Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Draft Revised Indiana Bat Summer Survey Guidelines, 1879-1880 [2013-00213]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 6 / Wednesday, January 9, 2013 / Notices • Email: permitsR6ES@fws.gov. Please refer to the respective permit number (e.g., Permit No. TE–123456) in the subject line of the message. • U.S. Mail: Kris Olsen, Permit Coordinator, Ecological Services, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 25486–DFC, Denver, CO 80225. • In-Person Drop-off, Viewing, or Pickup: Call (303) 236–4256 to make an appointment during regular business hours at 134 Union Blvd., Suite 645, Lakewood, CO 80228. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kris Olsen, Permit Coordinator Ecological Services, (303) 236–4256 (phone); permitsR6ES@fws.gov (email). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background The Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) prohibits activities with endangered and threatened species unless a Federal permit allows such activity. Along with our implementing regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 50 CFR 17, the Act provides for permits, and requires that we invite public comment before issuing these permits. A permit granted by us under section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Act authorizes applicants to conduct activities with U.S. endangered or threatened species for scientific purposes, enhancement of propagation or survival, or interstate commerce (the latter only in the event that it facilitates scientific purposes or enhancement of propagation or survival). 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. srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with Applications Available for Review and Comment We invite local, State, and Federal agencies, and the public to comment on the following applications. Please refer to the appropriate permit number (e.g., Permit No. TE–123456) for the application when submitting comments. Documents and other information the applicants have submitted with these applications are available for review, subject to the requirements of the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a) and Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552). Permit Application Number: TE–064680 Applicant: David Worthington, National Park Service, Capitol Reef National Park, Torrey, Utah. The applicant requests renewal of an existing permit to remove and reduce to VerDate Mar<15>2010 16:39 Jan 08, 2013 Jkt 229001 possession Schoenocrambe barnebyi (Barney reed-mustard) and Sclerocactus wrightiae (Wright fishhook cactus), in conjunction with surveys and population monitoring for the purpose of enhancing each species’ survival. Activities would occur on Federal lands in Utah, throughout the range of each species. Permit Application Number: TE–207948 Applicant: John Mull, Weber State University, Ogden, Utah. The applicant requests renewal of an existing permit to remove and reduce to possession Astragalus holmgreniorum (Holmgren milk-vetch), in conjunction with surveys and population monitoring for the purpose of enhancing each species’ survival. Activities would occur on Federal lands in Arizona and Utah, throughout the range of the species. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) In compliance with NEPA (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), we have made an initial determination that the proposed activities in these permits are categorically excluded from the requirement to prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement (516 DM 6 Appendix 1, 1.4C(1)). Public Availability of Comments All comments and materials we receive in response to this request will be available for public inspection, by appointment, during normal business hours at the address listed in the ADDRESSES section of this notice. 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. Authority: We provide this notice under section 10 of the Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) Dated: January 2, 2013. Michael G. Thabault, Assistant Regional Director, Mountain-Prairie Region. [FR Doc. 2013–00133 Filed 1–8–13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310–55–P PO 00000 Frm 00056 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 1879 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR [FWS–R5–ES–2012–N195; FXES11130300000–134–FF03E00000] Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Draft Revised Indiana Bat Summer Survey Guidelines Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments. AGENCY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), announce the availability of our draft revised summer survey guidelines for the Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) for public review and comment. The Indiana bat is federally listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). The draft guidelines were prepared by representatives of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service, U.S. Department of Defense’s Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Department of the Interior’s Geological Survey and USFWS, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. We request review and comment on our guidelines—along with acoustic identification software testing criteria our 2013 contingency plan— from local, State, and Federal agencies and the public. DATES: Comments on the draft guidelines must be received on or before February 8, 2013. ADDRESSES: Obtaining Documents: The draft survey guidelines, acoustic identification software testing criteria, and 2013 contingency plan are available at https://www.fws.gov/midwest/ Endangered/mammals/inba/ inbasummersurveyguidance.html. The documents are also available by request, by U.S. mail from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services Field Office, 620 South Walker Street, Bloomington, IN 47403–2121; or by phone at 812–334–4261, x1216. Submitting Comments: If you wish to comment on the documents, you may submit your comments in writing by any one of the following methods: • U.S. mail: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 620 South Walker Street, Bloomington, IN 47403–2121; • Hand-delivery: Field Supervisor at the above U.S. mail address; • Email: indiana_bat@fws.gov; or • Fax: 812–334–4273. Include ‘‘Indiana Bat Summer Survey Guidelines’’ in the subject line of the facsimile transmittal. SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\09JAN1.SGM 09JAN1 1880 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 6 / Wednesday, January 9, 2013 / Notices FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions or requests for additional information may be directed to any of the following: (1) Mr. Andrew King, Endangered Species Biologist, at the Bloomington, Indiana, Field Office address or phone above; (2) Ms. Robyn Niver, Endangered Species Biologist, by U.S. mail at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services Field Office, 3817 Luker Road, Cortland, NY 13045; or by phone at 607–753–9334; or (3) Mr. Mike Armstrong, Endangered Species Biologist, by U.S. mail at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological Services Field Office, J. C. Watts Federal Building, Room 265, 330 West Broadway, Frankfort, KY 40601–8670; or by phone at 502–229–4632. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with Background The Indiana bat was originally listed as in danger of extinction under the Endangered Species Preservation Act of 1966. Summer survey guidelines (mistnetting protocols) were first developed for the species in the early 1990s and the USFWS provided revised mistnetting guidelines in our 2007 Draft Revised Recovery Plan. The USFWS recently convened a group of State and Federal agency representatives to revise existing survey guidelines. We solicited peer review through the bat working groups across the range of the Indiana bat between February and March 2012 and received comments from 57 individuals. Based upon comments received and the results of pilot testing of the survey guidelines at known Indiana bat maternity colonies in the summer of 2012, we offer the revised guidelines for public review and comment. In addition to soliciting comments on draft survey guidelines for determining presence or probable absence of Indiana bats in the summer, we request comment on our proposed approach and criteria for testing the accuracy and suitability of available acoustic identification software programs. Only programs that pass our suitability test would be approved by the USFWS for official survey use. Our goal is to incorporate comments and finalize the draft survey guidelines and testing criteria in time for implementation in the 2013 field season. However, should no USFWS-approved software programs be concurrently available, we propose to follow an intermediary contingency plan. The draft survey guidelines, draft acoustic identification software testing criteria, and 2013 contingency plan, with instructions for commenting, are VerDate Mar<15>2010 16:39 Jan 08, 2013 Jkt 229001 available on the Internet (see ADDRESSES). DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Land Management Request for Public Comments We invite written comments on (1) The draft survey guidelines, (2) the acoustic identification software testing criteria, and (3) the 2013 contingency plan. Substantive comments may or may not result in changes to the USFWS guidance document. Please include sufficient information with your comments to allow us to verify any scientific or commercial information you include. While all comments we receive will be considered in developing final documents, we encourage commenters to focus on those portions of the guidelines that have been revised, particularly those topics noted above that address peer-review comments. All comments received by the date specified in DATES will be considered in preparing final documents. Methods of submitting comments are in ADDRESSES. Public Availability of Comments Responses to individual commenters will not be provided; however, we will provide the comments we receive and a summary of how we addressed substantive comments in a frequently asked questions document on the Web site listed above. If you submit comments or information by email to indiana_bat@fws.gov, your entire submission—including any personal identifying information—will be posted on the Web site. If your submission is made by hard copy that includes personal identifying information, you may request at the top of your document that we withhold this information from public review. However, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so. We will post all hard copy and email submissions on the Web site listed above in ADDRESSES. Comments and materials we receive will be available on our Web site; however, individuals without internet access may request an appointment to inspect the comments during normal business hours at our office in Bloomington, Indiana (see ADDRESSES). Authority The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). Dated: January 2, 2013. Lynn M. Lewis, Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, Midwest Region. [FR Doc. 2013–00213 Filed 1–8–13; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE P PO 00000 Frm 00057 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 [LLNM–922000–L51100000–GA0000– LVEMG12CG300; NMNM–126813] Notice of Availability of the Environmental Assessment and Notice of Public Hearing for the Peabody Natural Resources Company Federal Coal Lease Application, NM Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: In accordance with the Federal coal management regulations, the Peabody Natural Resources Company, Federal Coal Lease-byApplication Environmental Assessment (EA) is available for public review and comment. The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) New Mexico State Office, will hold a public hearing to receive comments on the EA, Fair Market Value (FMV), and Maximum Economic Recovery (MER) of the coal resources for Peabody Natural Resources Company, NMNM–126813. DATES: The public hearing will be held at 3 p.m. on February 8, 2013. Written comments should be received no later than March 11, 2013. ADDRESSES: The public hearing will be held at the Cibola County Convention Room, 515 West High St., Grants, New Mexico. Written comments should be sent to Gary Torres at the BLM Farmington Field Office, 6251 College Blvd., Suite A, Farmington, NM 87402 or by fax at 505–564–7608. Copies of the Draft EA, the unsigned Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) and the MER report are available at the Farmington Field Office address above. The documents are also available electronically at the following Web site: https://www.blm.gov/nm/st/en/fo/ Farmington_Field_Office/ffo_nepa/ ffo_mineral_eas_open.html. SUMMARY: FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shannon Hoefeler at 505–564–7732, shoefele@blm.gov, or Gary Torres at 505–564–7612, gtorres@blm.gov. Persons who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339 to contact the above individual during normal business hours. The FIRS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to leave a message or question with the above individuals. You will receive a reply during normal business hours. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A leaseby-application was filed by Peabody E:\FR\FM\09JAN1.SGM 09JAN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 6 (Wednesday, January 9, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1879-1880]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-00213]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

[FWS-R5-ES-2012-N195; FXES11130300000-134-FF03E00000]


Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Draft Revised 
Indiana Bat Summer Survey Guidelines

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), announce the 
availability of our draft revised summer survey guidelines for the 
Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) for public review and comment. The Indiana 
bat is federally listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act 
of 1973, as amended (Act). The draft guidelines were prepared by 
representatives of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service, 
U.S. Department of Defense's Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Department 
of the Interior's Geological Survey and USFWS, Kentucky Department of 
Fish and Wildlife Resources, New York State Department of Environmental 
Conservation, and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. We 
request review and comment on our guidelines--along with acoustic 
identification software testing criteria our 2013 contingency plan--
from local, State, and Federal agencies and the public.

DATES: Comments on the draft guidelines must be received on or before 
February 8, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Obtaining Documents: The draft survey guidelines, acoustic 
identification software testing criteria, and 2013 contingency plan are 
available at https://www.fws.gov/midwest/Endangered/mammals/inba/inbasummersurveyguidance.html. The documents are also available by 
request, by U.S. mail from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 
Ecological Services Field Office, 620 South Walker Street, Bloomington, 
IN 47403-2121; or by phone at 812-334-4261, x1216. Submitting Comments: 
If you wish to comment on the documents, you may submit your comments 
in writing by any one of the following methods:
     U.S. mail: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 620 South 
Walker Street, Bloomington, IN 47403-2121;
     Hand-delivery: Field Supervisor at the above U.S. mail 
address;
     Email: indiana_bat@fws.gov; or
     Fax: 812-334-4273. Include ``Indiana Bat Summer Survey 
Guidelines'' in the subject line of the facsimile transmittal.

[[Page 1880]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions or requests for additional 
information may be directed to any of the following: (1) Mr. Andrew 
King, Endangered Species Biologist, at the Bloomington, Indiana, Field 
Office address or phone above; (2) Ms. Robyn Niver, Endangered Species 
Biologist, by U.S. mail at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological 
Services Field Office, 3817 Luker Road, Cortland, NY 13045; or by phone 
at 607-753-9334; or (3) Mr. Mike Armstrong, Endangered Species 
Biologist, by U.S. mail at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ecological 
Services Field Office, J. C. Watts Federal Building, Room 265, 330 West 
Broadway, Frankfort, KY 40601-8670; or by phone at 502-229-4632.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The Indiana bat was originally listed as in danger of extinction 
under the Endangered Species Preservation Act of 1966. Summer survey 
guidelines (mist-netting protocols) were first developed for the 
species in the early 1990s and the USFWS provided revised mist-netting 
guidelines in our 2007 Draft Revised Recovery Plan. The USFWS recently 
convened a group of State and Federal agency representatives to revise 
existing survey guidelines. We solicited peer review through the bat 
working groups across the range of the Indiana bat between February and 
March 2012 and received comments from 57 individuals. Based upon 
comments received and the results of pilot testing of the survey 
guidelines at known Indiana bat maternity colonies in the summer of 
2012, we offer the revised guidelines for public review and comment.
    In addition to soliciting comments on draft survey guidelines for 
determining presence or probable absence of Indiana bats in the summer, 
we request comment on our proposed approach and criteria for testing 
the accuracy and suitability of available acoustic identification 
software programs. Only programs that pass our suitability test would 
be approved by the USFWS for official survey use. Our goal is to 
incorporate comments and finalize the draft survey guidelines and 
testing criteria in time for implementation in the 2013 field season. 
However, should no USFWS-approved software programs be concurrently 
available, we propose to follow an intermediary contingency plan. The 
draft survey guidelines, draft acoustic identification software testing 
criteria, and 2013 contingency plan, with instructions for commenting, 
are available on the Internet (see ADDRESSES).

Request for Public Comments

    We invite written comments on (1) The draft survey guidelines, (2) 
the acoustic identification software testing criteria, and (3) the 2013 
contingency plan. Substantive comments may or may not result in changes 
to the USFWS guidance document. Please include sufficient information 
with your comments to allow us to verify any scientific or commercial 
information you include.
    While all comments we receive will be considered in developing 
final documents, we encourage commenters to focus on those portions of 
the guidelines that have been revised, particularly those topics noted 
above that address peer-review comments.
    All comments received by the date specified in DATES will be 
considered in preparing final documents. Methods of submitting comments 
are in ADDRESSES.

Public Availability of Comments

    Responses to individual commenters will not be provided; however, 
we will provide the comments we receive and a summary of how we 
addressed substantive comments in a frequently asked questions document 
on the Web site listed above. If you submit comments or information by 
email to indiana_bat@fws.gov, your entire submission--including any 
personal identifying information--will be posted on the Web site. If 
your submission is made by hard copy that includes personal identifying 
information, you may request at the top of your document that we 
withhold this information from public review. However, we cannot 
guarantee that we will be able to do so. We will post all hard copy and 
email submissions on the Web site listed above in ADDRESSES.
    Comments and materials we receive will be available on our Web 
site; however, individuals without internet access may request an 
appointment to inspect the comments during normal business hours at our 
office in Bloomington, Indiana (see ADDRESSES).

Authority

    The authority for this action is the Endangered Species Act of 
1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.).

    Dated: January 2, 2013.
Lynn M. Lewis,
Assistant Regional Director, Ecological Services, Midwest Region.
[FR Doc. 2013-00213 Filed 1-8-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
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