Amendment - A permittee can amend their permit to add new species or activities. Amendment permit applications require a $50 fee, unless the permittee is fee exempt (refer to fee-exempt definition below). Currently, personnel changes are not considered substantive amendments and are processed outside of ePermits.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) - The California State agency that manages California's fish, wildlife, and plant resources, and the habitats upon which they depend. https://wildlife.ca.gov/
Denial - Following review of an application, the USFWS can recommend denial of application for several factors. Please review the Appendix below regarding modes and requirements for denial of an application.
Endangered Species Act – Federal Act passed in 1973 that establishes protections for fish, wildlife, and plants that are listed as threatened or endangered; provides for adding species to and removing them from the list of threatened and endangered species, and for preparing and implementing plans for their recovery; provides for interagency cooperation to avoid take of listed species and for issuing permits for otherwise prohibited activities; provides for cooperation with States, including authorization of financial assistance; and implements the provisions of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES).
ePermits - The digital platform used for processing all permits and licenses issued by USFWS, which includes the four programs of Ecological Services, Migratory Birds, International Affairs, and Office of Law Enforcement.
Exams - To be permitted to conduct activities with vernal pool branchiopods (anywhere in the range) and specific insects located in the Carlsbad Field Office jurisdiction, the prospective permit applicant must pass an exam (either offered by a third party, or the Carlsbad and Sacramento Field Offices for branchiopods and Carlsbad for the insects) each time they apply and renew a previously issued permit. Exams must be passed within one year prior to the date of submitted application.
Fee Exemption - Some permit applicants are not required to pay a fee when applying for a permit, notably local, State, and Federal partners (see 50 CFR 13.11(d)(3)). This includes state universities and colleges.
Federal Register - The official Federal publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of Federal agencies and organizations. Endangered species applications are required to be noticed in the Federal Register for public comment (per 50 CFR 17.22 for endangered wildlife species and 50 CFR 17.62 for endangered plant species).
FWS Form 3-200-59 –Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved Section 10(a)(1)(A) Recovery Permit Application form.
Letter of Reference - Permit applicants must submit letters of reference from other Federal permittees who have supervised the applicant’s ability to perform the requested activities when applying for a new species or activity. At least one letter of reference is expected per species for standard activities that addresses the applicant’s competency; if specialized activities are requested, letters of recommendation must also be submitted for those that address each activity (capture, blood draw, etc.) requested.
List of Authorized Individuals - The list of qualified personnel who are authorized to conduct the activities outlined in the permit.
List of Authorized Individual changes - The permittee can request new individuals be added to their permit if those newly requested individuals are determined to be qualified. Currently, there is not a cost associated with these authorized staff changes, and these are coordinated by the permittee with the applicable Field Office directly.
Migratory Bird Treaty Act – Federal Act passed in 1918 that implements four international conservation treaties that the U.S. entered with Canada in 1916, Mexico in 1936, Japan in 1972, and Russia in 1976. It is intended to ensure the sustainability of populations of all protected migratory bird species. https://www.fws.gov/law/migratory-bird-treaty-act-1918
Minimum Qualifications - USFWS has created public-facing Minimum Qualification which demonstrate to prospective permit applicants the experience that they should gain to demonstrate that they are qualified for a given activity. Minimum Qualifications describe the materials permit applicants must submit to have a complete permit application. Not all species have Minimum Qualifications.
Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) - The Nevada state agency that manages Nevada’s wildlife and their habitats. https://www.ndow.org/
New Permit - A new permit is created when an applicant applies for a recovery permit for the first time. New permit applications require a $100 fee, unless fee exempt.
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) - The Oregon state agency that protects and enhances Oregon's fish and wildlife and their habitats for use and enjoyment by present and future generations. https://www.dfw.state.or.us/
Part-Issue - Referred to as “Part Issuance” in ePermits. Following review of an application, USFWS can recommend both issuance and denial of application requests if it is believed the applicant is qualified for certain – but not all – activities requested in their application. A denial letter will be attached listing those particular activities.
Permittee Lists - The USFWS often receives requests for contact information for permittees who could conduct endangered and threatened species (e.g., presence/absence surveys) contract work. In accordance with the Privacy Act System of Records Notice, we may release the name, business address, business email address or business telephone number of those who wish to be contacted by third parties to do commercial survey activities. Such information is not normally released under the Freedom of Information Act unless a compelling need on the part of the public can be cited. Please be aware that provision of permittee contact information does not represent an endorsement by the USFWS of any permittee. A referral is provided at the discretion of each U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regional Office as time and workload allow.
Primary Contact – The individual that is the “go-to” contact for USFWS and the ePermits team to collect information from or ask questions to regarding the permit and/or business account the contact is associated. This person can be the same as the Principal Officer (see below) or a different person.
Principal Officer - The individual responsible for all activities performed under a recovery permit. This will typically be the individual who is the head of a business (organization) who would be the signatory for the permit application.
Principal Officer Change - Business permit holders who need to change their Principal Officer (only one principal officer per permit) must email the Regional Office Recovery Permit Coordinator with a letter to request the responsibility (title) be transferred. A template is available upon request.
Proposal - A proposal is required for all specialized activities. Standard activities do not require a proposal other than the answers to the questions in Section E. These proposals should go beyond the requested justification in Section E.
Recovery permit - Under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA, USFWS may permit any act otherwise prohibited by section 9 for scientific purposes or to enhance the propagation or survival of the affected species.
Renew and Amend Permit - Also called “Renew with changes”. A permittee can amend and renew their permit simultaneously. Renew and Amend permit applications require a $100 fee, unless fee exempt.
Renewal Permit - Also called “Renew without changes”. A permittee can renew their permit to continue authorization from previous issuances. Renewal permit applications require a $100 fee, unless fee exempt.
Section E -Subsection of FWS Form 3-200-59 form,which has specific questions for Opt-in, application materials submitted, and permit justification. This form is digitized and therefore not required to attach for ‘New’ applications. ‘Renew’ and ‘Amend’ applications still require this form.
Specialized activities - Any activities that do not have a pre-determined standard protocol, as described above. Examples of specialized activities include all plant activities, bird capture and banding, mutilation marking schemes, radiotelemetry, and collecting genetic material.
Protocol Survey activities - Activities which follow ‘standard’ survey protocols approved/created by USFWS. Survey can mean different things to different taxa, including capturing and releasing, playing recorded vocalizations, pursuing, etc. Swabbing for chytrid fungus and snake fungal disease are considered standard for amphibians and snakes, respectively.
Take - to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or attempt to engage in any such conduct.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) - the agency within the Department of Interior that is responsible for conserving, protecting, and enhancing fish and wildlife and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people through Federal programs relating to migratory birds, endangered species, interjurisdictional fish and marine mammals, and inland sport fisheries.
