[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 85 (Thursday, May 2, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 22037]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-10884]


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 Notices
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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. 85 / Thursday, May 2, 2002 / 
Notices  

[[Page 22037]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 02-035-1]


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 cycad scale, Aulacaspis yasumatsui. The 
environmental assessment considers the effects of, and alternatives to, 
the release of nonindigenous organisms into the environment for use as 
biological control agents to reduce the severity of cycad scale 
infestations. We are making this environmental assessment available to 
the public for review and comment.

DATES: We will consider all comments we receive that are postmarked, 
delivered, or e-mailed by June 3, 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. 02-035-1, 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. 02-035-1. 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. 
02-035-1'' on the subject line.
    You may read 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. Dale Meyerdirk, Agriculturist, 
PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 135, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 
734-5220.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is proposing 
to release nonindigenous species of parasitic wasps in the genus 
Coccobius (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) and Encarsia (Hymenoptera: 
Aphelinidae), as well as the predaceous beetle Cybocephalus binotatus 
(Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), in the continental United States and U.S. 
territories in the Caribbean to reduce the severity of cycad scale 
infestations.
    Cycad scale (CS) is a devastating pest of cycads. Cycads are 
horticulturally important and endangered plant species. CS damages all 
cycads, both endemic and introduced species, as well as ornamental 
cycads. Since its arrival, CS has damaged cycad ecosystems in Florida, 
Georgia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. CS has also caused 
significant economic losses to the cycad industry in Florida and it has 
the potential to completely disrupt the horticultural trade in cycads.
    APHIS has completed an environmental assessment that considers the 
effects of, and alternatives to, releasing parasitic wasps of two 
genera and a species of predaceous beetle into the environment. The 
purpose of the proposed release is to reduce the severity of CS 
infestations. There is no evidence that the release of these biological 
control agents will adversely affect threatened and endangered species 
or their habitat. Over a period of decades, several species of both 
Coccobius and Encarsia have been successfully introduced into the 
continental United States for effective control of other pest scales, 
with no adverse impacts reported from these introductions. The 
biological characteristics of wasps in the genus Coccobius and 
Encarsia, and of the predaceous beetle Cybocephalus binotatus, preclude 
any possibility of harmful effects on human health.
    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 ``Control of Cycad Scale, Aulacaspis yasumatsui (Homoptera: 
Diaspididae)'' (February 2002). We are making this environmental 
assessment available to the public for review and comment. We will 
consider all comments that we receive by the date listed under the 
heading DATES at the beginning of this notice.
    You may 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.), (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 26th day of April, 2002.
W. Ron DeHaven,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 02-10884 Filed 5-1-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P