# Endangered Species; 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 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 written data or comments on the applications by June 20, 2023.
**ADDRESSES:**
*Reviewing Documents:* Submit requests for copies of applications and other information submitted with the applications to Karen Marlowe (see *FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT* ). All requests and comments should specify the applicant name and application number ( *e.g.,* Mary Smith, ESPER0001234).
*Submitting Comments:* If you wish to comment, you may submit comments by one of the following methods:
• *Email (preferred method): [email protected].* Please include your name and return address in your email message. If you do not receive a confirmation from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that we have received your email message, contact us directly at the telephone number listed in *FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT* .
• *U.S. mail:* U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Regional Office, Ecological Services, 1875 Century Boulevard, Atlanta, GA 30345 (Attn: Karen Marlowe, Permit Coordinator).
**FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:**
Karen Marlowe, Permit Coordinator, 404-679-7097 (telephone) or *[email protected]* (email). Individuals in the United States who are deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, TDD, or TeleBraille) to access telecommunications relay services. Individuals outside the United States should use the relay services offered within their country to make international calls to the point-of-contact in the United States.
**SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:**
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, invite review and comment from the public and local, State, Tribal, and Federal agencies on applications we have received for permits to conduct certain activities with endangered and threatened species under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 *et seq.* ), and our regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 50 CFR part 17. Documents and other information submitted with the applications are available for review, subject to the requirements of the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (5 U.S.C. 552a) and the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552).
**Background**
With some exceptions, the ESA prohibits take of listed species unless a Federal permit is issued that authorizes such take. The ESA's definition of “take” includes hunting, shooting, harming, wounding, or killing, and also such activities as pursuing, harassing, trapping, capturing, or collecting.
A recovery permit issued by us under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the ESA authorizes the permittee to take endangered or threatened species while engaging in activities that are conducted for scientific purposes that promote recovery of species or for enhancement of propagation or survival of species. These activities often include the capture and collection of species, which would result in prohibited take if a permit were not issued. 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**
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. Proposed activities in the following permit requests are for the recovery and enhancement of propagation or survival of the species in the wild.
| Permit | Applicant | Species | Location | Activity | Type of take | Permit |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| PER0018443-0 | U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center; Vicksburg, MS | Fishes: Alabama sturgeon (
), Arkansas River shiner (
), Big Bend gambusia (
), Clear Creek gambusia (
), Comanche Springs pupfish (
), Devils River minnow (
), duskytail darter (
), fountain darter (
), Leon Springs pupfish (
), Neosho madtom (
), pearl darter (
), Pecos bluntnose shiner (
), Pecos gambusia (
), peppered chub (
), Rio Grande silvery minnow (
), San Marcos gambusia (
), sharpnose shiner (
), smalleye shiner (
), Topeka shiner (
[=
]), and yellowcheek darter (
); Mussels: Alabama lampmussel (
), Alabama moccasinshell (
), Arkansas fatmucket (
), black clubshell (
), clubshell (
), Cumberlandian combshell (
), Curtis pearlymussel (
), false spike (
), fanshell (
), finerayed pigtoe (
), flat pigtoe (
), Guadalupe fatmucket (
), Guadalupe orb (
), heavy pigtoe (
), Higgins eye (
), longsolid (
), Louisiana pearlshell (
), Neosho mucket (
), northern riffleshell (
), orangenacre mucket (
), Ouachita rock pocketbook (
), ovate clubshell (
), round hickorynut (
), scaleshell (
), slabside pearlymussel (
), snuffbox (
), southern clubshell (
), southern combshell (
), speckled pocketbook (
), spectaclecase (
), stirrupshell (
), Texas fatmucket (
), Texas fawnsfoot (
), Texas hornshell (
), Texas pimpleback (
), turgid blossom (
), and winged mapleleaf (
); Insects: American burying beetle (
) | Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia | Presence/probable absence surveys and scientific studies | Capture, handle, identify, collect glochidia, and release | New. |
| ES91373A-4 | Jonathan Miller; Brundidge, AL | Alabama lampmussel (
), Alabama moccasinshell (
), Alabama pearlshell (
), black clubshell (
), Chipola slabshell (
), Choctaw bean (
), Coosa moccasinshell (
), cracking pearlymussel (
), Cumberlandian combshell (
), dark pigtoe (
dromedary pearlymussel (
), fanshell (
), fat pocketbook (
), fat threeridge mussel (
), finelined pocketbook (
), finerayed pigtoe (
), fluted kidneyshell (
), fuzzy pigtoe (
), Georgia pigtoe (
), Gulf moccasinshell (
), heavy pigtoe (
), inflated heelsplitter (
), Louisiana pearlshell (
), narrow pigtoe
), orangenacre mucket (
), oval pigtoe (
), ovate clubshell (
), pink mucket (
), purple bankclimber (
), rabbitsfoot (
), ring pink (
), rough pigtoe (
), round ebonyshell (
), sheepnose (
), shiny pigtoe (
), shinyrayed pocketbook (
), slabside pearlymussel (
), snuffbox (
), southern clubshell (
), southern kidneyshell (
), southern pigtoe (
), southern sandshell (
), tapered pigtoe (
), and triangular kidneyshell (
) | Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi | Presence/probable absence surveys | Capture, handle, identify, release, and salvage relic shells | Renewal. |
| ES56749B-5 | Patrick Moore; Johnson City, TN | Gray bat (
), Indiana bat (
), northern long-eared bat (
), Ozark big-eared bat (
), tricolored bat (
), and Virginia big-eared bat (
) | Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming | Presence/probable absence surveys, studies to document habitat use, population monitoring, and studies to evaluate potential impacts of white-nose syndrome or other threats | Enter hibernacula or maternity roost caves, capture with mist nets or harp traps, handle, identify, band, radio tag, and release | Renewal and amendment. |
| ES070800-7 | Ecological Solutions, Inc; Roswell, GA | Fishes: amber darter (
), blue shiner (
), Cherokee darter (
), Conasauga logperch (
), Etowah darter (
), goldline darter (
), rush darter (
), snail darter (
), spring pygmy sunfish (
), and vermilion darter (
); Mussels: Alabama moccasinshell (
), Alabama pearlshell (
), Altamaha spinymussel (
), Chipola slabshell (
), Choctaw bean (
), Coosa moccasinshell (
), Cumberland bean (
), fat threeridge (
), finelined pocketbook (
), fuzzy pigtoe (
), Georgia pigtoe (
), Gulf moccasinshell (
), narrow pigtoe (
), Ochlockonee moccasinshell (
), orangenacre mucket (
), oval pigtoe (
), ovate clubshell (
), purple bankclimber (
), rabbitsfoot (
), round ebonyshell (
), sheepnose (
), shinyrayed pocketbook (
), slabside pearlymussel (
), snuffbox (
), southern acornshell (
), southern clubshell (
), southern combshell (
), southern kidneyshell (
), southern pigtoe (
), southern sandshell (
), spectaclecase (
), tapered pigtoe (
), triangular kidneyshell (
), and upland combshell (
) | Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee | Presence/probable absence surveys | Capture, handle, identify, and release | Renewal. |
| ES070796-12 | Apogee Environmental & Archaeological, Inc.; Pittsburgh, PA | Gray bat (
), Indiana bat (
), northern long-eared bat (
), Ozark big-eared bat (
), and Virginia big-eared bat (
) | Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming | Presence/probable absence surveys, studies to document habitat use, population monitoring, and studies to evaluate potential impacts of white-nose syndrome or other threats | Enter hibernacula or maternity roost caves, capture with mist nets or harp traps, handle, identify, band, radio tag, and release | Renewal. |
| ES129703-7 | HMB Professional Engineers, Inc.; Frankfort, KY | Bats: gray bat (
), Indiana bat (
), northern long-eared bat (
), tricolored bat (
), and Virginia big-eared bat (
); Fishes: amber darter (
), blackside dace, (
), blue shiner (
), bluemask darter (
), boulder darter (
), Conasauga logperch (
), Cumberland darter (
), diamond darter (
), duskytail darter (
), Kentucky arrow darter (
), palezone shiner (
), pygmy madtom (
), relict darter (
), and smoky madtom (
); Mussels: Alabama lampmussel (
), Appalachian elktoe (
), Appalachian monkeyface (
), birdwing pearlymussel (
), clubshell (
), Coosa moccasinshell (
), cracking pearlymussel (
), Cumberland bean (
), Cumberland elktoe (
), Cumberland monkeyface (
), Cumberland pigtoe (
), Cumberlandian combshell (
), dromedary pearlymussel (
), fanshell (
), fat pocketbook (
) finerayed pigtoe (
), fluted kidneyshell (
) green blossom (
), littlewing pearlymussel (
), longsolid (
), northern riffleshell (
), orangefoot pimpleback (pearlymussel) (
), oyster mussel (
), pale lilliput (
), pink mucket (
), purple bean (
), purple cat's paw (
), rabbitsfoot (
), ring pink (
), rough pigtoe (
), rough rabbitsfoot (
), round hickorynut (
), sheepnose (
), shiny pigtoe (
), slabside pearlymussel (
), snuffbox (
), southern acornshell (
), southern pigtoe (
), spectaclecase (
), tan riffleshell (
[=
]), triangular kidneyshell (
), turgid blossom (
), upland combshell (
), white wartyback (
), winged mapleleaf (
), and yellow blossom (
); Crustacean: Big Sandy crayfish (
) | Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, and West Virginia | Presence/probable absence surveys, studies to document habitat use, and population monitoring | Bats: enter hibernacula or maternity roost caves, capture with mist nets or harp traps, handle, identify, band, radio tag, and release; Fishes and Crustacean: capture, handle, identify, and release; Mussels: capture, handle, identify, release, and salvage relic shells | Renewal and amendment. |
| ES171545-4 | Ronald Redman; Benton, AR | Gray bat (
), Indiana bat (
), northern long-eared bat (
), Ozark big-eared bat (
), and Virginia big-eared bat (
) | Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin | Presence/probable absence surveys and white-nose syndrome research | Enter hibernacula or maternity roost caves, capture with mist nets or harp traps, handle, identify, band, radio tag, swab, and release | Renewal. |
| ES71854A-1 | David Eargle; Columbia, SC | Carolina heelsplitter (
) | North Carolina and South Carolina | Presence/probable absence surveys | Capture, handle, identify, release, and salvage relic shells | Renewal. |
| PER1922058-0 | Tracy Feltman; Chatsworth, GA | Fishes: amber darter (
), blue shiner (
), Cherokee darter (
), Conasauga logperch (
), Etowah darter (
), frecklebelly madtom (
), goldline darter (
), and trispot darter (
); Mussels: Alabama moccasinshell (
), Coosa moccasinshell (
), fat threeridge (
), finelined pocketbook (
), purple bankclimber (
), shinyrayed pocketbook (
), and southern acornshell (
) | Georgia | Presence/probable absence surveys | Capture, handle, identify, and release | New. |
| ES63577A-3 | Mammoth Cave National Park; Mammoth Cave, KY | Gray bat (
), Indiana bat (
), northern long-eared bat (
), and tricolored bat (
) | Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia | Presence/probable absence surveys, studies to document habitat use, disease surveillance activities, and population monitoring | Enter hibernacula or maternity roost caves, capture with mist nets or harp traps, handle, identify, band, radio tag, collect hair samples, PIT tag, light tag, wing punch, and release | Renewal and amendment. |
| ES37900B-2 | Sarah Lauerman; Gainesville, FL | Red-cockaded woodpecker (
) | Osceola National Forest, Florida | Population monitoring and translocation of subadults from Osceola National Forest (donor population) to recruitment clusters | Capture, handle, band, monitor nest cavities, and translocate | Renewal. |
| ES53149B-3 | Hans William Otto; Tucson, AZ | Mammals: Gray bat (
), Indiana bat (
), northern long-eared bat (
), Ozark big-eared bat (
), and Virginia big-eared bat (
); Mice: New Mexico meadow jumping mouse (
) | Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming | Presence/probable absence surveys and scientific research | Bats: enter hibernacula or maternity roost caves, capture with mist nets or harp traps, handle, identify, collect hair samples, band, radio tag, light tag, collect fecal material, apply fungal lift tape, swab, wing punch, and release; Mice: live trap, handle, identify, and release | Renewal. |
| ES142294-6 | William Holiman; Little Rock, AR | Red-cockaded woodpecker (
) | Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas | Population management and monitoring | Capture, band, construct and monitor artificial nest cavities and restrictors, translocate, recapture, and release | Renewal. |
| ES066980-6 | Brandon Rutledge; Newton, GA | Red-cockaded woodpecker (
) | Georgia | Population management and monitoring | Capture, band, construct and monitor artificial nest cavities and restrictors, translocate, recapture, buccal swab, and release | Renewal. |
| PER2378263-0 | Anthony Ledbetter; Clyde, NC | Gray bat (
), Indiana bat (
), northern long-eared bat (
), and tricolored bat (
) | Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin | Presence/probable absence surveys | Enter hibernacula or maternity roost caves, capture with mist nets or harp traps, handle, identify, band, radio tag, and release | New. |
| ES63633A-7 | Biodiversity Research Institute; Portland, ME | Gray bat (
), Indiana bat (
), and northern long-eared bat (
) | Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming | Presence/probable absence surveys, studies to document habitat use, population monitoring, and studies to evaluate potential impacts of white-nose syndrome or other threats | Enter hibernacula or maternity roost caves, capture with mist nets or harp traps, handle, identify, band, collect hair samples, radio tag, wing punch, and release | Renewal. |
| ES034476-5 | Florida Forest Service; Milton, FL | Red-cockaded woodpecker (
) | Florida | Population management and monitoring | Install artificial nest cavities and restrictors, monitor nest cavities, capture, band, translocate, and release | Renewal. |
| PER2417230-0 | Zachariah Alley; Cincinnati, OH | Amber darter (
), blackside dace (
), blue shiner (
), candy darter (
), Carolina madtom (
), Cherokee darter (
), chucky madtom (
), Conasauga logperch (
), Cumberland darter (
), diamond darter (
), Etowah darter (
), frecklebelly madtom (
), goldline darter (
), Kentucky arrow darter (
), laurel dace (
), pallid sturgeon (
), relict darter (
), Roanoke logperch (
), smoky madtom (
), and trispot darter (
) | Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia | Presence/probable absence surveys | Capture, handle, identify, and release | New. |
| ES22311A-6 | Tennessee Aquarium; Chattanooga, TN | Alabama cavefish (
), amber darter (
), Barrens topminnow (
), blue shiner (
), Cahaba shiner (
), Conasauga logperch (
), Cumberland darter (
), frecklebelly madtom (
), goldline darter (
), laurel dace (
), rush darter (
), sickle darter (
), snail darter (
), trispot darter (
), vermilion darter (
), and watercress darter (
) | Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia | Presence/probable absence surveys, tissue collection for genetic analysis, and captive propagation | Capture, identify, take fin clips, and release | Renewal and amendment. |
**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 ask us in your comment to 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 a permit to an applicant 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.* ).
John Tirpak,
Deputy Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, Southeast Region.