# Endangered and Threatened Species; Receipt of Recovery Permit Applications
**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 to conduct 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 your written comments on or before February 27, 2020.
**ADDRESSES:**
*Document availability and comment submission:* Submit requests for copies of the applications and related documents and submit any comments by one of the following methods. All requests and comments should specify the applicant name(s) and application number(s) ( *e.g.,* TEXXXXXX).
• *Email: [email protected]* .
• *U.S. Mail:* Daniel Marquez, Endangered Species Program Manager, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2800 Cottage Way, Room W-2606, Sacramento, CA 95825.
**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:**
Daniel Marquez, via phone at 760-431-9440, via email at *[email protected],* or via the Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 for TTY assistance.
**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:**
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite the public to comment on applications for permits under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 *et seq.* ). The requested permits would allow the applicants to conduct activities intended to promote recovery of species that are listed as endangered or threatened under the ESA.
**Background**
With some exceptions, the ESA prohibits activities that constitute take of listed species unless a Federal permit is issued that allows such activity. The ESA's definition of “take” includes such activities as pursuing, harassing, trapping, capturing, or collecting in addition to hunting, shooting, harming, wounding, or killing.
A recovery permit issued by us under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA authorizes the permittee to conduct activities with endangered or threatened species for scientific purposes that promote recovery or for enhancement of propagation or survival of the species. These activities often include such prohibited actions as capture and collection. Our regulations implementing section 10(a)(1)(A) for these permits are found in the Code of Federal Regulations 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**
Proposed activities in the following permit requests are for the recovery and enhancement of propagation or survival of the species in the wild. 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.
| Application No. | Applicant, city, state | Species | Location | Take activity | Permit action |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| TE-06145B | Alicia Cooper Hill, San Diego, California | • Conservancy fairy shrimp (
) | CA | Survey, capture, handle, release, and collect vouchers | Amend. |
| | | • Longhorn fairy shrimp (
) | | | |
| | | • San Diego fairy shrimp (
) | | | |
| | | • Riverside fairy shrimp (
) | | | |
| | | • Vernal pool tadpole shrimp (
) | | | |
| TE-097516 | Thomas Ryan, Monrovia, California | • California least tern (
) | CA | Predation prevention by installing nest exclosures | Amend. |
| TE-58452B | Darren Ward, Arcata, California | • Tidewater goby (
) | CA | Capture, handle, and release | Renew. |
| TE-30659A | Creekside Center for Earth Observation, Menlo Park, California | • Mission blue butterfly (
) | CA | Capture, handle, translocate, perform habitat management, and release | Renew and amend. |
| TE-63314D | Megan Lahti, Reno, Nevada | • Sierra Nevada Yellow-legged Frog (
) | CA | Capture, handle, and release | New. |
| TE-63313D | Tiffany Alvarez, Riverside, California | • Southwestern willow flycatcher (
) | CA | Play taped vocalizations | New. |
| TE-815537 | Karen Swaim, Livermore, California | • Conservancy fairy shrimp (
) | CA | Survey, capture, handle, release, collect vouchers, swab, and collect genetic tissue samples | Amend. |
| | | • Longhorn fairy shrimp (
) | | | |
| | | • San Diego fairy shrimp (
) | | | |
| | | • Riverside fairy shrimp (
) | | | |
| | | • Vernal pool tadpole shrimp (
) | | | |
| | | • California tiger salamander (Santa Barbara County and Sonoma County Distinct Population Segments (DPSs)) (
) | | | |
| TE-142435 | Debra Shier, Topanga, California | • Giant kangaroo rat (
) | CA | Capture, handle, mark, release; conduct behavior studies; track; collect genetic samples; transport; hold in captivity; captive breed; and captive rear | Renew. |
| | | • Stephens' kangaroo rat (
(incl.
)) | | | |
| | | • San Bernardino Merriam's kangaroo rat (
) | | | |
| | | • Giant kangaroo rat (
) | | | |
| TE-117947 | Kevin Clark, San Diego, California | • Southwestern willow flycatcher (
) | CA | Play taped vocalizations, monitor nests, capture, handle, and band | Amend. |
| | | • Least Bell's vireo (
) | | | |
| TE-96514A | Jonathan Aguayo, Buena Park, California | • Southwestern willow flycatcher (
) | CA | Play taped vocalizations | Amend. |
| TE-73946B | Austin Parker, Long Beach, California | • El Segundo blue butterfly (
) | CA | Pursue | Renew and amend. |
| TE-50899B | Nicholas Bonzey, Sacramento, California | • Conservancy fairy shrimp (
) | CA | Survey, capture, handle, release, and collect vouchers | Renew. |
| | | • Longhorn fairy shrimp (
) | | | |
| | | • San Diego fairy shrimp (
) | | | |
| | | • Riverside fairy shrimp (
) | | | |
| | | • Vernal pool tadpole shrimp (
) | | | |
| TE-829554 | Barbara Kus, San Diego, California | • Southwestern willow flycatcher (
) | CA | Play taped vocalizations, monitor nests, capture, collect genetic samples, handle, and band | Amend. |
| | | • Least Bell's vireo (
) | | | |
| TE-64455D | Marshall Paymard, Foothill Ranch, California | • Quino checkerspot butterfly (
) | CA | Pursue | New. |
| TE-039466 | USGS, Idaho Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Moscow, Idaho | • Light-footed clapper rail (
) | CA | Survey, capture, handle, band, attach satellite transmitters, collect feathers, and collect blood | Amend. |
| TE-787716 | Scott Tremor, San Diego, California | • Stephens' kangaroo rat (
(incl.
)) | CA | Capture, handle, and release | Renew. |
| | | • San Bernardino Merriam's kangaroo rat (
) | | | |
| | | • Pacific pocket mouse (
) | | | |
| TE-066621 | U.S. Navy, Point Mugu, California | • California least tern (
) | CA | Survey, monitor nests, protect nests, capture, handle, band, collect seeds | Renew. |
| | | • Least Bell's vireo (
) | | | |
| | | • Light-footed clapper rail (
) | | | |
| | | • Salt marsh bird's-beak (
) | | | |
**Public Availability of Comments**
Written comments we receive become part of the administrative record associated with this action. 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 request in your comment that we withhold your personal identifying information from public review, 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.
**Next Steps**
If we decide to issue permits to any of the applicants listed in this notice, we will publish a notice in the *Federal Register* .
**Authority**
We publish this notice under section 10(c) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 *et seq.* ).
Peter Erickson,
Acting Chief of Ecological Services, Pacific Southwest Region, Sacramento, California.