J.R. Simplot Company; Availability of Preliminary Finding of No Significant Impact, Preliminary Plant Pest Risk Similarity Assessment, and Preliminary Determination for an Extension of a Determination of Nonregulated Status for X17 and Y9 Potato Varieties

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has reached a preliminary decision to extend our determination of nonregulated status of J.R. Simplot Company's (Simplot) Innate TM  Potato designated as Russet Burbank event W8 (the antecedent potato event) to Simplot's Ranger Russet variety (X17) and Atlantic variety (Y9) potatoes. Simplot's X17 and Y9 potatoes have been genetically engineered for late blight resistance, low acrylamide potential, lowered reducing sugars, and reduced black spot using the same genetic constructs used to transform the antecedent potato event. We are making available for public comment our preliminary determination, preliminary plant pest risk similarity assessment, and preliminary finding of no significant impact for the proposed determination of nonregulated status.