82 FR 32676 - Oral Rabies Vaccine Trial; Availability of a Supplemental Environmental Assessment
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 135 (July 17, 2017)
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 135 (July 17, 2017)
| Page Range | 32676-32677 | |
| FR Document | 2017-14921 |
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 135 (Monday, July 17, 2017)] [Notices] [Pages 32676-32677] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2017-14921] ======================================================================== 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. ======================================================================== Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 135 / Monday, July 17, 2017 / Notices [[Page 32676]] DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service [Docket No. APHIS-2017-0046] Oral Rabies Vaccine Trial; Availability of a Supplemental Environmental Assessment AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has prepared a supplemental environmental assessment (EA) relative to an oral rabies vaccination field trial in New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Vermont, and West Virginia. The supplemental EA analyzes expanding the field trial for an experimental oral rabies vaccine for wildlife to additional areas in New York, Ohio, and West Virginia. The proposed field trial is necessary to evaluate whether the wildlife rabies vaccine will produce sufficient levels of population immunity against raccoon rabies. We are making the supplemental EA available to the public for review and comment. DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before August 16, 2017. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2017-0046. Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2017-0046, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737- 1238. The supplemental environmental assessment and any comments we receive may be viewed at http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2017-0046 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. This notice and the supplemental EA are also posted on the APHIS Web site at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/regulations/ws/ws_nepa_environmental_documents.shtml. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Richard Chipman, Rabies Program Coordinator, Wildlife Services, APHIS, 59 Chennell Drive, Suite 7, Concord, NH 03301; (603) 223-9623, email: richard.b.chipman@aphis.usda.gov. To obtain copies of the supplemental environmental assessment, contact Ms. Beth Kabert, Staff Wildlife Biologist, Wildlife Services, 140-C Locust Grove Road, Pittstown, NJ 08867; (908) 735-5654, fax (908) 735-0821, email: beth.e.kabert@aphis.usda.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Wildlife Services (WS) program in the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) cooperates with Federal agencies, State and local governments, and private individuals to research and implement the best methods of managing conflicts between wildlife and human health and safety, agriculture, property, and natural resources. Wildlife-borne diseases that can affect domestic animals and humans are among the types of conflicts that APHIS-WS addresses. Wildlife is the dominant reservoir of rabies in the United States. Currently, APHIS-WS conducts an oral rabies vaccination (ORV) program to control the spread of rabies. The ORV program has utilized a vaccinia-rabies glycoprotein (V-RG) vaccine. APHIS-WS' use of the V-RG vaccine has resulted in several notable accomplishments, including the elimination of canine rabies from sources in Mexico, the successful control of gray fox rabies virus variant in western Texas, and the prevention of any appreciable spread of raccoon rabies in the eastern United States. While the prevention of any appreciable spread of raccoon rabies in the eastern United States represents a major accomplishment in rabies management, the V-RG vaccine has not been effective in eliminating raccoon rabies from high-risk spread corridors. This fact prompted APHIS-WS to evaluate rabies vaccines capable of producing higher levels of population immunity against raccoon rabies to better control the spread of this disease. In 2011, APHIS-WS initiated a field trial to study the immunogenicity and safety of a promising new wildlife rabies vaccine, human adenovirus type 5 rabies glycoprotein recombinant vaccine in portions of West Virginia, including U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service National Forest System lands. The vaccine used in this field trial is an experimental oral rabies vaccine called ONRAB (produced by Artemis Technologies Inc., Guelph, Ontario, Canada). To further assess the immunogenicity of ONRAB in raccoons and skunks for raccoon rabies virus variant, APHIS-WS determined the need to expand the field trial into portions of New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Vermont, and West Virginia, including National Forest System lands. On July 9, 2012, we published in the Federal Register (77 FR 40322-40323, Docket No. APHIS-2012-0052) a notice \1\ in which we announced the availability, for public review and comment, of an environmental assessment (EA) that examined the potential environmental impacts associated with the proposed field trial to test the safety and efficacy of the ONRAB vaccine in New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Vermont, and West Virginia. We announced the availability of our final EA and finding of no significant impact (FONSI) in a notice published in the Federal Register (see footnote 1) on August 16, 2012 (77 FR 49409-49410, Docket No. APHIS-2012-0052). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ To view the notice, the comments we received, the EA, and the follow-up finding of no significant impact, go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2012-0052. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- On July 17, 2015, we published in the Federal Register (80 FR 42467-42469, Docket No. APHIS-2015-0047) a notice \2\ in which we announced the availability, for public review and comment, of a supplemental EA that examined the potential environmental impacts associated with expanding the [[Page 32677]] field trial to additional areas in Ohio and increasing bait distribution density in portions of West Virginia. We announced the availability of our final EA and FONSI in a notice published in the Federal Register (see footnote 2) on September 17, 2015 (80 FR 55826- 55827, Docket No. APHIS-2015-0047). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \2\ To view the notice, the supplemental EA, and the FONSI, go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D= APHIS-2015-0047. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- In 2017, there were two confirmed cases of raccoon variant rabies 8-10 km (5-6 miles) west of the established V-RG ORV zone in Ohio (approximately 20 km [12 miles]) east of the city of Canton, OH). To address this emergency, APHIS-WS proposes to shift the existing ORV zone in Ohio in an effort to contain the outbreak and to secure the zone. ONRAB vaccine-baits will be distributed in this revised portion of the ORV zone. APHIS-WS is also proposing to add Webster, Braxton, Nicholas, Wyoming, McDowell, Upshur, Barbour, Harrison, Lewis, Tyler, Ritchie, Doddridge, Wetzel, Taylor, Marion, Monongalia, and Preston Counties in West Virginia so that ONRAB vaccine-baits may be applied to the western edge of the ORV zone in West Virginia to provide added confidence in the seroconversion rates based on results from previous field trials. This will provide an opportunity to improve serological sampling spatially throughout the zone as part of an increased monitoring initiative. Finally, APHIS-WS is proposing to expand the field trial zone in New York into Oswego County. The current ORV ONRAB zone in New York includes Jefferson County, which shares a border with Oswego County. Current ONRAB bait distribution occurs very close to the Oswego County border and including this county will allow APHIS-WS to opportunistically distribute any remaining excess baits while collecting additional serological data to further assess the field trial. APHIS-WS has prepared a supplemental EA in which we analyze expanding the area of the field trial zone in New York, Ohio, and West Virginia. We are making the supplemental 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 supplemental EA may be viewed on the Regulations.gov Web site or in our reading room (see ADDRESSES above for instructions for accessing Regulations.gov and information on the location and hours of the reading room). In addition, paper copies may be obtained by calling or writing to the individual listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. 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 12th day of July 2017. Michael C. Gregoire, Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. [FR Doc. 2017-14921 Filed 7-14-17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
![32676
Notices Federal Register
Vol. 82, No. 135
Monday, July 17, 2017
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER www.regulations.gov/ accomplishment in rabies management,
contains documents other than rules or #!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2017-0046 or the V–RG vaccine has not been effective
proposed rules that are applicable to the in our reading room, which is located in in eliminating raccoon rabies from high-
public. Notices of hearings and investigations, room 1141 of the USDA South Building, risk spread corridors. This fact
committee meetings, agency decisions and 14th Street and Independence Avenue prompted APHIS–WS to evaluate rabies
rulings, delegations of authority, filing of
SW., Washington, DC. Normal reading vaccines capable of producing higher
petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., levels of population immunity against
examples of documents appearing in this Monday through Friday, except raccoon rabies to better control the
section. holidays. To be sure someone is there to spread of this disease.
help you, please call (202) 799–7039 In 2011, APHIS–WS initiated a field
before coming. trial to study the immunogenicity and
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE This notice and the supplemental EA safety of a promising new wildlife rabies
are also posted on the APHIS Web site vaccine, human adenovirus type 5
Animal and Plant Health Inspection at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ rabies glycoprotein recombinant vaccine
Service regulations/ws/ws_nepa_ in portions of West Virginia, including
environmental_documents.shtml. U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest
[Docket No. APHIS–2017–0046]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Service National Forest System lands.
Oral Rabies Vaccine Trial; Availability Richard Chipman, Rabies Program The vaccine used in this field trial is an
of a Supplemental Environmental Coordinator, Wildlife Services, APHIS, experimental oral rabies vaccine called
Assessment 59 Chennell Drive, Suite 7, Concord, NH ONRAB (produced by Artemis
03301; (603) 223–9623, email: Technologies Inc., Guelph, Ontario,
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health richard.b.chipman@aphis.usda.gov. To Canada).
Inspection Service, USDA. obtain copies of the supplemental To further assess the immunogenicity
ACTION: Notice of availability and environmental assessment, contact Ms. of ONRAB in raccoons and skunks for
request for comments. Beth Kabert, Staff Wildlife Biologist, raccoon rabies virus variant, APHIS–WS
Wildlife Services, 140–C Locust Grove determined the need to expand the field
SUMMARY: We are advising the public Road, Pittstown, NJ 08867; (908) 735– trial into portions of New Hampshire,
that the Animal and Plant Health 5654, fax (908) 735–0821, email: New York, Ohio, Vermont, and West
Inspection Service has prepared a beth.e.kabert@aphis.usda.gov. Virginia, including National Forest
supplemental environmental assessment System lands. On July 9, 2012, we
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
(EA) relative to an oral rabies published in the Federal Register (77
Wildlife Services (WS) program in the
vaccination field trial in New FR 40322–40323, Docket No. APHIS–
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Vermont, 2012–0052) a notice 1 in which we
Service (APHIS) cooperates with
and West Virginia. The supplemental announced the availability, for public
Federal agencies, State and local review and comment, of an
EA analyzes expanding the field trial for
governments, and private individuals to environmental assessment (EA) that
an experimental oral rabies vaccine for
research and implement the best examined the potential environmental
wildlife to additional areas in New
methods of managing conflicts between impacts associated with the proposed
York, Ohio, and West Virginia. The
wildlife and human health and safety, field trial to test the safety and efficacy
proposed field trial is necessary to
agriculture, property, and natural of the ONRAB vaccine in New
evaluate whether the wildlife rabies
resources. Wildlife-borne diseases that Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Vermont,
vaccine will produce sufficient levels of
can affect domestic animals and humans and West Virginia. We announced the
population immunity against raccoon
are among the types of conflicts that availability of our final EA and finding
rabies. We are making the supplemental
APHIS–WS addresses. Wildlife is the of no significant impact (FONSI) in a
EA available to the public for review
dominant reservoir of rabies in the notice published in the Federal Register
and comment.
United States. (see footnote 1) on August 16, 2012 (77
DATES: We will consider all comments Currently, APHIS–WS conducts an
that we receive on or before August 16, FR 49409–49410, Docket No. APHIS–
oral rabies vaccination (ORV) program 2012–0052).
2017. to control the spread of rabies. The ORV On July 17, 2015, we published in the
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments program has utilized a vaccinia-rabies Federal Register (80 FR 42467–42469,
by either of the following methods: glycoprotein (V–RG) vaccine. APHIS– Docket No. APHIS–2015–0047) a
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to WS’ use of the V–RG vaccine has notice 2 in which we announced the
http://www.regulations.gov/ resulted in several notable availability, for public review and
#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2017-0046. accomplishments, including the comment, of a supplemental EA that
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery:
asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with NOTICES
elimination of canine rabies from examined the potential environmental
Send your comment to Docket No. sources in Mexico, the successful impacts associated with expanding the
APHIS–2017–0046, Regulatory Analysis control of gray fox rabies virus variant
and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station in western Texas, and the prevention of 1 To view the notice, the comments we received,
3A–03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, any appreciable spread of raccoon rabies the EA, and the follow-up finding of no significant
Riverdale, MD 20737–1238. in the eastern United States. While the impact, go to http://www.regulations.gov/
#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2012-0052.
The supplemental environmental prevention of any appreciable spread of 2 To view the notice, the supplemental EA, and
assessment and any comments we raccoon rabies in the eastern United the FONSI, go to http://www.regulations.gov/
receive may be viewed at http:// States represents a major #!docketDetail;D= APHIS-2015-0047.
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![Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 135 / Monday, July 17, 2017 / Notices 32677
field trial to additional areas in Ohio The EA has been prepared in Paperwork Clearance Officer,
and increasing bait distribution density accordance with: (1) The National Department of Commerce, Room 6616,
in portions of West Virginia. We Environmental Policy Act of 1969 14th and Constitution Avenue NW.,
announced the availability of our final (NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et Washington, DC 20230 (or via the
EA and FONSI in a notice published in seq.), (2) regulations of the Council on Internet at PRAcomments@doc.gov).
the Federal Register (see footnote 2) on Environmental Quality for FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
September 17, 2015 (80 FR 55826– implementing the procedural provisions Requests for additional information or
55827, Docket No. APHIS–2015–0047). of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500–1508), (3) copies of the information collection
In 2017, there were two confirmed USDA regulations implementing NEPA instrument(s) and instructions should
cases of raccoon variant rabies 8–10 km (7 CFR part 1b), and (4) APHIS’ NEPA be directed to Susan Pozzanghera,
(5–6 miles) west of the established V– Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part Economy-Wide Statistics Division, U.S.
RG ORV zone in Ohio (approximately 372). Census Bureau, (301) 763–7169 or via
20 km [12 miles]) east of the city of Done in Washington, DC, this 12th day of email at ewd.annual.wholesale
Canton, OH). To address this July 2017. .trade.survey@census.gov.
emergency, APHIS–WS proposes to shift Michael C. Gregoire, SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
the existing ORV zone in Ohio in an Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant
effort to contain the outbreak and to Health Inspection Service. I. Abstract
secure the zone. ONRAB vaccine-baits [FR Doc. 2017–14921 Filed 7–14–17; 8:45 am] The Annual Wholesale Trade Survey
will be distributed in this revised BILLING CODE 3410–34–P (AWTS) covers employer firms with
portion of the ORV zone. establishments located in the United
APHIS–WS is also proposing to add States and classified in wholesale trade
Webster, Braxton, Nicholas, Wyoming, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE sector as defined by the North American
McDowell, Upshur, Barbour, Harrison, Industry Classification System (NAICS).
Lewis, Tyler, Ritchie, Doddridge, Grain Inspection, Packers and This sector include distributors,
Wetzel, Taylor, Marion, Monongalia, Stockyards Administration manufacturers’ sales branches and
and Preston Counties in West Virginia offices, as well as agents and brokers.
so that ONRAB vaccine-baits may be United States Standards for Lentils Firms are selected for this survey
applied to the western edge of the ORV Correction using a stratified random sample where
zone in West Virginia to provide added strata are defined by type of operation,
confidence in the seroconversion rates In notice document 2017–14803,
industry, and annual sales size. The
based on results from previous field appearing on pages 31550–31551 in the
sample is drawn from the Business
trials. This will provide an opportunity Issue of Friday, July 7, 2017, make the
Register (BR), which is the Census
to improve serological sampling following correction:
Bureau’s master business list containing
spatially throughout the zone as part of On page 31551, in the table titled
basic economic information for over 7.4
an increased monitoring initiative. ‘‘607 GRADES AND GRADE
million employer businesses and over
Finally, APHIS–WS is proposing to REQUIREMENTS FOR DOCKAGE-FREE
22.5 million nonemployer businesses.
expand the field trial zone in New York LENTILS’’, in the tenth row, in the
The BR obtains information using
into Oswego County. The current ORV fourth column, the entry ‘‘<4.0’’ should
direct data collections and
ONRAB zone in New York includes read ‘‘>4.0’’.
administrative record information from
Jefferson County, which shares a border [FR Doc. C1–2017–14308 Filed 7–14–17; 8:45 am] federal agencies. The AWTS sample is
with Oswego County. Current ONRAB BILLING CODE 1301–00–D updated quarterly to reflect business
bait distribution occurs very close to the ‘‘births’’ and ‘‘deaths’’ by adding newly
Oswego County border and including established employer businesses and
this county will allow APHIS–WS to DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE deleting companies when it is
opportunistically distribute any determined they are no longer active.
remaining excess baits while collecting U.S. Census Bureau The AWTS introduced a new sample
additional serological data to further for 2016. The Census Bureau requested
assess the field trial. Proposed Information Collection;
two years of data from all sample firms
Comment Request; Annual Wholesale
APHIS–WS has prepared a in order to link the old and new
Trade Survey
supplemental EA in which we analyze samples, ensuring that the published
expanding the area of the field trial zone AGENCY: U.S. Census Bureau, estimates continue to be reliable and
in New York, Ohio, and West Virginia. Commerce. accurate. The 2017 AWTS and
We are making the supplemental EA ACTION: Notice. subsequent years will request one year
available to the public for review and of data until a new sample is selected
comment. We will consider all SUMMARY: The Department of again in five years. The 2017 AWTS will
comments that we receive on or before Commerce, as part of its continuing also collect detailed business
the date listed under the heading DATES effort to reduce paperwork and expenditure items and sales tax data, in
at the beginning of this notice. respondent burden, invites the general response to a request for this data from
The supplemental EA may be viewed public and other Federal agencies to the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA).
take this opportunity to comment on
asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with NOTICES
on the Regulations.gov Web site or in These data items are collected on the
our reading room (see ADDRESSES above proposed and/or continuing information AWTS survey in years ending in 2 and
for instructions for accessing collections, as required by the 7, which coincide with the economic
Regulations.gov and information on the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. census collection.
location and hours of the reading room). DATES: To ensure consideration, written The AWTS data is collected
In addition, paper copies may be comments must be submitted on or electronically using the Census Bureau’s
obtained by calling or writing to the before September 15, 2017. secure online reporting instrument
individual listed under FOR FURTHER ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments (Centurion). This electronic system of
INFORMATION CONTACT. to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental reporting is designed to allow
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Document Created: 2017-07-15 03:46:05
Document Modified: 2017-07-15 03:46:05
| 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 16, 2017. | |
| Contact | Mr. Richard Chipman, Rabies Program Coordinator, Wildlife Services, APHIS, 59 Chennell Drive, Suite 7, Concord, NH 03301; (603) 223-9623, email: [email protected] To obtain copies of the supplemental environmental assessment, contact Ms. Beth Kabert, Staff Wildlife Biologist, Wildlife Services, 140-C Locust Grove Road, Pittstown, NJ 08867; (908) 735-5654, fax (908) 735-0821, email: [email protected] | |
| FR Citation | 82 FR 32676 |
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