2023-05934. 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, permit renewals, and/or permit amendments to conduct activities intended to enhance the propagation or survival of endangered 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 written data or comments on the applications by April 24, 2023.

ADDRESSES:

Document availability and comment submission: Use one of the following methods to request documents or submit comments. Requests and comments should specify the applicant name(s) and application number(s) ( e.g., Smith, PER0123456 or ES056001):

• Email: [e-mail].

• U.S. Mail: Tom McDowell, Division Manager, Ecological Services, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 25486 DFC, Denver, CO 80225.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Robert Krijgsman, Recovery Permits Coordinator, Ecological Services, 303-236-4347 (phone), or [e-mail] (email). Individuals in the United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay services. Individuals outside the United States should use the relay services offered within their country to make international calls to the point-of-contact in the United States.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite review and comment from the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies on applications we have received for permits to conduct certain activities with endangered and threatened species under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), and our regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 50 CFR part 17. Documents and other information submitted with the applications are available for review, subject to the requirements of the Privacy Act and the Freedom of Information Act.

Background

With some exceptions, the ESA prohibits take of listed species unless a Federal permit is issued that authorizes such take. The ESA's definition of “take” includes hunting, shooting, harming, wounding, or killing, and also such activities as pursuing, harassing, trapping, capturing, or collecting.

A recovery permit issued by us under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA authorizes the permittee to take endangered or threatened species while engaging in activities that are conducted for scientific purposes that promote recovery of species or for enhancement of propagation or survival of species. These activities often include the capture and collection of species, which would result in prohibited take if a permit were not issued. 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

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. Proposed activities in the following permit requests are for the recovery and enhancement of propagation or survival of the species in the wild.

Permit No.	Applicant	Species	Location	Activity	Permit action
ES-056079	Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO	• Bonytail ( Gila elegans) • Colorado pikeminnow ( Ptychocheilus lucius) • Razorback sucker ( Xyrauchen texanus)	Arizona, Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming	Survey, capture, handle, electrofish, tag, and release	Renew and amend.
ES-054317	Interwest Wildlife & Ecological Services, Inc., Richmond, UT	• Southwestern willow flycatcher ( Empidonax traillii extimus)	Colorado and Utah	Play taped vocalizations for surveys	Renew.
ES-057485	Zion National Park, Springdale, UT	• Southwestern willow flycatcher ( Empidonax traillii extimus) • Shivwits milk-vetch ( Astragalus ampullarioides)	Utah	Play taped vocalizations for surveys and collect plants and parts	Renew and amend.
ES-00484C	Keith Geluso, Kearney, NE	• Gray bat ( Myotis grisescens) • Northern Long-Eared Bat ( Myotis septentrionalis)	Kansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota	Survey, capture, handle, band, and track	Amend.
ES-98708A	South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Rapid City, SD	• Topeka shiner ( Notropis topeka ( =tristis))	South Dakota	Survey, capture, handle, collect vouchers, and release	Renew.
ES-210754	Lincoln Children's Zoo, Lincoln, NE	• Salt Creek Tiger beetle ( Cicindela nevadica lincolniana)	Nebraska	Survey, capture, handle, propagate in captivity, monitor populations, and release	Renew.
ES-68706C	Christopher Guy, Bozeman, MT	• Pallid sturgeon ( Scaphirhynchus albus)	Montana	Capture, collect biological samples for research, and release	Renew and amend.
ES-067486	University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE	• Pallid sturgeon ( Scaphirhynchus albus)	Nebraska	Capture, handle, tag, collect biological samples, and release	Renew and amend.
PER0009566	Colorado Natural Heritage Program, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO	• New Mexico meadow jumping mouse ( Zapus hudsonius luteus)	Colorado, New Mexico	Capture, handle, tag, collect biological samples, attach radio-transmitters, and release	Amend.

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 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. 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 a permit to an applicant 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.).

Thomas McDowell,

Acting Assistant Regional Director, Mountain-Prairie Region.