[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 11 (Wednesday, January 18, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 5522]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-01018]


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 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 11 / Wednesday, January 18, 2017 / 
Notices  

[[Page 5522]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2016-0069]


Availability of a Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of 
No Significant Impact for a Biological Control Agent for Giant Reed

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service has prepared a final environmental assessment and 
finding of no significant impact relative to the release of Lasioptera 
donacis for the biological control of giant reed, Arundo donax, in the 
continental United States. 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: Dr. Colin D. Stewart, Assistant 
Director, Pests, Pathogens, and Biocontrol Permits, Permitting and 
Compliance Coordination, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 133, 
Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 851-2327, email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Giant reed (Arundo donax), a native of the 
Mediterranean and Middle East, has become one of the most pervasive 
non-native plants to invade the riparian areas of the Southwest United 
States, especially in California and the Rio Grande area of Texas. 
Giant reed infestations in riparian habitats lead to loss of 
biodiversity, stream bank erosion, altered channel morphology, enhanced 
survival of cattle fever ticks, damage to bridges, increased costs for 
chemical and mechanical control along transportation corridors, and 
impede law enforcement activities on the international border. Many 
Federal and State agencies, as well as private entities, conduct 
programs to manage giant reed, as well as other -invasive weeds.
    The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is proposing 
to issue permits for the field release of a gall-forming fly, 
Lasioptera donacis, into the continental United States to reduce the 
severity of giant reed infestations.
    On November 8, 2016, we published in the Federal Register (81 FR 
78567-78568, Docket No. APHIS-2016-0069) a notice\1\ in which we 
announced the availability, for public review and comment, of an 
environmental assessment (EA) that examined the potential environmental 
impacts associated with the proposed release of this biological control 
agent into the continental United States.
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    \1\ To view the notice, environmental assessment, finding of no 
significant impact, and the comments we received, go to https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=APHIS-2016-0069.
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    We solicited comments on the EA for 30 days ending December 8, 
2016. We received 14 comments by that date. A written response to all 
comments received on the EA can be found in appendix 5 of the final EA 
(see footnote 1).
    In this document, we are advising the public of our finding of no 
significant impact (FONSI) regarding the release of L. donacis into the 
continental United States for use as a biological control agent to 
reduce the severity of giant reed infestations. The finding, which is 
based on the EA, reflects our determination that release of this 
biological control agent will not have a significant impact on the 
quality of the human environment.
    The EA and FONSI may be viewed on the Regulations.gov Web site (see 
footnote 1). Copies of the EA and 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 by 
calling or writing to the individual listed under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT.

    The EA and 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 11th day of January 2017.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-01018 Filed 1-17-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-34-P