# 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:**
We must receive your written comments on or before November 4, 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:**
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 of 1973, 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 endangered species in the wild. Section 10(c) of 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 | Species | Location | Activity | Type of take | Permit |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| TE191195 | Baer Engineering; Austin, Texas | Golden-cheeked warbler (
), Barton Springs salamander (
), Austin blind salamander (
) | Texas | Presence/absence surveys | Capture, harm, harass | Renewal. |
| TE028605 | Hucks, Katrina; Albuquerque, New Mexico | Southwestern willow flycatcher (
) | Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Texas | Presence/absence survey | Harm, harass | Renewal. |
| TE83109D | Byrd, Chase; Ada, Oklahoma | American burying beetle (
) | Oklahoma | Presence/absence surveys | Harm, harass | New. |
| TE80520D | Bryant, Jennifer; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | American burying beetle (
) | Oklahoma | Presence/absence surveys | Harm, harass | New. |
| TE030115 | Bureau of Land Management—Safford District; Safford, AZ | Gila topminnow (
), desert pupfish (
), Gila chub (
), southwestern willow flycatcher (
), Yuma clapper rail (
), spikedace (
), loach minnow (
), razorback sucker (
) | Arizona | Presence/absence surveys, collection | Harass, harm, capture, injure, kill | Renewal. |
| TE82008D | McDorman, John; Tulsa, Oklahoma | American burying beetle (
) | Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma | Presence/absence surveys | Harm, harass | New. |
| TE76960D | Burns, Jodie; Bentonville, Arkansas | American burying beetle (
) | Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas | Presence/absence surveys | Harm, harass | New. |
| TE086559 | Jones, Ricky Lee; Broken Bow, Oklahoma | American burying beetle (
) | Oklahoma | Presence/absence surveys | Harm, harass | Renewal. |
| TE79002D | Texas Military Department; Austin, Texas | American burying beetle (
) | Texas | Presence/absence surveys | Harass, harm | New. |
| TE83399D | Johnson, James; Canyon, Texas | Pecos gambusia (
) | New Mexico, Texas | Presence/absence surveys | Harm, harass | New. |
| TE81992D | Bohannon, Austin; Austin, Texas | Houston toad (
) | Texas | Presence/absence surveys | Harm, harass | New. |
| TE83056D | Johnny Morris' Wonders of Wildlife Museum and Aquarium; Springfield, Missouri | Masked bobwhite quail (
) | Arizona | Captive breeding, propagation | Harm, harass | New. |
| TE52816B | Davis, David; Barstow, California | Golden-cheeked warbler (
), southwestern willow flycatcher (
), whooping crane (
), red-cockaded woodpecker (
), Attwater's prairie-chicken (
), jaguarundi (
), ocelot (
), least tern (
), northern aplomado falcon (
) | Arizona, California, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas | Presence/absence surveys | Harass, harm | Renewal. |
| TE022190 | Arizona Sonora Desert Museum; Tucson, Arizona | Mount Graham red squirrel (
), masked bobwhite quail (
), Sonora tiger salamander (
) | Arizona | Propagation | Harass, harm | Renewal. |
| TE828640 | Harris Environmental Group; Tucson, Arizona | Sonora tiger salamander (
), northern aplomado falcon (
), southwestern willow flycatcher (
), Yuma clapper rail (
) | Arizona, New Mexico | Presence/absence surveys | Harass, harm | Renewal. |
| TE79006D | Lazo, Walker G.; San Antonio, Texas | Golden-cheeked warbler (
), Helotes mold beetle (
), Robber Baron Cave meshweaver (
), Government Canyon Bat Cave meshweaver (
), Ground beetle (
), Ground beetle (
), Madla Cave meshweaver (
), Cokendolpher cave harvestman (
), Government Canyon bat cave spider (
) | Texas | Presence/absence surveys | Harm, harass | New. |
**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. We will not consider anonymous comments. Moreover, 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.
**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.* ).
Amy L. Lueders,
Regional Director, Southwest Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.