[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 23 (Monday, February 5, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5263-5264]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-1790]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2006-0190]


Availability of an Environmental Assessment for a Proposed Field 
Release of Genetically Engineered Safflower

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that an environmental assessment 
has been prepared for a proposed field release involving a transgenic 
safflower line that has been genetically engineered to express, within 
the seeds, a carp growth hormone fused to an Arabidopsis oleosin. The 
purpose of this field release is to obtain a seed increase of material 
harvested in Chile for future use as a supplement in aquaculture meal. 
We are making the environmental assessment available to the public for 
review and comment.

DATES: We will consider all comments received on or before March 7, 
2007.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov, select ``Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service'' from the agency drop-down menu, then click ``Submit.'' In the 
Docket ID column, select APHIS-2006-0190 to submit or view public 
comments and to view supporting and related materials available 
electronically. Information on using Regulations.gov, including 
instruction for accessing documents, submitting comments, and viewing 
the docket after the close of the comment period, is available through 
the site's ``User Tips'' link.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send four copies 
of your comment (an original and three copies) to Docket No. APHIS-
2006-0190, 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-2006-0190.
    Reading Room: You may read the environmental assessment (EA) and 
any comments 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. The EA is also available on the Internet at http://aphis.usda.gov/brs/aphisdocs/06_25001r_ea.pdf.
    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. Patricia Beetham, Biotechnology 
Regulatory Services, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 147, Riverdale, MD 
20737-1236; (301) 734-0664. To obtain copies of the environmental 
assessment, contact Ms. Cynthia Eck at (301) 734-0667; e-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations in 7 CFR part 340, 
``Introduction of Organisms and Products Altered or Produced Through 
Genetic Engineering Which Are Plant Pests or Which There Is Reason to 
Believe Are Plant Pests,'' regulate, among other things, the 
introduction (importation, interstate movement, or release into the 
environment) of organisms and products altered or produced through 
genetic engineering that are plant pests or that there is reason to 
believe are plant pests. Such genetically engineered organisms and 
products are considered ``regulated articles.'' A permit must be 
obtained or a notification acknowledged before a regulated article may 
be introduced. The regulations set forth the permit application 
requirements and the notification procedures for the importation, 
interstate movement, or release in the environment of a regulated 
article.
    On September 5, 2006, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service (APHIS) received a permit application (APHIS No. 06-250-02r) 
from SemBioSys Genetics, Inc. of West Sacramento, CA, for a field trial 
using a line of transgenic safflower. Permit application 06-250-02r 
describes a transgenic safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) cultivar that 
has been genetically engineered to express a fusion protein consisting 
of oleosin from Arabidopsis thaliana and carp growth hormone 
(somatotropin) from Cyprinus carpio exclusively within its seeds. 
Expression of the fusion protein is controlled by the phaseolin 
promoter and terminator sequences from Phaseolus vulgaris L. (common 
bean). Constructs were inserted into the recipient organisms via a 
disarmed Agrobacterium tumefaciens vector system. The seed from these 
safflower plants will be ground and incorporated into aquaculture feed 
to be used in experimental fish feeding studies by SemBioSys and is not 
for commercial production.
    The subject safflower is considered a regulated article under the 
regulations in 7 CFR part 340 because it has been genetically 
engineered using the recombinant DNA technique using a vector derived 
from the plant pest Agrobacterium tumefaciens.
    To provide the public with documentation of APHIS' review and 
analysis of any potential environmental impacts and plant pest risks 
associated with the proposed release of these transgenic safflowers, an 
environmental assessment (EA) has been prepared. The EA was prepared in 
accordance with: (1) The National Environmental Policy Act

[[Page 5264]]

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 1b), and (4) APHIS' NEPA Implementing 
Procedures (7 CFR part 372). Copies of the EA are available from the 
individual listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 7701-7772 and 7781-7786; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 7 CFR 
2.22, 2.80, and 371.3.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 30th day of January 2007.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E7-1790 Filed 2-2-07; 8:45 am]
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