2017-14146. Endangered Species; Marine Mammal 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, marine mammals, or both. With some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) prohibit 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 August 7, 2017.

ADDRESSES:

Submitting Comments: You may submit comments by one of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments on Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2017-0033.
• U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2017-0033; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters, MS: BPHC; 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.

When submitting comments, please indicate the name of the applicant and the PRT# you are commenting on. We will post all comments on http://www.regulations.gov. This generally means that we will post any personal information you provide us (see the Public Comments section for more information).

Viewing Comments: Comments and materials we receive will be available for public inspection on http://www.regulations.gov,, or by appointment, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays, at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of Management Authority, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803; telephone [phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Joyce Russell, Government Information Specialist, Division of Management Authority, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters, MS: IA; 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803; telephone [phone]; facsimile 703-358-2280.

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 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION. 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.), and the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1361 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. Under the MMPA, you may request a hearing on any MMPA application received. If you request a hearing, give specific reasons why a hearing would be appropriate. The holding of such a hearing is at the discretion of the Service Director.

III. Permit Applications

We invite the public to comment on applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species. With some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.; ESA) prohibits activities with listed species unless Federal authorization is acquired that allows such activities.

A. Endangered Species

Applicant: Morani River Ranch, Uvalde TX; PRT-49112A

The applicant requests a renewal to a captive-bred wildlife registration under 50 CFR 17.21(g) for barasingha (Rucervus duvaucelii), red lechwe (Kobus leche), Arabian oryx (Oryx leucoryx), and Eld's Deer (Rucervus eldii), to enhance the propagation or survival of the species. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period.

Applicant: Houston Zoo, Inc., Houston, TX; PRT-19910C

The applicant requests a captive-bred wildlife registration under 50 CFR 17.21(g) for Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) and Baird's tapir (Tapirus bairdii) to enhance the propagation or survival of the species. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period.

Applicant: Busch Gardens, Tampa, FL; PRT-24014C

The applicant requests a captive-bred wildlife registration under 50 CFR 17.21(g) to enhance the propagation or survival of the following species: African slender-snouted crocodile (Crocodylus cataphractus), Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), Malayan tiger (Panthera tigris corbetti), western gorilla (Gorilla gorilla), Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus), red-fronted lemur (Eulemur rufus), mongoose lemur (Eulemur mongoz), ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta), red-ruffed lemur (Varecia rubra), Cuban parrot (Amazona leucocephala), blue-throated macaw (Ara glaucogularis), and golden parakeet (Guarouba guarouba). This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period.

Applicant: Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, Glen Rose, TX; PRT-31693C

The applicant requests a captive-bred wildlife registration under 50 CFR 17.21(g) to enhance the propagation or survival of the following species: Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), Arabian oryx (Oryx leucoryx), maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus), Przewalski's horse (Equus przewalskii), black-footed cat (Felix negripes), red-crowned crane (Grus japonensis), and black rhino (Diceros bicornis). This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period.

Applicant: The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL; PRT-14503C

The applicant requests a permit to import biological samples from the wild and captive-born Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) for the purpose of scientific research. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 1-year period.

Applicant: The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham AL; PRT-15849C

The applicant requests a permit to import biological samples from the wild and captive-born Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) for the purpose of scientific research. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 1-year period.

B. Marine Mammal

Applicant: U.S. Fish Wildlife Service Marine Mammals Management, Anchorage, AK; PRT-039386

The applicant requests authorization to renew their permit to take Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) samples, conduct surveys, and import biological specimens for the purposes of scientific research. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period.

Applicant: Offspring Films, Bristol, UK; PRT-29633C

The applicant requests a permit to film up to 100 Southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) and up to 80 Northern sea otters (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) within a six month period at the Monterey Bay area, California, and Cordova and Simpson Bay areas and Prince William Sound, Alaska, for the purpose of education. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period.

IV. Next Steps

If the Service decides to issue permits to any of the applicants listed in this notice, we will publish a notice in the Federal Register. You may locate the Federal Register notice announcing the permit issuance date by searching in www.regulations.gov under the permit number listed in this document.

V. Public Comments

You may submit your comments and materials concerning this notice by one of the methods listed in ADDRESSES. We will not consider comments sent by email or fax or to an address not listed in ADDRESSES.

If you submit a comment via http://www.regulations.gov,, your entire comment, including any personal identifying information, will be posted on the Web site. If you submit a hardcopy comment that includes personal identifying information, you may request at the top of your document that we withhold this information from public review. However, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

We will post all hardcopy comments on http://www.regulations.gov.

VI. Authorities

Endangered Species Act of 1973, (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.); Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.).

Joyce Russell,

Government Information Specialist, Branch of Permits, Division of Management Authority.