Endangered and Threatened Species; Receipt of Recovery Permit Applications

<NOTICE> DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR <SUBAGY>Fish and Wildlife Service</SUBAGY> <DEPDOC>[FWS-R8-ES-2025-N007; FXES11130800000-256-FF08E00000]</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 (ESA). 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 January 5, 2026. </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 and submit 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> XXXXXX or PER0001234). • <E T="03">Email: permitsR8ES@fws.gov.</E> • <E T="03">U.S. Mail:</E> Tiffany Heitz, Regional Recovery Permit Coordinator, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2800 Cottage Way, Room W-2606, Sacramento, CA 95825. <FURINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:</HD> Tiffany Heitz, via phone at 916-414-6489, or via email at <E T="03">permitsR8ES@fws.gov.</E> 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 the public to comment on applications for permits under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 <E T="03">et seq.</E> ). The requested permits would allow the applicants to conduct activities intended to promote recovery of species that are listed as endangered or threatened under the ESA. <HD SOURCE="HD1">Background</HD> With some exceptions, the ESA prohibits activities that constitute take of listed wildlife species unless a Federal permit is issued that allows such activity. The ESA's definition of “take” of wildlife species includes such activities as pursuing, harassing, trapping, capturing, or collecting, in addition to hunting, shooting, harming, wounding, or killing, or attempting to engage in any such conduct. A recovery permit issued by us under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA authorizes the permittee to conduct activities with endangered or threatened species for scientific purposes that promote recovery or for enhancement of propagation or survival of the species. These activities often include such prohibited actions as capture and collection of listed wildlife species and removal and reduction to possession of listed plant species from an area of federal jurisdiction. Our regulations implementing section 10(a)(1)(A) for these permits are found in the Code of Federal Regulations 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> Proposed activities in the permit requests in table 1 are for the recovery and enhancement of propagation or survival of the species in the wild. 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. <GPOTABLE COLS="6" OPTS="L2,nj,p7,7/8,i1" CDEF="xs60,r60,r60,r30,r60,xs68"> <TTITLE>Table 1—Permit Applications Received</TTITLE> <CHED H="1">Application No.</CHED> <CHED H="1">Applicant, city, state</CHED> <CHED H="1">Species</CHED> <CHED H="1">Location</CHED> <CHED H="1">Take activity</CHED> <CHED H="1">Permit action</CHED> <ROW> <ENT I="01">67390A</ENT> <ENT>Benjamin Smith, Irvine, California</ENT> <ENT> • Southwestern willow flycatcher ( <E T="03">Empidonax traillii extimus</E> ) </ENT> <ENT>CA, NV</ENT> <ENT>Survey using recorded vocalization</ENT> <ENT>Renew.</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">63422B</ENT> <ENT>U.S. Forest Service Spring Mountain National Recreation Area, Las Vegas, Nevada</ENT> <ENT> • Mount Charleston blue butterfly ( <E T="03">Icaricia [Plebejus] shasta charlestonensis</E> ) </ENT> <ENT>NV</ENT> <ENT>Survey</ENT> <ENT>Renew.</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">20186A</ENT> <ENT>Huffman Environmental, LLC., Julian, California</ENT> <ENT> • Quino checkerspot butterfly ( <E T="03">Euphydryas editha quino</E> ) • Riverside fairy shrimp ( <E T="03">Streptocephalus woottoni</E> ) • San Diego fairy shrimp ( <E T="03">Branchinecta sandiegonensis</E> ) </ENT> <ENT>CA</ENT> <ENT>Survey by pursuit, collect adult vouchers, and collect resting eggs</ENT> <ENT>Renew.</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">PER0121458</ENT> <ENT>Donald Hardeman Jr., Cedar Hill, Texas</ENT> <ENT> • San Francisco garter snake ( <E T="03">Thamnophis sirtalis tetrataenia</E> ) </ENT> <ENT>CA</ENT> <ENT>Survey, capture, handle, swab, and release</ENT> <ENT>Amend.</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">207873</ENT> <ENT>Carol Thompson, Claremont, California</ENT> <ENT> • Conservancy fairy shrimp ( <E T="03">Branchinecta conservatio</E> ) • Longhorn fairy shrimp ( <E T="03">Branchinecta longiantenna</E> <ENT>Survey, capture, handle, release, collect adult vouchers, and collect resting eggs</ENT> <ENT>Renew and amend.</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">PER15474162</ENT> <ENT>Evan Davies, Santa Barbara, California</ENT> <ENT> • Tidewater goby ( <E T="03">Eucyclogobius newberryi</E> ) </ENT> <ENT>CA</ENT> <ENT>Survey, capture, handle, and release</ENT> <ENT>New.</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">PER15476846</ENT> <ENT>Lindsey Koos, Roseville, California</ENT> <ENT> • Conservancy fairy shrimp ( <E T="03">Branchinecta conservatio</E> ) • Longhorn fairy shrimp ( <E T="03">Branchinecta longiantenna</E> ) • Vernal pool tadpole shrimp ( <E T="03">Lepidurus packardi</E> ) • Riverside fairy shrimp ( <E T="03">Streptocephalus woottoni</E> <E T="03">Branchinecta sandiegonensis</E> ) </ENT> <ENT>CA</ENT> <ENT>Survey, capture, handle, release, collect adult vouchers, and collect branchiopod resting eggs</ENT> <ENT>New.</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">12069D</ENT> <ENT>Ryan Layden, San Diego, California</ENT> <ENT> • Conservancy fairy shrimp ( <E T="03">Branchinecta conservatio</E> ) • Longhorn fairy shrimp ( <E T="03">Branchinecta longiantenna</E> ) • Vernal pool tadpole shrimp ( <E T="03">Lepidurus packardi</E> ) • Riverside fairy shrimp ( <E T="03">Streptocephalus woottoni</E> <E T="03">Branchinecta sandiegonensis</E> ) </ENT> <ENT>CA</ENT> <ENT>Survey, capture, handle, release, collect adult vouchers, and collect branchiopod resting eggs</ENT> <ENT>Renew.</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">PER15447319</ENT> <ENT>Scarlett Stromer, Redding, California</ENT> <ENT> • Conservancy fairy shrimp ( <E T="03">Branchinecta conservatio</E> ) • Longhorn fairy shrimp ( <E T="03">Branchinecta longiantenna</E> ) • Vernal pool tadpole shrimp ( <E T="03">Lepidurus packardi</E> ) • Riverside fairy shrimp ( <E T="03">Streptocephalus woottoni</E> <E T="03">Branchinecta sandiegonensis</E> ) </ENT> <ENT>CA</ENT> <ENT>Survey, capture, handle, release, collect adult vouchers, and collect branchiopod resting eggs</ENT> <ENT>New.</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">PER15481587</ENT> <ENT>Pedro Garcia, Visalia, California</ENT> <ENT> • Giant kangaroo rat ( <E T="03">Dipodomys ingens</E> ) • Tipton kangaroo rat <E T="03">(Dipodomys nitratoides nitratoides</E> ) • Fresno kangaroo rat ( <E T="03">Dipodomys nitratoides exilis</E> ) </ENT> <ENT>CA</ENT> <ENT>Survey, capture, handle, and release</ENT> <ENT>New.</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">98536C</ENT> <ENT>Stillwater Sciences, Berkeley, California</ENT> <ENT> • Southwestern willow flycatcher ( <E T="03">Empidonax traillii extimus</E> ) </ENT> <ENT>AZ, CA, CO, NM, NV, UT</ENT> <ENT>Survey using recorded vocalization</ENT> <ENT>Amend.</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">PER15832724</ENT> <ENT>Velvet L Park, Santa Ana, California</ENT> <ENT> • Conservancy fairy shrimp ( <E T="03">Branchinecta conservatio</E> ) • Longhorn fairy shrimp ( <E T="03">Branchinecta longiantenna</E> ) • Vernal pool tadpole shrimp ( <E T="03">Lepidurus packardi</E> ) • Riverside fairy shrimp ( <E T="03">Streptocephalus woottoni</E> <E T="03">Branchinecta sandiegonensis</E> ) </ENT> <ENT>CA</ENT> <ENT>Survey, capture, handle, release, collect adult vouchers, and collect branchiopod resting eggs</ENT> <ENT>New.</ENT> </ROW> <ROW> <ENT I="01">049175</ENT> <ENT>Melanie Dicus, Black Canyon City, Arizona</ENT> <ENT> • Quino checkerspot butterfly ( <E T="03">Euphydryas ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Preview showing 10k of 37k characters. 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