[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 249 (Thursday, December 28, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78129-78130]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-22267]


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

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2006-0172]


Interstate Movement of Garbage from Hawaii; Availability of a 
Pest Risk Assessment and 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 a pest risk assessment and an 
environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact have been 
prepared by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service relative to 
a request to allow the interstate movement of garbage from Hawaii to a 
landfill in the State of Washington. The pest risk assessment evaluates 
the risks associated with the interstate movement of garbage from 
Hawaii to Washington. The environmental assessment examines the 
potential environmental effects associated with moving garbage 
interstate from Hawaii to Washington, subject to certain pest risk 
mitigation measures and documents our review and analysis of the 
environmental impacts associated with, and alternatives to, the action. 
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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Shannon Hamm, Assistant Deputy 
Administrator, Policy and Program Development, APHIS, 4700 River Road 
Unit 20, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-4957.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The importation and interstate movement of garbage is regulated by 
the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) under 7 CFR 
330.400 and 9 CFR 94.5 (referred to below as the regulations) in order 
to protect against the introduction into and dissemination within the 
United States of plant and animal pests and diseases.
    On November 8, 2006, we published in the Federal Register (71 FR 
65454, Docket No. APHIS-2006-0172) a notice in which we announced the 
availability, for public review and comment of, a site-specific 
environmental assessment and a pest risk assessment relative to a 
request to allow the interstate movement of garbage from Hawaii to the 
State of Washington.
    The environmental assessment, titled ``Movement of Plastic-baled 
Municipal Solid Waste from Honolulu, Hawaii to Roosevelt Regional 
Landfill, Washington'' (October 2006), examines the potential 
environmental effects associated with moving garbage interstate from 
Hawaii to the Roosevelt Regional Landfill in Klickitat County, WA, 
subject to certain pest risk mitigation measures. The environmental 
assessment documents our review and analysis of environmental impacts 
associated with, and alternatives to, the proposed action.
    The pest risk assessment, titled ``The Risk of Introduction of 
Pests to Washington State via Plastic-Baled Municipal Solid Waste from 
Hawaii'' (September 2006), evaluates the plant pest risks associated 
with the interstate movement of garbage from Hawaii to the Roosevelt 
Regional Landfill.
    We solicited comments on the site-specific environmental assessment 
and the pest risk assessment for 30 days ending on December 8, 2006. We 
received five comments by that date, from three private citizens and 
two representatives of local municipalities. Of the comments, only one 
specifically addressed the substance of either assessment. That 
commenter noted that the environmental assessment incorrectly stated 
the capacity of the Roosevelt Regional Landfill. We have updated our 
environmental assessment to reflect the capacity reported by the 
commenter.
    One commenter questioned if a copy of the pest risk assessment had 
been made available for the public to view. The pest risk assessment 
was made available to the public in several ways. Our November 2006 
notice of availability contained specific instructions for obtaining 
both electronic and paper copies of the pest risk assessment.
    One commenter disagreed with the idea of moving garbage from Hawaii 
to the mainland, asking how we can be sure the garbage does not harbor 
deadly

[[Page 78130]]

diseases or tiny animals. We believe that the pest risk assessment 
provides a thorough analysis of risks presented, and that those risks 
are fully addressed by the baling technology and other safeguards that 
will be required.
    One commenter requested information on the companies that have 
expressed interest in sending municipal solid waste (MSW) from Hawaii 
to Roosevelt Regional Landfill. As noted on page 2 of the pest risk 
assessment, Pacific Rim Environmental Resources and Hawaii Waste 
Systems have proposed moving baled MSW from Hawaii to a landfill in 
Washington State. Another commenter asked who initiated the request for 
an environmental assessment and if these assessments are done routinely 
by APHIS. For this particular action, APHIS does routinely prepare 
environmental assessments. As explained in the ``Purpose and Need'' 
section of the environmental assessment, APHIS is reviewing two 
requests to move MSW from Honolulu, HI, to the State of Washington 
under compliance agreements. APHIS must complete an environmental 
assessment to evaluate the potential impact on the human environment 
prior to the issuance of these compliance agreements. The purpose of 
this review is to determine whether the transport of Hawaiian MSW under 
compliance agreements would result in a significant impact on the human 
environment.
    One commenter asked what measures would be taken to ensure that 
unacceptable waste would be segregated from baled waste. APHIS 
recommends a series of mitigations in the pest risk assessment that 
would ensure that MSW is separated from prohibited materials and 
processed and shipped in a way that would prevent the introduction and 
dissemination of plant pests. Any companies interested in processing 
and shipping MSW from Hawaii to the mainland would have to enter into a 
compliance agreement with APHIS and the compliance agreement would 
spell out all required safeguards. If any company failed to observe the 
conditions of the compliance agreement, that company would no longer be 
permitted to process and ship MSW.
    Finally, one commenter stated that APHIS should not approve the 
proposals to ship plastic-baled MSW from Hawaii to the State of 
Washington. The commenter stated that any decisions regarding the 
disposition of a community's MSW should be left to the local 
government. To clarify, the pest risk assessment and the environmental 
assessment were conducted in order to determine if the movement of MSW 
from Hawaii to the mainland of the United States would present any risk 
of introduction and dissemination of plant pests or animal diseases or 
if that action would have any negative impacts on the environments. 
APHIS is satisfied with the conclusions of those assessments. 
Additionally, APHIS will enter into compliance agreements with 
companies that wish to move MSW from Hawaii to the mainland United 
States to ensure that the mitigations and protocols described in our 
assessments are being followed. It is entirely up to the local 
jurisdiction as to whether or not the community will avail itself of 
this potential disposal option for its MSW.
    The site-specific pest risk assessment and environmental assessment 
and finding of no significant impact may be viewed on the 
Regulations.gov Web site.\1\ Copies of the pest risk assessment and 
environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact are also 
available for public inspection at USDA, room 1141, South Building, 
14th Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC, between 8 a.m. 
and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. Persons wishing 
to inspect copies are requested to call ahead on (202) 690-2817 to 
facilitate entry into the reading room. In addition, copies may be 
obtained by writing to the individual listed under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Go to http://www.regulations.gov, click on the ``Advanced 
Search'' tab and select ``Docket Search.'' In the Docket ID field, 
enter APHIS-2006-0172, click ``Submit,'' then click on the Docket ID 
link in the search results page. The pest risk assessment and the 
environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact will 
appear in the resulting list of documents.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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 21st day of December 2006.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
 [FR Doc. E6-22267 Filed 12-27-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P