[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 116 (Friday, June 14, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50626-50627]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-13134]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-R6-ES-2024-N032; FXES11130600000-245-FF06E00000]


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, permit renewals, and/or permit amendments to 
conduct activities intended to enhance the propagation or survival of 
endangered 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 written data or comments on the applications by 
July 15, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Document availability and comment submission: Use one of the 
following methods to request documents or submit comments. Requests and 
comments should specify the applicant name(s) and application number(s) 
(e.g., Smith, PER0123456 or Jones, ES-056001):
     Email: [email protected].
     U.S. Mail: Tom McDowell, Division Manager, Ecological 
Services, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 25486 DFC, Denver, 
CO 80225.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Krijgsman, Recovery Permits 
Coordinator, Ecological Services, 303-236-4347 (phone), or 
[email protected] (email). 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: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
invite review and comment from the public and local, State, Tribal, and 
Federal agencies on applications we have received for permits to 
conduct certain activities with endangered and threatened species under 
section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended 
(ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), and our regulations in the Code of 
Federal Regulations (CFR) at 50 CFR part 17. Documents and other 
information submitted with the applications are available for review, 
subject to the requirements of the Privacy Act and the Freedom of 
Information Act.

Background

    With some exceptions, the ESA prohibits take of listed species 
unless a Federal permit is issued that authorizes such take. The ESA's 
definition of ``take'' includes hunting, shooting, harming, wounding, 
or killing, and also such activities as pursuing, harassing, trapping, 
capturing, or collecting.
    A recovery permit issued by us under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA 
authorizes the permittee to take endangered or threatened species while 
engaging in activities that are conducted for scientific purposes that 
promote recovery of species or for enhancement of propagation or 
survival of species. These activities often include the capture and 
collection of species, which would result in prohibited take if a 
permit were not issued. 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

    The ESA requires that we invite public comment before issuing these 
permits. Accordingly, 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. Proposed 
activities in the following permit requests are for the recovery and 
enhancement of propagation or survival of the species in the wild.

[[Page 50627]]



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             Permit No.                     Applicant                Species                Location               Activity            Permit action
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ES-207946..........................  Bureau of Reclamation,   Southwestern   Arizona, New Mexico,   Play taped             Renew and amend.
                                      Denver, CO.             willow flycatcher       Texas, Colorado, and   vocalizations,
                                                              (Empidonax traillii     Utah.                  monitor nests,
                                                              extimus).                                      conduct training
                                                              New Mexico                             workshops, band, and
                                                              meadow jumping mouse                           collect tissue for
                                                              (Zapus hudsonius                               surveys and research.
                                                              luteus).
PER8564470.........................  Olsson Inc., Oklahoma    Indiana bat    Throughout the range   Capture, handle,       New.
                                      City, OK.               (Myotis sodalis).       of each species        identify, band,
                                                              Northern long-  within the United      radio tag, swab,
                                                              eared bat (Myotis       States.                collect biological
                                                              septentrionalis).                              samples, and release.
ES-64077B..........................  Scott Krych, New         Poweshiek      Iowa, Minnesota,       Capture, handle, and   Renew.
                                      Prague, MN.             skipperling (Oarisma    North Dakota, and      release for surveys.
                                                              poweshiek).             South Dakota.
PER9323663.........................  Trevor Starks, Pratt,    Neosho mucket  Kansas...............  Capture, handle,       New.
                                      KS.                     (Lampsilis                                     propagate, rear, and
                                                              rafinesqueana).                                release for
                                                                                                             reintroduction
                                                                                                             efforts.
PER9413569.........................  Crystal Benavidez,       Southwestern   Colorado.............  Play taped             New.
                                      Alamosa, CO.            willow flycatcher                              vocalizations for
                                                              (Empidonax traillii                            surveys.
                                                              extimus).
ES-819471..........................  SWCA Environmental       Southwestern   Arizona, Colorado,     Play taped             Renew and amend.
                                      Consultants, Salt       willow flycatcher       Idaho, and Utah.       vocalizations for
                                      Lake City, UT.          (Empidonax traillii                            surveys.
                                                              extimus).
PER10286364........................  Pinyon Environmental,    Southwestern   Arizona, Colorado,     Play taped             New.
                                      Inc., Lakewood, CO.     willow flycatcher       and New Mexico.        vocalizations for
                                                              (Empidonax traillii                            surveys.
                                                              extimus).
PER10894227........................  University of Arizona,   Northern long- South Dakota.........  Capture, handle,       New.
                                      Tucson, AZ.             eared bat (Myotis                              identify, band,
                                                              septentrionalis).                              radio tag, swab,
                                                              Tricolored                             collect biological
                                                              bat (Perimyotis                                samples, and release
                                                              subflavus).                                    for surveys and
                                                                                                             research.
ES-13623D..........................  James Whitney,           Colorado       Colorado, New Mexico,  Capture, electrofish,  Renew and amend.
                                      Pittsburg, KS.          pikeminnow              and Utah.              tag, handle, collect
                                                              (Ptychocheilus                                 biological samples,
                                                              lucius).                                       transport,
                                                              Razorback                              propagate, rear, and
                                                              sucker (Xyrauchen                              release for research
                                                              texanus)..                                     and captive
                                                                                                             propagation of the
                                                                                                             species.
PER10898056........................  Terry Dial, Moab, UT..   Colorado       Utah.................  Research to quantify   New.
                                                              pikeminnow                                     behaviors, including
                                                              (Ptychocheilus                                 movements and
                                                              lucius).                                       feeding; research to
                                                              Bonytail                               analyze deceased
                                                              (Gila elegans)..                               specimens provided
                                                              Razorback                              by hatcheries.
                                                              sucker (Xyrauchen
                                                              texanus)..
PER10899782........................  Andrew George,           Tricolored     Kansas...............  Capture, handle,       New.
                                      Pittsburg, KS.          bat (Perimyotis                                identify, band,
                                                              subflavus).                                    radio tag, swab,
                                                              Gray bat                               collect biological
                                                              (Myotis grisescens)..                          samples, and release
                                                                                                             for surveys and
                                                                                                             research.
ES-131639..........................  U.S. Forest Service,     Blowout        Nebraska.............  Remove and reduce to   Renew.
                                      Nebraska National       penstemon (Penstemon                           possession from
                                      Forest and              haydenii).                                     lands under Federal
                                      Grasslands, Chadron,                                                   jurisdiction.
                                      NE.
PER0013492.........................  United Tribes            Northern long- Colorado, Kansas,      Capture, handle,       Amend.
                                      Technical College,      eared Bat (Myotis       Montana Nebraska,      identify, band,
                                      Bismarck, ND.           septentrionalis).       North Dakota, South    radio tag, swab,
                                                              Tricolored      Dakota, and Wyoming.   collect biological
                                                              bat (Perimyotis                                samples, and release
                                                              subflavus)..                                   for surveys and
                                                                                                             research.
ES-06665B..........................  Utah Division of         Woundfin       Utah.................  Capture, handle,       Renew and amend.
                                      Wildlife, Hurricane,    (Plagopterus                                   transport, release,
                                      UT.                     argentissimus).                                stock, tag.
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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 ask us in your comment 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 made available for public disclosure in their 
entirety.

Next Steps

    If we decide to issue a permit to an 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.).

Marjorie Nelson,
Assistant Regional Director, Mountain-Prairie Region.
[FR Doc. 2024-13134 Filed 6-13-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4333-15-P