83 FR 46749 - Foreign Endangered Species; Marine Mammals; Receipt of Permit Applications

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 179 (September 14, 2018)

We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on applications to conduct certain activities with foreign species that are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and foreign or native species for which the Service has jurisdiction under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). With some exceptions, the ESA and the MMPA prohibit activities with listed species unless Federal authorization is acquired that allows such activities. The ESA and MMPA also require that we invite public comment before issuing permits for endangered species or marine mammals.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 179 (Friday, September 14, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46749-46750]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-20010]



[[Page 46749]]

=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Fish and Wildlife Service

[Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2018-0024; FXIA16710900000-178-FF09A30000]


Foreign Endangered Species; Marine Mammals; Receipt of Permit 
Applications

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of permit applications.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to 
comment on applications to conduct certain activities with foreign 
species that are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act 
(ESA) and foreign or native species for which the Service has 
jurisdiction under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). With some 
exceptions, the ESA and the MMPA prohibit activities with listed 
species unless Federal authorization is acquired that allows such 
activities. The ESA and MMPA also require that we invite public comment 
before issuing permits for endangered species or marine mammals.

DATES: We must receive comments by October 15, 2018.

ADDRESSES:
    Obtaining Documents: The applications, application supporting 
materials, and any comments and other materials that we receive will be 
available for public inspection at http://www.regulations.gov in Docket 
No. FWS-HQ-IA-2018-0024.
    Submitting Comments: When submitting comments, please specify the 
name of the applicant and the permit number at the beginning of your 
comment. You may submit comments by one of the following methods:
     Internet: http://www.regulations.gov. Search for and 
submit comments on Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2018-0024.
     U.S. mail or hand-delivery: Public Comments Processing, 
Attn: Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2018-0024; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
Headquarters, MS: BPHC; 5275 Leesburg Pike; Falls Church, VA 22041-
3803.

For more information, see Public Comment Procedures under SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brenda Tapia, by phone at 703-358-
2104, via email at [email protected], or via the Federal Relay Service at 
800-877-8339.

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 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).
    When submitting comments, please specify the name of the applicant 
and the permit number at the beginning of your comment. 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. Provide sufficient information 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?

    You may view and comment on others' public comments on http://www.regulations.gov, unless our allowing so would violate the Privacy 
Act (5 U.S.C. 552a) or Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552).

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. 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.

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 (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.), and 
section 104(c) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended 
(MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq.), we invite public comments on permit 
applications before final action is taken. With some exceptions, the 
ESA and MMPA prohibit activities with listed species unless Federal 
authorization is acquired that allows such activities. Permits issued 
under section 10 of the ESA allow activities for scientific purposes or 
to enhance the propagation or survival of the affected species.
    Concurrent with publishing this notice in the Federal Register, we 
are forwarding copies of the marine mammal applications to the Marine 
Mammal Commission and the Committee of Scientific Advisors for their 
review.

III. Permit Applications

    We invite the public to comment on the following applications.

A. Endangered Species

Applicant: St. Catherine's Island, Midway, GA; Permit No. 89124A

    The applicant requests re-issuance of a captive-bred wildlife 
registration under 50 CFR 17.21(g) for ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur 
catta), 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
    Each of the following applicants requests a permit to import a 
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 enhancing the 
propagation or survival of the species.

Applicant: Thomas Spell, Simpsonville, SC; Permit No. 63017C
Applicant: Gene McQuown, Dallas, TX; Permit No. 69233C

B. Marine Mammals

Applicant: Sea to Shore Alliance, Sarasota, FL; Permit No. 37808A

    The applicant requests authorization to renew and amend their 
permit to take and import both wild and formerly captive West Indian 
manatees (Trichechus manatus) that are being released into the wild for 
the purpose of scientific research. This notification covers activities 
to be conducted by the applicant over a 5-year period.

IV. Next Steps

    If we issue permits to any of the applicants listed in this notice, 
we will

[[Page 46750]]

publish a notice in the Federal Register. You may locate the notice 
announcing the permit issuance date by searching http://www.regulations.gov for the permit number listed above in this document 
(e.g., 12345A).

V. Authority

    We issue this notice under the authority 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.), and their 
implementing regulations.

Brenda Tapia,
Program Analyst/Data Administrator, Branch of Permits, Division of 
Management Authority.
[FR Doc. 2018-20010 Filed 9-13-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4333-15-P