[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 175 (Tuesday, September 12, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42781-42782]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-19227]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2017-0046]


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.

[[Page 42782]]


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, 2017, we published in the Federal Register (82 FR 
32676-32677, Docket No. APHIS-2017-0046) a 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 (ORV) for wildlife in New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Vermont, 
and West Virginia. In addition, the supplement analyzed the geographic 
shift of the ORV zone in Ohio and the addition of 17 counties in West 
Virginia so that baits can be applied to the western edge of the ORV 
zone in 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-2017-0046.
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    We solicited comments on the EA for 30 days ending August 16, 2017. 
We did not receive any comments.
    In this document, we are advising the public of our finding of no 
significant impact (FONSI) relative to the ORV field trial in New 
Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Vermont, and West Virginia. The finding, 
which is based on the EA and the 2013, 2015, and 2017 supplements 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 2017 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 2017 
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 2017 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 6th day of September 2017.
Michael C. Gregoire,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-19227 Filed 9-11-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-34-P