[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 137 (Wednesday, July 18, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39378-39379]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-13922]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2007-0018]


Oregon State University; Availability of an Environmental 
Assessment for Controlled Release of Genetically Engineered Populus 
Species and Hybrids

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 controlled field release of 
genetically engineered (transgenic) clones of Populus species and 
hybrids. The purpose of this controlled field release is to examine the 
effects of the genetic constructs on the intended traits--reproductive 
sterility, reduced stature, reduced light response, and modified lignin 
content. We are making the environmental assessment available to the 
public for review and comment.

DATES: We will consider all comments received on or before August 17, 
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-2007-0018 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-
2007-0018, 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-2007-0018.
    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_25001r_ea.pdf.
    Other Information: Additional information about APHIS and its

[[Page 39379]]

programs is available on the Internet at: http://www.aphis.usda.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Biotechnology Regulatory Services, 
APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 147, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 734-
7324. To obtain copies of the environmental assessment, contact Ms. 
Cynthia Eck, Document Control Officer, 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 7, 2006, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service (APHIS) received a permit application (APHIS No. 06-250-01r) 
from Oregon State University, in Corvallis, OR, for a controlled field 
release of genetically engineered Populus alba and Populus hybrids. A 
previous environmental assessment (EA) was prepared for a subset of 
trees in this release under Permit 95-031-01R. Under that permit, trees 
engineered with sterility constructs were allowed to flower. Since the 
researcher intends to add more trees to the permit and allow these 
additional trees to flower, a new EA has been prepared that updates the 
previous EA.
    Permit application 06-250-01r describes 95 genetic constructs that 
can be categorized into reproductive sterility genes, genes affecting 
stature or light response, genes aimed to modify tree chemistry, and 
activation tagging mutants aimed at the development of ``experimental 
domesticates.'' These DNA sequences were introduced into Populus plants 
using disarmed Agrobacterium tumefaciens and also contain regulatory 
sequences from the plant pests cauliflower mosaic virus, tobacco mosaic 
virus, Aspergillus nidulans, and Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The subject 
Populus plants 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 Populus plants, an 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). Copies of the EA 
may be viewed on the http://Regulations.gov Web site or in our reading 
room (see ADDRESSES above) and 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 12th day of July 2007.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E7-13922 Filed 7-17-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P