[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 195 (Tuesday, October 8, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 62684]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-25490]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service


Comprehensive Management of Nutria Herbivory Damage in Coastal 
Louisiana and Coastwide Nutria Control Program (LA-03b) in Coastal 
Louisiana

AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of finding of no significant impact.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 102 (2) (C) of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969; the Council on Environmental Quality Guidelines (40 
CFR part 1500); and the Natural Resources Conservation Service 
Guidelines (7 CFR part 650); the Natural Resources Conservation 
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, gives notice that an 
environmental impact statement is not being prepared for Comprehensive 
Management of Nutria Herbivory Damage in Coastal Louisiana and the 
Coastwide Nutria Control Program (LA-03b), Coastal Louisiana.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Donald W. Gohmert, State 
Conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Service, 3737 
Government Street, Alexandria, Louisiana 71302; telephone (318) 473-
7751.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The environmental assessment of the 
federally assisted action indicates that the action will not cause 
significant local, regional, or national impacts on the environment. As 
a result of these findings, Donald W. Gohmert, State Conservationist, 
has determined that preparation and review of an environmental impact 
statement is not needed for this project.
    The recommended plan consists of (1) implementing an incentive 
payment program to encourage the harvest of up to 400,000 nutria 
annually from coastal Louisiana by payment of $4.00 per nutria tail to 
registered program participants (Coastwide Nutria Control Program LA-
03b), (2) investigating techniques to promote revegetation of damaged 
sites with native vegetation, and (3) pursuing additional funding and/
or funding sources to conduct more comprehensive revegetation. The goal 
of the recommended plan is to reestablish the ecological balance (plant 
and animal) that existed when the number of nutria harvested was high. 
It is predicted that the plan would reduce the conversion of fresh, 
intermediate, and brackish marsh to open water by about 15,000 acres 
over 20 years.
    The Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) has been 
forwarded to the Environmental Protection Agency and to various 
federal, state, and local agencies and interested parties. A limited 
number of copies of the FONSI are available to fill single copy 
requests at the above address. Basic data collected during the 
environmental assessment are on file and may be reviewed by contacting 
Donald W. Gohmert.
    No administrative action on implementation of the proposal will be 
taken until 30 days after the date of this publication in the Federal 
Register.

Donald W. Gohmert,
State Conservationist.
[FR Doc. 02-25490 Filed 10-7-02; 8:45 am]
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