83 FR 61600 - Environmental Impact Statement; Cattle Fever Tick Control Barrier in South Texas: Record of Decision

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 231 (November 30, 2018)

This notice advises the public of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's record of decision for the final environmental impact statement titled ``Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program--Tick Control Barrier: Maverick, Starr, Webb, and Zapata Counties, Texas.''

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 231 (Friday, November 30, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 61600]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-26068]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2010-0100]


Environmental Impact Statement; Cattle Fever Tick Control Barrier 
in South Texas: Record of Decision

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public of the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service's record of decision for the final environmental 
impact statement titled ``Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program--Tick 
Control Barrier: Maverick, Starr, Webb, and Zapata Counties, Texas.''

DATES: An official of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service-
Veterinary Services signed the record of decision on July 12, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may read the final environmental impact statement and 
record of decision in our reading room. The reading room 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. The record 
of decision, final environmental impact statement, and supporting 
information may also be viewed at http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2010-0100. To obtain copies of the documents, 
contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions related to the Cattle 
Fever Tick Eradication Program, contact Dr. Denise Bonilla, 
Entomologist, Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program Manager, 
Surveillance, Preparedness and Response Services, VS, APHIS, Natural 
Resources Research Center, Building B, 2150 Centre Avenue, Fort 
Collins, CO 80526; (970) 494-7317. For questions related to the 
environmental impact statement, contact Ms. Michelle Gray, 
Environmental Protection Specialist, Environmental and Risk Analysis 
Services, PPD, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 149, Riverdale, MD 20737; 
(301) 851-3146.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 15, 2011, we published in the 
Federal Register (76 FR 8709-8710) a notice \1\ of intent to prepare an 
environmental impact statement (EIS) for a proposed cattle fever tick 
control barrier in South Texas. This notice solicited comments from the 
public for additional alternatives and environmental impacts that 
should be examined further in the EIS and identified public meetings 
that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) would host 
concerning the scope of the EIS and other pertinent issues.
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    \1\ The notices, comments, EIS, record of decision, and 
supporting documents for this docket can be viewed at http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2010-0100.
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    On July 24, 2013, we published a notice of availability in the 
Federal Register (78 FR 44521-44522) for the draft EIS and invited 
public comment through August 30, 2013. Responses to those comments are 
in the final EIS. On June 1, 2018, the U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency published a notice of the availability of the final EIS in the 
Federal Register (83 FR 25451-25452, Docket No. ER-FRL-9039-6) and 
invited public comment through July 2, 2018.
    The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) implementing 
regulations in 40 CFR 1506.10 require a minimum 30-day waiting period 
between the time a final EIS is published and the time an agency makes 
a decision on an action covered by the EIS. APHIS has reviewed the 
final EIS and comments received during the 30-day waiting period and 
has concluded that the final EIS fully analyzes the issues covered by 
the draft EIS and addresses the comments and suggestions submitted by 
commenters. This notice advises the public that the waiting period has 
elapsed, and APHIS has issued a record of decision (ROD) to implement 
the preferred alternative described in the final EIS.
    The ROD has been 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).

    Done in Washington, DC, this 26th day of November 2018.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-26068 Filed 11-29-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-34-P