82 FR 5522 - Availability of a Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for a Biological Control Agent for Giant Reed

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 11 (January 18, 2017)

Page Range		5522-5522
FR Document		2017-01018

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has prepared a final environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact relative to the release of Lasioptera donacis for the biological control of giant reed, Arundo donax, in the continental United States. Based on its finding of no significant impact, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has determined that an environmental impact statement need not be prepared.

Federal Register, Volume 82 Issue 11 (Wednesday, January 18, 2017)

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 11 (Wednesday, January 18, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 5522]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-01018]


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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. 82, No. 11 / Wednesday, January 18, 2017 / 
Notices

[[Page 5522]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2016-0069]


Availability of a Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of 
No Significant Impact for a Biological Control Agent for Giant Reed

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service has prepared a final environmental assessment and 
finding of no significant impact relative to the release of Lasioptera 
donacis for the biological control of giant reed, Arundo donax, in the 
continental United States. Based on its finding of no significant 
impact, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has determined 
that an environmental impact statement need not be prepared.

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: Giant reed (Arundo donax), a native of the 
Mediterranean and Middle East, has become one of the most pervasive 
non-native plants to invade the riparian areas of the Southwest United 
States, especially in California and the Rio Grande area of Texas. 
Giant reed infestations in riparian habitats lead to loss of 
biodiversity, stream bank erosion, altered channel morphology, enhanced 
survival of cattle fever ticks, damage to bridges, increased costs for 
chemical and mechanical control along transportation corridors, and 
impede law enforcement activities on the international border. Many 
Federal and State agencies, as well as private entities, conduct 
programs to manage giant reed, as well as other -invasive weeds.
    The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is proposing 
to issue permits for the field release of a gall-forming fly, 
Lasioptera donacis, into the continental United States to reduce the 
severity of giant reed infestations.
    On November 8, 2016, we published in the Federal Register (81 FR 
78567-78568, Docket No. APHIS-2016-0069) 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 release of this biological control 
agent into the continental United States.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ To view the notice, environmental assessment, finding of no 
significant impact, and the comments we received, go to https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=APHIS-2016-0069.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We solicited comments on the EA for 30 days ending December 8, 
2016. We received 14 comments by that date. A written response to all 
comments received on the EA can be found in appendix 5 of the final EA 
(see footnote 1).
    In this document, we are advising the public of our finding of no 
significant impact (FONSI) regarding the release of L. donacis into the 
continental United States for use as a biological control agent to 
reduce the severity of giant reed infestations. The finding, which is 
based on the EA, reflects our determination that release of this 
biological control agent will not have a significant impact on the 
quality of the human environment.
    The EA and FONSI may be viewed on the Regulations.gov Web site (see 
footnote 1). Copies of the EA and FONSI are also available for public 
inspection at USDA, room 1141, South Building, 14th Street and 
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except holidays. Persons wishing to inspect 
copies are requested to call ahead on (202) 799-7039 to facilitate 
entry into the reading room. In addition, copies may be obtained by 
calling or writing to the individual listed under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT.

    The EA and FONSI have 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 11th day of January 2017.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-01018 Filed 1-17-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-34-P

5522

Notices Federal Register
Vol. 82, No. 11

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER law enforcement activities on the The EA and FONSI have been
contains documents other than rules or international border. Many Federal and prepared in accordance with: (1) The
proposed rules that are applicable to the State agencies, as well as private National Environmental Policy Act of
public. Notices of hearings and investigations, entities, conduct programs to manage 1969 (NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C.
committee meetings, agency decisions and giant reed, as well as other -invasive 4321 et seq.); (2) regulations of the
rulings, delegations of authority, filing of
petitions and applications and agency
weeds. Council on Environmental Quality for
statements of organization and functions are The Animal and Plant Health implementing the procedural provisions
examples of documents appearing in this Inspection Service (APHIS) is proposing of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500–1508); (3)
section. to issue permits for the field release of USDA regulations implementing NEPA
a gall-forming fly, Lasioptera donacis, (7 CFR part 1b); and (4) APHIS’ NEPA
into the continental United States to Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE reduce the severity of giant reed 372).
infestations. Done in Washington, DC, this 11th day of
Animal and Plant Health Inspection On November 8, 2016, we published January 2017.
Service in the Federal Register (81 FR 78567– Kevin Shea,
[Docket No. APHIS–2016–0069]
78568, Docket No. APHIS–2016–0069) a
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health
notice1 in which we announced the Inspection Service.
Availability of a Final Environmental availability, for public review and
[FR Doc. 2017–01018 Filed 1–17–17; 8:45 am]
Assessment and Finding of No comment, of an environmental
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
Significant Impact for a Biological assessment (EA) that examined the
Control Agent for Giant Reed potential environmental impacts
associated with the proposed release of
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
this biological control agent into the
Inspection Service, USDA. continental United States. Animal and Plant Health Inspection
ACTION: Notice of availability. We solicited comments on the EA for Service
30 days ending December 8, 2016. We
SUMMARY: We are advising the public received 14 comments by that date. A
that the Animal and Plant Health [Docket No. APHIS–2016–0070]
written response to all comments
Inspection Service has prepared a final received on the EA can be found in
environmental assessment and finding Availability of an Environmental
appendix 5 of the final EA (see footnote Assessment for Field Testing a
of no significant impact relative to the 1).
release of Lasioptera donacis for the Vaccine for Use Against Infectious
In this document, we are advising the
biological control of giant reed, Arundo Bursal Disease, Marek’s Disease, and
public of our finding of no significant
donax, in the continental United States. Newcastle Disease
impact (FONSI) regarding the release of
Based on its finding of no significant L. donacis into the continental United AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health
impact, the Animal and Plant Health States for use as a biological control Inspection Service, USDA.
Inspection Service has determined that agent to reduce the severity of giant reed
an environmental impact statement infestations. The finding, which is based ACTION: Notice of availability.
need not be prepared. on the EA, reflects our determination
SUMMARY: We are advising the public
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. that release of this biological control
that the Animal and Plant Health
Colin D. Stewart, Assistant Director, agent will not have a significant impact
Inspection Service has prepared an
Pests, Pathogens, and Biocontrol on the quality of the human
environmental assessment concerning
Permits, Permitting and Compliance environment.
The EA and FONSI may be viewed on authorization to ship for the purpose of
Coordination, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River field testing, and then to field test, an
Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737– the Regulations.gov Web site (see
footnote 1). Copies of the EA and FONSI unlicensed Bursal Disease-Marek’s
1231; (301) 851–2327, email: Disease-Newcastle Disease Vaccine,
Colin.D.Stewart@aphis.usda.gov. are also available for public inspection
at USDA, room 1141, South Building, Serotype 3, Live Marek’s Disease Vector.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Giant reed Based on the environmental assessment,
(Arundo donax), a native of the 14th Street and Independence Avenue
SW., Washington, DC, between 8 a.m. risk analysis, and other relevant data,
Mediterranean and Middle East, has we have reached a preliminary
become one of the most pervasive non- and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday,
except holidays. Persons wishing to determination that field testing this
native plants to invade the riparian veterinary vaccine will not have a
areas of the Southwest United States, inspect copies are requested to call
ahead on (202) 799–7039 to facilitate significant impact on the quality of the
especially in California and the Rio human environment. We are making the
Grande area of Texas. Giant reed entry into the reading room. In addition,
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES

copies may be obtained by calling or documents available to the public for
infestations in riparian habitats lead to review and comment.
loss of biodiversity, stream bank writing to the individual listed under
erosion, altered channel morphology, FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. DATES: We will consider all comments
enhanced survival of cattle fever ticks, that we receive on or before February
damage to bridges, increased costs for
1 To view the notice, environmental assessment, 17, 2017.
finding of no significant impact, and the comments
chemical and mechanical control along we received, go to https://www.regulations.gov/ ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
transportation corridors, and impede docket?D=APHIS-2016-0069. by either of the following methods:

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Document Created: 2018-02-01 15:19:47
Document Modified: 2018-02-01 15:19:47

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.
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 5522

82 FR 5522 - Availability of a Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for a Biological Control Agent for Giant Reed

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUREAnimal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 11 (January 18, 2017)

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service