[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 241 (Friday, December 14, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64797-64798]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-30896]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 01-096-1]


Availability of an Environmental Assessment

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that an environmental assessment 
has been prepared by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
relative to the control of Melaleuca quinquenervia. The environmental 
assessment considers the effects of, and alternatives to, the release 
of two nonindigenous organisms into the environment for use as 
biological control agents to reduce the severity of melaleuca 
infestations. The environmental assessment has been prepared to provide 
the public with documentation of our review and analysis of the 
potential environmental impacts and plant pest risks associated with 
releasing these biological control agents into the environment.

DATES: We invite you to comment on the environmental assessment. We 
will consider all comments we receive that are postmarked, delivered, 
or e-mailed by January 14, 2002.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by postal mail/commercial delivery 
or by e-mail. If you use postal mail/commercial delivery, please send 
four copies of your comment (an original and three copies) to: Docket 
No. 01-096-1, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 
3C71, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state 
that your comment refers to Docket No. 01-096-1. If you use e-mail, 
address your comment to [email protected]. Your comment must 
be contained in the body of your message; do not send attached files. 
Please include your name and address in your message and ``Docket No. 
01-096-1'' on the subject line.
    You may read the environmental assessment and any comments that we 
receive on the environmental assessment 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 dockets, are available on the Internet at 
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Tracy Horner, Entomologist, 
Permits and Risk Assessment, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 133, 
Riverdale, MD 20737-1228; (301) 734-5213.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As part of an integrated control project to 
reduce the severity of Melaleuca quinquenervia (Cav.) S.T. Blake 
(Myrtales: Myrtaceae) infestations in Florida, the Animal and Plant 
Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is proposing to release two 
nonindigenous organisms, Boreioglycaspis melaleucae Moore (Hemiptera: 
Psyllidae) and Lophyrotoma zonalis Rohwer (Hymenoptera: Pergidae) in 
areas affected by melaleuca.
    Melaleuca, a broad-leaf paper bark tree native to Australia, was 
originally introduced in Florida during the early 1900's as an 
ornamental and was later planted along dikes and levees for erosion 
control and to convert wetlands into productive forest lands. Over the 
last four decades, it has spread throughout southern Florida, 
displacing native plant and animal species, and threatening the 
stability of the Florida Everglades ecosystem. The purpose of the 
proposed action is to reduce the severity of the infestations of 
melaleuca throughout the affected areas.
    APHIS' current melaleuca control project encompasses the areas 
known to be infested in central and south Florida and involves an 
integrated control approach sensitive to site-specific conditions, 
which may include a combination of physical, biological, and/or 
chemical controls. In response to permit applications the Agency 
received for the release of B. melaleucae, a psyllid native to 
Australia, and L. zonalis, a sawfly also native to Australia, APHIS is 
investigating the use of these biological control agents to control 
melaleuca in the affected areas. If APHIS decides to issue permits to 
release B. melaleucae and/or L. zonalis, these organisms would be added 
to the integrated control methods already available. Presently, there 
is only one biological control agent, a nonindigenous weevil (Oxyops 
vitiosa), used to suppress melaleuca.
    APHIS has completed an environmental assessment that considers the 
effects of, and alternatives to, releasing B. melaleucae and L. zonalis 
into the environment. B. melaleucae and L. zonalis are known to attack 
only species within the family Myrtaceae. Our findings indicate that L. 
zonalis and B. melaleucae will not develop on any native species of 
Myrtaceae, but may temporarily feed on, and cause minor damage to, 
introduced species of Callistemon and Myrtaceae, and possibly wax 
myrtle. There is no evidence that the release of these two biological 
control agents will adversely affect threatened and endangered species 
or their habitat, or cultural, historical, and archaeological 
resources.
    L. zonalis is being tested for toxicity to vertebrates because a 
closely related species, Lophyrotoma interrupta Klug, is reported to be 
toxic to cattle in Australia under certain conditions. Until further 
testing is completed, L. zonalis will not be released into the 
environment. Therefore, we are considering the release of B. melaleucae 
and, pending further testing, the release of L. zonalis to reduce the 
severity of melaleuca infestations in Florida.
    APHIS' review and analysis of the potential environmental impacts 
associated with releasing these biological control agents into the 
environment are documented in detail in an environmental assessment 
entitled ``Field Release of Two Biological Control Agents 
Boreioglycaspis melaleucae Moore (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) and Lophyrotoma 
zonalis Rohwer (Hymenoptera: Pergidae) for the Control of Melaleuca 
quinquenervia (Cav.) S.T. Blake (Myrtales: Myrtaceae)

[[Page 64798]]

in South Florida'' (September 2001). We are making this environmental 
assessment available to the public for review and comment.
    The environmental assessment may be viewed on the Internet at 
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/ by accessing ``Forms,'' then ``Permits-
Pests;'' the environmental assessment is document number 0030. Copies 
of the environmental assessment may be obtained by calling the Plant 
Protection and Quarantine Automated Fax System at (301) 734-4327 or 
(301) 734-3560; please enter document number 0030 when prompted. You 
may also request copies of the environmental assessment by calling or 
writing to the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. 
Please refer to the title of the environmental assessment when 
requesting copies. The environmental assessment is also available for 
review in our reading room (information on the location and hours of 
the reading room is listed under the heading ADDRESSES at the beginning 
of this notice.)
    The environmental assessment has been prepared in accordance with: 
(1) The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended 
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), 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 
1), and (4) APHIS' NEPA Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part 372).

    Done in Washington, DC, this 10th day of December 2001 .
W. Ron DeHaven,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 01-30896 Filed 12-13-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P