[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 94 (Tuesday, May 17, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-11940]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: May 17, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. 94-040-1]
Availability of 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 an environmental assessment
and finding of no significant impact have been prepared by the Animal
and Plant Health Inspection Service relative to the issuance of a
permit to allow the field testing of genetically engineered organisms.
The environmental assessment provides a basis for our conclusion that
the field testing of the genetically engineered organisms will not
present a risk of introducing or disseminating a plant pest and will
not have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment.
Based on its findings of no significant impact, the Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service has determined that an environmental impact
statement need not be prepared.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the environmental assessment and finding of no
significant impact are 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 those documents are
requested to call ahead on (202) 690-2817 to facilitate entry into the
reading room.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Arnold Foudin, Deputy Director,
Biotechnology Permits, BBEP, APHIS, USDA, room 850, Federal Building,
6505 Belcrest Road, Hyattsville, MD 20782, (301) 436-7612. For copies
of the environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact,
write to Mr. Clayton Givens at the same address. Please refer to the
permit number listed below when ordering documents.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations in 7 CFR part 340 (referred
to below as the regulations) regulate the introduction (importation,
interstate movement, and release into the environment) of genetically
engineered organisms and products that are plant pests or that there is
reason to believe are plant pests (regulated articles). A permit must
be obtained before a regulated article may be introduced into the
United States. The regulations set forth the procedures for obtaining a
limited permit for the importation or interstate movement of a
regulated article and for obtaining a permit for the release into the
environment of a regulated article. The Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (APHIS) has stated that it would prepare an
environmental assessment and, when necessary, an environmental impact
statement before issuing a permit for the release into the environment
of a regulated article (see 52 FR 22906).
In the course of reviewing each permit application, APHIS assessed
the impact on the environment that releasing the organisms under the
conditions described in the permit application would have. APHIS has
issued a permit for the field testing of the organisms listed below
after concluding that the organisms will not present a risk of plant
pest introduction or dissemination and will not have a significant
impact on the quality of the human environment. The environmental
assessment and finding of no significant impact, which are based on
data submitted by the applicant and on a review of other relevant
literature, provide the public with documentation of APHIS' review and
analysis of the environmental impact associated with conducting the
field tests.
An environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact
have been prepared by APHIS relative to the issuance of a permit to
allow the field testing of the following genetically engineered
organisms:
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Permit No. Permittee Date issued Organisms Field test location
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94-067-01, renewal of Harris Moran Seed 04-07-94 Melon plants California.
permit 91-077-1, issued Company. genetically engineered
on 06-18-91. to express resistance
to cucumber mosaic
virus.
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The environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact
have been prepared in accordance with: (1) The National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA)(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 Guidelines
Implementing NEPA (44 FR 50381-50384, August 28, 1979, and 44 FR 51272-
51274, August 31, 1979).
Done in Washington, DC, this 10th day of May 1994.
Lonnie J. King,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 94-11940 Filed 5-16-94; 8:45 am]
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