2021-11014. 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 June 24, 2021.

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
ESPER0007876	Cherokee Nation; Tahlequah, Oklahoma	American burying beetle (Nicrophorus americanus)	Oklahoma	Presence/absence surveys	Harm, harass	Renew.
ESPER0009587	Rieck, Jean Marie; Flagstaff, Arizona	Southwestern willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus)	Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah	Presence/absence surveys	Harm, harass	Renew.
ESPER0009589	Paramextrix; Albuquerque, New Mexico	Loach minnow (Tiaroga cobitis), northern aplomado falcon (Falco femoralis septentrionalis), piping plover (Charadrius melodus), southwestern willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus), spikedace (Meda fulgida), Holy Ghost ipomopsis (Ipomopsis sanctispiritus), Knowlton's cactus (Pediocactus knowltonii), Mancos milk-vetch (Astragalus humillimus), Sacramento prickly poppy (Argemone pleiacantha ssp. pinnatisecta), Sneed pincushion cactus (Coryphantha sneedii var. sneedii), Todsen's pennyroyal (Hedeoma todsenii)	New Mexico	Presence/absence surveys	Harm, harass	Renew.
ESPER0009588	Bureau of Land Management; Tucson, Arizona	Huachuca water-umbel (Lilaeopsis schaffneriana var. recurva)	Arizona	Presence/absence surveys, monitoring	Collect	Amend.
ES839848	U.S. Forest Service, Carson National Forest; Taos, New Mexico	Southwestern willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus)	New Mexico	Presence/absence surveys	Harm, harass	Renew.
ESPER0009405	Bureau of Land Management; Las Cruces, New Mexico	Southwestern willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus), northern aplomado falcon (Falco femoralis septentrionalis), Mexican long-nosed bat (Leptonycteris nivalis), spikedace (Meda fulgida), loach minnow (Tiaroga cobitis)	New Mexico	Presence/absence surveys	Harm, harass	Renew.
ESPER0007004	Bureau of Land Management; Safford, Arizona	Southwestern willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus), spikedace (Meda fulgida), loach minnow (Tiaroga cobitis), desert pupfish (C yprinodon macularius), Gila chub (Gila intermedia), Gila topminnow (Poeciliopsis occidentalis), Little Peebles Navajo cactus (Pediocactus peeblesianus var. peeblesianus)	Arizona	Presence/absence surveys	Harm, harass	Renew.
ESPER0005103	Proppe, Darren; Dripping Springs, Texas	Houston toad (Bufo houstonensis)	Texas	Presence/absence	Harm, harass	New.
ESPER0005104	Schofield, Landon; Kingsville, Texas	Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis)	Texas	Presence/absence, trapping, live capture, blood collection	Harm, harass	New.
ESPER0004032	Horizon Environmental Services, Inc.; Austin, Texas	Golden-cheeked warbler (Dendroica crysoparia), Houston toad (Bufo houstonensis), Rhadine exilis (ground beetle, no common name), Rhadine infernalis (ground beetle, no common name), Helotes mold beetle (Batrisodes venyivi), Cokendolpher Cave harvestman (Texella cokendolpheri), Robber Baron Cave meshweaver (Cicurina baronia), Madla Cave meshweaver (Cicurina madla), Braken Bat Cave meshweaver (Cicurina venii), Government Canyon Bat Cave meshweaver (Cicurina vespera), Government Canyon Bat Cave spider (Tayshaneta (= Neoleptoneta) microps), Tooth Cave spider (Tayshaneta (=Neoleptoneta myopica)), Tooth Cave pseudoscorpion (Tartarocreagris texana), Bee Creek Cave harvestman (Texella reddelli), Kretschmarr Cave mold beetle (Texamaurops reddelli), Tooth Cave ground beetle (Rhadine persephone), Bone Cave harvestman (Texella reyesi), Coffin Cave mold beetle (Batrisodes texanus)	Texas	Presence/absence, collection	Harm, harass	Renew.
ESPER0009384	SWCA; Albuquerque, NM	Southwestern willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus), Rio Grande silvery minnow (Hybognathus amarus), razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus), Colorado pikeminnow, (Ptychocheilus lucius), spikedace (Meda fulgida), loach minnow (Tiaroga cobitis)	Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah	Presence/absence surveys, nest monitoring	Harm, harass	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.