[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 228 (Tuesday, November 26, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70530-70531]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-28322]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2012-0064]
Notice of Determination; New and Revised Treatments for the
Imported Fire Ant Program
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We are advising the public that we are adding or revising
certain treatment schedules for the Imported Fire Ant Program in the
Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) Treatment Manual. In a previous
notice, we made available to the public for review and comment a
treatment evaluation document that discussed the existing treatment
schedules, described the new treatment schedules, and explained why
these changes are necessary. We also made available an environmental
assessment that explained pesticide use in the new and revised
treatments in the imported fire ant program. Based on the treatment
evaluation document, the environmental assessment, and the comments we
received, we are announcing our determination to add those new and
revised treatments to the PPQ Treatment Manual.
DATES: Effective Date: November 26, 2013.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Charles Brown, Director, Emergency
Management, Emergency and Domestic Programs, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River
Road Unit 135, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 851-2119.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren and Solenopsis
richteri Forel, is an aggressive, stinging insect that, in large
numbers, can seriously injure or even kill livestock, pets, and humans.
The imported fire ant feeds on crops and builds large, hard mounds that
damage farm and field machinery. Imported fire ants are notorious
hitchhikers and are readily transported long distances when articles
such as soil and nursery stock are shipped outside the infested area.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) works to
prevent further imported fire ant spread by enforcing a Federal
quarantine and cooperating with imported fire ant-infested States to
mitigate the risks associated with the movement of regulated articles
such as nursery stock and used soil-moving equipment.
The regulations in ``Subpart--Imported Fire Ant'' (7 CFR 301.81
through 301.81-11, referred to below as the regulations) are intended
to prevent the imported fire ant from spreading throughout its
ecological range within the country. The regulations quarantine
infested States or infested areas within States and restrict interstate
movement of regulated articles to prevent the artificial spread of the
imported fire ant.
Sections 301.81-4 and 301.81-5 of the regulations provide, among
other things, that regulated articles requiring treatment prior to
interstate movement must be treated in accordance with 7 CFR part 305,
which contains our phytosanitary treatment regulations.
In Sec. 305.2, paragraph (b) states that approved treatment
schedules are set out in the Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ)
Treatment Manual.\1\ Section 305.3 sets out a process for adding,
revising, or removing treatment schedules in the PPQ Treatment Manual.
In that section, paragraph (a) sets out the process for adding,
revising, or removing treatment schedules when there is no immediate
need to make a change.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The PPQ Treatment Manual is available on the Internet at
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/manuals/index.shtml
or by contacting the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service,
Plant Protection and Quarantine, Manuals Unit, 92 Thomas Johnson
Drive, Suite 200, Frederick, MD 21702.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
In accordance with Sec. 305.3(a)(1), we published a notice \2\ in
the Federal Register on March 6, 2013 (78 FR 14510-14511, Docket No.
APHIS-2012-0064), in which we announced the availability, for review
and comment, of a treatment evaluation document (TED) we prepared to
discuss the existing treatment schedules, describe the new treatment
schedules, and explain why certain changes were necessary. In addition,
we prepared an environmental assessment (EA) entitled, ``Pesticide Use
in the Imported Fire Ant Program'' (March 2012) to document our review
and analysis of the environmental impacts associated with the new
pesticides and new uses for previously approved pesticides.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ To view the notice, the treatment evaluation document, the
environmental assessment, and the comments we received, go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2012-0064.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
We solicited comments on the notice for 60 days ending on May 6,
2013. We received four comments by that date, from a State agriculture
department, an organization of State plant pest regulatory agencies, an
industry association, and a private citizen. All four commenters
supported the changes to the PPQ Treatment Manual described in the TED.
Therefore, in accordance with Sec. 305.3, we are announcing the
Administrator's determination to add the new and revised treatment
schedules for use for the imported fire ant program to the PPQ
Treatment Manual.
We are also announcing that we have prepared a finding of no
significant impact (FONSI) for this action. The FONSI, which is based
on the EA and the comments we received, documents our conclusion that
the updates to the PPQ Treatment Manual will not have a significant
impact on the quality of the human environment.
The EA and FONSI were 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
[[Page 70531]]
Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part 372).
Done in Washington, DC, this 20th day of November 2013.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-28322 Filed 11-25-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P