[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 117 (Tuesday, June 19, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33735-33736]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-11813]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2007-0021]


Availability of an Environmental Assessment for a Field Test of 
Two Non-pathogenic, Genetically Engineered Strains of Burkholderia 
glumae

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 field trial involving two genetically engineered strains of 
the bacterium Burkholderia glumae. Burkholderia glumae is a plant 
pathogen that causes panicle blight in rice. The purpose of this field 
test is to conduct experiments that will provide information on the 
pathogenicity of Burkholderia glumae and will assist in the development 
of control methods to reduce yield loss caused by panicle blight. We 
are making the environmental assessment available to the public for 
review and comment.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before July 
19, 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

[[Page 33736]]

Docket ID column, select APHIS-2007-0021 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-
2007-0021, 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-2007-0021.
    Reading Room: You may read the environmental assessment (EA) and 
any comments we receive on the EA 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://aphis.usda.gov/brs/aphisdocs/06_11101r_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. Andrea Huberty, Biotechnology 
Regulatory Services, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 147, Riverdale, MD 
20737-1236; (301) 734-0659. 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 April 21, 2006, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
(APHIS) received a permit application (APHIS No. 06-111-01r) from 
Louisiana State University, in Baton Rouge, LA, for a field trial using 
strains of the bacterium Burkholderia glumae. Permit application 06-
111-01r describes four Burkholderia glumae strains: Two wild-type 
strains, one of which is disease-causing and the other naturally non-
pathogenic, endemic to the United States, and two genetically 
engineered, non-pathogenic strains that share the same avirulent 
phenotype. The transgenic strains were created by placing base pairs of 
a methyltransferase gene into the cloning vector. The introduced 
vector, along with the methyltransferase gene, will integrate into the 
bacterial chromosome by homologous recombination.
    The subject Burkholderia glumae is considered a regulated article 
under the regulations in 7 CFR part 340 because it is the causal 
pathological agent of panicle blight in rice, a plant disease occurring 
in the United States.
    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 bacterial strains, we 
have prepared an environmental assessment (EA). 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.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 13th day of June 2007.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
 [FR Doc. E7-11813 Filed 6-18-07; 8:45 am]
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