[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 11 (Wednesday, January 18, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2901-2902]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-446]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 04-105-2]


Melaleuca; 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 an environmental assessment 
and finding of no significant impact have been prepared by the Animal 
and Plant Health Inspection Service relative to the issuance of a 
permit for the environmental release of the nonindigenous fly 
Fergusonina turneri Taylor and its obligate nematode Fergusobia 
quinquenerviae Davies and Giblin-Davis, which are potential biological 
control agents of Melaleuca quinquenervia. The environmental assessment 
documents our review and analysis of environmental impacts associated 
with, and alternatives to, issuing a permit for the environmental 
release of the fly and its obligate nematode in the continental United 
States. 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.
    The environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact 
are also available on the Regulations.gov Web site. Go to http://www.regulations.gov, click on the ``Advanced Search'' tab, and select 
``Docket Search.'' In the Docket ID field, enter APHIS-2005-0120 then 
click on ``Submit'' to view the documents.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. L. Joseph Vorgetts, Permits 
Evaluation Specialist, Plant Health Programs, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River 
Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 734-5405.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The Australian broad-leaved paperbark tree, Melaleuca 
quinquenervia, commonly called melaleuca, has become a successful 
invasive weed in southern Florida because of its ability to produce 
large quantities of seed. Individual trees bear up to 100 million 
seeds. Massive, simultaneous seed release occurs after fire or when 
some other event causes drying of the seed capsules, but a steady seed 
rain occurs even without such an event. Densities of seedlings may be 
as

[[Page 2902]]

high as 10 million seedlings/hectare (ha), and growth and development 
of the trees, along with simultaneous self-thinning produces mature 
stands of 10,000 to 15,000 trees/ha. Individual trees can grow into 
localized stands. These stands merge with other stands to form 
expansive monocultures often covering hundreds of acres. Melaleuca has 
invaded more than a half-million acres in southern Florida and over $25 
million has been spent over the past decade to manage it, yet it 
continues to spread.
    Melaleuca was first imported to southern Florida as an ornamental 
tree around 1900. Later, it was widely planted in wetlands as an 
inexpensive production method for the nursery trade in an attempt to 
produce a harvestable commodity. By the late 1970s, melaleuca became 
recognized as an invasive weed due to its ability to produce large 
quantities of seed. It was added to the Florida Prohibited Plant List 
in 1990, and to the Federal Noxious Weed List in 1992.
    On October 26, 2004, we published in the Federal Register (69 FR 
62432-63433, Docket No. 04-105-1) a notice in which we announced the 
availability, for public review and comment, of an environmental 
assessment documenting our review and analysis of environmental impacts 
associated with issuing a permit for the release of the nonindigenous 
fly Fergusonina turneri Taylor (Diptera: Fergusoninidae) and its 
obligate nematode Fergusobia quinquenerviae Davies and Giblin-Davis 
(Tylenchida: Sphaerulariidae) as biological control agents of melaleuca 
in the continental United States.
    The fly F. turneri and the nematode F. quinquenerviae have a 
mutualistic biology that causes galls on plant buds and young leaves of 
melaleuca. Female flies are infected with parasitic female nematodes, 
nematode eggs, and nematode juveniles that persist through the life of 
the female fly. The female fly deposits multiple eggs along with the 
juvenile nematodes into developing melaleuca buds. These nematodes 
induce the formation of galls in the bud. Fly larvae then feed on the 
gall tissue and complete development within the gall. The adult fly 
will later emerge from a ``window'' in the gall wall, starting the 
cycle all over again. This process hampers the ability of melaleuca to 
regenerate by decreasing seed production and reducing survival of 
melaleuca seedlings and saplings.
    We solicited comments on the environmental assessment for 30 days 
ending on November 26, 2004. We received three comments by that date. 
One of the commenters supported the recommendations of the 
environmental assessment. The other two commenters did not address the 
environmental assessment. Therefore, we are making no changes to the 
environmental assessment in response to these comments.
    In this document, we are advising the public of our decision and 
finding of no significant impact regarding the use of F. turneri and F. 
quinquenerviae to control melaleuca in the continental United States. 
This decision, which is based on the findings in the environmental 
assessment, will enable the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
to issue permits for the field release of F. turneri and F. 
quinquenerviae without management constraints or mitigating measures.
    The environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact 
may be viewed on the Regulations.gov Web site and in our reading room 
(see ADDRESSES above for instructions for accessing Regulations.gov and 
information on the location and hours of the reading room). You may 
request paper 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 when requesting copies.
    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 11th day of January 2006.
Paul R. Eggert,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
 [FR Doc. E6-446 Filed 1-17-06; 8:45 am]
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