[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 205 (Monday, October 26, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54950-54951]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-25686]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2007-0156]
Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.; Availability of Petition and
Environmental Assessment for Determination of Nonregulated Status for
Genetically Engineered High-oleic Soybeans
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice; availability of petition and extension of comment
period.
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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service is extending the public comment period on a petition
from Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., seeking a determination of
nonregulated status for soybean designated as transformation event
305423, which has been genetically engineered to have higher levels of
oleic acid and lower levels of linoleic and linolenic acids in their
oil. Due to an Agency oversight, an incorrect version of the Pioneer
petition was originally posted on the Internet for review and comment.
With this notice, we are advising the public that the correct version
of the petition has been posted and is available for review and
comment. We are also extending the comment period for the petition, the
draft environmental assessment, and the plant pest risk assessment in
order to provide the public a full 60 days to consider the petition for
determination of nonregulated status and the supporting documents
associated with that petition.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before
December 28, 2009.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
[[Page 54951]]
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to (http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2007-0156) 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-2007-0156, 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-2007-0156.
Reading Room: You may read any comments that we receive on this
docket 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 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. Karen Green, Biotechnology
Regulatory Services, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 147, Riverdale, MD
20737-1236; (301) 734-0672, email: ([email protected]). To
obtain copies of the petition or the draft environmental assessment,
contact Ms. Cindy Eck at (301) 734-0667, email:
([email protected]). The petition, the draft environmental
assessment, and the plant pest risk assessment are also available on
the Internet at (http://www.aphis.usda.gov/brs/aphisdocs/06_35401p.pdf), (http://www.aphis.usda.gov/brs/aphisdocs/06_35401p_ea.pdf), and (http://www.aphis.usda.gov/brs/aphisdocs/06_35401p_pra.pdf).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
In a notice\1\ published in the Federal Register on September 2,
2009 (74 FR 45413-45415, Docket No. APHIS-2007-0156), the Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced the availability of a
petition from Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., seeking a
determination of nonregulated status for soybean designated as
transformation event 305423, which has been genetically engineered to
have higher levels of oleic acid and lower levels of linoleic and
linolenic acids in their oil. In that notice, we indicated to the
public that the petition, a draft environmental assessment, and a plant
pest risk assessment were available on the Internet, in our Agency
reading room, and from the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT.
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\1\To view the notice, petition, draft environmental assessment,
plant pest risk assessment, and any comments we have received, go to
(http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2007-0156).
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Due to an Agency oversight, an incorrect version of the Pioneer
petition was originally posted on the Internet for review and comment.
With this notice, we are advising the public that the correct version
of the petition has been posted and is available for review and
comment. We are also extending the comment period for the petition, the
draft environmental assessment, and the plant pest risk assessment in
order to provide the public a full 60 days to consider the petition for
determination of nonregulated status and the supporting documents
associated with that petition. This action will allow interested
persons additional time to prepare and submit comments.
After the comment period closes, APHIS will review all written
comments received during the comment period and any other relevant
information. All public comments received regarding the petition and
draft environmental assessment will be available for public review.
After reviewing and evaluating the comments on the petition, draft
environmental assessment, and other data, APHIS will furnish a response
to the petitioner, either approving or denying the petition. APHIS will
then publish a notice in the Federal Register announcing the regulatory
status of Pioneer's 305423 soybean and the availability of APHIS'
written decision.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 7701-7772 and 7781-7786; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 7
CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.3.
Done in Washington, DC, this 19th day of October 2009.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E9-25686 Filed 10-23-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-S