[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 178 (Thursday, September 15, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-22852]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: September 15, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. 94-086-1]
Availability of Environmental Assessments and Findings 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 six environmental assessments
and findings of no significant impact have been prepared by the Animal
and Plant Health Inspection Service relative to the issuance of permits
to allow the release into the environment of nonindigenous biological
control agents. The environmental assessments provide a basis for our
conclusion that the release into the environment of the biological
control agents will not present a risk of introducing or disseminating
plant pests within the United States 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 environmental impact statements need not be
prepared.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the environmental assessments and findings 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. Matthew H. Royer, Chief Operations
Officer, Biological Assessment and Taxonomic Support, Operational
Support, Plant Protection and Quarantine, APHIS, USDA, room 626,
Federal Building, 6505 Belcrest Road, Hyattsville, MD 20782, (301) 436-
8896. For copies of the environmental assessment and finding of no
significant impact, write to Ms. Deborah Knott at the same address.
Please refer to the title of the environmental assessment when ordering
copies.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Federal Plant Pest Act as amended
(7 U.S.C. 150aa et seq.) and the Plant Quarantine Act of 1912 as
amended (7 U.S.C. 151 et seq.) (the Acts), the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) has broad authority to regulate the importation,
interstate movement, and release into the environment of organisms in
order to prevent the dissemination of plant pests into the United
States or interstate. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
(APHIS) regulates plant pests under regulations promulgated pursuant to
the Acts and contained in 7 CFR part 330 (referred to below as the
regulations). The regulations require, among other things, that a
permit be obtained for the movement of a plant pest into or through the
United States or interstate. The regulations and Acts also allow the
Department to include in the permit conditions to prevent the
dissemination of plant pests.
Under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), APHIS typically prepares an environmental
assessment before issuing a permit for the release in the United States
of a nonindigenous organism.
In accordance with applicable regulations, APHIS has received
applications for permits for the release into the environment of
nonindigenous biological control agents. In the course of reviewing
each permit application, APHIS assessed the impact on the environment
of releasing the organisms under the conditions described in the permit
application. APHIS has issued permits for the release into the
environment of the organisms listed below after concluding that their
release will not present a risk of the introduction or dissemination of
plant pests within the United States and will not have a significant
impact on the quality of the human environment. The environmental
assessments and findings 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 releasing the
biological control agents into the environment.
Environmental assessments and findings of no significant impact
have been prepared by APHIS relative to the issuance of permits for the
release into the environment of the following biological control
agents:
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Date of
finding of no
Organism Title of environmental assessment significant
impact
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Eretmocerus sp. B, Class Insecta, ``Field Release of a Nonindigenous Wasp (Eretmocerus sp. 3/11/94
Order Hymenoptera, Family B) for Biological Control of Sweetpotato Whitefly''
Aphelinidae. (March 1994).
Ageniaspis citricola, ``Field Release of a Nonindigenous Wasp (Ageniaspis 4/29/94
(Logvinovskaya), Class Insecta, citricola Logvinovskaya) for Biological Control of
Order Hymenoptera, Family Encyrtidae. Citrus Leafminer (Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton)''
(April 1994).
Tetranychus lintearius (Dufour), ``Field Release of the Nonindigenous Gorse Spider Mite, 5/12/94
Class Arachnida, Order Acari, Family Tetranychus lintearius Dufour (Acari: Tetranychidae),
Tetranychidae. for Biological Control of Gorse, Ulex europaeus L.
(Leguminosae)'' (May 1994).
Calosoma sycophanta, Class Insecta, ``Field Release of a Nonindigenous Predatory Beetle 5/23/94
Order Coleoptera, Family Carabidae. (Calosoma sycophanta) for Biological Control of Gypsy
Moth'' (May 1994).
Nanophyes marmoratus and N. brevis, ``Release of Two Nonindigenous Beetles, Nanophyes 6/1/94
Class Insecta, Order Coleoptera, marmoratus and N. brevis, for Biological Control of
Family Curculionidae. Purple Loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria'' (May 1994).
Aphytis, Class Insecta, Order ``Field Releases of a Nonindigenous Species of Aphytis 7/12/94
Hymenoptera, Family Aphelinidae. (sp. T93015) for Biological Control of Armored Scale
Insects'' (July 1994).
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The environmental assessments and findings of no significant impact
have been prepared in accordance with: (1) NEPA, (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 9th day of September 1994.
Terry L. Medley,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 94-22852 Filed 9-14-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P