83_FR_7690 83 FR 7654 - Availability of a Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for Release of Aceria drabae for Biological Control of Hoary Cress

83 FR 7654 - Availability of a Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for Release of Aceria drabae for Biological Control of Hoary Cress

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 36 (February 22, 2018)

Page Range7654-7654
FR Document2018-03552

We are advising the public that an environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact have been prepared by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service relative to the release of the gall mite, Aceria drabae, for classical biological control of hoary cress in the contiguous 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 83 Issue 36 (Thursday, February 22, 2018) 
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 36 (Thursday, February 22, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 7654]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-03552]


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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. 83, No. 36 / Thursday, February 22, 2018 / 
Notices

[[Page 7654]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2017-0086]


Availability of a Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of 
No Significant Impact for Release of Aceria drabae for Biological 
Control of Hoary Cress

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that an environmental assessment 
and finding of no significant impact have been prepared by the Animal 
and Plant Health Inspection Service relative to the release of the gall 
mite, Aceria drabae, for classical biological control of hoary cress in 
the contiguous 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: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service (APHIS) is proposing to issue permits for the release of a 
mite, Aceria drabae, into the continental United States for use as a 
biological control agent to reduce the severity of hoary cress 
infestations.
    On December 5, 2017, we published in the Federal Register (82 FR 
57424-57425, Docket No. APHIS-2017-0086) 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.
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    \1\ To view the notice, EA, and FONSI, and the comment we 
received, go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-
2017-0086.
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    We solicited comments on the EA for 30 days ending January 4, 2018. 
We received one comment by the close of the comment period. The 
commenter was generally opposed to the release of insects for 
biological control but did not raise any specific or substantive 
issues.
    In this document, we are advising the public of our finding of no 
significant impact (FONSI) regarding the release of Aceria drabae into 
the continental United States for use as a biological control agent to 
reduce the severity of hoary cress 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 website (see 
footnote 1). Copies of the EA and FONSI are also available for public 
inspection 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. 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 15th day of February 2018.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-03552 Filed 2-21-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-34-P

7654 Notices Federal Register Vol. 83, No. 36 Thursday, February 22, 2018 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER availability, for public review and Done in Washington, DC, this 15th day of contains documents other than rules or comment, of an environmental February 2018. proposed rules that are applicable to the assessment (EA) that examined the Kevin Shea, public. Notices of hearings and investigations, Administrator, Animal and Plant Health potential environmental impacts committee meetings, agency decisions and Inspection Service. rulings, delegations of authority, filing of associated with the proposed release of this biological control agent into the [FR Doc. 2018–03552 Filed 2–21–18; 8:45 am] petitions and applications and agency statements of organization and functions are continental United States. BILLING CODE 3410–34–P examples of documents appearing in this We solicited comments on the EA for section. 30 days ending January 4, 2018. We received one comment by the close of COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE the comment period. The commenter Agenda and Notice of Public Meeting was generally opposed to the release of of the Rhode Island Advisory Animal and Plant Health Inspection insects for biological control but did not Committee Service raise any specific or substantive issues. AGENCY: Commission on Civil Rights. [Docket No. APHIS–2017–0086] In this document, we are advising the ACTION:Announcement of monthly public of our finding of no significant Availability of a Final Environmental planning meetings. impact (FONSI) regarding the release of Assessment and Finding of No Aceria drabae into the continental SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given, Significant Impact for Release of United States for use as a biological pursuant to the provisions of the rules Aceria drabae for Biological Control of control agent to reduce the severity of and regulations of the U.S. Commission Hoary Cress hoary cress infestations. The finding, on Civil Rights (Commission), and the AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health which is based on the EA, reflects our Federal Advisory Committee Act Inspection Service, USDA. determination that release of this (FACA), that a planning meeting of the ACTION: Notice. biological control agent will not have a Rhode Island State Advisory Committee significant impact on the quality of the to the Commission will convene by SUMMARY: We are advising the public human environment. conference call, on Tuesday, March 6, that an environmental assessment and 2018 at 11:00 a.m. (EST). The purpose finding of no significant impact have The EA and FONSI may be viewed on of the meeting is project planning so been prepared by the Animal and Plant the Regulations.gov website (see that members can begin discussing Health Inspection Service relative to the footnote 1). Copies of the EA and FONSI potential topics for its civil rights release of the gall mite, Aceria drabae, are also available for public inspection project. for classical biological control of hoary in our reading room, which is located in cress in the contiguous United States. room 1141 of the USDA South Building, DATES: Tuesday, March 6, 2018, at 11:00 Based on its finding of no significant 14th Street and Independence Avenue a.m. (EST). impact, the Animal and Plant Health SW, Washington, DC. Normal reading Public Call-In Information: Inspection Service has determined that Conference call number: 1–800–310– room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., an environmental impact statement 7032 and conference call ID: 2757439. Monday through Friday, except need not be prepared. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: holidays. To be sure someone is there to FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. help you, please call (202) 799–7039 Barbara de La Viez, at ero@usccr.gov or Colin D. Stewart, Assistant Director, by phone at 202–376–7533 before coming. In addition, copies may Pests, Pathogens, and Biocontrol be obtained by calling or writing to the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Interested Permits, Permitting and Compliance individual listed under FOR FURTHER members of the public may listen to the Coordination, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River INFORMATION CONTACT. discussion by calling the following toll- Road, Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737– free conference call number: 1–800– The EA and FONSI have been 310–7032 and conference call ID: 1231; (301) 851–2327, email: Colin.Stewart@aphis.usda.gov. prepared in accordance with: (1) The 2757439. Please be advised that before National Environmental Policy Act of placing them into the conference call, SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 1969 (NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. the conference call operator may ask Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is proposing to issue 4321 et seq.), (2) regulations of the callers to provide their names, their permits for the release of a mite, Aceria Council on Environmental Quality for organizational affiliations (if any), and drabae, into the continental United implementing the procedural provisions email addresses (so that callers may be States for use as a biological control of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500–1508), (3) notified of future meetings). Callers can agent to reduce the severity of hoary USDA regulations implementing NEPA expect to incur charges for calls they cress infestations. (7 CFR part 1b), and (4) APHIS’ NEPA initiate over wireless lines, and the daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES On December 5, 2017, we published Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part Commission will not refund any in the Federal Register (82 FR 57424– 372). incurred charges. Callers will incur no 57425, Docket No. APHIS–2017–0086) a charge for calls they initiate over land- notice 1 in which we announced the line connections to the toll-free telephone number herein. 1 To view the notice, EA, and FONSI, and the www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS- Persons with hearing impairments comment we received, go to http:// 2017-0086. may also follow the discussion by first VerDate Sep<11>2014 20:10 Feb 21, 2018 Jkt 244001 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\22FEN1.SGM 22FEN1


Document Created: 2018-02-22 02:50:45
Document Modified: 2018-02-22 02:50:45
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.
ContactDr. 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 Citation83 FR 7654 
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