[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 144 (Wednesday, July 27, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44891-44892]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-19039]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2011-0023]


Monsanto Co.; Availability of Petition, Plant Pest Risk 
Assessment, and Environmental Assessment for Determination of 
Nonregulated Status for Corn Genetically Engineered for Drought 
Tolerance

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; reopening of comment period.

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SUMMARY: We are reopening the comment period for a petition received 
from the Monsanto Company seeking a determination of nonregulated 
status for corn designated as MON 87460, which has been genetically 
engineered for drought tolerance. This action will allow interested 
persons additional time to prepare and submit comments on the Monsanto 
petition, our plant pest risk assessment, and our draft environmental 
assessment for the proposed determination of nonregulated status.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
August 12, 2011.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2011-0023-0001.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2011-0023, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, 
APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1238.
    Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may 
be viewed at http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2011-
0023 or in our reading room, which is located in room 1141 of the USDA 
South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue

[[Page 44892]]

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 petition, draft environmental assessment, and plant pest risk 
assessment are also available on the APHIS Web site at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/brs/aphisdocs/09_05501p.pdf, http://www.aphis.usda.gov/brs/aphisdocs/09_05501p _dea.pdf, and http://www.aphis.usda.gov/brs/aphisdocs/09_05501p _dpra.pdf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Evan Chestnut, Policy Analyst, 
Biotechnology Regulatory Services, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 147, 
Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 734-0942, e-mail: 
[email protected]. To obtain copies of the petition, draft 
environmental assessment, or plant pest risk assessment, contact Ms. 
Cindy Eck at (301) 734-0667, e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 11, 2011, we published in the Federal 
Register (76 FR 27303-27304, Docket No. APHIS-2011-0023) a notice\1\ 
advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
(APHIS) has received a petition from the Monsanto Company seeking a 
determination of nonregulated status for corn designated as MON 87460, 
which has been genetically engineered for drought tolerance.
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    \1\ To view the notice, supporting documents, and any comments 
we have received, go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2011-0023.
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    Comments on the Monsanto petition, our plant pest risk assessment, 
and our draft environmental assessment for the proposed determination 
of nonregulated status were required to be received on or before July 
11, 2011. We are reopening the comment period on Docket No. APHIS-2011-
0023 for an additional 30 days, ending August 12, 2011. We will also 
consider all comments received between July 12, 2011 (the day after the 
close of the original comment period) and the date of this notice. This 
action will allow interested persons additional time to prepare and 
submit comments on the Monsanto petition, our plant pest risk 
assessment, and our draft environmental assessment for the proposed 
determination of nonregulated status.

    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 22nd day of July 2011.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-19039 Filed 7-26-11; 8:45 am]
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