[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 40 (Friday, February 28, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9633-9634]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-4742]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 02-098-2]


Giant Salvinia; Availability of an Environmental Assessment and 
Finding of No Significant Impact

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 a proposed field 
release of the nonindigenous salvinia weevil for the biological control 
of the aquatic weed giant salvinia. The environmental assessment 
documents our review and analysis of environmental impacts associated 
with widespread release of the salvinia weevil. 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. Robert V. Flanders, Branch Chief, 
Pest Permit Evaluation, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 133, 
Riverdale, MD 20737-1228; (301) 734-5930.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Giant salvinia (Salvinia molesta) is a free-floating aquatic fern, 
native to South America, with a tremendous growth rate and the 
potential to significantly affect water-reliant agricultural industries 
and recreation and the ecology of freshwater habitats throughout much 
of the United States.
    Giant salvinia reproduces vegetatively through fragmenting and from 
dormant buds breaking away. The colonizing or immature stage of giant 
salvinia is characterized by small leaves that lie flat upon the water. 
As plant growth accelerates, the leaves become larger, crowding occurs, 
and the plants are pushed upright. Mats may grow to a meter thick and 
can cover large areas.
    The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) listed giant 
salvinia as a Federal noxious weed in 1983. Under APHIS'' regulations, 
no person may move giant salvinia into or through the United States, or 
interstate, unless he or she obtains a permit for the movement from 
APHIS.
    Because giant salvinia is a free-floating plant, it disperses by 
passive means (water currents and wind) and by ``hitchhiking.'' Animals 
may carry the plants over short distances, but humans can spread it 
widely on fishing gear and boating equipment. Intercontinental 
dispersal and dispersal within the United States have probably occurred 
when giant salvinia was sold in the nursery trade, either intentionally 
as a plant for aquaria or for ponds, or unintentionally when it 
``hitchhiked'' with other aquatic plants collected for academic study 
or for use in aquaria or ponds. Although native to southeastern Brazil, 
giant salvinia is now found in North America, South America, Africa, 
Asia, Australia, New Guinea, and Oceania.
    In the past several years, giant salvinia has been detected in the 
United States, mostly in association with the nursery trade in aquatic 
plants. Generally, detections have been in small, confined sites and 
are currently contained or have been eradicated. Such detections have 
occurred in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Louisiana, 
Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, and 
Virginia. Most recently, giant salvinia was found in the Toledo Bend 
Reservoir and the surrounding areas in Louisiana and eastern Texas. As 
a result of that infestation, APHIS prepared an environmental 
assessment (EA) and issued permits for the environmental release of the 
nonindigenous salvinia weevil (Cyrtobagous salviniae) into the limited 
area of the Toledo Bend Reservoir. The salvinia weevil is native to 
Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay. Salvinia weevil larvae tunnel within the 
rhizomes of giant salvinia, causing them to disintegrate. The larvae 
also tunnel in the leaf buds, and adults eat leaves and leaf buds, 
suppressing growth and vegetative propagation of this sterile weed. 
This insect has successfully controlled giant salvinia in 12 countries 
over 3 continents.
    Recently, APHIS received an application for a permit to release the 
salvinia weevil in areas of the continental United States beyond the 
area considered in the EA mentioned above. The applicant proposes to 
release the salvinia weevil to reduce the severity and extent of giant 
salvinia infestation in the United States. In response to the 
applicant's request, we published a notice in the Federal Register (67 
FR 66381-66382, Docket No. 02-098-1) on October 31, 2002, in which we 
announced the availability, for public review and comment, of an EA 
titled ``Field Release of the Salvinia Weevil, Cyrtobagous salviniae 
Calder and Sands (Curculionidae: Coleoptera) for Control of Giant 
Salvinia, Salvinia molesta Mitchell (Hydropteridales: Salviniaceae)'' 
that examined the potential effects of additional releases of salvinia 
weevil into other areas of the continental United States.
    We solicited comments on that EA for 30 days ending on December 2, 
2002. We received one comment by that date, which requested that APHIS 
clarify the meaning of the term ``Oceania'' as used in our October 2002 
notice. As mentioned above, giant salvinia is currently found in a 
number of regions in the world, including Oceania. The term ``Oceania'' 
is commonly used to

[[Page 9634]]

refer to the islands of the central and south Pacific, including 
Melanesia, the Federated States of Micronesia, and Polynesia.
    Following the close of the comment period, our State cooperators in 
California advised us that the EA made available in our October 2002 
notice failed to include the results of the host specificity tests that 
were conducted to examine the potential risks to wild rice (Zizania 
aquatica) and Sanford's arrowhead (Sagittaria sanfordii) that may 
result from the release of salvinia weevil into additional areas of the 
United States. In this document, we are notifying the public that we 
have updated the EA to include the host test results for those species.
    In addition, we are also advising the public of APHIS' record of 
decision and finding of no significant impact (FONSI) regarding the 
proposed field release of the nonindigenous salvinia weevil into 
additional areas of the continental United States for the biological 
control of the aquatic weed giant salvinia. The decision, which is 
based on the analysis found in the EA, reflects our determination that 
release of the organism will not have a significant impact on the 
quality of the human environment.
    The EA and FONSI may be viewed on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq by following the link for ``Documents/Forms 
Retrieval System'' then clicking on the triangle beside ``6-Permits-
Environmental Assessments,'' and selecting document number 0001. You 
may request paper copies of the EA and FONSI 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 EA and FONSI 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 EA and FONSI 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 25th day of February 2003.
Peter Fernandez,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 03-4742 Filed 2-27-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P