Endangered and Threatened Species; Receipt of Recovery Permit Applications

<NOTICE> DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR <SUBAGY>Fish and Wildlife Service</SUBAGY> <DEPDOC>[FWS-R3-ES-2024-N074; FXES11130300000-245-FF03E00000]</DEPDOC> <SUBJECT>Endangered and Threatened Species; Receipt of Recovery Permit Applications</SUBJECT> <HD SOURCE="HED">AGENCY:</HD> Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. <HD SOURCE="HED">ACTION:</HD> Notice of receipt of permit applications; request for comments. <SUM> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUMMARY:</HD> We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have received applications for permits to conduct scientific research to promote conservation or other 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. </SUM> <DATES> <HD SOURCE="HED">DATES:</HD> We must receive your written comments on or before February 20, 2025. </DATES> <HD SOURCE="HED">ADDRESSES:</HD> <E T="03">Document availability and comment submission:</E> 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 T="03">e.g.,</E> ESXXXXXX; see table in <E T="02">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION</E> ). • <E T="03">Email (preferred method): permitsR3ES@fws.gov.</E> Please refer to the respective application number ( <E T="03">e.g.,</E> Application No. ESXXXXXX) in the subject line of your email message. • <E T="03">U.S. Mail:</E> Regional Director, Attn: Nathan Rathbun, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services, 5600 American Blvd. West, Suite 990, Bloomington, MN 55437-1458. <FURINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:</HD> Nathan Rathbun, 612-713-5343 (phone); <E T="03">permitsR3ES@fws.gov</E> (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. </FURINF> <SUPLINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:</HD> 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 <E T="03">et seq.</E> ), 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. <HD SOURCE="HD1">Background</HD> 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. <HD SOURCE="HD1">Permit Applications Available for Review and Comment</HD> 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. <GPOTABLE COLS="7" OPTS="L2,nj,tp0,p7,7/8,i1" CDEF="xs60,r50,r50,r50,r50,r50,r40"> <TTITLE> </TTITLE> <CHED H="1">Application No.</CHED> <CHED H="1">Applicant</CHED> <CHED H="1">Species</CHED> <CHED H="1">Location</CHED> <CHED H="1">Activity</CHED> <CHED H="1">Type of take</CHED> <CHED H="1">Permit action</CHED> <ROW> <ENT I="01">ES43605A</ENT> <ENT>Dan Cox, Akron, OH</ENT> <ENT> Add new species—tricolored bat ( <E T="03">Perimyotis subflavus</E> )—to existing authorized species: Indiana bat ( <E T="03">Myotis sodalis</E> ), northern long-eared bat ( <E T="03">M. septentrionalis</E> ), and gray bat ( <E T="03">M. grisescens</E> ) </ENT> <ENT>Add new States—CO, DC, LA, NM, TX—to existing authorized States: AL, AR, CT, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NH, NJ, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, VT, VA, WV, WI, WY</ENT> <ENT>Conduct presence/absence surveys, document habitat use, conduct population monitoring, evaluate impacts</ENT> <ENT>Capture with mist nets or harp traps, handle, collect non-intrusive measurements, release</ENT> <ENT>Amend.</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">ES69825D</ENT> <ENT>Michigan State University, Hickory Corners, MI</ENT> <ENT> Add new species—Karner blue butterfly ( <E T="03">Lycaeides melissa samuelis</E> )—to existing authorized species: Poweshiek skipperling ( <E T="03">Oarisma poweshiek</E> ) and Mitchell's satyr ( <E T="03">Neonympha mitchellii</E> ) </ENT> <ENT>MI</ENT> <ENT>Conduct presence/absence surveys, document habitat use, conduct population monitoring, evaluate impacts</ENT> <ENT>Capture, handle, captive breed, captive rear, release</ENT> <ENT>Amend.</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">ES46522D</ENT> <ENT>John Enz, Ponte Vedra, FL</ENT> <ENT> Add new species—gopher tortoise ( <E T="03">Gopherus polyphemus</E> )—to existing authorized species: rusty patched bumble bee ( <E T="03">Bombus affinis</E> ) </ENT> <ENT>Add new States—AL, FL, LA, MS—to existing authorized States: CT, DE, DC, GA, IL, IN, IA, KY, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, NH, NJ, NY, NC, ND, OH, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, VT, VA, WV, WI</ENT> <ENT>Conduct presence/absence surveys, document habitat use, conduct population monitoring, evaluate impacts</ENT> <ENT>Add new activities—mark, radio telemetry—to existing authorized activities: capture, handle, release</ENT> <ENT>Renew and amend.</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">TE33366D</ENT> <ENT>Huron Pines, Gaylord, MI</ENT> <ENT> Hungerford's crawling water Beetle ( <E T="03">Brychius hungerfordi</E> <ENT>Conduct presence/absence surveys, document habitat use, conduct population monitoring, evaluate impacts</ENT> <ENT>Capture, handle, relocate, salvage release</ENT> <ENT>Renew.</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">TE95096C</ENT> <ENT>Duncan Schanz, Schoharie, NY</ENT> <ENT> Add new species—tricolored bat ( <E T="03">Perimyotis subflavus</E> )—to existing authorized species: Indiana bat ( <E T="03">Myotis sodalis</E> ), northern long-eared bat ( <E T="03">M. septentrionalis</E> ), and gray bat ( <E T="03">M. grisescens</E> ) </ENT> <ENT>Add new States—AL, AR, CO, CT, GA, IN, IA, KS ME, MN, MO, MT, NE, NH, NC, ND, NM, OK, OH, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, WI—to existing authorized States—IL, KY, NY, TN, VA WV</ENT> <ENT>Conduct presence/absence surveys, document habitat use, conduct population monitoring, evaluate impacts</ENT> <ENT>Capture with mist nets, handle, radio tag, collect non-intrusive measurements, release</ENT> <ENT>Amend and renew.</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">PER14371439</ENT> <ENT>Kirk Barnett, Columbia, MO</ENT> <ENT> New species—tricolored bat ( <E T="03">Perimyotis subflavus</E> ), Indiana bat ( <E T="03">Myotis sodalis</E> ), northern long-eared bat ( <E T="03">M. septentrionalis</E> ), and gray bat ( <E T="03">M. grisescens</E> ) </ENT> <ENT>AL, AR, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, Ml, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WI, WV, WY</ENT> <ENT>Conduct presence/absence surveys, document habitat use, conduct population monitoring, evaluate impacts</ENT> <ENT>Capture with mist nets and harp traps, handle, radio tag, collect non-intrusive measurements, release</ENT> <ENT>New.</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">PER14335512</ENT> <ENT>Carmelina Ardito, Roanoke, VA</ENT> <ENT> New species—tricolored bat ( <E T="03">Perimyotis subflavus</E> ), Indiana bat ( <E T="03">Myotis sodalis</E> ), northern long-eared bat ( <E T="03">M. septentrionalis</E> ), Ozark big-eared Bat ( <E T="03">Corynorhinus townsendii ingens</E> ), and gray bat ( <E T="03">M. grisescens</E> ) </ENT> <ENT>AL, AR, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, Ml, MN, MS, MO, NE, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WI, WV, WY</ENT> <ENT>Conduct presence/absence surveys, document habitat use, conduct population monitoring, evaluate impacts</ENT> <ENT>Capture with mist nets and harp traps, handle, radio tag, collect non-intrusive measurements, release</ENT> <ENT>New.</ENT> </ROW> </GPOTABLE> <HD SOURCE="HD1">Public Availability of Comments</HD> Written comments we receive become part of the administrative record associated with this ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Preview showing 10k of 11k characters. 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