81 FR 15679 - Availability of an Environmental Assessment for the Biological Control of Cape Ivy

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 draft environmental assessment relative to the control of Cape ivy, Delairea odorata. The environmental assessment considers the effects of, and alternatives to, the field release of a gall-forming fly, Parafreutreta regalis, into the continental United States for use as a biological control agent to reduce the severity of Cape Ivy infestations. We are making the environmental assessment available to the public for review and comment.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 57 (Thursday, March 24, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15679-15680]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-06658]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2015-0099]


Availability of an Environmental Assessment for the Biological 
Control of Cape Ivy

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 the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service has prepared a draft environmental assessment 
relative to the control of Cape ivy, Delairea odorata. The 
environmental assessment considers the effects of, and alternatives to, 
the field release of a gall-forming fly, Parafreutreta regalis, into 
the continental United States for use as a biological control agent to 
reduce the severity of Cape Ivy infestations. We are making the 
environmental assessment available to the public for review and 
comment.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before April 
25, 2016.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2015-0099.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2015-0099, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, 
APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1238.
    Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may 
be viewed at http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2015-
0099 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: Mr. Robert Tichenor, Senior 
Entomologist, Plant Health Programs, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 
133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 851-2198.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  Cape ivy (Delairea odorata), a native of 
South Africa, has become one of the most pervasive non-native plants to 
invade the coastal west region of the United States, particularly in 
California and Oregon. Cape ivy is a weedy vine that prefers moist, 
partly-shaded environments along the Pacific coast; however, there are 
reports of infestations at inland riparian locations. Fragments of the 
plant easily root, which facilitates the spread of this invasive plant. 
Overgrowth of cape ivy, a climbing vine, causes native plants to die. 
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is proposing to 
issue permits for the field release of a gall-forming fly, 
Parafreutreta regalis, into the continental United States to reduce the 
severity of cape ivy infestations.
    APHIS' review and analysis of the proposed action are documented in 
detail in a draft environmental assessment (EA) entitled ``Field 
Release of the Gall-forming Fly, Parafreutreta regalis Munro (Diptera: 
Tephritidae), for Biological Control of Cape-ivy, Delairea ordorata 
(Asterales: Asteraceae), in the Contiguous United States'' (February 
2015). We are making the EA 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.
    The EA 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 draft EA by calling or writing to the 
person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMAITON CONTACT. Please refer to 
the title of the EA when requesting copies.
    The EA has 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).


[[Page 15680]]


    Done in Washington, DC, this 17th day of March 2016.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-06658 Filed 3-23-16; 8:45 am]
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