2021-28443. Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 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, invite the public to comment on the following applications for a permit to conduct activities intended to recover and enhance endangered species survival. With some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA), prohibits certain activities that may impact endangered species unless a Federal permit allows such activity. The ESA also requires that we invite public comment before issuing these permits.

DATES:

To ensure consideration, please submit your written comments by February 2, 2022.

ADDRESSES:

 

Document availability: Request documents by phone or email: Beth Forbus, 505-248-6681, [e-mail].

Comment submission: Submit comments by email to [e-mail]. Please specify the permit you are interested in by number ( e.g., Application No. CS1234567).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Beth Forbus, Supervisor, Classification and Restoration Division, 505-248-6681. Individuals who are hearing or speech impaired may call the Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 for TTY assistance.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

With some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq. ) prohibits activities that constitute take of listed species unless a Federal permit is issued that allows such activity. The ESA's definition of “take” includes hunting, shooting, harming, wounding, or killing, but also such activities as pursuing, harassing, trapping, capturing, or collecting.

The ESA and our implementing regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at title 50, part 17, provide for issuing such permits and require that we invite public comment before issuing permits for activities involving endangered species.

A recovery permit we issue under the ESA, section 10(a)(1)(A), authorizes the permittee to conduct activities with endangered or threatened species for scientific purposes that promote recovery or enhance the species' propagation or survival. These activities often include such prohibited actions as capture and collection. 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

Documents and other information submitted with these applications are available for review by any party who submits a request as specified in ADDRESSES . Releasing documents is subject to Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a) and Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) requirements.

Proposed activities in the following permit requests are for the recovery and enhancement of propagation or survival of the species in the wild. 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. Please refer to the application number when submitting comments.

Application No.	Applicant	Species	Location	Activity	Type of take	Permit action
CS0080862	Harpo Faust, Saff Killingsworth; Tucson, Arizona	Acuña cactus ( Echinomastus erectocentrus var. acunensis )	Arizona	Survey/monitor, collect	Harm, kill	New.
TE037155	Bio-West, Inc.; Round Rock, Texas	Barton Springs salamander ( Eurycea sosorum ), Austin blind salamander ( Eurycea waterlooensis ), Ouachita rock pocketbook ( Arcidens wheeleri ), winged mapleleaf ( Quadrula fragosa ), Neosho mucket ( Lampsilis rafinesqueana ), Neosho madtom ( Noturus placidus )	Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Texas	Survey/monitor, capture, handle, collect, release	Harass, harm, kill	Amend.
TE67491A	Permits West, Inc., Santa Fe, New Mexico	Southwestern willow flycatcher ( Empidonax traillii extimus ), yellow-billed cuckoo ( Coccyzus americanus )	Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah	Survey/monitor	Harass, harm	Renew, amend.
CS0082113	U.S. Geological Survey, New Mexico Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Las Cruces, New Mexico	Gila chub ( Gila intermedia ), Gila topminnow ( Poeciliopsis occidentalis occidentalis ), spikedace ( Meda fulgida ), desert pupfish ( Cyprinodon macularius )	Arizona, New Mexico	Survey, capture, handle	Harass, harm, kill	New.
TE006655	Logan Simpson Design, Inc., Tempe, Arizona	Black-footed ferret ( Mustela nigripes ), southwestern willow flycatcher ( Empidonax traillii extimus ), Yuma clapper rail ( Rallus longirostris yumanensis ), Gila topminnow ( Poeciliopsis occidentalis ), razorback sucker ( Xyrauchen texanus )	Arizona, New Mexico, Utah	Survey/monitor	Harass, harm	Renew, amend.
TE25781D	Atkins International Inc., Austin, Texas	Golden-cheeked warbler ( Dendroica chrysoparia )	Texas	Presence/absence surveys, habitat assessment	Harass, harm	Renew, amend.
CS0082163	Edwards Aquifer Recovery Implementation Program, San Antonio, Texas	Fountain darter ( Etheostoma fonticola ), Texas blind salamander ( Eurycea rathbuni )	Texas	Capture, display for educational purposes	Harass, harm, capture	New.
TE91694B	Cramer, Steven; San Antonio, Texas	Huston toad ( Bufo houstonensis ), Texas prairie dawn ( Hymenoxys texana )	Texas	Presence/absence surveys	Harass, harm	Renew, amend.
CS0081603	Bureau of Land Management, Phoenix, Arizona	Southwestern willow flycatcher ( Empidonax traillii extimus ), yellow-billed cuckoo ( Coccyzus americanus ), desert pupfish ( Cyprinodon macul ), Gila chub ( Gila intermedia ), Gila topminnow ( Poeciliopsis occidentalis occidentalis ), lesser long-nosed bat ( Leptonycteris curasoae yerbabuenae ), Sonoran pronghorn ( Antilocapra americana sonoriensis )	Arizona	Survey/monitor	Harass, harm	New.
CS0081216	Lamont, Megan; Giddings, Texas	Golden-cheeked warbler ( Dendroica chrysoparia )	Texas	Presence/absence protocol surveys	Harass, harm	New.
CS0079419	Tucson Audubon Society, Tucson, Arizona	Southwestern willow flycatcher ( Empidonax traillii extimus )	Arizona, New Mexico	Presence/absence protocol surveys and habitat assessments	Harass, harm	New.
TE11267C	Buschow, Marissa; Sugar Land, Texas	Golden-cheeked warbler ( Dendroica chrysoparia ), Houston toad ( Bufo houstonensis )	Texas	Survey	Harass, harm	Amend.
TE75679D	Ramirez, Alex; San Antonio, Texas	Houston toad ( Bufo houstonensis )	Texas	Survey	Harass, harm	Amend.
CS0080544	Cook, Leneka; San Antonio, Texas	Golden-cheeked Warbler ( Dendroica chrysoparia )	Texas	Presence/absence protocol surveys and habitat assessments	Harass, harm	New.
ESPER25781D	Atkins North America, Inc., Austin, Texas	Golden-cheeked warbler ( Dendroica chrysoparia )	Texas	Presence/absence protocol surveys and habitat assessments	Harass, harm	Amend.
ESPER0018550	Mowad, Gary; Scottsdale, Arizona	Ocelot ( Leopardus pardalis ), jaguarundi ( Herpailurus yagouaroundi )	Texas	Camera monitoring using scents/attractants	Harass, harm	New.
ESPER0011772	U.S. Forest Service—Coronado National Forest; Tucson, Arizona	Beardless chinchweed ( Pectis imberbis )	Arizona	Seed collection	Collect	Amend.
ESPER0020702	National Audubon Society—Arizona; Phoenix, Arizona	Yellow-billed cuckoo ( Coccyzus americanus ), Yuma clapper rail ( Rallus longirostris yumanensis )	Arizona	Survey/monitor	Harass, harm	Amend.
ESPER0007529	U.S. Forest Service—Gila National Forest; Silver City, New Mexico	Bald eagle ( Haliaeetus leucocephalus ), Gila chub ( Gila intermedia ), loach minnow ( Tiaroga cobitis ), spikedace ( Meda fulgida ), northern Mexican gartersnake ( Thamnophis eques megalops ), narrow-headed gartersnake ( Thamnophis rufipunctatus ), southwestern willow flycatcher ( Empidonax traillii extimus ), yellow-billed cuckoo ( Coccyzus americanus )	New Mexico	Survey/monitor, capture/handle	Harass, harm	New.
ESPER0019716P	Boeing, Wiebke; Las Cruces, New Mexico	Pecos assiminea ( Assiminea pecos )	New Mexico	Survey/monitor, capture	Harass, harm	New.
ESPER0020647	National Park Service—Bandelier National Monument; Los Alamos, New Mexico	Jemez Mountains salamander ( Plethodon neomexicanus )	New Mexico	Survey/monitor	Harass, harm	Renew.
ESPER822908	Caesar Kleburg Wildlife Research Institute; Kingsville, Texas	Ocelot ( Leopardus pardalis )	Texas	Trap, presence/absence surveys	Harass, harm	Renew.

Authority

We provide this notice under section 10 of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq. ).

Amy L. Lueders,

Regional Director, Southwest Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.