80 FR 24961 - Endangered Species; Marine Mammals; Receipt of Applications for Permit

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 84 (May 1, 2015)

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.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 84 (Friday, May 1, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24961-24962]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-10135]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[FWS-HQ-IA-2015-N082; FXIA16710900000-156-FF09A30000]


Endangered Species; Marine Mammals; Receipt of Applications for 
Permit

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of applications for permit.

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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 
June 1, 2015. We must receive requests for marine mammal permit public 
hearings, in writing, at the address shown in the ADDRESSES section by 
June 1, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Brenda Tapia, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Division of 
Management Authority, Branch of Permits, MS: IA, 5275 Leesburg Pike, 
Falls Church, VA 22041; fax (703) 358-2281; or email [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brenda Tapia, (703) 358-2104 
(telephone); (703) 358-2281 (fax); [email protected] (email).

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 ADDRESSES. 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

[[Page 24962]]

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

A. Endangered Species

Applicant: Tulsa Zoo Management, Inc., Tulsa, OK; PRT-54405B
    The applicant requests a permit to export one captive-bred Diana 
monkey (Cercopithecus diana) for the purpose of enhancement of the 
survival of the species. This notification covers activities to be 
conducted by the applicant over a 1-year period.
Applicant: Florida International University, North Miami, FL; PRT-
64111B
    The applicant requests a permit to import up to 150 skin, shell, or 
blood tissue samples from up to 50 green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) 
and up to 150 skin, shell, or blood tissue samples from up to 50 green 
Loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) for the purpose scientific 
research. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the 
applicant over a 5-year period.
Applicant: Miami-Dade Zoological Park and Gardens, Miami, FL; PRT-
59493B
    The applicant requests a permit to export two female pink pigeons 
(Nesoenas mayeri) for the purpose of enhancement of the survival of the 
species. This notification covers activities to be conducted by the 
applicant over a 5-year period.
Applicant: Adrian Cieslak, Wallace, SC; PRT-19311B
    The applicant requests a captive-bred wildlife registration under 
50 CFR 17.21(g) for Cuban Crocodile (Crocodilus rhombifer), Saltwater 
crocodile (Crocodilus porosus), broad-snouted caiman (Caiman 
latirostris), Chinese alligator (Alligator sinensis), and common caiman 
(Caiman crocodilus) to enhance the species' propagation or survival. 
This notification covers activities to be conducted by the applicant 
over a 5-year period.
Applicant: Project Survival, Dunlap, CA; PRT-46280B
    The applicant requests a permit to import one wild female jaguar 
(Panthera onca) for the purpose of enhancement of the survival of the 
species from Sorocaba Zoo, Sorocaba, Brazil.
Applicant: Project Survival, Dunlap, CA; PRT-63546B
    The applicant requests a permit to import one wild margay 
(Leopardus wiedii) and one captive born and six wild ocelots (Leopardus 
pardalis) for the purpose of enhancement of the survival of the species 
from Chiriqui Feline Center, Buqaba District, Chiriq Province, Panama.
Multiple Applicants
    The following applicants each request a permit to import the sport-
hunted trophy of one 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 enhancement of the 
survival of the species.
Applicant: Jason Hagan, Hallettsville, TX; PRT-58572B
Applicant: Jeffrey Hayer, Greenfield, MA; PRT-63304B
Applicant: Terrance Lucht, Houston, TX; PRT-62687B
Applicant: Jeffery Dobbins, Mountain View, AR; PRT-63973B

B. Endangered Marine Mammals and Marine Mammals

Applicant: Robert Rockwell, American Museum of Natural History, New 
York, NY; PRT-03086A
    The applicant requests renewal of their permit to import up to 
1,000 biological samples annually from polar bears (Ursus maritimus) 
from Canada for the purpose of scientific research. This notification 
covers activities to be conducted by the applicant over a 5-year 
period.
    Concurrent with publishing this notice in the Federal Register, we 
are forwarding copies of the above application to the Marine Mammal 
Commission and the Committee of Scientific Advisors for their review.

Brenda Tapia,
Program Analyst/Data Administrator,
    Branch of Permits, Division of Management Authority.
[FR Doc. 2015-10135 Filed 4-30-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-55-P