# Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 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, invite the public to comment on the following applications for a permit to conduct activities intended to recover and enhance endangered species survival. With some exceptions, the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA), prohibits certain activities that may impact endangered species unless a Federal permit allows such activity. The ESA also requires that we invite public comment before issuing these permits.
**DATES:**
To ensure consideration, please submit your written comments by May 26, 2020.
**ADDRESSES:**
*Document availability:* Request documents by phone or email: Susan Jacobsen, 505-248-6641, *[email protected].*
*Comment submission:* Submit comments by email to *[email protected].* Please specify the permit you are interested in by number ( *e.g.,* Permit No. TE-123456).
**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:**
Susan Jacobsen, Chief, Classification and Restoration Division, 505-248-6641. Individuals who are hearing or speech impaired may call the Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339 for TTY assistance.
**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:**
**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 hunting, shooting, harming, wounding, or killing but also such activities as pursuing, harassing, trapping, capturing, or collecting.
The ESA and our implementing regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at title 50, part 17, provide for issuing such permits and require that we invite public comment before issuing permits for activities involving endangered species.
A recovery permit we issue under the ESA, section 10(a)(1)(A), authorizes the permittee to conduct activities with endangered or threatened species for scientific purposes that promote recovery or enhance the species' propagation or survival. These activities often include such prohibited actions as capture and collection. Our regulations implementing section 10(a)(1)(A) for these permits are found 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**
Documents and other information submitted with these applications are available for review by any party who submits a request as specified in *ADDRESSES* . Releasing documents is subject to Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a) and Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) requirements.
Proposed activities in the following permit requests are for the recovery and enhancement of propagation or survival of the species in the wild. 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. Please refer to the application number when submitting comments.
| Application No. | Applicant | Species | Location | Activity | Type of take | Permit |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| TE802211 | Texas State University; Austin, Texas | Coffin Cave mold beetle
Helotes mold beetle
Robber Baron Cave meshweaver
Madla Cave meshweaver
Bracken Bat Cave meshweaver
Government Canyon Bat Cave meshweaver
Government Canyon Bat Cave spider
Tooth Cave spider
Ground beetle
Ground beetle
Tooth Cave ground beetle
Tooth Cave pseudoscorpion
Kretschmarr Cave mold beetle
Cokendolpher cave harvestman
Bee Creek Cave harvestman
Bone Cave harvestman
Diminutive amphipod
Pecos amphipod
Comal Springs riffle beetle
Peck's Cave amphipod
Comal Springs dryopid beetle | Texas | Presence/absence surveys, habitat surveys, increase in speciments requested | Capture, harm, harass, injury, death | Renew. |
| TE63904D | Lewis, Chancey D.; Cameron, Texas | Houston toad (
), red-cockaded woodpecker (
) | Louisiana, Texas | Presence/absence surveys | Harm, harass | New. |
| TE51928B | Moczygema, Kevin John; San Antonio, Texas | Golden-cheeked warbler (
) | Texas | Presence/absence surveys | Harm, harass | Renew. |
| TE195248 | Morrison, Michael L.; College Station, Texas | Golden-cheeked warbler (
) | Texas | Presence/absence surveys | Harm, harass | Renew. |
| TE155413 | Itzkowitz, Murray; Bethlehem, Pennsylvania | Leon Spring pupfish (
) | Texas | Presence/absence surveys; collection | Harass, harm, capture, injury, death | Renew. |
| TE67302D | Edwards, Christine E.; St. Louis, Missouri | Texas trailing phlox (
spp.
) | Texas | Presence/absence surveys, sample leaf/stem tissue for genetic analysis | removal | New. |
| TE63202B | Chambers, Carol L.; Flagstaff, Arizona | New Mexico meadow jumping mouse (
) | Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico | Presence/absence surveys, PIT tagging | Capture, injury, death | Renew. |
| TE68530D | Dewitt, Thomas J.; Austin, Texas | Georgetown salamander (
), Jollyville Plateau salamander (
), Salado salamander (
), San Marcos salamander (
), Barton Springs salamander (
), Austin blind salamander (
) | Texas | Presence/absence surveys | Capture, harm, harass | New. |
| TE819541 | BRIC, LLC.; Albuquerque, New Mexico | Interior least tern (
), Black-footed ferret (
), southwestern willow flycatcher (
), Northern aplomado falcon (
) | Arizona, New Mexico | Presence/absence surveys | Harass, harm | Renew. |
| TE50643B | Weaver, Vaugh D.; Wichita, Kansas | American burying beetle (
), Neosho mucket (
), Topeka shiner (
)) | Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma | Presence/absence surveys | Capture, harass, harm, injury, death | Renew. |
| TE060125 | Salt River Project; Phoenix, Arizona | Southwestern willow flycatcher (
), Yuma clapper rail (
), Gila topminnow (
) | Arizona | Presence/absence surveys | Capture, harm, harass | Renew. |
| TE07059A | Marsh and Associates, LLC.; Tempe, Arizona | Spikedace (
), loach minnow (
), razorback sucker (
), Gila topminnow (
), desert pupfish (
) | Arizona | Captive propagation | Capture, harm, harass, injury, death | Renew. |
| TE004439 | Albuquerque BioPark; Albuquerque, New Mexico | Interior least tern (
), Rio Grande silvery minnow (
), Gila topminnow (
), razorback sucker (
), Gila trout (
), Soccoro isopod (
), Socorro springnsail (
), Colorado pikeminnow (
), Green sea turtle (
) | New Mexico | Research, education, propagation | Harass, harm, injury, death | Renew. |
| TE65027D | McBride Biotracking, LLC.; Flagstaff, Arizona | Gierisch mallow ( | Arizona | Seed collection | Harm | New. |
| TE57462D | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-ABQ District; Albuquerque, New Mexico | Interior least tern (
), southwestern willow flycatcher (
), Rio Grande silvery minnow (
) | Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico | Presence/absence surveys | Harm, harass, injury, death | Renew. |
| TE67183D | Gido, Keith B.; Manhattan, Kansas | Spikedace (
), loach minnow (
) | Arizona, New Mexico | Presence/absence surveys | Harm, harass, injury, death | New. |
| TE69973D | Whitney, James E.; Pittsburg, Kansas | Razorback sucker (
), Colorado pikeminnow (
) | Colorado, New Mexico, Utah | Presence/absence surveys, electroshocking | Harm, harass, injury, death | New. |
| TE091551 | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Mexican Wolf Recovery Program, Albuquerque, New Mexico | Mexican gray wolf (
) | Arizona, New Mexico | Presence/absence surveys, management, capture, transport, handling | Harm, harass, injury, death | Renew. |
| TE168185 | Cox McLain Environmental Consultants; Austin, Texas | Golden-cheeked warbler (
), interior least tern (
), Houston toad (
), Atwatter's prairie chicken (
), gray bat (
), red-cockaded woodpecker (
), Ozark big-eared bat (
(
)
), piping plover (
), northern aplomado falcon (
) | New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas | Presence/absence surveys | Harm, harass | Renew. |
| TE144755 | Reagan Smith Energy Solutions; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | Interior least tern (
) | Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas | Presence/absence surveys | Harm, harass | Amend. |
| TE65030D | The Peregrine Fund; Boise, Idaho | Northern aplomado falcon (
) | Texas | Presence/absence surveys | Harm, harass | New. |
| TE094365 | National Cave and Karst Research Institute; Carlsbad, New Mexico | Coffin Cave mold beetle
Helotes mold beetle
Robber Baron Cave meshweaver
Madla Cave meshweaver
Bracken Bat Cave meshweaver
Government Canyon Bat Cave meshweaver
Government Canyon Bat Cave spider
Tooth Cave spider
Ground beetle
Ground beetle
Tooth Cave ground beetle
Tooth Cave pseudoscorpion
Kretschmarr Cave mold beetle
Cokendolpher cave harvestman
Bee Creek Cave harvestman
Bone Cave harvestman
Diminutive amphipod
Pecos amphipod
Comal Springs riffle beetle
Peck's Cave amphipod
Comal Springs dryopid beetle
), Georgetown salamander (
), Jollyville Plateau salamander (
), Salado salamander (
), San Marcos salamander (
), Barton Springs salamander (
), Austin blind salamander (
), Texas hornshell (
), Leon Spring pupfish (
), Pecos pupfish (
), fountain darter (
) | Texas, New Mexico | Presence/absence surveys, capture | Harm, harass, injury, death | New. |
| TE815490 | New Mexico Department of Game and Fish; Santa Fe, New Mexico | Black-footed ferret (
) | New Mexico | Presence/absence surveys | Harm; harass | Renew. |
| TE08832A | Utah State University; Logan, Utah | Rio Grande silvery minnow (
) | New Mexico | Presence/absence surveys, capture | Harm, harass, injury, death | Renew. |
| TE69747D | Sea Life US, LLC; San Antonio, Texas | Green sea turtle (
) | Texas | Public aquarium | Harm, harass | New. |
| TE69979D | Mata, Barbi; Houston, Texas | Houston toad (
), Barton Springs salamander (
), Austin blind salamander (
), Texas blind salamander (
) | Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas | Presence/absence surveys; monitoring | Harm, harass | New. |
| TE226653 | The Arboretum Flagstaff; Flagstaff Arizona | Peebles Navajo cactus (
var. p
) | Arizona | Collection, propagation | Harm | Amend. |
| TE35147A | Newstead, David; Corpus Christi, Texas | Piping plover (
) | Texas | Capture, band, presence/absence surveys | Harm, harass | Amend. |
| TE63522B | Laney, Everett; Muskogee, Oklahoma | American burying beetle (
) | Oklahoma | Presence/absence surveys | Harm, harass | Renew. |
| TE71777D | Lisignoli, Jenny; Albuquerque, New Mexico | Yuma clapper rail (
), interior least tern (
), southwestern willow flycatcher (
), northern aplomado falcon (
) | Arizona, New Mexico, California | Presence/absence surveys | Harm, harass | New. |
| TE71795D | Pittenger, Dan S.; Three Rivers, California | Southwestern willow flycatcher (
) | Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada | Presence/absence surveys | Harm, harass | New. |
| TE24625A | Weber, Sarah; San Antonio, Texas | Golden-cheeked warbler (
) | Texas | Presence/absence surveys | Harm, harass | Renew. |
| TE60013D | Owen, Bryce; Wylie, Texas | American burying beetle (
) | Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas | Presence/absence surveys | Harm, harass | New. |
| TE37418B | Brown and Gay Engineers; Frisco, Texas | American burying beetle (
), Golden-cheeked warbler (
), red cockaded woodpecker | Oklahoma, Texas | Presence/absence surveys | Harm, harass | Renew. |
| TE776123 | Texas A&M, Galveston, Texas | Kemp's ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii), loggerhead sea turtle (
), hawksbill sea turtle (
), leatherback sea turtle (
), green sea turtle (
) | Texas | Nest relocation, rehabilitation | Harm, harass | Renew. |
| TE74321D | Weaver, Sara; San Marcos, Texas | Houston toad (
) | Texas | Presence/absence surveys | Harm, harass | New. |
| TE22254B | Hanington, Michelle | Southwestern willow flycatcher (
) | Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado | Presence/absence surveys | Harm, harass | Renew. |
| TE835139 | Hawks Aloft, Inc.; Albuquerque, NM | Southwestern willow flycatcher (
) | Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado | Presence/absence surveys | Harm, harass | Renew. |
| TE78959A | Weber, Sarah | Golden-cheeked warbler (
) | Texas | Presence/absence surveys | Harm, harass | Renew. |
| TE30430B | University of Houston, Clear Lake, Texas | Rio Grande silvery minnow (
), Comanche Springs pupfish (
), Pecos gambusia (
), Leon Springs pupfish (
), Big Bend gambusia (
), Devils River minnow (
), Texas wild-rice | New Mexico, Texas | Presence/absence surveys | Harm, harass | Renew. |
| TE146407 | Belaire Environmental, Inc.; Rockport, Texas | Golden-cheeked warbler (
) | Texas | Presence/absence surveys | Harm, harass | Renew. |
| TE829995 | Dallas Zoo; Dallas, Texas | Houston toad (
), Barton springs salamander (
), loggerhead sea turtle (
), Texas blind salamander (
) | Texas | Captive breeding, rehabilitation | Harm, harass | Renew. |
| TE28891A | Tristan, Timothy; Corpus Christi, Texas | Kemp's ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii), loggerhead sea turtle (
), hawksbill sea turtle (
), leatherback sea turtle (
), green sea turtle (
) | Texas | Captive breeding, rehabilitation | Harm, harass | Renew. |
**Authority**
We provide this notice under section 10 of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1531 *et seq.* ).
Amy Lueders,
Regional Director, Southwest Region. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.