[Federal Register: September 28, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 186)]
[Notices]
[Page 49360-49361]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28se09-32]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2009-0059]
Availability of an Environmental Assessment for a Biological
Control Agent for Japanese Beetle
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service has prepared an environmental assessment relative to
the control of Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica). The environmental
assessment considers the effects of, and alternatives to, the release
of a bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis japonensis, into the continental
United States for the use of biological control to reduce the severity
of infestations of Japanese beetle on turfgrass. We are making the
environmental assessment available to the public for review and
comment.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before
October 28, 2009.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://
www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/
main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2009-0059 to submit or view comments and
to view supporting and related materials available electronically.
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send two copies of
your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2009-0059, Regulatory Analysis and
Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118,
Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state that your comment refers to
Docket No. APHIS-2009-0059.
Reading Room: You may read any comments that we receive on the
environmental assessment in our reading room. The reading room is
located in room 1141 of the USDA South Building, 14th Street and
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC. Normal reading room hours are
8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. To be
[[Page 49361]]
sure someone is there to help you, please call (202) 690-2817 before
coming.
Other Information: Additional information about APHIS and its
programs is available on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. James L. White, Pest Permitting
Branch, Registration, Identification, Permitting, and Plant
Safeguarding, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD
20737-1237; (301) 734-8713.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is proposing
to issue permits for the release of a bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis
japonensis, into the continental United States for the biological
control of the larval stage of Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica).
Japanese beetle is native to Japan where it is not a significant
pest and was first discovered in the United States in 1916 near
Riverton, NJ. APHIS has administered regulations regarding Japanese
beetle since 1979 to prevent its spread to new areas. Currently, 28
States and the District of Columbia are quarantined under 7 CFR 301.48
because of the presence of Japanese beetle.
To control Japanese beetle, turf care professionals and homeowners
use large quantities of several chemical insecticides. While these
chemicals can be effective, their use can result in potential
environmental and health issues. Currently, there are very few
biological control options for Japanese beetle control. While these
natural products do not present the potential environmental impact that
standard insecticides do, they tend to provide inconsistent grub pest
control at best.
Thus, a permit application has been submitted to APHIS for the
purpose of releasing a soil dwelling bacterium, B. thuringiensis
japonensis to reduce the severity of infestations of Japanese beetle in
the United States in turfgrass. The field tests requested will be
performed in five States: Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Ohio,
and Rhode Island. Additional locations in different States may be
authorized if a finding of no significant impact is reached for the
environmental assessment (EA).
APHIS' review and analysis of the proposed action are documented in
detail in a draft EA titled ``Field Release of Bacillus thuringiensis
apnensis, a Bacterium for Biological Control of Japanese Beetle,
Popillia japonica (Cloeoptera:Scarabaeidae), in Five States'' (February
2009). We are making the EA available to the public for review and
comment. We will consider all comments that we receive on or before the
date listed under the heading DATES at the beginning of this notice.
The EA may be viewed on the Regulations.gov Web site or in our
reading room (see ADDRESSES above for instructions for accessing
Regulations.gov and information on the location and hours of the
reading room). You may request paper copies of the EA by calling or
writing to the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Please refer to the title of the EA when requesting copies.
The EA has 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 22nd day of September 2009.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E9-23326 Filed 9-25-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P