[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 12 (Friday, January 17, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 2641]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-1225]
========================================================================
Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
========================================================================
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 12 / Friday, January 17, 1997 /
Notices
[[Page 2641]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. 96-099-1]
Availability of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No
Significant Impact
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We are advising the public that an environmental assessment
and finding of no significant impact has 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 finding of no significant impact, the Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service has determined that an environmental impact
statement need not be prepared.
ADDRESSES: A copy of the environmental assessment and finding of no
significant impact is 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 the document 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 Evaluation, BSS, PPQ, APHIS, Suite 5B05, 4700 River Road
Unit 147, Riverdale, MD 20737-1237; (301) 734-7612. For a copy of the
environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact, contact
Mr. Clayton Givens at (301) 734-7612; e-mail: [email protected].
Please refer to the permit number listed below when ordering the
document.
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 or a notification acknowledged before a regulated article
may be introduced into the United States. The regulations set forth the
permit application requirements and the notification procedures for the
importation, interstate movement, and release into the environment of a
regulated article.
In the course of reviewing the permit application, the Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service (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 is based on data submitted by the applicant
and on a review of other relevant literature, provides the public with
documentation of APHIS' review and analysis of the environmental
impacts associated with conducting the field test.
An environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact
has been prepared by APHIS relative to the issuance of a permit to
allow the field testing of the following genetically engineered
organisms:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FIELD TEST
PERMIT NUMBER PERMITTEE DATE ISSUED ORGANISMS LOCATION
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
96-256-01....... Sanford 11-20-96 Geranium plants genetically engineered to California.
Scientific, Inc. express resistance to plant pathogenic
bacteria and fungi.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact
has been prepared in accordance with: (1) The National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969, as amended (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' NEPA
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part 372).
Done in Washington, DC, this 13th day of January 1997.
Terry L. Medley,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 97-1225 Filed 1-16-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P