[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 23 (Monday, February 4, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5086-5087]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-2604]


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 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 67, No. 23 / Monday, February 4, 2002 / 
Notices  

[[Page 5086]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 01-124-1]


Environmental Impact Statement; Genetically Engineered Pink 
Bollworm

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service intends to prepare an environmental impact statement 
relative to a proposed release into the environment of genetically 
engineered autocidal pink bollworms as part of an ongoing research 
effort in the pink bollworm sterile insect program. The environmental 
impact statement will examine the full range of potential effects the 
release could have on the environment. We invite the public to comment 
on what specific issues we should address in the environmental impact 
statement. Public hearings are planned.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive that are 
postmarked, delivered, or e-mailed by April 5, 2002. We will also 
consider comments made at public hearings in Riverdale, MD, and 
Phoenix, AZ. The exact dates, times, and locations for the hearings 
will be announced in a notice to be published in a future issue of the 
Federal Register.

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. 01-124-1, 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. 01-124-1. 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. 
01-124-1'' on the subject line.
    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 dockets, are available on the Internet at 
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Stephanie Stephens, Biological 
Scientist, Environmental Services, PPD, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 
152, Riverdale, MD 20737-1234; (301) 734-8565.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On January 29, 2001, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
(APHIS) received an application for a permit from APHIS's Plant 
Protection Center in Phoenix, AZ, to release genetically engineered 
pink bollworms (Pectinophora gossypiella) in confined on-site 
experimentation and field performance tests. The pink bollworms are 
genetically engineered to express an enhanced green fluorescent protein 
derived from the jellyfish Aequora victoria, which could aid in the 
monitoring of sterilized pink bollworms released in APHIS's ongoing 
pink bollworm sterile insect technique program. Data from these 
experiments and tests will be used to determine whether the fluorescent 
marker affects the behavior or performance of the pink bollworm.
    On June 21, 2001, APHIS published in the Federal Register (66 FR 
33226, Docket No. 01-024-1) a notice of availability of an 
environmental assessment for the study described above. The 
environmental assessment considered potential environmental effects 
that could result from conducting the study. APHIS has considered and 
responded to all comments received on the environmental assessment, and 
based on the findings of the environmental assessment, has determined 
that implementation of the study would not significantly impact the 
quality of the human environment. On January 11, 2002, APHIS published 
a notice in the Federal Register (67 FR 1434-1435, Docket No. 01-024-2) 
announcing the availability of the final environmental assessment and 
finding of no significant impact relative to the issuance of a permit 
for the confined field study.
    Prior to the next phase of research, the Phoenix Plant Protection 
Center may apply for a permit for the field release of genetically 
engineered pink bollworm containing the enhanced green fluorescent 
protein marker gene and a temperature-sensitive lethal gene. The 
objective of such a release would be to provide an opportunity for 
evaluating the use of genetically engineered pink bollworm in an 
autocidal biological control system for area-wide management of pink 
bollworm.
    APHIS plans to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) that 
examines potential environmental effects associated with the field 
release of genetically engineered pink bollworm containing the enhanced 
green fluorescent protein marker gene and a temperature-sensitive 
lethal gene, and other alternatives.
    The EIS would analyze and compare the full range of available 
alternatives, including existing techniques and technologies (no 
action), as well as the unconfined release into the environment of 
genetically engineered pink bollworm as explained above. We invite the 
public to comment on what issues we should address in the EIS. Issues 
presently under consideration include:
     Potential genetic transformation affecting the 
environment;
     Persistence of the genetically modified pink bollworm 
versus wild-type pink bollworm;
     Physical and biological containment measures for the 
proposed study;
     Potential gene transfer to other insect species;
     Potential gene transfer to non-insect species;

[[Page 5087]]

     Potential impacts on humans, including specific population 
groups such as minorities, low income populations, and children;
     Potential effects of use of genetically engineered pink 
bollworm on chemical load in the environment; and
     Risk to non-target plants and animals, including 
threatened and endangered species.
    Interested persons and organizations may also present comments on 
the scope of the EIS at public hearings to be held in Riverdale, MD, 
and Phoenix, AZ. The exact dates and times for the hearings and the 
specific locations of the hearings will be announced in a notice 
published in a future issue of the Federal Register.
    This notice and any further notices or environmental analyses 
related to this subject are intended to fulfill the requirements of the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 
4321 et seq.). If we prepare a draft EIS for public review, we will 
publish a notice announcing its availability in an upcoming issue of 
the Federal Register. The notice would request comments on the draft 
EIS.
    This notice is issued 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 29th day of January 2002.
W. Ron DeHaven,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 02-2604 Filed 2-1-02; 8:45 am]
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