Foreign Endangered Species; 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) prohibits 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 31, 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-2017-0038.
• U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, Attn: Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2017-0038, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 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 703-358-2095.

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 703-358-2023; 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 CONTACT. 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.), 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; Jan. 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.

III. Permit Applications

We invite the public to comment on applications to conduct certain activities with endangered and threatened 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.

Applicant: University of Texas-Austin, Austin, TX PRT-124346

The applicant requests a permit to import tissue samples of Verreaux's sifaka

(Propithecus verreauxi) from Morondava, Madagascar, for scientific research. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period.

Applicant: Wildlife & Environmental Conservation, Inc., Moorpark, CA; PRT-29610C

The applicant requests a permit to purchase in interstate commerce two captive-born male cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) from Metro Richmond Zoo, Moseley, Virginia, to enhance the propagation or survival of the species.

Applicant: Veterinary Initiative for Endangered Wildlife, Bozeman, MT; PRT-75654B

The applicant requests amendment of their permit to import biological samples from the Ministry of Forestry & Soil Conservation, Chitwan, Nepal, to include the following species: Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), Indian rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis), pygmy hog (Sus salvanius), Alpine musk deer (Moschus chrysogaster), black musk deer (Moschus fuscus), seladang (Bos gaurus), Chiru (Pantholops hodgsonii), Himalayan goral (Nemorhaedus goral), Himalayan serow (Capricornis thar), barasingha (Rucervus duvaucelii, listed as swamp deer (Cervus duvauceli)), Indochina hog deer (Axis porcinus), hispid hare (Caprolagus hispidus), snow leopard (Panthera uncia), spotted linsang (Prionodon pardicolor), Kashmir gray langur (Semnopithecus ajax), Terai grey langur (Semnopithecus hector), and Nepal grey langur (Semnopithecus schistaceus) for the purpose of scientific research. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 4-year period.

Applicant: Naples Zoo, Inc., Naples, FL; PRT-30387C

The applicant requests a renewal and amendment to a captive-bred wildlife registration under 50 CFR 17.21(g) for the following species: Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), slender-horned gazelle (Gazella leptoceros), radiated tortoise (Astrochelys radiata), siamang (Symphalangus syndactylus), clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa), tiger (Panthera tigris), northern plains gray langur (Semnopithecus entellus), Francois' langur (Trachypithecus francoisi), white-headed lemur (Eulemur albifrons), red-collared lemur (Eulemur collaris), ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta), red ruffed lemur (Varecia rubra), red-cheeked gibbon (Nomascus gabriellae), lar gibbon (Hylobates lar), and cotton-top tamarin (Saguinus oedipus), 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: Palfam Ranch Management LLC, Giddings, TX; PRT-64738A

The applicant requests a renewal of the permit authorizing the cull of excess barasingha (Rucervus duvaucelii) and red lechewe (Kobus leche) from the captive herd maintained at their facility, to enhance the species' propagation and survival. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period.

Applicant: Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, LA; PRT-32285C

The applicant requests a permit to import the olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) plasma and gonad samples from the Conservation Area, Tempisque, Guancaste, Costa Rica, for the purpose of scientific research. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period.

Applicant: Michael Wallace, Mineral, VA; PRT-32834C

The applicant requests a permit to export `olulu (Brighamia insignis) to Loei, Thailand, to enhance the propagation or survival of the species. This notification is for a single export.

Applicant: Xiaobo Chu, San Ramon, CA; PRT-62256A

The applicant requests a renewal and amendment to a captive-bred wildlife registration under 50 CFR 17.21(g) for the radiated tortoise (Astrochelys radiata), 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: Jack L. Phillips, Gladewater, TX; PRT-195823

The applicant requests a renewal to a captive-bred wildlife registration under 50 CFR 17.21(g) for the red lechwe (Kobus leche), to enhance the propagation or survival of the species. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period. This applicant was published in the Federal Register on March 22, 2017. We are providing current application material for the public's review and comment.

Applicant: Michael A. Soupios, East North Port, NY; PRT-18167C

The applicant requests a captive-bred wildlife registration under 50 CFR 17.21(g) for the Galapagos tortoise (Chelonoidis nigra) to enhance species propagation or survival. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period.

Applicant: Safari West, Santa Rosa, CA; PRT-27040C

The applicant requests a renewal and amendment to a captive-bred wildlife registration under 50 CFR 17.21(g) for the following species: Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), northern bald ibis (Geronticus eremita), ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta), and the black and white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata), to enhance the propagation or survival of the species. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period.

Trophy Applicants

The following applicants each request a permit to import sport-hunted trophies of a male bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus pygargus) culled from a captive herd maintained under the management program of the Republic of South Africa, for the purpose of enhancing the propagation or survival of the species.

Applicant: Chadwick Derral King, Seminole, TX; PRT-30891C

Applicant: Robert Earl Anderson, Jr., Georgetown, KY; PRT-30893C

Applicant: Arnulfo Rodriguez, Spring, TX; PRT-20528C

Applicant: Corey Schaefer, Mountain Home, TX; PRT-24114C

Applicant: Amanda Henson, Carrollton, TX; PRT-32538C

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.).