80_FR_53657 80 FR 53485 - Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza; Availability of an Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

80 FR 53485 - Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza; Availability of an Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 172 (September 4, 2015)

Page Range53485-53485
FR Document2015-21994

We are advising the public that an environmental assessment has been prepared by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service relative to a national approach for the control of highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks within the United States. Based on our environmental assessment, we have concluded that such an approach will not have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment. We are making this environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact available to the public for review and comment.

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 172 (Friday, September 4, 2015) 
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 172 (Friday, September 4, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 53485]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-21994]


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Notices
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
appearing in this section.

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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 172 / Friday, September 4, 2015 / 
Notices

[[Page 53485]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2015-0058]


Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza; Availability of an 
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that an environmental assessment 
has been prepared by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
relative to a national approach for the control of highly pathogenic 
avian influenza outbreaks within the United States. Based on our 
environmental assessment, we have concluded that such an approach will 
not have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment. 
We are making this environmental assessment and finding of no 
significant impact available to the public for review and comment.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
October 5, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2015-0058.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2015-0058, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, 
APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1238.
    The environmental assessment, finding of no significant impact, and 
any comments we receive may be viewed at http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2015-0058 or in our reading room, which is 
located in room 1141 of the USDA South Building, 14th Street and 
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC. Normal reading room hours are 
8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. To be sure 
someone is there to help you, please call (202) 799-7039 before coming.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Lori Miller, PE, Senior Staff 
Officer and Environmental Engineer, APHIS Veterinary Services, 4700 
River Road Unit 41, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 851-3512.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is 
a significant and often fatal zoonotic disease of poultry. In December 
2014, two H5 viruses of HPAI were discovered in the United States. 
These viruses were subsequently detected in both migratory waterfowl 
and domestic poultry, and significantly affected domestic poultry 
production within the United States. Two poultry production sectors, 
commercial meat turkeys and laying chickens, were heavily impacted by 
the disease, resulting in the loss or destruction of over 48 million 
birds between December 2014 and June 2015.
    While disease eradication efforts, northern migration of wild 
waterfowl, and the natural disinfecting effect of summer heat have 
currently halted the spread of the disease within the United States, 
the migration southward of potentially infected wild waterfowl during 
the autumn could precipitate a new round of outbreaks.
    To address this potential new round of outbreaks, the Animal and 
Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has prepared an environmental 
assessment, titled ``High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza Control in 
Commercial Poultry Operations--A National Approach,'' relative to a 
national approach to controlling outbreaks of HPAI within the United 
States. The environmental assessment suggests an approach in which 
APHIS uses its centralized management of carcass disposal activities to 
ensure consistency throughout the United States with regard to control 
efforts in response to HPAI outbreaks. Under this approach, APHIS would 
provide information and other support to State and local authorities to 
help them determine which depopulation, disposal, and cleaning and 
disinfection methods are most appropriate for the situation. Based on 
the environmental assessment, APHIS has decided to implement this 
approach, and has concluded that the approach will not have a 
significant impact on the quality of the human environment.
    We are making both this environmental assessment and finding of no 
significant impact available to the public for review and comment. We 
will consider all comments that we receive on or before the date listed 
under the heading DATES at the beginning of this notice. If comments 
suggest issues that were not previously considered, APHIS may issue a 
supplement to the environmental assessment and finding of no 
significant impact.
    The environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact 
may be viewed on the Regulations.gov Web site or in our reading room 
(see ADDRESSES above for a link to Regulations.gov and information on 
the location and hours of the reading room). You may request paper 
copies of the environmental assessment or finding of no significant 
impact by calling or writing to the person listed under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT. Please refer to the title of the documents when 
requesting copies.
    The environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact 
have been prepared in accordance with: (1) The National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), (2) 
regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality for implementing 
the procedural provisions of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), (3) USDA 
regulations implementing NEPA (7 CFR part 1b), and (4) APHIS' NEPA 
Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part 372).

    Done in Washington, DC, this 31st day of August 2015.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-21994 Filed 9-3-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-34-P

53485 Notices Federal Register Vol. 80, No. 172 Friday, September 4, 2015 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER room 1141 of the USDA South Building, Based on the environmental assessment, contains documents other than rules or 14th Street and Independence Avenue APHIS has decided to implement this proposed rules that are applicable to the SW., Washington, DC. Normal reading approach, and has concluded that the public. Notices of hearings and investigations, room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., approach will not have a significant committee meetings, agency decisions and Monday through Friday, except rulings, delegations of authority, filing of impact on the quality of the human holidays. To be sure someone is there to environment. petitions and applications and agency statements of organization and functions are help you, please call (202) 799–7039 before coming. We are making both this examples of documents appearing in this environmental assessment and finding section. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Lori Miller, PE, Senior Staff Officer and of no significant impact available to the Environmental Engineer, APHIS public for review and comment. We will DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Veterinary Services, 4700 River Road consider all comments that we receive Unit 41, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) on or before the date listed under the Animal and Plant Health Inspection 851–3512. heading DATES at the beginning of this Service SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Highly notice. If comments suggest issues that [Docket No. APHIS–2015–0058] pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is a were not previously considered, APHIS significant and often fatal zoonotic may issue a supplement to the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza; disease of poultry. In December 2014, environmental assessment and finding Availability of an Environmental two H5 viruses of HPAI were discovered of no significant impact. Assessment and Finding of No in the United States. These viruses were The environmental assessment and Significant Impact subsequently detected in both migratory finding of no significant impact may be waterfowl and domestic poultry, and viewed on the Regulations.gov Web site AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health significantly affected domestic poultry or in our reading room (see ADDRESSES Inspection Service, USDA. production within the United States. above for a link to Regulations.gov and ACTION: Notice of availability and Two poultry production sectors, request for comments. information on the location and hours of commercial meat turkeys and laying the reading room). You may request SUMMARY: We are advising the public chickens, were heavily impacted by the paper copies of the environmental that an environmental assessment has disease, resulting in the loss or assessment or finding of no significant been prepared by the Animal and Plant destruction of over 48 million birds impact by calling or writing to the Health Inspection Service relative to a between December 2014 and June 2015. While disease eradication efforts, person listed under FOR FURTHER national approach for the control of INFORMATION CONTACT. Please refer to the northern migration of wild waterfowl, highly pathogenic avian influenza title of the documents when requesting and the natural disinfecting effect of outbreaks within the United States. copies. summer heat have currently halted the Based on our environmental assessment, spread of the disease within the United The environmental assessment and we have concluded that such an States, the migration southward of finding of no significant impact have approach will not have a significant potentially infected wild waterfowl been prepared in accordance with: (1) impact on the quality of the human during the autumn could precipitate a The National Environmental Policy Act environment. We are making this new round of outbreaks. of 1969 (NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. environmental assessment and finding To address this potential new round of no significant impact available to the 4321 et seq.), (2) regulations of the of outbreaks, the Animal and Plant Council on Environmental Quality for public for review and comment. Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has DATES: We will consider all comments implementing the procedural provisions prepared an environmental assessment, of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500–1508), (3) that we receive on or before October 5, titled ‘‘High Pathogenicity Avian 2015. USDA regulations implementing NEPA Influenza Control in Commercial (7 CFR part 1b), and (4) APHIS’ NEPA ADDRESSES: You may submit comments Poultry Operations—A National by either of the following methods: Approach,’’ relative to a national Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part • Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to approach to controlling outbreaks of 372). http://www.regulations.gov/ HPAI within the United States. The Done in Washington, DC, this 31st day of #!docketDetail;D=APHIS–2015–0058. environmental assessment suggests an August 2015. • Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: approach in which APHIS uses its Kevin Shea, Send your comment to Docket No. centralized management of carcass Administrator, Animal and Plant Health APHIS–2015–0058, Regulatory Analysis disposal activities to ensure consistency Inspection Service. and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station throughout the United States with [FR Doc. 2015–21994 Filed 9–3–15; 8:45 am] mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES 3A–03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, regard to control efforts in response to BILLING CODE 3410–34–P Riverdale, MD 20737–1238. HPAI outbreaks. Under this approach, The environmental assessment, APHIS would provide information and finding of no significant impact, and other support to State and local any comments we receive may be authorities to help them determine viewed at http://www.regulations.gov/ which depopulation, disposal, and #!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2015-0058 or cleaning and disinfection methods are in our reading room, which is located in most appropriate for the situation. VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:57 Sep 03, 2015 Jkt 235001 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 9990 E:\FR\FM\04SEN1.SGM 04SEN1


Document Created: 2015-12-15 09:58:05
Document Modified: 2015-12-15 09:58:05
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionNotices
ActionNotice of availability and request for comments.
DatesWe will consider all comments that we receive on or before October 5, 2015.
ContactMs. Lori Miller, PE, Senior Staff Officer and Environmental Engineer, APHIS Veterinary Services, 4700 River Road Unit 41, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 851-3512.
FR Citation80 FR 53485 
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