[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 73 (Friday, April 15, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-9129]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: April 15, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. 94-022-1]

 

Availability of Environmental Assessment and Finding of No 
Significant Impact

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service has prepared an environmental assessment and a 
finding of no significant impact for the shipment of an unlicensed 
veterinary biological product for field testing. A risk analysis, which 
forms the basis for the environmental assessment, has led us to 
conclude that shipment of the unlicensed veterinary biological product 
for field testing will not have a significant impact on the quality of 
the human environment. Based on our finding of no significant impact, 
we have determined that an environmental impact statement need not be 
prepared.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the environmental assessment and finding of no 
significant impact may be obtained by writing to the person listed 
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Please refer to the docket 
number of this notice when requesting copies. Copies of the 
environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact (as well 
as the risk analysis with confidential business information removed) 
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 those documents are requested to call ahead 
on (202) 690-2817 to facilitate entry into the reading room.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Jeanette Greenberg, Veterinary 
Biologics, BBEP, APHIS, USDA, room 571, Federal Building, 6505 Belcrest 
Road, Hyattsville, MD 20782; telephone (301) 436-5390; fax (301) 436-
8669.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A veterinary biological product regulated 
under the Virus-Serum-Toxin Act (21 U.S.C. 151 et seq.) must be shown 
to be pure, safe, potent, and efficacious before a veterinary 
biological product license may be issued. A field test is generally 
necessary to satisfy prelicensing requirements for veterinary 
biological products. In order to ship an unlicensed product for the 
purpose of conducting a proposed field test, a person must receive 
authorization from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
(APHIS).
    In determining whether to authorize shipment for field testing of 
the unlicensed veterinary biological product referenced in this notice, 
APHIS conducted a risk analysis to assess the product's potential 
effects on the safety of animals, public health, and the environment. 
Based on that risk analysis, APHIS has prepared an environmental 
assessment. APHIS has concluded that shipment of the unlicensed 
veterinary biological product for field testing will not significantly 
affect the quality of the human environment. Based on this finding of 
no significant impact, we have determined that there is no need to 
prepare an environmental impact statement.
    An environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact 
have been prepared for the shipment of the following unlicensed 
veterinary biological product for field testing: 

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                         Field test     
    Requester(s)                Product                 location(s)     
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Tufts University       A live, gentically          Area astride the Cape
 School of Veterinary   engineered, vaccinia-       Cod Canal,          
 Medicine; Rhone        vectored rabies vaccine     Barnstable County,  
 Merieux, Inc.; and     that expresses the rabies   MA.                 
 the Centers for        virus surface                                   
 Disease Control and    glycoprotein; and the                           
 Prevention.            vaccine is enclosed in                          
                        raccoon baits.                                  
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact 
have been prepared in accordance with: (1) The National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA)(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 Guidelines 
Implementing NEPA (44 FR 50381-50384, August 28, 1979, and 44 FR 51272-
51274, August 31, 1979).

    Done in Washington, DC, this 11th day of April 1994.
Lonnie J. King,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 94-9129 Filed 4-14-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P