[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 39 (Wednesday, February 27, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6355-6356]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-03322]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2018-0075]
Notice of Availability of an Environmental Assessment for the
Release of Biological Control of Brazilian Peppertree
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 an environmental assessment relative to
permitting the release of Calophya latiforceps and Pseudophilothrips
ichini for the biological control of Brazilian peppertree, a
significant invasive weed, within the contiguous United States. Based
on the environmental assessment and other relevant data, we have
reached a preliminary determination that the release of these control
agents will not have a significant impact on the quality of the human
environment. We are making the environmental assessment available to
the public for review and comment.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before March
29, 2019.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
[[Page 6356]]
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2018-0075.
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to
Docket No. APHIS-2018-0075, 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-2018-
0075 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) 7997039 before coming.
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: Brazilian peppertree (Schinus
terebinthifolia) is an evergreen perennial shrub or small tree found in
various southern States but grows primarily in Florida. This noxious
weed poses a serious threat to biodiversity in many ecosystems and
invades areas such as canal banks, fallow farmlands, and natural
communities. Brazilian peppertree's invasiveness can be attributed to
its tolerance to fire, drought, and shade. Since the late 1800s,
Brazilian peppertree has been introduced as an ornamental plant into
many tropical and subtropical regions around the world. Brazilian
peppertree was introduced in Florida and Hawaii as an attractive
ornamental and source for honeybee nectar. The dried fruits of
Brazilian peppertree have been used as a spice for cooking and are sold
in the United States and elsewhere. In the United States, Brazilian
peppertree occurs in Florida, Texas, California, Hawaii, the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The insects Calophya latiforceps, ``jumping plant-lice,'' and
Pseudophilothrips ichini were chosen as potential biological control
agents. Both agents are expected to reduce the severity of infestations
of Brazilian peppertree, and both are known to be highly host specific
due to their intimate relationships with their host plants.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's (APHIS') review
and analysis of the potential environmental impacts associated with the
proposed release are documented in detail in an environmental
assessment (EA) entitled ``Field Release of the Insects Calophya
latiforceps (Hemiptera: Calophyidae) and Pseudophilothrips ichini
(Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) for Classical Biological Control of
Brazilian Peppertree in the Contiguous United States'' (January 2018).
We are making the EA available to the public for review and comment. We
will consider all comments that we receive on or before the date listed
under the heading DATES at the beginning of this notice.
The EA may be viewed on the Regulations.gov website or in our
reading room (see ADDRESSES above for a link to Regulations.gov and
information on the location and hours of the reading room). You may
also request paper copies of the EA by calling or writing to the person
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Please refer to the title
of the EA when requesting copies.
The EA has 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 21st day of February 2019.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-03322 Filed 2-26-19; 8:45 am]
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