81_FR_8065 81 FR 8034 - Syngenta Seeds Inc.; Availability of a Preliminary Finding of No Significant Impact and Preliminary Decision for an Extension of a Determination of Nonregulated Status of Corn Genetically Engineered for Insect and Glufosinate-Ammonium Resistance

81 FR 8034 - Syngenta Seeds Inc.; Availability of a Preliminary Finding of No Significant Impact and Preliminary Decision for an Extension of a Determination of Nonregulated Status of Corn Genetically Engineered for Insect and Glufosinate-Ammonium Resistance

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 31 (February 17, 2016)

Page Range8034-8035
FR Document2016-03193

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has reached a preliminary decision to extend our determination of nonregulated status of Pioneer corn event DP-004114-3 (hereinafter Pioneer 4114 corn) to Syngenta's corn event MZIR098 in response to a request from Syngenta Seeds Inc. MZIR098 corn has been genetically engineered for resistance to insects and to the herbicide glufosinate-ammonium using the same mechanism of action as Pioneer 4114. We are making available for public comment our preliminary regulatory determination, preliminary finding of no significant impact, and plant pest risk similarity assessment for the proposed determination of nonregulated status.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 31 (Wednesday, February 17, 2016) 
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 31 (Wednesday, February 17, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8034-8035]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-03193]


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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. 81, No. 31 / Wednesday, February 17, 2016 / 
Notices

[[Page 8034]]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2016-0002]


Syngenta Seeds Inc.; Availability of a Preliminary Finding of No 
Significant Impact and Preliminary Decision for an Extension of a 
Determination of Nonregulated Status of Corn Genetically Engineered for 
Insect and Glufosinate-Ammonium Resistance

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 reached a preliminary decision to extend our 
determination of nonregulated status of Pioneer corn event DP-004114-3 
(hereinafter Pioneer 4114 corn) to Syngenta's corn event MZIR098 in 
response to a request from Syngenta Seeds Inc. MZIR098 corn has been 
genetically engineered for resistance to insects and to the herbicide 
glufosinate-ammonium using the same mechanism of action as Pioneer 
4114. We are making available for public comment our preliminary 
regulatory determination, preliminary finding of no significant impact, 
and plant pest risk similarity assessment for the proposed 
determination of nonregulated status.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before March 
18, 2016.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2016-0002.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2016-0002, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, 
APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1238.
    The Syngenta Seeds Inc. extension request, our preliminary finding 
of no significant impact, our preliminary determination, and any 
comments we receive on this docket may be viewed at http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2016-0002 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.
    Supporting documents and any comments we received regarding our 
determination of nonregulated status of the antecedent organism, 
Pioneer 4114 corn, can be found at http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2012-0026. Supporting documents may also be 
found on the APHIS Web site for MZIR098 corn (the organism under 
evaluation) under APHIS Petition Number 15-218-01p, and the antecedent 
organism Pioneer 4114 corn under APHIS Petition Number 11-244-01p.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. John Turner, Director, 
Biotechnology Risk Analysis Programs, Biotechnology Regulatory 
Services, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 147 Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; 
(301) 851-3954, email: [email protected]. To obtain copies 
of the supporting documents, contact Ms. Cindy Eck at (301) 851-3892, 
email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the authority of the plant pest 
provisions of the Plant Protection Act (PPA) (7 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.), 
the regulations in 7 CFR part 340, ``Introduction of Organisms and 
Products Altered or Produced Through Genetic Engineering Which Are 
Plant Pests or Which There Is Reason to Believe Are Plant Pests,'' 
regulate, among other things, the introduction (importation, interstate 
movement, or release into the environment) of organisms and products 
altered or produced through genetic engineering that are plant pests or 
that there is reason to believe are plant pests. Such genetically 
engineered organisms (GE) and products are considered ``regulated 
articles.''
    The regulations in Sec.  340.6(a) provide that any person may 
submit a petition to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
(APHIS) seeking a determination that an article should not be regulated 
under 7 CFR part 340. Further, the regulations in Sec.  340.6(e)(2) 
provide that a person may request that APHIS extend a determination of 
nonregulated status to other organisms. Such a request must include 
information to establish the similarity of the antecedent organism and 
the regulated article in question.
    On June 20, 2013,\1\ APHIS announced its determination of 
nonregulated status of Pioneer 4114 corn, which was genetically 
engineered for resistant to certain lepidopteran and coleopteran pests 
and resistance to the herbicide glufosinate-ammonium. APHIS has 
received a request for an extension of a determination of nonregulated 
status of Pioneer 4114 corn to corn designated as event MZIR098 (APHIS 
Petition Number 15-218-01p) from Syngenta Seeds Inc. (Syngenta) of 
Research Triangle Park, NC. MZIR098 corn expresses resistance to both 
coleopteran pests and the herbicide glufosinate-ammonium. In its 
request, Syngenta stated that this corn is similar to the antecedent 
organism Pioneer 4114 corn and, based on the similarity to the 
antecedent organism, is unlikely to pose a plant pest risk and, 
therefore, should not be a regulated article under APHIS' regulations 
in 7 CFR part 340.
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    \1\ https://www.aphis.usda.gov/brs/aphisdocs/11_24401p_det.pdf.
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    As described in the extension request, MZIR098 corn was developed 
through agrobacterium-mediated transformation to stably incorporate 
genes designated as ecry3.1Ab and mcry3A, which encode the insecticidal 
proteins eCry3.1Ab and mCry3A, and pat-08, which encodes the enzyme 
phosphinothricin acetyltransferase (PAT) to provide herbicide 
resistance. The native Cry3A, derived from the soil bacterium Bacillus 
thuringiensis subsp. Tenebrionis, is active against certain coleopteran 
pests. MZIR098 contains a modified version, mCry3A, which has enhanced 
activity against western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera) 
and other related coleopteran pests of corn. The other insecticidal 
protein in MZIR098 is the engineered eCry3.1Ab protein which is a 
chimera of mCry3A and Cry1Ab. Like mCry3A, eCry3.1Ab is

[[Page 8035]]

active against D. virgifera virgifera and certain other coleopteran 
pests of corn. The native Cry1Ab from B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki 
is active against certain lepidopteran pests, however, the portion of 
Cry1Ab included in eCry3.1Ab does not retain activity against 
lepidopterans. The transgene pat-08 was derived from the soil bacterium 
Streptomyces viridochromogenes. The PAT enzyme deactivates glufosinate 
herbicides thus conferring glufosinate resistance to the plants. PAT 
was also used as a selectable marker in the development of MZIR098 
corn. The antecedent organism, Pioneer 4114 corn, was similarly 
genetically engineered to produce proteins which have the same 
mechanisms of action as do the proteins produced in MZIR098 corn. Based 
on the information in the request, we have concluded that MZIR098 corn 
is similar to Pioneer 4114 corn. MZIR098 corn is currently regulated 
under 7 CFR part 340.
    As part of our decisionmaking process regarding a GE organism's 
regulatory status, APHIS evaluates the plant pest risk of the article. 
In section 403 of the PPA, ``plant pest'' is defined as any living 
stage of any of the following that can directly or indirectly injure, 
cause damage to, or cause disease in any plant product: A protozoan, a 
nonhuman animal, a parasitic plant, a bacterium, a fungus, a virus or 
viroid, an infectious agent or other pathogen, or any article similar 
to or allied with any of the foregoing.
    APHIS completed a plant pest risk assessment (PPRA) on the 
antecedent organism in which we concluded that Pioneer 4114 corn is 
unlikely to present plant pest risks. APHIS also prepared a plant pest 
risk similarity assessment (PPRSA) to compare MZIR098 to the 
antecedent. As described in the PPRSA, the proteins expressed in 
MZIR098 corn are similar to those expressed in Pioneer 4114 corn, and 
APHIS has concluded that the proteins expressed in Pioneer 4114 corn 
are unlikely to pose a plant health risk. Furthermore, the 
Environmental Protection Agency reviewed the safety of the proteins 
expressed in MZIR098 corn and concluded that there would ``no 
unreasonable adverse effects on the environment'' from exposures to 
these proteins. Therefore, based on our PPRA for Pioneer 4114 corn and 
the similarity between Pioneer 4114 corn and MZIR098 corn as described 
in the PPRSA, APHIS has concluded that the proteins expressed in 
MZIR098 corn are unlikely to pose a plant pest risk.
    In addition, APHIS has carefully examined the existing National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documentation completed for Pioneer 
4114 corn and has concluded that Syngenta's request to extend a 
determination of nonregulated status to MZIR098 corn encompasses the 
same scope of environmental analysis as Pioneer 4114 corn. Therefore, 
based on the similarity of MZIR098 corn to Pioneer 4114 corn, APHIS has 
prepared a preliminary finding of no significant impact (FONSI) on 
MZIR098 corn. The FONSI was 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).
    APHIS is considering the following alternatives: (1) Take no 
action, i.e., APHIS would not change the regulatory status of MZIR098 
corn and it would continue to be a regulated article, or (2) make a 
determination of nonregulated status of MZIR098 corn. APHIS' preferred 
alternative is to make a determination of nonregulated status of 
MZIR098 corn.
    APHIS has analyzed information submitted by Syngenta, references 
provided in the extension request, peer-reviewed publications, and 
information in the NEPA documentation prepared for the antecedent 
organism. APHIS has also analyzed information in the PPRA for the 
antecedent organism and other information. Based on APHIS' analysis of 
this information and the similarity of MZIR098 corn to the antecedent 
organism Pioneer's 4114 corn, APHIS has determined that MZIR098 corn is 
unlikely to pose a plant pest risk. We have therefore reached a 
preliminary decision to approve the request to extend the determination 
of nonregulated status of Pioneer 4114 corn to MZIR098 corn, whereby 
MZIR098 corn would no longer be subject to our regulations governing 
the introduction of certain genetically engineered organisms.
    Paragraph (e) of Sec.  340.6 provides that APHIS will publish a 
notice in the Federal Register announcing all preliminary decisions to 
extend determinations of nonregulated status for 30 days before the 
decisions become final and effective. In accordance with Sec.  340.6(e) 
of the regulations, we are publishing this notice to inform the public 
of our preliminary decision to extend the determination of nonregulated 
status of Pioneer 4114 corn to MZIR098 corn.
    APHIS will accept written comments on the preliminary FONSI 
regarding a determination of nonregulated status of MZIR098 corn for a 
period of 30 days from the date this notice is published in the Federal 
Register. The preliminary FONSI, as well as the extension request, 
supporting documents, and our preliminary determination with appended 
PPRSA for MZIR098 corn, are available for public review as indicated 
under ADDRESSES and FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT above. Copies of 
these documents may also be obtained by contacting the person listed 
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
    After the comment period closes, APHIS will review all written 
comments received during the comment period and any other relevant 
information. All comments will be available for public review. After 
reviewing and evaluating the comments, if APHIS determines that no 
substantive information has been received that would warrant APHIS 
altering its preliminary regulatory determination or FONSI, our 
preliminary regulatory determination will become final and effective 
upon notification of the public through an announcement on our Web site 
at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/biotechnology/petitions_table_pending.shtml. APHIS will also furnish a response to 
the petitioner regarding our final regulatory determination. No further 
Federal Register notice will be published announcing the final 
regulatory determination regarding MZIR098 corn.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 7701-7772 and 7781-7786; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 7 
CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.3.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 10th day of February 2016.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-03193 Filed 2-16-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P

8034 Notices Federal Register Vol. 81, No. 31 Wednesday, February 17, 2016 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER 3A–03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, The regulations in § 340.6(a) provide contains documents other than rules or Riverdale, MD 20737–1238. that any person may submit a petition proposed rules that are applicable to the The Syngenta Seeds Inc. extension to the Animal and Plant Health public. Notices of hearings and investigations, request, our preliminary finding of no Inspection Service (APHIS) seeking a committee meetings, agency decisions and significant impact, our preliminary determination that an article should not rulings, delegations of authority, filing of determination, and any comments we be regulated under 7 CFR part 340. petitions and applications and agency statements of organization and functions are receive on this docket may be viewed at Further, the regulations in § 340.6(e)(2) examples of documents appearing in this http://www.regulations.gov/#!docket provide that a person may request that section. Detail;D=APHIS-2016-0002 or in our APHIS extend a determination of reading room, which is located in room nonregulated status to other organisms. 1141 of the USDA South Building, 14th Such a request must include DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Street and Independence Avenue SW., information to establish the similarity of Washington, DC. Normal reading room the antecedent organism and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday regulated article in question. Service through Friday, except holidays. To be On June 20, 2013,1 APHIS announced sure someone is there to help you, its determination of nonregulated status [Docket No. APHIS–2016–0002] please call (202) 799–7039 before of Pioneer 4114 corn, which was Syngenta Seeds Inc.; Availability of a coming. genetically engineered for resistant to Preliminary Finding of No Significant Supporting documents and any certain lepidopteran and coleopteran Impact and Preliminary Decision for an comments we received regarding our pests and resistance to the herbicide Extension of a Determination of determination of nonregulated status of glufosinate-ammonium. APHIS has Nonregulated Status of Corn the antecedent organism, Pioneer 4114 received a request for an extension of a Genetically Engineered for Insect and corn, can be found at http://www. determination of nonregulated status of Glufosinate-Ammonium Resistance regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D= Pioneer 4114 corn to corn designated as APHIS-2012-0026. Supporting event MZIR098 (APHIS Petition Number AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health documents may also be found on the 15–218–01p) from Syngenta Seeds Inc. Inspection Service, USDA. APHIS Web site for MZIR098 corn (the (Syngenta) of Research Triangle Park, ACTION: Notice. organism under evaluation) under NC. MZIR098 corn expresses resistance APHIS Petition Number 15–218–01p, to both coleopteran pests and the SUMMARY: We are advising the public and the antecedent organism Pioneer herbicide glufosinate-ammonium. In its that the Animal and Plant Health 4114 corn under APHIS Petition request, Syngenta stated that this corn is Inspection Service has reached a Number 11–244–01p. similar to the antecedent organism preliminary decision to extend our FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Pioneer 4114 corn and, based on the determination of nonregulated status of John Turner, Director, Biotechnology similarity to the antecedent organism, is Pioneer corn event DP–004114–3 Risk Analysis Programs, Biotechnology unlikely to pose a plant pest risk and, (hereinafter Pioneer 4114 corn) to Regulatory Services, APHIS, 4700 River therefore, should not be a regulated Syngenta’s corn event MZIR098 in Road Unit 147 Riverdale, MD 20737– article under APHIS’ regulations in 7 response to a request from Syngenta 1236; (301) 851–3954, email: CFR part 340. Seeds Inc. MZIR098 corn has been john.t.turner@aphis.usda.gov. To obtain As described in the extension request, genetically engineered for resistance to copies of the supporting documents, MZIR098 corn was developed through insects and to the herbicide glufosinate- contact Ms. Cindy Eck at (301) 851– agrobacterium-mediated transformation ammonium using the same mechanism 3892, email: cynthia.a.eck@ to stably incorporate genes designated of action as Pioneer 4114. We are aphis.usda.gov. as ecry3.1Ab and mcry3A, which making available for public comment encode the insecticidal proteins SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the our preliminary regulatory eCry3.1Ab and mCry3A, and pat-08, authority of the plant pest provisions of which encodes the enzyme determination, preliminary finding of the Plant Protection Act (PPA) (7 U.S.C. no significant impact, and plant pest phosphinothricin acetyltransferase 7701 et seq.), the regulations in 7 CFR (PAT) to provide herbicide resistance. risk similarity assessment for the part 340, ‘‘Introduction of Organisms proposed determination of nonregulated The native Cry3A, derived from the soil and Products Altered or Produced bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. status. Through Genetic Engineering Which DATES: We will consider all comments Tenebrionis, is active against certain Are Plant Pests or Which There Is coleopteran pests. MZIR098 contains a that we receive on or before March 18, Reason to Believe Are Plant Pests,’’ modified version, mCry3A, which has 2016. regulate, among other things, the enhanced activity against western corn ADDRESSES: You may submit comments introduction (importation, interstate asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera) by either of the following methods: movement, or release into the and other related coleopteran pests of • Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to environment) of organisms and products corn. The other insecticidal protein in http://www.regulations.gov/#!docket altered or produced through genetic MZIR098 is the engineered eCry3.1Ab Detail;D=APHIS-2016-0002. engineering that are plant pests or that protein which is a chimera of mCry3A • Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: there is reason to believe are plant pests. and Cry1Ab. Like mCry3A, eCry3.1Ab is Send your comment to Docket No. Such genetically engineered organisms APHIS–2016–0002, Regulatory Analysis (GE) and products are considered 1 https://www.aphis.usda.gov/brs/aphisdocs/11_ and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station ‘‘regulated articles.’’ 24401p_det.pdf. VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:05 Feb 16, 2016 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\17FEN1.SGM 17FEN1

Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 31 / Wednesday, February 17, 2016 / Notices 8035 active against D. virgifera virgifera and documentation completed for Pioneer determination of nonregulated status of certain other coleopteran pests of corn. 4114 corn and has concluded that MZIR098 corn for a period of 30 days The native Cry1Ab from B. thuringiensis Syngenta’s request to extend a from the date this notice is published in subsp. kurstaki is active against certain determination of nonregulated status to the Federal Register. The preliminary lepidopteran pests, however, the portion MZIR098 corn encompasses the same FONSI, as well as the extension request, of Cry1Ab included in eCry3.1Ab does scope of environmental analysis as supporting documents, and our not retain activity against lepidopterans. Pioneer 4114 corn. Therefore, based on preliminary determination with The transgene pat-08 was derived from the similarity of MZIR098 corn to appended PPRSA for MZIR098 corn, are the soil bacterium Streptomyces Pioneer 4114 corn, APHIS has prepared available for public review as indicated viridochromogenes. The PAT enzyme a preliminary finding of no significant under ADDRESSES and FOR FURTHER deactivates glufosinate herbicides thus impact (FONSI) on MZIR098 corn. The INFORMATION CONTACT above. Copies of conferring glufosinate resistance to the FONSI was prepared in accordance these documents may also be obtained plants. PAT was also used as a with: (1) NEPA, as amended (42 U.S.C. by contacting the person listed under selectable marker in the development of 4321 et seq.); (2) regulations of the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. MZIR098 corn. The antecedent Council on Environmental Quality for After the comment period closes, organism, Pioneer 4114 corn, was implementing the procedural provisions APHIS will review all written comments similarly genetically engineered to of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500–1508); (3) received during the comment period produce proteins which have the same USDA regulations implementing NEPA and any other relevant information. All mechanisms of action as do the proteins (7 CFR part 1b); and (4) APHIS’ NEPA comments will be available for public produced in MZIR098 corn. Based on Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part review. After reviewing and evaluating the information in the request, we have 372). the comments, if APHIS determines that concluded that MZIR098 corn is similar APHIS is considering the following no substantive information has been to Pioneer 4114 corn. MZIR098 corn is alternatives: (1) Take no action, i.e., received that would warrant APHIS currently regulated under 7 CFR part APHIS would not change the regulatory altering its preliminary regulatory 340. status of MZIR098 corn and it would determination or FONSI, our As part of our decisionmaking process continue to be a regulated article, or (2) preliminary regulatory determination regarding a GE organism’s regulatory make a determination of nonregulated will become final and effective upon status, APHIS evaluates the plant pest status of MZIR098 corn. APHIS’ notification of the public through an risk of the article. In section 403 of the preferred alternative is to make a announcement on our Web site at http:// PPA, ‘‘plant pest’’ is defined as any determination of nonregulated status of www.aphis.usda.gov/biotechnology/ living stage of any of the following that MZIR098 corn. petitions_table_pending.shtml. APHIS can directly or indirectly injure, cause APHIS has analyzed information will also furnish a response to the damage to, or cause disease in any plant submitted by Syngenta, references petitioner regarding our final regulatory product: A protozoan, a nonhuman provided in the extension request, peer- determination. No further Federal animal, a parasitic plant, a bacterium, a reviewed publications, and information Register notice will be published fungus, a virus or viroid, an infectious in the NEPA documentation prepared announcing the final regulatory agent or other pathogen, or any article for the antecedent organism. APHIS has determination regarding MZIR098 corn. similar to or allied with any of the also analyzed information in the PPRA for the antecedent organism and other Authority: 7 U.S.C. 7701–7772 and 7781– foregoing. 7786; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and APHIS completed a plant pest risk information. Based on APHIS’ analysis 371.3. assessment (PPRA) on the antecedent of this information and the similarity of organism in which we concluded that MZIR098 corn to the antecedent Done in Washington, DC, this 10th day of February 2016. Pioneer 4114 corn is unlikely to present organism Pioneer’s 4114 corn, APHIS plant pest risks. APHIS also prepared a has determined that MZIR098 corn is Kevin Shea, plant pest risk similarity assessment unlikely to pose a plant pest risk. We Administrator, Animal and Plant Health (PPRSA) to compare MZIR098 to the have therefore reached a preliminary Inspection Service. antecedent. As described in the PPRSA, decision to approve the request to [FR Doc. 2016–03193 Filed 2–16–16; 8:45 am] the proteins expressed in MZIR098 corn extend the determination of BILLING CODE 3410–34–P are similar to those expressed in Pioneer nonregulated status of Pioneer 4114 4114 corn, and APHIS has concluded corn to MZIR098 corn, whereby that the proteins expressed in Pioneer MZIR098 corn would no longer be DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 4114 corn are unlikely to pose a plant subject to our regulations governing the Animal and Plant Health Inspection health risk. Furthermore, the introduction of certain genetically Service Environmental Protection Agency engineered organisms. reviewed the safety of the proteins Paragraph (e) of § 340.6 provides that [Docket No. APHIS–2015–0048] expressed in MZIR098 corn and APHIS will publish a notice in the concluded that there would ‘‘no Federal Register announcing all Monsanto Co.; Availability of a unreasonable adverse effects on the preliminary decisions to extend Preliminary Plant Pest Risk environment’’ from exposures to these determinations of nonregulated status Assessment, Draft Environmental proteins. Therefore, based on our PPRA for 30 days before the decisions become Assessment, Preliminary Finding of No for Pioneer 4114 corn and the similarity final and effective. In accordance with Significant Impact, and Preliminary asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES between Pioneer 4114 corn and § 340.6(e) of the regulations, we are Determination of Nonregulated Status MZIR098 corn as described in the publishing this notice to inform the for Maize Genetically Engineered for PPRSA, APHIS has concluded that the public of our preliminary decision to Resistance to Dicamba and proteins expressed in MZIR098 corn are extend the determination of Glufosinate unlikely to pose a plant pest risk. nonregulated status of Pioneer 4114 AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health In addition, APHIS has carefully corn to MZIR098 corn. Inspection Service, USDA. examined the existing National APHIS will accept written comments ACTION: Notice. Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) on the preliminary FONSI regarding a VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:05 Feb 16, 2016 Jkt 238001 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\17FEN1.SGM 17FEN1


Document Created: 2016-02-17 01:17:00
Document Modified: 2016-02-17 01:17:00
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.
DatesWe will consider all comments that we receive on or before March 18, 2016.
ContactDr. John Turner, Director, Biotechnology Risk Analysis Programs, Biotechnology Regulatory Services, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 147 Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 851-3954, email: [email protected] To obtain copies of the supporting documents, contact Ms. Cindy Eck at (301) 851-3892, email: [email protected]
FR Citation81 FR 8034 
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