82 FR 32318 - Availability of an Environmental Assessment for the Biological Control of Swallow-Worts

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 133 (July 13, 2017)

Page Range		32318-32318
FR Document		2017-14695

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has prepared a draft environmental assessment relative to the control of swallow-worts (Vincetoxicum nigrum and Vincetoxicum rossicum). The environmental assessment considers the effects of, and alternatives to, the field release of a leaf-feeding moth, Hypena opulenta, into the continental United States for use as a biological control agent to reduce the severity of swallow-wort infestations. We are making the environmental assessment available to the public for review and comment.

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 133 (Thursday, July 13, 2017)

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 133 (Thursday, July 13, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 32318]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-14695]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2017-0053]


Availability of an Environmental Assessment for the Biological 
Control of Swallow-Worts

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 swallow-worts (Vincetoxicum nigrum and 
Vincetoxicum rossicum). The environmental assessment considers the 
effects of, and alternatives to, the field release of a leaf-feeding 
moth, Hypena opulenta, into the continental United States for use as a 
biological control agent to reduce the severity of swallow-wort 
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 
August 14, 2017.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2017-0053.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2017-0053, 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-2017-
0053 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: Dr. Colin D. Stewart, Assistant 
Director, Pests, Pathogens, and Biocontrol Permits, Permitting and 
Compliance Coordination, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 133, 
Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 851-2327, email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Two species of swallow-wort (Vincetoxicum 
nigrum and Vincetoxicum rossicum), native to Mediterranean regions of 
Europe (V. nigrum) and Ukraine and southeastern Russia (V. rossicum), 
were first documented in the United States in the late nineteenth 
century and are now widely distributed along the northeast Atlantic 
coast and in Ontario and Quebec in Canada, as well as in upper 
Midwestern regions of the United States. Swallow-worts are long-lived 
vines that overwinter as seeds or rootstalks, and they outcompete 
native plants for resources while often also forming dense monocultures 
in a variety of habitats. Swallow-wort invasions in primarily upland 
habitats including, but not restricted to, pastures, old fields, 
hillsides, shores, flood plains, roadsides, and forest margins, pose a 
major threat to native species diversity and ecosystem functioning and 
negatively affect farming practices, livestock, and ornamental 
landscapes. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is 
proposing to issue permits for the field release of a leaf-feeding 
moth, Hypena opulenta, into the continental United States to reduce the 
severity of swallow-wort infestations.
    APHIS' review and analysis of the proposed action are documented in 
detail in a draft environmental assessment (EA) entitled ``Field 
release of the leaf-feeding moth, Hypena opulenta (Christoph) 
(Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), for classical biological control of swallow-
worts, Vincetoxicum nigrum (L.) Moench and V. rossicum (Kleopow) 
Barbarich (Gentianales: Apocyanceae), in the contiguous United States'' 
(June 2017). We are making this 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 EA by calling or writing to the person 
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 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).

    Done in Washington, DC, this 7th day of July 2017.
Michael C. Gregoire,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-14695 Filed 7-12-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-34-P

32318 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 133 / Thursday, July 13, 2017 / Notices

seq.); (2) regulations of the Council on room 1141 of the USDA South Building, a link to Regulations.gov and
Environmental Quality for 14th Street and Independence Avenue information on the location and hours of
implementing the procedural provisions SW., Washington, DC. Normal reading the reading room). You may request
of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500–1508); (3) room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., paper copies of the EA by calling or
USDA regulations implementing NEPA Monday through Friday, except writing to the person listed under FOR
(7 CFR part 1b); and (4) APHIS’ NEPA holidays. To be sure someone is there to FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Please
Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part help you, please call (202) 799–7039 refer to the title of the EA when
372). before coming. requesting copies.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. The EA has been prepared in
Done in Washington, DC, this 7th day of
July 2017. Colin D. Stewart, Assistant Director, accordance with: (1) The National
Pests, Pathogens, and Biocontrol Environmental Policy Act of 1969
Michael C. Gregoire,
Permits, Permitting and Compliance (NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant
Coordination, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River seq.), (2) regulations of the Council on
Health Inspection Service.
Road, Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737– Environmental Quality for
[FR Doc. 2017–14694 Filed 7–12–17; 8:45 am]
1231; (301) 851–2327, email: implementing the procedural provisions
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500–1508), (3)
Colin.Stewart@aphis.usda.gov.
USDA regulations implementing NEPA
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Two
(7 CFR part 1b), and (4) APHIS’ NEPA
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE species of swallow-wort (Vincetoxicum
Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part
nigrum and Vincetoxicum rossicum),
Animal and Plant Health Inspection 372).
native to Mediterranean regions of
Service Europe (V. nigrum) and Ukraine and Done in Washington, DC, this 7th day of
southeastern Russia (V. rossicum), were July 2017.
[Docket No. APHIS–2017–0053]
first documented in the United States in Michael C. Gregoire,
Availability of an Environmental the late nineteenth century and are now Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant
Assessment for the Biological Control widely distributed along the northeast Health Inspection Service.
of Swallow-Worts Atlantic coast and in Ontario and [FR Doc. 2017–14695 Filed 7–12–17; 8:45 am]
Quebec in Canada, as well as in upper BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Midwestern regions of the United
Inspection Service, USDA. States. Swallow-worts are long-lived
ACTION: Notice of availability and vines that overwinter as seeds or DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
request for comments. rootstalks, and they outcompete native
Food and Nutrition Service
plants for resources while often also
SUMMARY: We are advising the public forming dense monocultures in a variety
that the Animal and Plant Health Agency Information Collection
of habitats. Swallow-wort invasions in Activities: Proposed Collection;
Inspection Service has prepared a draft primarily upland habitats including, but
environmental assessment relative to Comment Request—Special
not restricted to, pastures, old fields, Supplemental Nutrition Program for
the control of swallow-worts hillsides, shores, flood plains,
(Vincetoxicum nigrum and Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
roadsides, and forest margins, pose a Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program
Vincetoxicum rossicum). The major threat to native species diversity
environmental assessment considers the (FMNP) Program Regulations—
and ecosystem functioning and Reporting and Recordkeeping Burden
effects of, and alternatives to, the field negatively affect farming practices,
release of a leaf-feeding moth, Hypena livestock, and ornamental landscapes. AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service
opulenta, into the continental United The Animal and Plant Health Inspection (FNS), USDA.
States for use as a biological control Service (APHIS) is proposing to issue ACTION: Notice.
agent to reduce the severity of swallow- permits for the field release of a leaf-
wort infestations. We are making the SUMMARY: In accordance with the
feeding moth, Hypena opulenta, into the
environmental assessment available to Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
continental United States to reduce the
the public for review and comment. notice invites the general public and
severity of swallow-wort infestations.
DATES: We will consider all comments APHIS’ review and analysis of the other public agencies to comment on
that we receive on or before August 14, proposed action are documented in this proposed information collection.
2017. detail in a draft environmental This collection is a revision of a
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments assessment (EA) entitled ‘‘Field release currently approved information
by either of the following methods: of the leaf-feeding moth, Hypena collection for the WIC Farmers’ Market
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to opulenta (Christoph) (Lepidoptera: Nutrition Program (FMNP) Regulations
http://www.regulations.gov/ Noctuidae), for classical biological for the reporting and recordkeeping
#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2017-0053. control of swallow-worts, Vincetoxicum burden associated with the WIC FMNP
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: nigrum (L.) Moench and V. rossicum Program regulations.
Send your comment to Docket No. (Kleopow) Barbarich (Gentianales: DATES: Written comments must be
APHIS–2017–0053, Regulatory Analysis Apocyanceae), in the contiguous United received on or before September 11,
and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station States’’ (June 2017). We are making this 2017.
3A–03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118,
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES

EA available to the public for review ADDRESSES:
Riverdale, MD 20737–1238. and comment. We will consider all Comments are invited on: (a) Whether
Supporting documents and any comments that we receive on or before the proposed collection of information
comments we receive on this docket the date listed under the heading DATES is necessary for the proper performance
may be viewed at http:// at the beginning of this notice. of the functions of the agency, including
www.regulations.gov/ The EA may be viewed on the whether the information shall have
#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2017-0053 or Regulations.gov Web site or in our practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the
in our reading room, which is located in reading room (see ADDRESSES above for agency’s estimate of the burden of the

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Document Created: 2017-07-13 01:00:37
Document Modified: 2017-07-13 01:00:37

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notice of availability and request for comments.
Dates		We will consider all comments that we receive on or before August 14, 2017.
Contact		Dr. Colin D. Stewart, Assistant Director, Pests, Pathogens, and Biocontrol Permits, Permitting and Compliance Coordination, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 851-2327, email: [email protected]
FR Citation		82 FR 32318

82 FR 32318 - Availability of an Environmental Assessment for the Biological Control of Swallow-Worts

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUREAnimal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 133 (July 13, 2017)

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service