[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 55 (Tuesday, March 22, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 15935]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-6605]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2010-0115]
Availability of an Environmental Assessment and Finding of No
Significant Impact for a Biological Control Agent for Air Potato
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that an environmental assessment
and finding of no significant impact have been prepared by the Animal
and Plant Health Inspection Service relative to the control of air
potato (Dioscorea bulbifera). 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: 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, Lilioceris cheni, into
the continental United States for use as a biological control agent to
reduce the severity of air potato (Dioscorea bulbifera) infestations.
On January 19, 2011, we published in the Federal Register (76 FR
3076-3077, Docket No. APHIS-2010-0115) a notice \1\ in which we
announced the availability, for public review and comment, of an
environmental assessment (EA) that examined the potential environmental
impacts associated with the proposed release of this biological control
agent into the continental United States.
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\1\ To view the notice, EA, and FONSI go to http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2010-0115.
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We solicited comments on the EA for 30 days ending February 18,
2011. We received one comment by that date, from a State agricultural
agency. The commenter, who supported the proposed release, asked
whether, when the shipments of L. cheni were imported, the identity of
the specimens was confirmed and if voucher specimens had been
established. The commenter was concerned that the validity of the host
specificity testing would be called into question if the identity of
the specimens was not firmly established. We have notified the
commenter that the identity of the specimens was confirmed at the time
of their importation and that voucher specimens have been set aside.
In this document, we are advising the public of our finding of no
significant impact (FONSI) regarding the release of L. cheni, into the
continental United States for use as a biological control agent to
reduce the severity of air potato (Dioscorea bulbifera) infestations.
The finding, which is based on the EA, reflects our determination that
release of this biological control agent will not have a significant
impact on the quality of the human environment.
The EA and FONSI may be viewed on the Regulations.gov Web site (see
footnote 1). Copies of the EA and FONSI 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
calling or writing to the individual listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT.
The EA and FONSI 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 1b), and (4)
APHIS' NEPA Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part 372).
Done in Washington, DC, this 16th day of March 2011.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-6605 Filed 3-21-11; 8:45 am]
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