presence/absence Harass, harm, Renew/Amend. San Antonio, Texas. pardalis). surveys, live capture, collect. capture, chemical immobilization, handling, tagging, bio-sample collection. PER0055325............... Gladstone, Coffin Cave mold Texas.............. Presence/absence Harass, harm....... Amend. Nicholas; Austin, beetle (Batrisodes surveys, habitat Texas. texanus), assessment. Kretschmarr Cave mold beetle (Texamaurops reddelli), Tooth Cave ground beetle (Rhadine persephone), Bee Creek Cave harvestman (Texella reddelli), Bone Cave harvestman (Texella reyesi), Tooth Cave pseudoscorpion (Tartarocreagris texana), Tooth Cave spider (Tayshaneta myopica). [[Page 77870]] PER0055729............... Francke, Barton Springs Texas.............. Presence/absence Harass, harm, kill, Renew. Christopher; Cedar salamander surveys, handling, capture. Park, Texas. (Eurycea sosorum), capture, voucher Austin blind specimen salamander collection. (Eurycea waterlooensis), Texas blind salamander (Eurycea rathbuni), Tooth Cave spider (Tayshaneta myopica), Tooth Cave pseudoscorpion (Tartarocreagris texana), Bee Creek Cave harvestman (Texella reddelli), Kretschmarr Cave mold beetle (Texamaurops reddelli), Tooth Cave ground beetle (Rhadine persephone), Bone Cave harvestman (Texella reyesi), Coffin Cave mold beetle (Batrisodes texanus), ground beetle (Rhadine exilis), ground beetle (Rhadine infernalis), Helotes mold beetle (Batrisodes venyivi), Cokendolpher Cave harvestman (Texella cokendolpheri), Robber Baron Cave meshweaver (Cicurina baronia), Madla Cave meshweaver (Cicurina madla), Government Canyon Bat Cave meshweaver (Cicurina vespera), Government Canyon Bat Cave spider (Neoleptoneta microps), Comal Springs riffle beetle (Heterelmis comalensis), Comal Springs dryopid beetle (Stygoparnus comalensis), Peck's Cave amphipod (Stygobromus pecki). PER0055763............... Texas State Kemp's ridley sea Texas.............. Document, examine, Harass, harm, Renew/Amend. Aquarium; Corpus turtle and salvage capture, collect. Christi, Texas. (Lepidochelys stranded sea kempii), hawksbill turtles, capture/ sea turtle handle, tag, (Eretmochelys transport, imbricata), receive, leatherback sea rehabilitate, and turtle release stranded (Dermochelys sea turtles, coriacea). tissue/blood sample collection, educational display. PER0056417............... Cowan, Casey; San Golden-cheeked Texas.............. Presence/absence Harass, harm....... New. Antonio, Texas. warbler (Setophaga surveys. chrysoparia). PER0070221............... Caesar Kleberg Ocelot (Leopardus Texas.............. Tissue sample Harass, harm, Amend. Wildlife Research pardalis), Gulf collection. capture, collect. Institute; Coast jaguarundi Kingsville, Texas. (Puma yagouaroundi cacomitli). PER0065413............... Travis Audubon Golden-cheeked Texas.............. Presence/absence Harass, harm....... Renew. Society, Inc.; warbler (Setophaga surveys, habitat Leander, Texas. chrysoparia). assessment. PER0070375............... Clemens, Brad; Southwestern willow Arizona............ Presence/absence Harass, harm....... New. Sierra Vista, flycatcher surveys. Arizona. (Empidonax traillii extimus). PER0052843............... Pernicano, Martina; Southwestern willow Arizona, Presence/absence Harass, harm....... Renew. Golden, Colorado. flycatcher California, surveys. (Empidonax Colorado, Nevada, traillii extimus). New Mexico, Utah. PER0018550............... Mowad, Gary; Ocelot (Leopardus Arizona, Texas..... Camera monitoring Harass, harm....... New. Scottsdale, pardalis), Gulf using scents/ Arizona. Coast jaguarundi attractants. (Puma yagouaroundi cacomitli). PER0075733............... USFWS Buenos Aires Masked bobwhite Arizona............ Maintain, Harass, harm, Renew. National Wildlife quail (Colinus propagate, capture. Refuge; Sasabe, virginianus release, monitor, Arizona. ridgwayi). conduct research, habitat management. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Public Availability of Comments All comments we receive become part of the public record associated with this action. Requests for copies of comments will be handled in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act, National Environmental Policy Act, and Service and Department of the Interior policies and procedures. 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 to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. All submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, will be [[Page 77871]] made available for public disclosure in their entirety. Authority We provide this notice under section 10 of the Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). Amy Lueders, Regional Director, Southwest Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. [FR Doc. 2022-27605 Filed 12-19-22; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4333-15-P