81 FR 15677 - Asian Longhorned Beetle Eradication Program; Record of Decision

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 57 (March 24, 2016)

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has prepared a record of decision for the final environmental impact statement for the Asian Longhorned Beetle Eradication Program.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 57 (Thursday, March 24, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 15677]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-06660]


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Notices
                                                Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 57 / Thursday, March 24, 2016 / 
Notices

[[Page 15677]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2013-0003]


Asian Longhorned Beetle Eradication Program; Record of Decision

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service has prepared a record of decision for the final 
environmental impact statement for the Asian Longhorned Beetle 
Eradication Program.

DATES: Effective March 24, 2016.

ADDRESSES: You may read the documents referenced in this notice and any 
comments we received in our reading room. The reading room 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. Those 
documents are posted with the comments we received on the 
Regulations.gov Web site at http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2013-0003.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions related to the Asian 
Longhorned Beetle Eradication Program, contact Dr. Robyn Rose, National 
Asian Longhorned Beetle Eradication Program Manager, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 
River Road, Unit 26, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 851-2283. For questions 
related to the environmental impact statement, contact Dr. Jim E. 
Warren, Environmental Protection Specialist/Environmental Toxicologist, 
Environmental and Risk Analysis Services, PPD, APHIS, 4700 River Road, 
Unit 149, Riverdale, MD 20737; (202) 316-3216.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On August 16, 2013, the United States Department of Agriculture's 
(USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) published a 
notice in the Federal Register (78 FR 50022-50023) announcing the 
agency's plans to prepare an environmental impact statement to analyze 
the effects of a program to eradicate the Asian longhorned beetle from 
wherever it might occur in the United States. The notice identified 
potential issues and alternatives that would be studied in the 
environmental impact statement and requested public comments to further 
delineate the scope of the alternatives and environmental impacts and 
issues.
    A notice of availability for the draft EIS was initially published 
by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the Federal Register on 
March 13, 2015 (80 FR 13373, Docket No. ER-FRL-9019-9), and a notice of 
availability regarding the final EIS was published by EPA in the 
Federal Register on September 11, 2015 (80 FR 54785-54786, Docket No. 
ER-FRL-9022-8).
    The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) implementing 
regulations in 40 CFR 1506.10 require a minimum 30-day waiting period 
between the time a final EIS is published and the time an agency makes 
a decision on an action covered by the EIS. APHIS has reviewed the 
final EIS and comments received during the 30-day waiting period and 
has concluded that the final EIS fully analyzes the issues covered by 
the draft EIS and the comments and suggestions submitted by commenters. 
Based on our final EIS, the responses to public comments, and other 
pertinent scientific data, APHIS has prepared a record of decision.
    The record of decision has been prepared in accordance with: (1) 
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 17th day of March 2016.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-06660 Filed 3-23-16; 8:45 am]
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