83 FR 29820 - Foreign Endangered Species; Receipt of Permit Applications

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 123 (June 26, 2018)

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on the following applications to conduct certain activities with endangered species. With some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) prohibits activities with listed species unless Federal authorization is acquired that allows such activities. The ESA also requires that we invite public comment before issuing these permits.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 123 (Tuesday, June 26, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29820-29821]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-13601]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2018-0051; FXIA16710900000-178-FF09A30000]


Foreign Endangered Species; Receipt of Permit Applications

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of permit applications.

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[[Page 29821]]

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. With some exceptions, the Endangered Species 
Act (ESA) prohibits activities with listed species unless Federal 
authorization is acquired that allows such activities. The ESA also 
requires that we invite public comment before issuing these permits.

DATES: We must receive comments by July 26, 2018.

ADDRESSES: 
    Document availability: The applications, application supporting 
materials, and any comments and other materials that we receive will be 
available for public inspection online in Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2018-
0051 at http://www.regulations.gov.
    Submitting Comments: You may submit comments by one of the 
following methods:
     Internet: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments on Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2018-0051.
     U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, 
Attn: Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2018-0051; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
Headquarters, MS: BPHC; 5275 Leesburg Pike; Falls Church, VA 22041-
3803.
    When submitting comments, please specify the name of the applicant 
and the permit number at the beginning of your comment. We will post 
all comments on http://www.regulations.gov. This generally means that 
we will post any personal information you provide us (see SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION for more information).

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Public Comment Procedures

A. How do I comment on submitted applications?

    You may submit your comments and materials by one of the methods 
listed under Submitting Comments in ADDRESSES. We will not consider 
comments sent by email or fax, or to an address not in ADDRESSES. We 
will not consider or include in our administrative record comments we 
receive after the close of the comment period (see DATES).
    Please make your requests or comments as specific as possible, 
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.

B. May I review comments submitted by others?

    As described in ADDRESSES, the applications, as well as any 
comments we receive, will be available for public inspection online at 
http://www.regulations.gov. Comments may also be viewed in person at 
the specified address; to make an appointment, contact the person 
listed in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

C. Who will see my comments?

    If you submit a comment via http://www.regulations.gov, your entire 
comment, including any personal identifying information, will be posted 
on the website. If you submit a hardcopy comment that includes personal 
identifying information, such as your address, phone number, or email 
address, 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.

II. Background

    With some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as 
amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), prohibits activities with listed 
species unless Federal authorization is acquired that allows such 
activities. Permits under section 10 of the ESA allow activities for 
scientific purposes or to enhance the propagation or survival of the 
affected species. To help us carry out our conservation 
responsibilities for affected species, and in consideration of section 
10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA, we invite public comment on these permit 
applications before final action is taken.

III. Permit Applications

    We invite public comment on the following permit applications. 
Please reference the applicant and the permit number in your comments.

Applicant: Zoological Society of San Diego, dba San Diego Zoo, San 
Diego, CA; Permit No. 93218C

    The applicant requests a permit to re-export one live wild giant 
panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) to the China Conservation and Research 
Center for the Giant Panda Dujiangyan Base, Dujiangyan City, China, for 
the purpose of enhancing the propagation or survival of the species. 
This notification is for a single re-export.

Applicant: San Diego Global, dba San Diego Zoo Safari Park, San Diego, 
CA; Permit No. 76759C

    The applicant requests a permit to export one live captive-bred 
black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) to the Singita Grumet Fund, Mugumu, 
Mara, Tanzania, for the purpose of enhancing the propagation or 
survival of the species. This notification is for a single export.

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 above in this document.

Brenda Tapia,
Program Analyst/Data Administrator, Branch of Permits, Division of 
Management Authority.
[FR Doc. 2018-13601 Filed 6-25-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P