[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 117 (Tuesday, June 19, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33736-33737]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-11798]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2006-0190]


Availability of an Environmental Assessment and Finding of No 
Significant Impact 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 for future 
use as a supplement in aquaculture meal. After assessment of the 
application, review of pertinent scientific information, and 
consideration of comments provided by the public, we have concluded 
that these field releases will not present a risk of introducing or 
disseminating a plant pest. We have completed the environmental 
assessment and have concluded that this field release will not have a 
significant impact on the quality of the human environment. 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 these field releases.

DATES: Effective Date: June 7, 2007.

ADDRESSES: You may read the environmental assessment (EA), the finding 
of no significant impact (FONSI), and any comments we received 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, FONSI and 
decision notice, and responses to comments are available on the 
Internet

[[Page 33737]]

at: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/brs/aphisdocs/06_25002r_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 EA, FONSI, and 
response to comments, 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 this 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 Agrobacterium tumefaciens.
    On February 5, 2007, APHIS published a notice in the Federal 
Register (72 FR 5263-5264, Docket No. APHIS-2006-0190) announcing the 
availability of an environmental assessment (EA) for the proposed field 
release. During the 30-day comment period, APHIS received 33 comments. 
Two comments were from individuals who supported the planting of 
genetically engineered crops in general, but did not raise any specific 
points regarding the EA. Conversely, 23 comments were from individuals 
who were opposed to the use of biotechnology in food crops in general, 
but did not cite specific plant pest risk issues associated with this 
particular EA. One public interest group submitted 20,360 nearly 
identical letters from individuals opposing pharmacological proteins 
produced in food crops in general without addressing specific issues 
within the EA. Another public interest group submitted a letter bearing 
25 signatures of representatives of various organizations that oppose 
pharmacological proteins in food crops and addressed specific issues 
within the EA. In total, eight public interest groups wrote letters in 
opposition to allowing the planting of the transgenic safflower. APHIS' 
responses to these comments are provided as an attachment to the 
finding of no significant impact (FONSI) and decision notice.
    Pursuant to the regulations in 7 CFR part 340 promulgated under the 
Plant Protection Act, APHIS has determined that this field release will 
not pose a risk of the introduction or dissemination of a plant pest. 
Additionally, based upon analysis described in the EA, APHIS has 
determined that the action proposed in Alternative B of the EA, issue 
the permit with supplemental permit conditions, will not have a 
significant impact on the quality of the human environment. You may 
read the FONSI and decision notice on the Internet or in the APHIS 
reading room (see ADDRESSES above). Copies may also be obtained from 
the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
    To provide the public with documentation of APHIS' review and 
analysis of any potential environmental impacts and plant pest risks 
associated with proposed release of the transgenic safflower, an EA and 
FONSI have been prepared. The EA and FONSI were 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).

    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 13th day of June 2007.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
 [FR Doc. E7-11798 Filed 6-18-07; 8:45 am]
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