[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 180 (Thursday, September 17, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55826-55827]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-23381]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2015-0047]
Oral Rabies Vaccine Trial; Availability of a Supplement to an
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service has prepared a supplement to an environmental
assessment and finding of no significant impact relative to an oral
rabies vaccination field trial in New Hampshire, New York, Ohio,
Vermont, and West Virginia. 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: Mr. Richard Chipman, Rabies Program
Coordinator, Wildlife Services, APHIS, 59 Chennell Drive, Suite 7,
Concord, NH 03301; (603) 223-9623. To obtain copies of the supplement
to the environmental assessment and the finding of no significant
impact, contact Ms. Beth Kabert, Environmental Coordinator, Wildlife
Services, 140-C Locust Grove Road, Pittstown, NJ 08867; (908) 735-5654,
fax (908) 735-0821, email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Wildlife Services (WS) program in the
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) cooperates with
Federal agencies, State and local governments, and private individuals
to research and implement the best methods of managing conflicts
between wildlife and human health and safety, agriculture, property,
and natural resources. Wildlife-borne diseases that can affect domestic
animals and humans are among the types of conflicts that APHIS-WS
addresses. Wildlife is the dominant reservoir of rabies in the United
States.
On July 17, 2015, we published in the Federal Register (80 FR
42467-42469, Docket No. APHIS-2015-0047) a
[[Page 55827]]
notice \1\ in which we announced the availability, for public review
and comment, of a supplement to an environmental assessment (EA) that
examined the potential environmental impacts associated with the
proposed field trial to test the safety and efficacy of an experimental
oral rabies vaccine for wildlife in New Hampshire, New York, Ohio,
Vermont, and West Virginia. In addition, the supplement analyzed the
geographic shift of the field trial zone in Ohio and an increase in
bait distribution density in portions of West Virginia.
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\1\ To view the notice, the EA, and the FONSI, go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2015-0047.
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We solicited comments on the EA for 30 days ending August 17, 2015.
We received one comment by that date, which supported the oral rabies
vaccination program.
In this document, we are advising the public of our finding of no
significant impact (FONSI) regarding the implementation of a field
trial to test the safety and efficacy of the ONRAB wildlife rabies
vaccine in New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Vermont, and West Virginia,
including portions of U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service
National Forest System lands, but excluding Wilderness Areas. The
finding, which is based on the EA, the 2013 supplement to the EA, and
the 2015 supplement to the EA, reflects our determination that the
distribution of this experimental wildlife rabies vaccine will not have
a significant impact on the quality of the human environment.
The 2015 supplement to the EA and the FONSI may be viewed on the
APHIS Web site at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlifedamage/nepa and on
the Regulations.gov Web site (see footnote 1). Copies of the 2015
supplement to the EA and the FONSI are also available for public
inspection at USDA, room 1141, South Building, 14th Street and
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, except holidays. Persons wishing to inspect
copies are requested to call ahead on (202) 799-7039 to facilitate
entry into the reading room. In addition, copies may be obtained as
described under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
The 2015 supplement to the EA and the 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 14th day of September 2015.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-23381 Filed 9-16-15; 8:45 am]
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