[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 111 (Monday, June 10, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34638-34639]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-13691]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2013-0043]


Monsanto Co.; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement for Determination of Nonregulated Status of Herbicide 
Resistant Soybeans and Cotton, and Notice of Virtual Public Meetings

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement; 
extension of comment period and notice of virtual public meetings.

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SUMMARY: We are extending the comment period for our notice of intent 
to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) on environmental 
impacts that may result from the potential approval of petitions 
seeking a determination of nonregulated status of cultivars of dicamba 
herbicide resistant soybeans and cotton produced by the Monsanto 
Company. During the comment period, we are requesting public comments 
to further delineate the scope of the alternatives and environmental 
impacts and issues to be included in the EIS. This action will allow 
interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments. We 
are also announcing the dates of two virtual public meetings that we 
will be hosting to provide the public with additional opportunities to 
comment during the scoping period.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before July 
17, 2013. Online virtual public meetings will be held June 26, 2013, 
from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. EST and June 27, 2013, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. EST.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2013-0043-0001.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2013-0043, 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-2013-
0043 or in our reading room, which 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) 799-7039 before coming.
    Other Information: Details regarding the virtual public meetings, 
including how to participate, will be posted as they become available 
at http://www.aphisvirtualmeetings.com.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Rebecca Stankiewicz Gabel, Branch 
Chief, Biotechnology Environmental Analysis Branch, Environmental Risk 
Analysis Programs, Biotechnology Regulatory Services, APHIS, 4700 River 
Road, Unit 147, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238; (301) 851-3954. To obtain 
copies of the petition, contact Ms. Cindy Eck at (301) 851-3882, email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On May 16, 2013, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
published in the Federal Register (78 FR 28796-28798, Docket No. APHIS-
2013-0043) a notice stating our decision to complete an environmental 
impact statement (EIS) for the potential determinations of nonregulated 
status of cultivars of dicamba herbicide resistant soybeans and cotton 
produced by the Monsanto Company in order to perform a comprehensive 
environmental analysis of the potential selection of dicamba resistant 
weeds and other potential environmental impacts that may occur as a 
result of making determinations of nonregulated status of these events.
    Comments on the notice were required to be received on or before 
June 17, 2013. We are extending the comment period on Docket No. APHIS-
2013-0043 for an additional 30 days. This action will allow interested 
persons additional time to prepare and submit comments. We are also 
providing an opportunity to comment at two virtual public meetings 
during the comment period. Information on the virtual public meetings 
is available under DATES and ADDRESSES.
    All comments received during the scoping period will be carefully 
considered in developing the final scope of the EIS. Upon completion of 
the draft EIS, a notice announcing its availability and an opportunity 
to comment on it will be published in the Federal Register.

    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 34639]]


    Done in Washington, DC, this 5th day of June 2013.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-13691 Filed 6-7-13; 8:45 am]
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