[Federal Register: December 17, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 242)] [Notices] [Page 70697-70698] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr17de99-58] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [I.D. 120999I] Endangered Species; Permits AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Receipt of applications for scientific research and enhancement permits (1224, 1225). ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that NMFS has received an application for a scientific research permit from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Cascade Locks, OR (COE) (1224), and an application for an enhancement permit from Mr. Bruce Hecker, of the South Carolina Aquarium (BH-SCA) (1225). DATES: Comments or requests for a public hearing on the applications must be received at the appropriate address or fax number no later than 5:00pm eastern standard time on January 18, 2000. ADDRESSES: Written comments on the applications should be sent to the appropriate office as indicated below. Comments may also be sent via fax to the number indicated for the application. Comments will not be accepted if submitted via e-mail or the internet. The applications and related documents are available for review in the indicated office, by appointment: For permit 1224: Protected Resources Division, F/NWO3, 525 NE Oregon Street, Suite 500, Portland, OR 97232-2737 (ph: 503-230-5400, fax: 503-230-5435). For permit 1225: Office of Protected Resources, Endangered Species Division, F/PR3, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (ph: 301-713-1401, fax: 301-713-0376). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For permit 1224: Leslie Schaeffer, Portland, OR (ph: 503-230-5433, fax: 503-230-5435, e-mail: Leslie.Schaeffer@noaa.gov). For permit 1225: Terri Jordan, Silver Spring, MD (ph: 301-713-1401, fax: 301-713-0376, e-mail: Terri.Jordan@noaa.gov). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Authority Issuance of permits and permit modifications, as required by the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531-1543) (ESA), is based on a finding that such permits/modifications: (1) Are applied for in good faith; (2) would not operate to the disadvantage of the listed species which are the subject of the permits; and (3) are consistent with the purposes and policies set forth in section 2 of the ESA. Authority to take listed species is subject to conditions set forth in the permits. Permits and modifications are issued in accordance with and are subject to the ESA and NMFS regulations governing listed fish and wildlife permits (50 CFR parts 222-226). Those individuals requesting a hearing on an application listed in this notice should set out the specific reasons why a hearing on that application would be appropriate (see ADDRESSES). The holding of such hearing is at the discretion of the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA. All statements and opinions contained in the permit action summaries are those of the applicant and do not necessarily reflect the views of NMFS. Species Covered in this Notice The following species and evolutionarily significant units (ESU's) are covered in this notice: Steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss): Threatened Snake River (SnR), threatened lower Columbia River (LCR), threatened middle Columbia River (MCR), endangered upper Columbia River (UCR). Endangered shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum). To date, protective regulations for threatened SnR, LCR, and MCR steelhead under section 4(d) of the ESA have not been promulgated by NMFS. This notice of receipt of an application requesting takes of these species is issued as a precaution in the event that NMFS issues protective regulations. The initiation of a 30-day public comment period on the application, including its proposed takes of LCR steelhead, SnR steelhead, and MCR steelhead, does not presuppose the contents of the eventual protective regulations. New Applications Received COE (1224) requests a 5-year scientific research permit to authorize annual takes of SnR steelhead kelts; LCR steelhead kelts, MCR steelhead kelts, and naturally produced and artificially propagated, UCR steelhead kelts associated with research designed to evaluate the survival, travel times and passage routes of adult steelhead that have spawned and are emigrating past John Day, The Dalles, and Bonneville Dams on the Columbia River on their migration back to the Pacific Ocean. Fish will be obtained from Smolt Monitoring Personnel at sampling facilities at John Day and McNary Dams on the Columbia River and from Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife personnel at Powerdale Dam on the Hood River, anesthetized, sampled for length, fin condition and descaling percentages and tagged with passive integrated transponder, radio and/or visual implant tags, and released or transported to a location either above or below Bonneville Dam and released. Indirect mortalities are requested as part of this research. BH-SCA (1225) requests a 5-year enhancement permit to maintain a population of up to eight juvenile shortnose sturgeon in a captive environment for educational purposes. This application meets Recovery Task 2.5 C concerning public education and raising public awareness of sturgeon [[Page 70698]] issues. The aquarium proposes to present the fish in a manner that will enhance the conservation of the species through public education. Dated: December 13, 1999. Wanda L. Cain, Chief, Endangered Species Division, Office of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 99-32779 Filed 12-16-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-22-F