2013-03050. Endangered Species; Receipt of Applications for Permit

AGENCY:

Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice of receipt of applications for permit.

SUMMARY:

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species. With some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) prohibits activities with listed species unless Federal authorization is acquired that allows such activities.

DATES:

We must receive comments or requests for documents on or before March 13, 2013.

ADDRESSES:

Brenda Tapia, Division of Management Authority, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 North Fairfax Drive, Room 212, Arlington, VA 22203; fax [phone]; or email [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Brenda Tapia, [phone] (telephone); [phone] (fax); [e-mail] (email).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Public Comment Procedures

A. How do I request copies of applications or comment on submitted applications?

Send your request for copies of applications or comments and materials concerning any of the applications to the contact listed under ADDRESSES. Please include the Federal Register notice publication date, the PRT-number, and the name of the applicant in your request or submission. We will not consider requests or comments sent to an email or address not listed under ADDRESSES. If you provide an email address in your request for copies of applications, we will attempt to respond to your request electronically.

Please make your requests or comments as specific as possible. Please confine your comments to issues for which we seek comments in this notice, and explain the basis for your comments. Include sufficient information with your comments to allow us to authenticate any scientific or commercial data you include.

The comments and recommendations that will be most useful and likely to influence agency decisions are: (1) Those supported by quantitative information or studies; and (2) Those that include citations to, and analyses of, the applicable laws and regulations. We will not consider or include in our administrative record comments we receive after the close of the comment period (see DATES) or comments delivered to an address other than those listed above (see ADDRESSES).

B. May I review comments submitted by others?

Comments, including names and street addresses of respondents, will be available for public review at the street address listed under ADDRESSES. The public may review documents and other information applicants have sent in support of the application unless our allowing viewing would violate the Privacy Act or Freedom of Information Act. 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.

II. Background

To help us carry out our conservation responsibilities for affected species, and in consideration of section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), along with Executive Order 13576, “Delivering an Efficient, Effective, and Accountable Government,” and the President's Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies of January 21, 2009—Transparency and Open Government (74 FR 4685; January 26, 2009), which call on all Federal agencies to promote openness and transparency in Government by disclosing information to the public, we invite public comment on these permit applications before final action is taken.

III. Permit Applications

A. Endangered Species

Applicant: Miller Equipment Company, Hugo, OK; PRT-66682A

The applicant requests a permit to re-export a captive-born male Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) to Bowmanville Zoo, Ontario, Canada, for the purpose of enhancement of the survival of the species.

Applicant: The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois, Champaign, IL; PRT-84465A

The applicant requests a permit to import samples from captive-born and wild solenodon species (Solenodon species), hutia species (Mescocapromys species), African elephant (Loxodonta Africana), Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis), white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum), Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus), Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis), Northern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium s. cottoni), Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis), cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), Pakistan sand cat (Margarita scheffeli), Black-footed cat (Felis nigripes), and Baird's tapir (Tapirus bairdii) from multiple locations for the purpose of enhancement of the species thorough scientific research. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period

Applicant: Hawthorn Corporation, Grayslake, IL; PRT-058735, 059163, 068350, 068353, 154232, 154233, 058658, 058659, 058660, 058662, 058665, 058666, 058667, 058668, 058736, and 182594

On August 17, 2011, we published a Federal Register notice inviting the public to comment on 6 applications for permits to conduct certain activities with endangered species (76 FR 51052). We are now reopening the comment period to allow the public the opportunity to review additional information submitted for the re-issuance of their permits to re-export and re-import six captive-born tigers (Panthera tigris) and an additional nine tigers and one Bengal tiger (P.t. altaica) to worldwide locations for the purpose of enhancement of the species. The permit numbers and animals are: 058735, Sariska; 059163, Kushka; 068350, Segal; 068353, Pashawn; 154232, Sirit; 154233, Shakma; 058658, Sampson; 058659, Neena; 058660, Samira; 058662, Tibor; 058665, Jasmine; 058666, Kiki; 058668, Vijay; 058736, Ravi; Bengal tiger—182594, Sissy; and 058667, Nakita. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 3-year period.

Applicant: Feld Entertainment, Inc., Vienna, VA; PRT-91242A, 91243A, 91244A, 91245A, 91246A, 91247A, 91248A, 91265A, 91266A, 91256A, 91257A, 91258A, 91259A, 91260A, 91261A, 91262A, 91263A, and 91264A

The applicant requests permits to export/re-export and reimport eight captive-born tigers (Panthera tigris), one captive-born Siberian tiger (P. t. altaica), eight captive-born Asian elephants (Elephas maximus), and one Asian elephant born in the wild to worldwide locations for the purpose of enhancement of the species. The permit numbers and animals are:

Tigers

91242A, Max; 91243A, Mariah; 91244A, Kashmere; 91245A, India; 91246A, Bella 91247A, Suzy; 91248A, Tara; 91265A, Derry; 91266A, Martin

Asian Elephants

91256A, Nicole; 91257A, Bonnie; 91258A, April; 91259A, Sundara; 91260A, Sara; 91261A, Rudy; 91262A, Mable; 91264A, Juliette; and 91263A, Kelly Ann

This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 3-year period.

Applicant: Hawkins Taxidermy, Inc., Palisade, CO; PRT-89704A

The applicant requests a permit to export the sport-hunted trophy/trophies of two scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx dammah) culled from a captive herd maintained in the state of Texas, for the purpose of enhancement of the survival of the species.

Applicant: Antonio Gutierrez, Coronado, CA; PRT-91208A

The applicant requests a permit to export the sport-hunted trophy/trophies of one scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx dammah) culled from a captive herd maintained in the state of Texas, for the purpose of enhancement of the survival of the species.

Multiple Applicants

The following applicants each request a permit to import the sport-hunted trophy of one male bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus pygargus) culled from a captive herd maintained under the management program of the Republic of South Africa, for the purpose of enhancement of the survival of the species.

Applicant: Scott Stanislaw, Porter, TX; PRT-95418A;

Applicant: Stuart Nielsen, New England, ND; PRT-95489A.

Program Analyst/Data Administrator, Branch of Permits, Division of Management Authority.