[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 76 (Friday, April 20, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19876-19877]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-7637]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 76 / Friday, April 20, 2007 / 
Notices  

[[Page 19876]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2007-0027]


ArborGen, LLC; Availability of an Environmental Assessment for 
Controlled Release of Genetically Engineered Eucalyptus Hybrids

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 for a 
proposed controlled field release of genetically engineered clones of 
Eucalyptus hybrids. The purpose of this release is to continue research 
on two constructs that confer cold-tolerance from a previously approved 
notification and test the efficacy of a third, claimed as confidential 
business information. We are making the environmental assessment 
available to the public for review and comment.

DATES: We will consider all comments received on or before May 21, 
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, and then click ``Submit.'' In 
the Docket ID column, select APHIS-2007-0027 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-
2007-0027, 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-2007-0027.
    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 available on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/brs/aphisdocs/06_325111r_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. Levis Handley, Biotechnology 
Regulatory Services, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 147, Riverdale, MD 
20737-1236; (301) 734-5721. 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 November 21, 2006, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service (APHIS) received a permit application (APHIS No. 06-325-111r) 
from ArborGen, LLC, in Summerville, SC, for a controlled field release 
of genetically engineered Eucalyptus hybrids. Under this permit, trees 
planted under a previously approved notification (05-256-03n) would be 
allowed to flower.
    Permit application 06-325-111r describes Eucalyptus trees 
engineered with three constructs. Two of these constructs are intended 
to confer cold tolerance and the third genetic construct is claimed as 
confidential business information (CBI). In addition, the trees have 
been engineered with a selectable marker gene, also claimed as CBI. 
These DNA sequences were introduced into Eucalyptus trees using 
disarmed Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The subject Eucalyptus trees are 
considered regulated articles under the regulations in 7 CFR part 340 
because they were created using donor sequences from plant pests.
    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 Eucalyptus trees, an 
environmental assessment (EA) has been prepared. The EA was 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 1b), and (4) APHIS' NEPA Implementing 
Procedures (7 CFR part 372).
    The EA may be viewed on the Regulations.gov Web site or in our 
reading room. (Instructions for accessing Regulations.gov and 
information on the location and hours of the reading room are provided 
under the heading ADDRESSES at the beginning of this notice.) In 
addition, copies may be obtained by calling or writing to the 
individuals 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.


[[Page 19877]]


    Done in Washington, DC, this 18th day of April 2007.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
 [FR Doc. E7-7637 Filed 4-19-07; 8:45 am]
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