[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 240 (Thursday, December 14, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64139-64140]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-30460]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. 95-062-1]
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 14 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 release into the environment of nonindigenous biological
control agents. The environmental assessments provide a basis for our
conclusion that the release into the environment of the biological
control agents will not present a risk of introducing plant pests into
the United States or disseminating plant pests within the United States
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. Matthew H. Royer, Chief Operations
Officer, Biological Assessment and Taxonomic Support, PPQ, APHIS, 4700
River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236, (301) 734-8896. For
copies of the environmental assessment and finding of no significant
impact, write to Ms. Deborah Knott at the same address. Please refer to
the title of the environmental assessment when ordering copies.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Federal Plant Pest Act as amended
(7 U.SC. 150aa et seq.) and the Plant Quarantine Act, as amended (7
U.S.C. 151 et seq.) (the Acts), the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) has broad authority to regulate the importation, interstate
movement, and release into the environment of organisms in order to
prevent the dissemination of plant pests into the United States or
interstate. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
regulates plant pests under regulations promulaged pursuant to the Acts
and contained in 7 CFR part 330 (referred to below as the regulations).
The regulations require, among other things, that a permit be obtained
for the movement of a plant pest into or through the United States or
interstate. The regulations and Acts also allow the Department to
include in the permit conditions to prevent the dissemination of plant
pests.
Under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), APHIS typically prepares an environmental
assessment before issuing a permit for the release in the United States
of nonindigenous organisms.
[[Page 64140]]
In accordance with applicable regulations, APHIS has received
applications for permits for the release into the environment of
nonindigenous biological control agents. In the course of reviewing
each permit application, APHIS assessed the plant pest risk posed by
each organism and the impact on the environment of releasing each
organism under the conditions described in the permit application.
APHIS has issued permits for the release into the environment of the
organisms listed below after concluding that their release in
accordance with conditions on the permits will not present a risk of
the introduction or dissemination of plant pests within the United
States 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 applicant
and on a review of other relevant literature, provide the public with
documentation of APHIS' review and analysis of the environmental impact
and plant pest risk associated with releasing the biological control
agents into the environment.
Environmental assessments and findings of no significant impact
have been prepared by APHIS relative to the issuance of permits for the
release into the environment of the following biological control
agents:
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Date of
finding of
Organism Title of environmental assessment no
significant
impact
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Cirrospilus quadristriatus (Subba Rao and ``Field Release of a Nonindigenous Wasp (Cirrospilus 7/25/94.
Ramamani). quadristriatus (Subba Rao and Ramamani)) for
Biological Control of Citrus Leafminer (Phyllocnistis
citrella Stainton)'' (July 1994).
Anaphes nitens (Girault)................... ``Field Release of the Nonindigenous Wasp, Anaphes 8/24/94.
nitens (Girault) (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae), for
Biological Control of the Eucalyptus Snout Beetle,
Gonipterus scutellatus Gyllenhal (Coleoptera:
Curculionidae)'' (August 1994).
Eretmocerus sp. M94002..................... ``Field Release of a Nonindigenous Species M94002 9/9/94.
(Eretmocerus sp. M94002) for Biological Control of
Silverleaf Whitefly'' (September 1994).
Encarsia inaron Walker..................... ``Field Releases of a Nonindigenous Species (Encarsia 9/16/94.
inaron Walker) for Biological Control of Ash
Whitefly'' (September 1994).
Aphytis Species............................ ``Field Releases of Nonindigenous Aphytis Species for 9/16/94.
Biological Control of Armored Scale Insects''
(September 1994).
Tetranychus lintearius Dufour.............. ``Field release of the Nonindigenous Gorse Spider 10/25/94.
Mite, Tetranychus lintearius Dufour (Acari:
Tetranychidae), for Biological Control of Gorse, Ulex
europaeus L. (Leguminosae)'' (October 1994).
Montandaniola moraguesi Puton.............. ``Field Release of a Nonindigenous Species, 2/10/95.
Montandaniola moraguesi Puton (Hemiptera:
Anthocoridae) for Biological Control of Cuban laurel
thrips'' (February 1995).
Encarsia Species........................... ``Field Releases of Certain Encarsia Species 2/17/95.
(Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) for Biological Control of
Armored Scale Insects and Whitefly'' (February 1995).
Eretmocerus................................ ``Field Releases of Nonindigenous Parasitic Wasps in 3/4/95.
the Genus Eretmocerus (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) for
Biological Control of Whitefly Pests (Homoptera:
Aleyrodidae)'' (April 1995).
Pseudoscymnus Species...................... ``Field Release of a Nonindigenous Lady Beetle, 3/4/95.
Pseudoscymnus sp. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), for
Biological Control of Hemlock Wolly Adelgid, Adelges
tsugae (Homoptera: Adelgidae)'' (April 1995).
Wollastoniella rotunda..................... ``Field Release of a Nonindigenous Minute Pirate Bug, 3/4/95.
Wollastoniella rotunda (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) for
Biological Control of Melon Thrips, Thrips palmi
(Thysanoptera: Thripidae)'' (April 1995).
Catolaccus grandis......................... ``Field Release of a Nonindigenous Parasitic Wasp, 3/31/95.
Catolaccus grandis (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), for
Biological Control of Boll Weevil'' (March 1995).
Carposina bullata.......................... ``Field Release of Nonindigenous Moths, Carposina 5/8/95.
bullata (Lepidoptera: Carposinidae) and Mompha
trithalama (Lepidoptera: Momphidae), for Biological
Control of the Weeds Clidemia hirta and Miconia
calvescens (Melastomataceae) in Hawaii'' (May 1995).
Pseudacteon................................ ``Field Release of Nonindigenous Parasitic Scuttle 5/16/95.
Flies in the genus Pseudacteon (Diptera: Phoridae)
for Biological Control of Red Imported Fire Ant,
Solenopsis invicta, and Black Imported Fire Ant, S.
richteri (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)'' (May 1995).
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The environmental assessments and findings of no significant impact
have been prepared in accordance with : (1) NEPA, (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 8th day of December 1995.
Terry L. Medley,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 95-30460 Filed 12-13-95; 8:45 am]
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