[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 80 (Thursday, April 24, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22127-22128]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-8892]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2008-0042]
Control of Russian Knapweed; Availability of an Environmental
Assessment
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that an environmental assessment
has been prepared by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
relative to the environmental release of the gall wasp Aulacidea
acroptilonica for the biological control of Russian knapweed
(Acroptilon repens). The environmental assessment documents our review
and analysis of environmental impacts associated with, and alternatives
to, the release of this biological control agent. We are making this
environmental assessment available to the public for review and
comment.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before May
27, 2008.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://
www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/
main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2008-0042 to submit or view comments and
to view supporting and related materials available electronically.
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send two copies of
your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2008-0042, Regulatory Analysis and
Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118,
Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state that your comment refers to
Docket No. APHIS-2008-0042.
Reading Room: You may read any comments that we receive on this
docket 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) 690-2817 before coming.
Other Information: Additional information about APHIS and its
programs is available on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Robert S. Johnson, Branch Chief,
Permits, Registrations, Imports and Manuals, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River
Road, Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 734-5055.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Russian knapweed (Acroptilon repens) is an aggressive, long-lived
perennial in the Asteraceae or sunflower family that thrives in both
irrigated and arid environments, and in cropland, pastures, rangeland,
shrubland, and wasteland. It is difficult to control in alfalfa,
clover, other forage crops, and pastures. It reduces wildlife habitat
and suppresses the growth of other plants.
Russian knapweed has no known beneficial qualities. It is not
utilized for forage because of its bitter taste, and may cause
neurological disorders in horses if consumed. The quality of flour or
other grain products that have been contaminated by Russian knapweed is
reduced due to the bitter taste it imparts. Studies indicate that the
spread of Russian knapweed may have a significant economic impact.
Russian knapweed reproduces primarily vegetatively from a primary
vertical root with numerous lateral roots. It is a strong competitor
and produces compounds that exclude other plant species. Russian
knapweed seeds may be spread through infested hay or crop seeds or
through the movement of cattle, as the seeds are able to survive the
digestive system of these animals.
Estimated Russian knapweed acreage for the Western United States
and Canada for the year 2000 totaled over 1,561,714 acres, with 80
percent of the affected acreage located in the States of Washington,
Idaho, Colorado, and Wyoming.
[[Page 22128]]
Aulacidea acroptilonica is a small gall-forming wasp that has been
demonstrated through specificity testing and field observations
reported in scientific literature to attack only Russian knapweed. Gall
induction diverts nutrients from flower formation, seed production, and
the normal growth of plant tissues, thus reducing the plant's
competitive ability and seed production.
APHIS' review and analysis of the potential environmental impacts
associated with the use of Aulacidea acroptilonica as an agent for the
biological control of Russian knapweed are documented in detail in an
environmental assessment entitled ``Field Release of Aulacidea
acroptilonica (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae), an Insect for Biological
Control of Russian Knapweed (Acroptilon repens) in the Continental
United States'' (January 22, 2008). We are making this environmental
assessment 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 environmental assessment 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). You may request paper copies of the environmental
assessment by calling or writing to the person listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT. Please refer to the title of the environmental
assessment when requesting copies.
The environmental assessment 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 1), and (4) APHIS' NEPA Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part
372).
Done in Washington, DC, this 18th day of April 2008.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E8-8892 Filed 4-23-08; 8:45 am]
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