90 FR 57 pg. 13776 - Emergency Exemption; Issuance of Emergency Permit To Import Endangered Species
Type: NOTICEVolume: 90Number: 57Page: 13776
Page: 13776Docket number: [Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2025-0009; FXIA16710900000-256-FF09A30000]
FR document: [FR Doc. 2025-05132 Filed 3-25-25; 8:45 am]
Agency: Interior Department
Sub Agency: Fish and Wildlife Service
Official PDF Version: PDF Version
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service
[Docket No. FWS-HQ-IA-2025-0009; FXIA16710900000-256-FF09A30000]
Emergency Exemption; Issuance of Emergency Permit To Import Endangered Species
AGENCY:
Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.
ACTION:
Notice of issuance of permit.
SUMMARY:
We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have waived the 30-day public notice period and have issued an endangered species permit for import of up to 1,875 blood and tissue samples from the radiated tortoise ( Geochelone radiata ), an endangered tortoise species. We issue this permit under the Endangered Species Act.
ADDRESSES:
Materials pertaining to the permit application are available by submitting a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Service's FOIA office at https://www.doi.gov/foia/foia-request-form.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Timothy MacDonald, by phone at 703-358-2104 or via email at DMAFR@fws.gov. Individuals in the United States who are deaf, blind, 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 (Service), have issued an emergency permit to conduct certain activities with the endangered radiated tortoise ( Geochelone radiata ) in response to a permit application that we received under the authority of section 10(a)(1)(A) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq. )
We issued the requested permit subject to certain conditions set forth in the permit. For the application, we found that (1) the application was filed in good faith, (2) the granted permit would not operate to the disadvantage of the endangered species, and (3) the granted permit would be consistent with the purposes and policy set forth in section 2 of the ESA.
| Permit No. | Applicant | Permit issuance date |
|---|---|---|
| PER14597798 | Wildlife Conservation Society | February 10, 2025. |
The Wildlife Conservation Society requested a permit to import up to 1,875 biological samples from captive-held, confiscated radiated tortoises in Madagascar, due a recent die-off of these tortoises from an unknown cause that has halted re-introduction efforts. The Service determined that an emergency affecting the health of these captive-held tortoises existed and that no reasonable alternative was available to the applicant.
On February 10, 2025, the Service issued permit no. PER14597798 to the Wildlife Conservation Society to import up to 1,875 biological samples from captive-held, confiscated radiated tortoises for the purpose of enhancement of the survival of the species.
Authority
We issue this notice under the authority of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (ESA; 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq. ), and its implementing regulations.
Timothy MacDonald,
Government Information Specialist, Branch of Permits, Division of Management Authority.
[FR Doc. 2025-05132 Filed 3-25-25; 8:45 am]
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