[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 41 (Friday, March 1, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 9433]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-4910]



[[Page 9433]]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 01-103-2]


Veterinary Services; Availability of an 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 the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service has prepared an environmental assessment and a 
finding of no significant impact for a study to determine the 
disappearance rate of bison fetuses in the environment. The 
environmental assessment provides a basis for our conclusion that the 
implementation of the study will not have a significant impact on the 
quality of the human environment. Based on the finding of no signficant 
impact, we have determined that an environmental impact statement need 
not be prepared.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the environmental assessment, the finding of no 
significant impact, and comments received on the environmental 
assessment 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. To be sure someone is there to help you, please call (202) 
690-2817 before coming.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Valerie Ragan, Senior Staff 
Veterinarian, National Animal Health Programs Staff, VS, APHIS, 4700 
River Road Unit 36, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 734-6954.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The mission of Veterinary Services (VS) of the Animal and Plant 
Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is to protect and improve the health, 
quality, and marketability of domestic animals by preventing, 
controlling, and/or eliminating animal diseases and monitoring and 
promoting animal health and productivity.
    Brucellosis is a contagious disease that affects animals and 
humans, caused by bacteria of the genus Brucella. Brucella abortus 
principally affects bison and cattle. In bison and cattle, brucellosis 
localizes in the reproductive organs and/or the udder, causing abortion 
or birth of weak offspring. Female cattle infected with brucellosis may 
suffer infertility and lowered milk production.
    Brucellosis is spread when bacteria are shed in milk, aborted 
fetuses, afterbirth, or other reproductive tract discharges and are 
ingested by a susceptible animal. Cattle and bison have a tendency to 
sniff and lick an aborted fetus, which provides an avenue for the 
disease to spread if Brucella is present.
    Brucellosis has caused devastating losses to farmers in the United 
States over the last century. It is estimated that the disease has cost 
the Federal Government, the States, and the livestock industry billions 
of dollars in direct losses and efforts to eliminate the disease. APHIS 
has estimated that if efforts to eradicate the disease were stopped, 
the costs of producing beef and milk would increase by an estimated $80 
million annually in less than 10 years.
    Brucellosis infection occurs in bison in Yellowstone National Park. 
Bison roam wild in Yellowstone National Park, and during winter and 
spring, some migrate outside of the park onto U.S. Forest Service and 
private lands. The prevention of the spread of brucellosis from bison 
to cattle in and around the park is an issue of concern.
    VS, in cooperation with other Federal and State agencies, will 
conduct an 11-week study in the West Yellowstone and Gardiner areas in 
Montana starting in March 2002 to determine how long a bison fetus 
remains in the environment as a potential source of Brucella organisms 
before it deteriorates or is consumed by scavengers.
    On November 29, 2001, we published in the Federal Register (66 FR 
59555-59556, Docket No. 01-103-1) a notice announcing that an 
environmental assessment for a proposed study to determine the 
disappearance rate of bison fetuses in the environment was available 
for public review and comment.
    We solicited comments on the environmental assessment for 30 days 
ending on December 31, 2001. We received 166 comments by that date, and 
7 additional comments had arrived as of January 28, 2002. They were 
from private citizens, including Native Americans, the State of 
Wyoming, and animal humane associations, among others. The commenters 
raised issues such as the nature of brucellosis in bison, transmission 
of brucellosis from bison to cattle, the need for the study, the design 
of the study, introduction of other diseases, impacts on predators, 
impacts on endangered and threatened species, and cultural concerns for 
Native Americans.
    After carefully reviewing the issues, we have determined that the 
environmental assessment, which we have modified in response to some of 
the issues raised in the comments, adequately describes the potential 
environmental impacts associated with the study and supports our 
conclusion that the proposed study will not present a significant risk 
to the environment. Therefore, based on the environmental assessment, 
we have prepared a finding of no significant impact and have determined 
that an environmental impact statement need not be prepared.
    The environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact 
may be viewed on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/es/vsdocs.html. The environmental assessment and finding of no significant 
impact are also available for review in our reading room (the location 
and hours of the reading room are listed under the heading ADDRESSES at 
the beginning of this notice).
    The environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact 
have been prepared in accordance with: (1) The National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended (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 1), and (4) APHIS' NEPA 
Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part 372).

    Done in Washington, DC, this 22nd day of February 2002.
W. Ron DeHaven,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 02-4910 Filed 2-28-02; 8:45 am]
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