[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 251 (Tuesday, December 31, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79658-79659]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-31145]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2012-0025]


Okanagan Specialty Fruits, Inc.; Availability of Plant Pest Risk 
Assessment and Environmental Assessment for Determination of 
Nonregulated Status of Apples Genetically Engineered To Resist Browning

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 our plant pest risk 
assessment and draft environmental assessment regarding a request from 
Okanagan Specialty Fruits, Inc., seeking a determination of 
nonregulated status of apple events designated as events GD743 and 
GS784, which have been genetically engineered to resist browning. This 
action will allow interested persons additional time to prepare and 
submit comments.

DATES: The comment period for the notice published November 8, 2013 (78 
FR 67100) is reopened. We will consider all comments that we receive on 
or before January 30, 2014.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2012-0025.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2012-0025, 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-2012-
0025 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.
    Supporting documents are also available on the APHIS Web site at 
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/biotechnology/petitions_table_pending.shtml 
under APHIS Petition Number 10-161-01p.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. John Turner, Director, 
Environmental Risk Analysis Programs, Biotechnology Regulatory 
Services, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 147, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; 
(301) 851-3954, email: [email protected]. To obtain copies 
of the supporting documents for this petition, contact Ms. Cindy Eck at 
(301) 851-3892, email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On November 8, 2013, we published in the 
Federal Register (78 FR 67100-67101, Docket No. APHIS-2012-0025) a 
notice making available for public comment our plant pest risk 
assessment and our

[[Page 79659]]

draft environmental assessment regarding a request from Okanagan 
Specialty Fruits, Inc., seeking a determination of nonregulated status 
of apple events designated as events GD743 and GS784, which have been 
genetically engineered to resist browning.
    Comments on the PPRA and draft EA were required to be received on 
or before December 9, 2013. We are reopening the comment period on 
Docket No. APHIS-2012-0025 for an additional 30 days. This action will 
allow interested persons additional time to prepare and submit 
comments. We will also consider all comments received between December 
10, 2013, (the day after the close of the original comment period) and 
the date of this notice.

    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 20th day of December 2013.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-31145 Filed 12-30-13; 8:45 am]
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