[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 41 (Thursday, March 2, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10634-10635]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-2945]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2006-0031]


Availability of an Environmental Assessment for Field Testing 
Marek's Disease-Newcastle Disease Vaccine, Serotypes 2 and 3, Live 
Virus, Live Marek's Disease Vector

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service has prepared an environmental assessment concerning 
authorization to ship for the purpose of field testing, and then to 
field test, an unlicensed Marek's Disease-Newcastle Disease Vaccine, 
Serotypes 2 and 3, Live Virus, Live Marek's Disease Vector. The 
environmental assessment, which is based on a risk analysis prepared to 
assess the risks associated with the field testing of this vaccine, 
examines the potential effects that field testing this veterinary 
vaccine could have on the quality of the human environment. Based on 
the risk analysis, we have reached a preliminary determination that 
field testing this veterinary vaccine will not have a significant 
impact on the quality of the human environment, and that an 
environmental impact statement need not be prepared. We intend to 
authorize shipment of this vaccine for field testing following the 
close of the comment period for this notice unless new substantial 
issues bearing on the effects of this action are brought to our 
attention. We also intend to issue a U.S. Veterinary Biological Product 
license for this vaccine, provided the field test data support the 
conclusions of the environmental assessment and the issuance of a 
finding of no significant impact and the product meets all other 
requirements for licensing.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before April 
3, 2006.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and, in the ``Search for Open Regulations'' box, 
select ``Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service'' from the agency 
drop-down menu, then click on ``Submit.'' In the Docket ID column, 
select APHIS-2006-0031 to submit or view public comments and to view 
supporting and related materials available electronically. After the 
close of the comment period, the docket can be viewed using the 
``Advanced Search'' function in Regulations.gov.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send four copies 
of your comment (an original and three copies) to Docket No. APHIS-
2006-0031, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-
03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state 
that your comment refers to Docket No. APHIS-2006-0031.
    Reading Room: You may read any comments that we receive on this 
docket 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.
    Other Information: Additional information about APHIS and its 
programs is available on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Albert P. Morgan, Section Leader, 
Operational Support Section, Center for Veterinary Biologics, Policy, 
Evaluation, and Licensing, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 148, 
Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-8245.
    For information regarding the environmental assessment or the risk 
analysis, or to request a copy of the environmental assessment (as well 
as the risk analysis with confidential business information removed), 
contact Dr. Patricia L. Foley, Risk Manager, Center for Veterinary 
Biologics, Policy, Evaluation, and Licensing VS, APHIS, 510 South 17th 
Street, Suite 104, Ames, IA 50010; phone (515) 232-5785, fax (515) 232-
7120.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the Virus-Serum-Toxin Act (21 U.S.C. 
151 et seq.), a veterinary biological product must be shown to be pure, 
safe, potent, and efficacious before a veterinary biological product 
license may be issued. A field test is generally necessary to satisfy 
prelicensing

[[Page 10635]]

requirements for veterinary biological products. Prior to conducting a 
field test on an unlicensed product, an applicant must obtain approval 
from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), as well as 
obtain APHIS' authorization to ship the product for field testing.
    To determine whether to authorize shipment and grant approval for 
the field testing of the unlicensed product referenced in this notice, 
APHIS conducted a risk analysis to assess the potential effects of this 
product on the safety of animals, public health, and the environment. 
Based on the risk analysis, APHIS has prepared an environmental 
assessment (EA) concerning the field testing of the following 
unlicensed veterinary biological product:
    Requester: Intervet, Inc.
    Product: Marek's Disease-Newcastle Disease Vaccine, Serotypes 2 and 
3, Live Virus, Live Marek's Disease Vector.
    Field Test Locations: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, 
Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
    The above-mentioned product is a live recombinant virus consisting 
of the avirulent Herpesvirus of Turkeys (HVT) vector expressing a gene 
of Newcastle disease virus. The vaccine is for use in chickens as an 
aid in the prevention of disease caused by Marek's disease virus and 
Newcastle disease virus.
    The EA 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 provision of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), 
(3) USDA regulations implementing NEPA (7 CFR part 1b), and (4) APHIS' 
NEPA Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part 372).
    Unless substantial issues with adverse environmental impacts are 
raised in response to this notice, APHIS intends to issue a finding of 
no significant impact (FONSI) based on the EA and authorize shipment of 
the above product for the initiation of field tests following the close 
of the comment period for this notice.
    Because the issues raised by field testing and by issuance of a 
license are identical, APHIS has concluded that the EA that is 
generated for field testing would also be applicable to the proposed 
licensing action. Provided that the field test data support the 
conclusions of the original EA and the issuance of a FONSI, APHIS does 
not intend to issue a separate EA and FONSI to support the issuance of 
the product license, and would determine that an environmental impact 
statement need not be prepared. APHIS intends to issue a veterinary 
biological product license for this vaccine following completion of the 
field test provided no adverse impacts on the human environment are 
identified and provided the product meets all other requirements for 
licensing.

    Authority: 21 U.S.C. 151-159; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.4.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 24th day of February 2006.
Elizabeth E. Gaston,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E6-2945 Filed 3-1-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P