[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 135 (Monday, July 15, 2024)] [Notices] [Pages 57427-57429] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2024-15440] [[Page 57427]] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service [FWS-R3-ES-2024-N034; FXES11130300000-245-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. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 August 14, 2024. 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., ESXXXXXX; see table in SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION):Email (preferred method): [email protected]. Please refer to the respective application number (e.g., Application No. ESXXXXXX) 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); [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 The ESA 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 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. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Application No. Applicant Species Location Activity Type of take Permit action -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ESPER2885463............. Kyle Jansky, Add new species-- AL, AR, CT, DE, DC, Conduct presence/ Capture, handle, Amend. Columbia, MO. tricolored bat GA, IL, IN, IA, KS, absence surveys, radio-tag, release. (Perimyotis KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, document habitat subflavus)--to MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, use, conduct existing authorized NE, NH, NJ, NY, NC, population species: Indiana ND, OK, OH, PA, RI, monitoring, and bat (Myotis SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, evaluate impacts. sodalis), gray bat VA, WV, WI, WY. (M. grisescens), and northern long- eared bat (M. septentrionalis). ES33473D................. Antoinette R. Add new species-- MO.................. Conduct presence/ Capture, handle, Amend. Sitting Up Perez, tricolored bat absence surveys, release. Ava, MO. (Perimyotis document habitat subflavus)--to use, conduct existing authorized population species: Indiana monitoring, and bat (Myotis evaluate impacts. sodalis), gray bat (M. grisescens), and northern long- eared bat (M. septentrionalis). ESPER10935155............ Brittney Oliver, Tricolored bat LA, TX.............. Conduct presence/ Capture, handle, New. Glendale, AZ. (Perimyotis absence surveys, radio-tag, release. subflavus) and document habitat northern long-eared use, conduct bat (Myotis population septentrionalis). monitoring, and evaluate impacts. ES94321A................. Brian O'Neill, Oak Add round hickorynut Add new States--AL, Conduct presence/ Capture, handle, Amend. Park, IL. (Obovaria MS--to existing absence surveys, release, relocate. subrotunda) and authorized States: document habitat longsolid IL, IN, IA, KY, MI, use, conduct (Fusconaia MN, MO, OH, PA, TN, population subrotunda) to WV, WI. monitoring, and existing 28 evaluate impacts. authorized freshwater mussel species and 6 freshwater fish species. [[Page 57428]] ES130900................. Enviroscience, Inc., Add new species-- AL, FL, GA, IL, IN, Conduct presence/ Capture, handle, Amend. Stow, OH. round hickorynut IA, KY, MI, MN, MO, absence surveys, release, relocate. (Obovaria NC, OH, TN, TX, VA, document habitat subrotunda) and WI. use, conduct longsolid population (Fusconaia monitoring, and subrotunda)--to 42 evaluate impacts. existing authorized freshwater mussel species and 8 freshwater fish species. ES02373A................. Environmental Add new species-- Add new States--CO, Conduct presence/ Capture, handle, Amend. Solutions and tricolored bat NM, TX, FL--to absence surveys, radio tag, band, Innovations, Inc., (Perimyotis existing authorized document habitat enter hibernacula, Cincinnati, OH. subflavus)--to States: AL, AR, CT, use, conduct release, existing authorized DE, DC, GA, IL, IN, population electrofish, bio- species: Indiana IA, KY, KS, LA, ME, monitoring, and sample. bat (Myotis MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, evaluate impacts. sodalis), gray bat MS, MT, NE, NH, NJ, (M. grisescens), NY, NC, ND, OK, OH, northern long-eared PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, bat (M. VT, VA, WV, WI, WY. septentrionalis), Ozark big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii ingens), and Virginia big- eared bat (C. t. virginianus), 16 freshwater mussel species, 6 freshwater fish species, 6 terrestrial insect species, and Northeastern bulrush (Scirpus ancistrochaetus). ES02365A................. Lynn Robbins, Add new species-- Add new States--CO, Conduct presence/ Capture, handle, Amend. Springfield, MO. tricolored bat NM, TX--to existing absence surveys, radio-tag, band. (Perimyotis authorized States: document habitat subflavus)--to AL, AR, CT, DE, DC, use, conduct existing authorized FL, GA, IL, IN, IA, population species: Indiana KY, KS, LA, ME, MD, monitoring, and bat (Myotis MA, MI, MN, MO, MS, evaluate impacts. sodalis), gray bat MT, NE, NH, NJ, NY, (M. grisescens), NC, ND, OK, OH, PA, northern long-eared RI, SC, SD, TN, VT, bat (M. VA, WV, WI, WY. septentrionalis), and Ozark big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii ingens). ES06873B................. Andrew Carson, Add new species-- Add new States--CO, Conduct presence/ Capture, handle, Amend. Cincinnati, OH. tricolored bat ME, NM, TX--to absence surveys, identify, radio- (Perimyotis existing authorized document habitat tag, band, collect subflavus)--to States: AL, AR, CT, use, conduct nonintrusive existing authorized DE, DC, FL, GA, IL, population measurements, and species: Indiana IN, IA, KY, KS, LA, monitoring, and release. bat (Myotis MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, evaluate impacts. sodalis), gray bat MS, MT, NE, NH, NJ, (M. grisescens), NC, ND, NY, OK, OH, northern long-eared PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, bat (M. VT, VA, WV, WI, WY. septentrionalis), and Ozark big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii ingens). ES182436................. Illinois Natural Add new species-- Add new States--IA, Conduct presence/ Capture with mist Amend. History Survey, tricolored bat IN, KY, WI--to absence surveys, nets, handle, Champaign, IL. (Perimyotis existing authorized document habitat identify, radio- subflavus)--to States: IL, MO. use, conduct tag, band, collect existing authorized population non-intrusive species: Indiana monitoring, and measurements, bat (Myotis evaluate impacts. conduct wing sodalis), gray bat biopsies, enter (M. grisescens), hibernacula or and northern long- maternity roost eared bat (M. caves, and release. septentrionalis). ES63118D................. Clarissa Starbuck, Add new species-- Add new States--CO, Conduct presence/ Capture, handle, Amend. Rio Rancho, NM. tricolored bat NM, TX--to existing absence surveys, radio-tag, band, (Perimyotis authorized States: document habitat bio-sample, release. subflavus)--to AL, AR, CT, DE, DC, use, conduct existing authorized FL, GA, IL, IN, IA, population species: Indiana KY, KS, LA, ME, MD, monitoring, and bat (Myotis MA, MI, MN, MO, MS, evaluate impacts. sodalis), gray bat MT, NE, NH, NJ, NY, (M. grisescens), NC, ND, OK, OH, PA, and northern long- RI, SC, SD, TN, VT, eared bat (M. VA, WV, WI, WY. septentrionalis). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. [[Page 57429]] 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 Service, Midwest Region. [FR Doc. 2024-15440 Filed 7-12-24; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4333-15-P