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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 scientific research to promote conservation or other 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 written data or comments on the applications by November 25, 2024.
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 Jones, ES-056001):
- Email: permitsR6ES@fws.gov.
- 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 permitsR6ES@fws.gov (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-067734 | Badlands National Park, Interior, SD | • Black-footed ferret ( Mustela nigripes) | South Dakota | Capture, vaccinate, mark, collect biological samples, tag, and release | Renew |
| ES-131638 | Loveland Living Planet Aquarium, Draper, UT | • Virgin River chub ( Gila seminuda (=robusta)) Woundfin ( Plagopterus argentissimus) | Utah | Capture, handle, hold in captivity, propagate, display for educational purposes, release, and conduct scientific studies | Renew and amend |
| ES-069553 | Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands, Wall, SD | • Black-footed ferret ( Mustela nigripes) | South Dakota | Capture, vaccinate, mark, collect biological samples, tag, and release | Renew |
| PER12020441 | University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE | • Salt Creek tiger beetle ( Cicindela nevadica lincolniana) | Nebraska | Receive larval specimens for rearing in captivity, conduct genetic research, and reintroduce into the wild | New |
| PER12033146 | HDR, Inc., Fort Collins, CO | Southwestern willow flycatcher ( Empidonax traillii extimus) | Colorado | Play taped vocalizations for surveys | New |
| ES-145090 | Wind Cave National Park, Hot Springs, SD | Black-footed ferret ( Mustela nigripes) | South Dakota | Capture, vaccinate, mark, collect biological samples, tag, and release | Renew |