[Federal Register: December 28, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 249)]
[Notices]
[Page 78129-78130]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28de06-27]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2006-0172]
Interstate Movement of Garbage from Hawaii; Availability of a
Pest Risk Assessment and an 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 a pest risk assessment and an
environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact have been
prepared by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service relative to
a request to allow the interstate movement of garbage from Hawaii to a
landfill in the State of Washington. The pest risk assessment evaluates
the risks associated with the interstate movement of garbage from
Hawaii to Washington. The environmental assessment examines the
potential environmental effects associated with moving garbage
interstate from Hawaii to Washington, subject to certain pest risk
mitigation measures and documents our review and analysis of the
environmental impacts associated with, and alternatives to, the action.
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: Ms. Shannon Hamm, Assistant Deputy
Administrator, Policy and Program Development, APHIS, 4700 River Road
Unit 20, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-4957.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The importation and interstate movement of garbage is regulated by
the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) under 7 CFR
330.400 and 9 CFR 94.5 (referred to below as the regulations) in order
to protect against the introduction into and dissemination within the
United States of plant and animal pests and diseases.
On November 8, 2006, we published in the Federal Register (71 FR
65454, Docket No. APHIS-2006-0172) a notice in which we announced the
availability, for public review and comment of, a site-specific
environmental assessment and a pest risk assessment relative to a
request to allow the interstate movement of garbage from Hawaii to the
State of Washington.
The environmental assessment, titled ``Movement of Plastic-baled
Municipal Solid Waste from Honolulu, Hawaii to Roosevelt Regional
Landfill, Washington'' (October 2006), examines the potential
environmental effects associated with moving garbage interstate from
Hawaii to the Roosevelt Regional Landfill in Klickitat County, WA,
subject to certain pest risk mitigation measures. The environmental
assessment documents our review and analysis of environmental impacts
associated with, and alternatives to, the proposed action.
The pest risk assessment, titled ``The Risk of Introduction of
Pests to Washington State via Plastic-Baled Municipal Solid Waste from
Hawaii'' (September 2006), evaluates the plant pest risks associated
with the interstate movement of garbage from Hawaii to the Roosevelt
Regional Landfill.
We solicited comments on the site-specific environmental assessment
and the pest risk assessment for 30 days ending on December 8, 2006. We
received five comments by that date, from three private citizens and
two representatives of local municipalities. Of the comments, only one
specifically addressed the substance of either assessment. That
commenter noted that the environmental assessment incorrectly stated
the capacity of the Roosevelt Regional Landfill. We have updated our
environmental assessment to reflect the capacity reported by the
commenter.
One commenter questioned if a copy of the pest risk assessment had
been made available for the public to view. The pest risk assessment
was made available to the public in several ways. Our November 2006
notice of availability contained specific instructions for obtaining
both electronic and paper copies of the pest risk assessment.
One commenter disagreed with the idea of moving garbage from Hawaii
to the mainland, asking how we can be sure the garbage does not harbor
deadly
[[Page 78130]]
diseases or tiny animals. We believe that the pest risk assessment
provides a thorough analysis of risks presented, and that those risks
are fully addressed by the baling technology and other safeguards that
will be required.
One commenter requested information on the companies that have
expressed interest in sending municipal solid waste (MSW) from Hawaii
to Roosevelt Regional Landfill. As noted on page 2 of the pest risk
assessment, Pacific Rim Environmental Resources and Hawaii Waste
Systems have proposed moving baled MSW from Hawaii to a landfill in
Washington State. Another commenter asked who initiated the request for
an environmental assessment and if these assessments are done routinely
by APHIS. For this particular action, APHIS does routinely prepare
environmental assessments. As explained in the ``Purpose and Need''
section of the environmental assessment, APHIS is reviewing two
requests to move MSW from Honolulu, HI, to the State of Washington
under compliance agreements. APHIS must complete an environmental
assessment to evaluate the potential impact on the human environment
prior to the issuance of these compliance agreements. The purpose of
this review is to determine whether the transport of Hawaiian MSW under
compliance agreements would result in a significant impact on the human
environment.
One commenter asked what measures would be taken to ensure that
unacceptable waste would be segregated from baled waste. APHIS
recommends a series of mitigations in the pest risk assessment that
would ensure that MSW is separated from prohibited materials and
processed and shipped in a way that would prevent the introduction and
dissemination of plant pests. Any companies interested in processing
and shipping MSW from Hawaii to the mainland would have to enter into a
compliance agreement with APHIS and the compliance agreement would
spell out all required safeguards. If any company failed to observe the
conditions of the compliance agreement, that company would no longer be
permitted to process and ship MSW.
Finally, one commenter stated that APHIS should not approve the
proposals to ship plastic-baled MSW from Hawaii to the State of
Washington. The commenter stated that any decisions regarding the
disposition of a community's MSW should be left to the local
government. To clarify, the pest risk assessment and the environmental
assessment were conducted in order to determine if the movement of MSW
from Hawaii to the mainland of the United States would present any risk
of introduction and dissemination of plant pests or animal diseases or
if that action would have any negative impacts on the environments.
APHIS is satisfied with the conclusions of those assessments.
Additionally, APHIS will enter into compliance agreements with
companies that wish to move MSW from Hawaii to the mainland United
States to ensure that the mitigations and protocols described in our
assessments are being followed. It is entirely up to the local
jurisdiction as to whether or not the community will avail itself of
this potential disposal option for its MSW.
The site-specific pest risk assessment and environmental assessment
and finding of no significant impact may be viewed on the
Regulations.gov Web site.\1\ Copies of the pest risk assessment and
environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact 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) 690-2817 to
facilitate entry into the reading room. In addition, copies may be
obtained by writing to the individual listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Go to http://www.regulations.gov, click on the ``Advanced
Search'' tab and select ``Docket Search.'' In the Docket ID field,
enter APHIS-2006-0172, click ``Submit,'' then click on the Docket ID
link in the search results page. The pest risk assessment and the
environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact will
appear in the resulting list of documents.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact
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 1), and (4) APHIS' NEPA
Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part 372).
Done in Washington, DC, this 21st day of December 2006.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E6-22267 Filed 12-27-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P