[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 85 (Tuesday, May 4, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 23818]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-11129]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 64, No. 85 / Tuesday, May 4, 1999 / Notices  

[[Page 23818]]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. 99-011-2]


Availability of a Draft Environmental Assessment and Finding of 
No Significant Impact

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of reopening and extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that we are reopening and extending 
the comment period for a draft environmental assessment and finding of 
no significant impact that have been prepared by the Animal and Plant 
Health Inspection Service. The draft environmental assessment and 
finding of no significant impact relate to the release into the 
environment of nonindigenous leaf beetles for use as biological control 
agents to suppress saltcedar, a major weed pest of water courses and 
riparian habitats. This reopening and extension will provide interested 
groups and individuals with additional time to prepare and submit 
comments.

DATES: We invite you to comment on Docket No. 99-011-1. We will 
consider all comments that we receive by June 4, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Please send your comment and three copies to: Docket No. 99-
011-1, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Suite 3C03, 
4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238.
    Please state that your comment refers to Docket No. 99-011-1.
    You may read any comments that we receive on this docket in our 
reading room. The reading room is located in room 1141 of the USDA 
South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, 
DC. Normal reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you, 
please call (202) 690-2817 before coming.
    APHIS documents published in the Federal Register, and related 
information, including the names of organizations and individuals who 
have commented on APHIS rules, are available on the Internet at http://
www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Ronald D. Hennessey, Entomologist, 
Biotechnology and Biological Analysis, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 
139, Riverdale, MD 20737-1228; (301) 734-8537; or e-mail: 
[email protected]. For copies of the draft environmental 
assessment and finding of no significant impact, write to Dr. Ronald D. 
Hennessey at the same address. Please refer to the title of the draft 
environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact when 
ordering copies.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On March 18, 1999, we published in the Federal Register (64 FR 
13395-13396, Docket No. 99-011-1) a notice advising the public that a 
draft environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact 
have been prepared by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
relative to the release into the environment of nonindigenous leaf 
beetles for use as biological control agents to suppress saltcedar, a 
major weed pest of water courses and riparian habitats.
    Comments on the notice were required to be received on or before 
April 19, 1999. We are now advising the public that we are reopening 
and extending the comment period on Docket No. 99-011-1 for an 
additional 45 days. This action will allow interested persons 
additional time to prepare and submit comments.
    The draft 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).

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 150aa-150jj, 151-165, and 167.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 28th day of April 1999.
Craig A. Reed,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 99-11129 Filed 5-3-99; 8:45 am]
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