[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 203 (Friday, October 18, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54408-54409]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-26804]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. 96-081-1]


Availability of Environmental Assessments and Findings of No 
Significant Impact

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: We are advising the public that three 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 the 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, Suite 5B05, 4700 River Road Unit 
147, Riverdale, MD 20737-1237; (301) 734-7612. For copies of the 
environmental assessments and findings of no significant impact, 
contact Mr. Clayton Givens at (301) 734-7612; e-mail: 
[email protected]. 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 or a notification acknowledged before a regulated article 
may be introduced into the United States. The regulations set forth the 
permit application requirements and the notification procedures for the 
importation, interstate movement, and release into the environment of a 
regulated article.
    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:

[[Page 54409]]



----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Permit No.              Permittee           Date issued            Organisms          Field test location 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
96-129-02              Texas Tech University.  8-23-96            Onion plants            Texas.                
                                                                   genetitically                                
                                                                   engineered to express                        
                                                                   two types of                                 
                                                                   chitinase genes that                         
                                                                   may confer resistance                        
                                                                   to two fungal                                
                                                                   pathogens.                                   
96-071-06              University of Florida.  8-26-96            Mutants of a            Florida.              
                                                                   bacterium,                                   
                                                                   Xanthomonas                                  
                                                                   campestris pv. vesi-                         
                                                                   catoria, genetically                         
                                                                   engineered to be non-                        
                                                                   pathogenic.                                  
96-215-01              Pioneer Hi-Bred         9-17-96            Canola plants           California            
                        International, Inc.                        genetically                                  
                                                                   engineered to express                        
                                                                   proteins of                                  
                                                                   pharmaceutical or                            
                                                                   industrial interest..                        
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The environmental assessments and findings of no significant impact 
have been prepared in accordance with: (1) The National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969, as amended (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' NEPA 
Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part 372).

    Done in Washington, DC, this 11th day of October 1996.
A. Strating,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 96-26804 Filed 10-17-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P