[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 219 (Monday, November 16, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58939-58940]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-27393]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2009-0058]
Availability of an Environmental Assessment for a Biological
Control Agent for Water Hyacinth
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service has prepared an environmental assessment relative to
the control of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes). The environmental
assessment considers the effects of, and alternatives to, the release
of an insect, Megamelus scutellaris, into the continental United States
for use as a biological control agent to reduce the severity of water
hyacinth infestations. 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
December 16, 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-2009-0058) 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-2009-0058, 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-2009-0058.
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
[[Page 58940]]
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. Shirley Wager-Page, Chief, Pest
Permitting Branch, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD
20737-1237; (301) 734-8453.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is proposing
to issue permits for the release of an insect, Megamelus scutellaris,
into the continental United States for use as a biological control
agent to reduce the severity of water hyacinth infestations.
Water hyacinth originated in lowland tropical South America and was
first introduced into the United States in the late 1800s. Its erect,
free-floating habit and attractive flowers made its use popular in
ornamental ponds and garden pools which inevitably led to the spread of
the plant by humans. The individual rosettes reproduce to form
extensive floating mats which, in mature stands, extend a meter or more
above the water's surface. The invasiveness of water hyacinth results
from its rapid growth, its ability to reinfest via seeds or plant
fragments, and its lack of natural enemies. Infestations negatively
affect water traffic, water quality, infrastructure for pumping and
hydroelectric operations, water use, and biodiversity. The plant can
also cause property damage during floods, water loss due to
evapotranspiration, and an increase in mosquito populations.
Existing water hyacinth management options include chemical
control, draining, and harvesting. However, these management measures
are ineffective, expensive, temporary, have non-target impacts, or
disturb the life cycles of the currently released insects used for
biological control of water hyacinth. Thus, a permit application has
been submitted to APHIS for the purpose of releasing an insect, M.
scutellaris, into the continental United States for use as a biological
control agent to reduce the severity of water hyacinth infestations.
APHIS' review and analysis of the proposed action are documented in
detail in an environmental assessment (EA) titled ``Field Release of
Megamelus scutellaris, Berg (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), for Biological
Control of Water Hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes Mart. (Solms)
(Pontederiales: Pontederiaceae) in the Continental United States''
(July 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 9\th\ day of November 2009.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E9-27393 Filed 11-13-09 8:45 am]
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