[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 161 (Thursday, August 20, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44603-44604]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-22460]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. 98-080-1]


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 an environmental assessment 
and finding of no significant impact have been prepared by the Animal 
and Plant Health Inspection Service relative to the issuance of a 
permit to allow the field testing of genetically engineered organisms. 
The environmental assessment provides 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 finding of no significant impact, the Animal and Plant 
Health Inspection Service has determined that an environmental impact 
statement need not be prepared.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the environmental assessment and finding 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, Assistant Director, 
Scientific Services, PPQ, APHIS, Suite 5B05, 4700 River Road Unit 147, 
Riverdale, MD 20737-1237; (301) 734-7710. For copies of the 
environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact, contact 
Ms. Linda Lightle at (301) 734-8231; e-mail: Linda.L[email protected]. 
Please refer to the permit number 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 the permit application, the Animal and 
Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) assessed the impact on the 
environment that releasing the organisms under the conditions described 
in the permit application would have. APHIS has issued a permit 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 assessment and finding 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 
impacts associated with conducting the field test.
    An environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact 
have been prepared by APHIS relative to the issuance of a permit to 
allow the field testing of the following genetically engineered 
organisms:

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        Permit No.                Permittee        Date Issued        Organisms           Field Test Location   
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98-120-01r................  Biosource                  7-15-98  Tobacco etch virus     Kentucky.                
                             Technologies, Inc.                  genetically engi-                              
                                                                 neered to express                              
                                                                 genes of pharma-                               
                                                                 ceutical interest.                             
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[[Page 44604]]

    The environmental assessment and finding 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 13th day of August, 1998.
Joan M. Arnoldi,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 98-22460 Filed 8-19-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P