2020-15101. Endangered and Threatened Species; Receipt of 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, have received applications for permits to conduct activities intended to enhance the propagation or survival of endangered or threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. 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.

DATES:

We must receive your written comments on or before August 13, 2020.

ADDRESSES:

Document availability and comment submission: Submit requests for copies of the applications and related documents and submit any comments by email to [e-mail]. All requests and comments should specify the applicant name(s) and application number(s) (e.g., TEXXXXXX).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Robert Krijgsman, via phone at 760-431-9440, via email at [e-mail], or via the Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 for TTY assistance.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

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 et seq.). 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.

Background

With some exceptions, the ESA 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 such activities as pursuing, harassing, trapping, capturing, or collecting in addition to hunting, shooting, harming, wounding, or killing.

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. 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.

Permit Applications Available for Review and Comment

Proposed activities in the following permit requests 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.

Application No.	Applicant, city, state	Species	Location	Take activity	Permit action
TE-77120D	Imani Russell, Santa Barbara, California	• Sierra Nevada Yellow-legged Frog (Rana sierrae)	CA	Capture, handle, swab, collect tissue, and release	New.
		• Mountain yellow-legged frog (Rana muscosa)
TE-77122D	Michelle Leis, Redwood City, California	• California tiger salamander (Santa Barbara County and Sonoma County Distinct Population Segments (DPSs)) (Ambystoma californiense)	CA	Capture, handle, and release	New.
TE-77128D	Victoria Prado, Grover Beach, California	• Conservancy fairy shrimp (Branchinecta conservatio)	CA	Capture, handle, release, and collect vouchers	New.
		• Longhorn fairy shrimp (Branchinecta longiantenna)
		• San Diego fairy shrimp (Branchinecta sandiegonensis)
		• Riverside fairy shrimp (Streptocephalus woottoni)
		• Vernal pool tadpole shrimp (Lepidurus packardi)
TE-034101	Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, California	• Arroyo (=arroyo southwestern) toad (Anaxyrus californicus)	CA, OR, AZ	Capture, handle, rescue, swab, salvage, transport, and release	Renew and amend.
		• Sierra Nevada Yellow-legged Frog (Rana sierrae)
		• Sonora tiger Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum stebbinsi)
		• California tiger salamander (Santa Barbara County and Sonoma County Distinct Population Segments (DPSs)) (Ambystoma californiense)
		• Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas)
		• Hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
		• Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta)
		• Leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)
		• Olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea)
TE-77232D	Mark Bellini, Ojai, California	• Southwestern willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus)	CA, NV, AZ, NM, TX, UT, CO	Play taped vocalizations	New.
TE-028605	SWCA Environmental Consultants, Flagstaff, Arizona	• Southwestern willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus)	CA, NV, CO, UT, MT, WY, AZ, NM, TX	Play taped vocalizations, monitor nests, collect blood, and invasive species removal	Renew and Amend.
		• Yuma Ridgways (clapper) rail (Rallus obsoletus [=longirostris] yumanensis)
TE-25609A	The Peregrine Fund, Boise, Idaho	• California condor (Gymnogyps californianus)	AZ, UT, NV, NM, ID, CA	Captive breed and rear, monitor populations, provide veterinary care, maintain in captivity, capture, perform telemetry, provide supplemental food for wild populations, transport, and release	Renew.
TE-809232	Bio-West, Inc., Logan, Utah	• Pahrump poolfish (Empetrichthys latos)	CA, NV, AZ, UT	Capture, mark, tag, release, monitor populations, and electrofish	Renew and Amend.
		• White River springfish (Crenichthys baileyi baileyi)
		• Hiko White River springfish (Crenichthys baileyi grandis)
		• White River spinedace (Lepidomeda albivallis)
		• Pahranagat roundtail chub (Gila robusta jordani)
		• Virgin River Chub (Gila seminuda (=robusta))
		• Bonytail (Gila elegans)
		• Razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus)
		• Humpback chub (Gila cypha)
		• Woundfin (Plagopterus argentissimus)
TE-77123D	Pim Laulikitnont, San Francisco, California	• California tiger salamander (Santa Barbara County and Sonoma County Distinct Population Segments (DPSs)) (Ambystoma californiense)	CA	Capture, handle, and release	New.
TE-77146D	Westervelt Ecological Services, LLC, Sacramento, California	• California tiger salamander (Santa Barbara County and Sonoma County Distinct Population Segments (DPSs)) (Ambystoma californiense)	CA, OR	Capture, handle, release, and collect vouchers	New.
		• Conservancy fairy shrimp (Branchinecta conservatio)
		• Longhorn fairy shrimp (Branchinecta longiantenna)
		• San Diego fairy shrimp (Branchinecta sandiegonensis)
		• Riverside fairy shrimp (Streptocephalus woottoni)
		• Vernal pool tadpole shrimp (Lepidurus packardi)

Public Availability of Comments

Written comments we receive become part of the administrative record associated with this action. 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 request in your comment that we withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. All submissions from organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses, will be made available for public disclosure in their entirety.

Next Steps

If we decide to issue permits to any of the applicants listed in this notice, we will publish a notice in the Federal Register.

Authority

We publish this notice under section 10(c) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

Angela Picco,

Acting Chief of Ecological Services, Pacific Southwest Region, Sacramento, California.