E7-9266. Endangered and Threatened Species Permit Applications

AGENCY:

Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice of availability of permit applications; request for comments.

SUMMARY:

The following applicant has applied for a permit to conduct certain activities with endangered species.

DATES:

We must receive any written comments on or before June 14, 2007.

ADDRESSES:

Regional Director, Attn: Peter Fasbender, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services, 1 Federal Drive, Fort Snelling, MN 55111-4056.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. Peter Fasbender, [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Endangered Species

The Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) (Act), with some exceptions, prohibits activities affecting endangered species unless authorized by a permit from the Service. Before issuing a permit, we invite public comment on it. Accordingly, we invite public comment on the following applicant's permit application for certain activities with endangered species authorized by section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Act and the regulations governing the taking of endangered species (50 CFR part 17). Submit your written data, comments, or requests for copies of the complete applications to the address shown in ADDRESSES.

Permit Number: TE049738

Applicant: Third Rock Consultants, Lexington, Kentucky.

The applicant requests a permit amendment to take listed fish, mussel, and bat species throughout New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. The applicant also requests to take the American burying beetle (Nicrophorus americanus) throughout the range of the species. The scientific research is aimed at enhancement of survival of the species in the wild.

Permit Number: TE151107

Applicant: Redwing Ecological Services, Inc., Louisville, Kentucky.

The applicant requests a permit to take the Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis), gray bat (M. grisescens), Ozark big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii ingens), and Virginia big-eared bat (C. t. virginianus) throughout the range of the species. The scientific research is aimed at enhancement of survival of the species in the wild.

Permit Number: TE151109

Applicant: Ohio Division of Wildlife, Columbus, Ohio.

The applicant requests a permit to take the American burying beetle (Nicrophorus americanus) for the purpose of establishing captive colonies to be used for release into the wild. The scientific research is aimed at enhancement of survival of the species in the wild.

Permit Number: TE151117

Applicant: Sarah Bradley, Salem, Missouri.

The applicant requests a permit to take the Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) and gray bat (M. grisescens) throughout the Mark Twain National Forest, Missouri. The scientific research is aimed at enhancement of survival of the species in the wild.

Permit Number: TE152002

Applicant: FMSM Engineers, Inc., Louisville, Kentucky.

The applicant requests a permit to take 5 listed fish species, 23 species of listed mussels, 4 species of listed bats, and 2 listed reptile species throughout 28 states. The scientific research is aimed at enhancement of survival of the species in the wild.

Permit Number: TE152216

Applicant: Marlin Bowles, The Morton Arboreteum, Lisle, Illinois.

The applicant requests a permit to take Mead's milkweed (Asclepius meadii) throughout Illinois. The scientific research is aimed at enhancement of survival of the species in the wild.

Public Comments

We solicit public review and comment on this permit application. Please refer to the respective permit number when you submit comments. We make all comments we receive, including names and addresses, part of the official administrative record, and may make them available to the public. Our practice is to make comments, including names and home addresses of respondents, available for public review during regular business hours. Individual respondents may request that we withhold their home addresses from the record, which we will honor to the extent allowable by law. There also may be circumstances in which we would withhold from the record a respondent's identity, as allowable by law. If you wish us to withhold your name and/or address, you must state this prominently at the beginning of your comment, but you should be aware that we may be required to disclose your name and address pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act. We will make all submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, available for public inspection in their entirety. Comments and materials we receive are available for public inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the address shown in the ADDRESSES section.

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

In compliance with NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), we have made an initial determination that the activities proposed by this permit are categorically excluded from the requirement to prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement.

Dated: April 17, 2007.

Lynn Lewis,

Deputy Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, Region 3, Fort Snelling, Minnesota.