[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 180 (Thursday, September 17, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55826-55827]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-23381]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2015-0047]


Oral Rabies Vaccine Trial; Availability of a Supplement to an 
Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact

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 a supplement to an environmental 
assessment and finding of no significant impact relative to an oral 
rabies vaccination field trial in New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, 
Vermont, and West Virginia. Based on its finding of no significant 
impact, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has determined 
that an environmental impact statement need not be prepared.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Richard Chipman, Rabies Program 
Coordinator, Wildlife Services, APHIS, 59 Chennell Drive, Suite 7, 
Concord, NH 03301; (603) 223-9623. To obtain copies of the supplement 
to the environmental assessment and the finding of no significant 
impact, contact Ms. Beth Kabert, Environmental Coordinator, Wildlife 
Services, 140-C Locust Grove Road, Pittstown, NJ 08867; (908) 735-5654, 
fax (908) 735-0821, email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Wildlife Services (WS) program in the 
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) cooperates with 
Federal agencies, State and local governments, and private individuals 
to research and implement the best methods of managing conflicts 
between wildlife and human health and safety, agriculture, property, 
and natural resources. Wildlife-borne diseases that can affect domestic 
animals and humans are among the types of conflicts that APHIS-WS 
addresses. Wildlife is the dominant reservoir of rabies in the United 
States.
    On July 17, 2015, we published in the Federal Register (80 FR 
42467-42469, Docket No. APHIS-2015-0047) a

[[Page 55827]]

notice \1\ in which we announced the availability, for public review 
and comment, of a supplement to an environmental assessment (EA) that 
examined the potential environmental impacts associated with the 
proposed field trial to test the safety and efficacy of an experimental 
oral rabies vaccine for wildlife in New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, 
Vermont, and West Virginia. In addition, the supplement analyzed the 
geographic shift of the field trial zone in Ohio and an increase in 
bait distribution density in portions of West Virginia.
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    \1\ To view the notice, the EA, and the FONSI, go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2015-0047.
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    We solicited comments on the EA for 30 days ending August 17, 2015. 
We received one comment by that date, which supported the oral rabies 
vaccination program.
    In this document, we are advising the public of our finding of no 
significant impact (FONSI) regarding the implementation of a field 
trial to test the safety and efficacy of the ONRAB wildlife rabies 
vaccine in New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Vermont, and West Virginia, 
including portions of U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service 
National Forest System lands, but excluding Wilderness Areas. The 
finding, which is based on the EA, the 2013 supplement to the EA, and 
the 2015 supplement to the EA, reflects our determination that the 
distribution of this experimental wildlife rabies vaccine will not have 
a significant impact on the quality of the human environment.
    The 2015 supplement to the EA and the FONSI may be viewed on the 
APHIS Web site at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlifedamage/nepa and on 
the Regulations.gov Web site (see footnote 1). Copies of the 2015 
supplement to the EA and the FONSI are also available for public 
inspection at USDA, room 1141, South Building, 14th Street and 
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except holidays. Persons wishing to inspect 
copies are requested to call ahead on (202) 799-7039 to facilitate 
entry into the reading room. In addition, copies may be obtained as 
described under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
    The 2015 supplement to the EA and the FONSI have been 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).

    Done in Washington, DC, this 14th day of September 2015.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-23381 Filed 9-16-15; 8:45 am]
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