[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 125 (Thursday, June 30, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-15948]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: June 30, 1994]


                                                   VOL. 59, NO. 125

                                            Thursday, June 30, 1994

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. 94-060-1]

 

Availability of Environmental Assessments and Findings 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 eight environmental 
assessments and findings of no significant impact have been prepared by 
the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service relative to the issuance 
of permits to allow the field testing of genetically engineered 
organisms. The environmental assessments provide a basis for our 
conclusion that the field testing of these genetically engineered 
organisms will not present a risk of introducing or disseminating a 
plant pest and will not have a significant impact on the quality of the 
human environment. Based on its findings of no significant impact, the 
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has determined that 
environmental impact statements need not be prepared.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the environmental assessments and findings of no 
significant impact are 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. Arnold Foudin, Deputy Director, 
Biotechnology Permits, BBEP, APHIS, USDA, room 850, Federal Building, 
6505 Belcrest Road, Hyattsville, MD 20782, (301) 436-7612. For copies 
of the environmental assessments and findings of no significant impact, 
write to Mr. Clayton Givens at the same address. Please refer to the 
permit numbers listed below when ordering documents.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations in 7 CFR part 340 (referred 
to below as the regulations) regulate the introduction (importation, 
interstate movement, and release into the environment) of genetically 
engineered organisms and products that are plant pests or that there is 
reason to believe are plant pests (regulated articles). A permit must 
be obtained before a regulated article may be introduced into the 
United States. The regulations set forth the procedures for obtaining a 
limited permit for the importation or interstate movement of a 
regulated article and for obtaining a permit for the release into the 
environment of a regulated article. The Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service (APHIS) has stated that it would prepare an 
environmental assessment and, when necessary, an environmental impact 
statement before issuing a permit for the release into the environment 
of a regulated article (see 52 FR 22906).
    In the course of reviewing each permit application, APHIS assessed 
the impact on the environment that releasing the organisms under the 
conditions described in the permit application would have. APHIS has 
issued permits for the field testing of the organisms listed below 
after concluding that the organisms will not present a risk of plant 
pest introduction or dissemination and will not have a significant 
impact on the quality of the human environment. The environmental 
assessments and findings of no significant impact, which are based on 
data submitted by the applicants and on a review of other relevant 
literature, provide the public with documentation of APHIS' review and 
analysis of the environmental impacts associated with conducting the 
field tests.
    Environmental assessments and findings of no significant impact 
have been prepared by APHIS relative to the issuance of permits to 
allow the field testing of the following genetically engineered 
organisms: 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       Permit No.               Permittee        Date issued           Organisms            Field test location 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
94-105-02, renewal of    Michigan State              5-18-94  Melon plants genetically     Michigan.            
 permit 92-164-02,        University.                          engineered to express                            
 issued on 07-30-92.                                           resistance to zucchini                           
                                                               yellow mosaic virus.                             
94-090-02, renewal of    Upjohn Company........      5-24-94  Squash plants genetically    California, Georgia, 
 permit 93-053-02,                                             engineered to express        Texas.              
 issued on 05-20-93.                                           resistance to cucumber                           
                                                               mosaic virus, watermelon                         
                                                               mosaic virus 2, and                              
                                                               zucchini yellow mosaic                           
                                                               virus.                                           
94-024-01..............  Monsanto Agricultural       5-26-94  Wheat plants genetically     Montana.             
                          Company.                             engineered to express                            
                                                               marker genes including                           
                                                               glyphosate herbicide                             
                                                               tolerance as a marker.                           
94-039-01..............  Petoseed Company,           5-26-94  Squash plants genetically    California.          
                          Incorporated.                        engineered to express                            
                                                               resistance to cucumber                           
                                                               mosaic virus, watermelon                         
                                                               mosaic virus 2, and                              
                                                               zucchini yellow mosaic                           
                                                               virus.                                           
94-010-01..............  Connecticut                 6-03-94  Cryphonectria parasitica, a  Connecticut, West    
                          Agricultural                         causal agent of chestnut     Virginia.           
                          Experiment Station.                  blight, genetically                              
                                                               engineered to be                                 
                                                               hypovirulent.                                    
94-060-01..............  Upjohn Company........      6-03-94  Lettuce plants genetically   Georgia.             
                                                               engineered to express                            
                                                               resistance to tomato                             
                                                               spotted wilt virus.                              
94-090-01..............  Upjohn Company........      6-03-94  Melon plants genetically     Oregon.              
                                                               engineered to express                            
                                                               resistance to cucumber                           
                                                               mosaic virus, watermelon                         
                                                               mosaic virus 2, and                              
                                                               zucchini yellow mosaic                           
                                                               virus.                                           
94-098-02 renewal of     University of               6-03-94  Pseudomonas syringae         Wisconsin.           
 permit 90-135-01,        Wisconsin-Madison.                   genetically engineered to                        
 issued on 09-04-90.                                           be avirulent through the                         
                                                               use of Tn5.                                      
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The environmental assessments and findings 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 24th day of June, 1994.
Alex B. Theirmann,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 94-15948 Filed 6-29-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P