[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 95 (Thursday, May 16, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34896-34897]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-12248]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 01-096-2]


Availability of an Environmental Assessment and Finding of No 
Significant Impact

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that an environmental assessment 
and finding of no significant impact have been prepared by the Animal 
and Plant Health Inspection Service relative to the control of 
Melaleuca quinquenervia in Florida. The environmental assessment 
considers the effects of, and alternatives to, the release of two 
nonindigenous organisms, Boreioglycaspis melaleucae and Lophryrotoma 
zonalis, into the environment for use as biological control agents to 
reduce the severity of melaleuca infestations. The environmental 
assessment provides a basis for our conclusion that the issuance of a 
permit for the field release of Boreioglycaspis melaleucae into the 
environment will not have a significant impact on the quality of the 
human environment. A decision has been made not to issue a permit for 
the field release Lophryrotoma zonalis at this time until more data is 
obtained on the potential for adverse effects to humans or domestic 
animals. Based on its finding of no significant impact, the Animal and 
Plant Health Inspection Service has determined that an environmental 
impact statement need not be prepared.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the environmental assessment and finding of no 
significant impact are available for public inspection 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.

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) has evaluated the release of 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 
control project 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 investigated the use 
of these biological control agents to control melaleuca in the affected 
areas. Presently, there is only one biological control agent, a 
nonindigenous weevil (Oxyops vitiosa), used to suppress melaleuca.
    On December 14, 2001, we published in the Federal Register (66 FR 
64797-64798, Docket No. 01-096-1) a notice in which we announced the 
availability, for public review and comment, of 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) in south 
Florida'' (September 2001). This environmental assessment considers the 
effects of, and alternatives to, releasing B. melaleucae and L. zonalis 
into the environment as biological control agents to reduce the 
severity of melaleuca infestations in Florida. We solicited comments on 
the environmental assessment for 30 days ending on January 14, 2002. We 
received no comments by that date.
    In this document, we are advising the public of APHIS' record of 
decision and finding of no significant impact regarding the issuance of 
a permit for the field release of B. Melaleucaeq, without conditions, 
for use as a biological control agent to reduce the severity of 
melaleuca infestations. A decision has been made not to issue a permit 
for the field release of L. zonalis at this time until more data is 
obtained on the potential for adverse effects to humans or domestic 
animals. When more data clarifying the potential of L. zonalis becomes 
available, we will reevaluate our decision regarding L. zonalis with 
the appropriate environmental documentation.

[[Page 34897]]

    The environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact 
may be viewed on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/ by 
accessing ``Document/Forms Retrieval System,'' then ``Permits-Pests,'' 
and then document number 0030. Copies of the documents may also 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 obtain copies of the 
environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact by 
calling or writing to the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT. Please refer to the title of the environmental assessment and 
finding of no significant impact when requesting copies. The 
environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact are 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 May, 2002 .
Peter Fernandez,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 02-12248 Filed 5-15-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P