# 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 June 24, 2021.
**ADDRESSES:**
*Document availability:* Request documents by phone or email: Beth Forbus, 505-248-6681, *[email protected].*
*Comment submission:* Submit comments by email to *[email protected].* Please specify the permit you are interested in by number ( *e.g.,* Application No. CS1234567).
**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:**
Beth Forbus, Supervisor, Classification and Restoration Division, 505-248-6681. 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 Endangered Species Act (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 *et seq.* ) 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 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| ESPER0007876 | Cherokee Nation; Tahlequah, Oklahoma | American burying beetle (
) | Oklahoma | Presence/absence surveys | Harm, harass | Renew. |
| ESPER0009587 | Rieck, Jean Marie; Flagstaff, Arizona | Southwestern willow flycatcher (
) | Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah | Presence/absence surveys | Harm, harass | Renew. |
| ESPER0009589 | Paramextrix; Albuquerque, New Mexico | Loach minnow (
), northern aplomado falcon (
), piping plover (
), southwestern willow flycatcher (
), spikedace (
), Holy Ghost ipomopsis (
), Knowlton's cactus ( | New Mexico | Presence/absence surveys | Harm, harass | Renew. |
| ESPER0009588 | Bureau of Land Management; Tucson, Arizona | Huachuca water-umbel (
var.
) | Arizona | Presence/absence surveys, monitoring | Collect | Amend. |
| ES839848 | U.S. Forest Service, Carson National Forest; Taos, New Mexico | Southwestern willow flycatcher (
) | New Mexico | Presence/absence surveys | Harm, harass | Renew. |
| ESPER0009405 | Bureau of Land Management; Las Cruces, New Mexico | Southwestern willow flycatcher (
), northern aplomado falcon (
), Mexican long-nosed bat (
), spikedace (
), loach minnow (
) | New Mexico | Presence/absence surveys | Harm, harass | Renew. |
| ESPER0007004 | Bureau of Land Management; Safford, Arizona | Southwestern willow flycatcher (
), spikedace (
), loach minnow (
), desert pupfish (C
), Gila chub (
), Gila topminnow (
), Little Peebles Navajo cactus (
var.
) | Arizona | Presence/absence surveys | Harm, harass | Renew. |
| ESPER0005103 | Proppe, Darren; Dripping Springs, Texas | Houston toad (
) | Texas | Presence/absence | Harm, harass | New. |
| ESPER0005104 | Schofield, Landon; Kingsville, Texas | Ocelot (
) | Texas | Presence/absence, trapping, live capture, blood collection | Harm, harass | New. |
| ESPER0004032 | Horizon Environmental Services, Inc.; Austin, Texas | Golden-cheeked warbler (
), Houston toad (
),
(ground beetle, no common name), | Texas | Presence/absence, collection | Harm, harass | Renew. |
| ESPER0009384 | SWCA; Albuquerque, NM | Southwestern willow flycatcher (
), Rio Grande silvery minnow (
), razorback sucker (
), Colorado pikeminnow, (
), spikedace (
), loach minnow (
) | Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah | Presence/absence surveys, nest monitoring | Harm, harass | Renew. |
**Authority**
We provide this notice under section 10 of the ESA (16 U.S.C. 1531 *et seq.* ).
Amy L. Lueders,
Regional Director, Southwest Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.