[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 137 (Wednesday, July 17, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34118-34119]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-15211]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Natural Resources Conservation Service

[Docket No. NRCS-2019-0010]


Adoption of Another Agency's Final Environmental Impact Statement 
To Implement the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program

AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), U.S. Department 
of Agriculture (USDA).

ACTION: Notice of intent (NOI) to adopt a Final Environmental Impact 
Statement (FEIS).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: NRCS announces its intent to adopt the FEIS, titled ``Feral 
Swine Damage Management: A National Approach EIS'', prepared by the 
U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service (APHIS), under the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) 
adoption provisions of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ).

DATES: Comment date: NRCS will accept comments that are received or 
postmarked by August 16, 2019.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments concerning the adoption of the FEIS 
titled, ``Feral Swine Damage Management: A National Approach EIS,'' or 
submit comments on actions being proposed by NRCS regarding this matter 
to the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
online instructions for submitting comments.
    The FEIS can be accessed here: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/wildlifedamage/programs/nepa/sa_environmental_assessments+%28ea%29/sa_ws_environmental_assessments_state/ct_united_states.
    The associated NRCS Announcement of Program Funding can be accessed 
on grants.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Martin Lowenfish, Branch Chief for 
Areawide Planning, Natural Resources Conservation Service, at 
[email protected] or (202) 690-4979.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NRCS announces its intent to adopt the FEIS 
titled, ``Feral Swine Damage Management: A National Approach EIS'', 
prepared by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant 
Health Inspection Service (APHIS) under the EIS adoption provisions of 
the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations (40 CFR 1506.3). 
NRCS is proposing this action to address the mandates in section 2408 
of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill, Pub. L. 
115-334) to provide financial assistance for a Feral Swine Eradication 
and Control Pilot Program in collaboration with APHIS.
    Prior to proposing adoption, NRCS reviewed the FEIS and determined 
that it adequately addresses the alternatives and environmental impacts 
related to reducing feral swine damage to agriculture, natural 
resources, property, animal health, and human health and safety on 
private lands per NRCS's Title 190--National Environmental Compliance 
Handbook, part 610, subpart F, section 610.83(D), and subpart H, 
section 610.134. As described in the FEIS, the APHIS project area 
includes all the United States and its Territories where feral swine 
exist or may occur. The APHIS Wildlife Services (APHIS-WS) program 
currently works with federal, state, territorial, and local agencies; 
tribes; organizations; and private individuals to address specific 
localized feral swine damage problems. As NRCS collaborates with 
farmers, ranchers, and non-industrial private forest landowners to 
address natural resource management objectives on private land 
throughout the United States and its Territories, NRCS is able to 
implement actions that complement those of APHIS with NRCS' 
constituency. Feral swine are a threat nationwide; private lands 
currently or will soon face growing threats from feral swine. 
Therefore, section 2408 of the 2018 Farm Bill requires that APHIS and 
NRCS cooperate in this effort.
    The FEIS states that APHIS would serve as the lead agency in a 
nationally coordinated cooperative effort with other agency partners, 
tribes, organizations, and local entities. NRCS was a participating 
agency, but not a cooperating agency, in the preparation of the Feral 
Swine Damage Management: A National Approach--Final Environmental 
Impact Statement when it was finalized in 2015. As required in the 2018 
Farm Bill, NRCS, through this pilot program, will cooperate with APHIS 
nationally and will serve as the lead agency for implementing the 
complementary NRCS action.
    The FEIS states that the proposed action is needed to:
    1. Expand feral swine management programs nationwide to stabilize 
and eventually reduce the national feral swine population and 
associated threats to agriculture, natural resources, property, animal 
health, and human health;
    2. Further develop cooperative partnerships with other pertinent 
federal, state, territorial, tribal, and local agencies, and private 
organizations working to reduce impacts of feral swine;
    3. Expand feral swine disease monitoring to protect agriculture and 
human health;
    4. Develop and improve tools and methods to manage feral swine 
populations, predictive models to assess feral swine population 
expansion and economic impacts, and risk analyses for feral swine 
impacts to agriculture, animal health, and human health;
    5. Develop outreach materials and activities to educate the public 
about feral swine damage and related

[[Page 34119]]

activities to prevent or reduce damage; and
    6. Coordinate with Canada and Mexico to establish a collaborative 
plan to address the feral swine threat along the common borders.
    The NRCS actions under section 2408 of the 2018 Farm Bill are 
narrower than the scope of the larger APHIS effort defined in the FEIS 
and are limited to providing financial assistance specifically for 
outreach, training, equipment, and operations for feral swine trapping, 
consistent with APHIS technical standards. Subsequent actions, 
including disposal, are the responsibility of those carrying out the 
trapping activities, and must occur consistent with all associated 
federal, state, and local laws. These actions are fully covered by the 
FEIS Alternative 2, which was considered by APHIS to be the 
environmentally preferable and preferred alternative. NRCS has 
determined that these actions are substantially the same those analyzed 
in the 2015 Feral Swine Damage Management: A National Approach--Final 
Environmental Impact Statement, and is circulating the statement in 
Final form. For its proposed action, NRCS also has determined that 
Alternative 2 would be environmentally preferable and preferred.
    Section 2408 of the 2018 Farm Bill requires that NRCS establish 
this effort as a pilot program. The specific locations chosen by NRCS 
for this pilot are based on the severity of damage. NRCS has determined 
that 11 states, where APHIS has determined feral swine population 
densities and corresponding associated damages are highest, will be the 
target of the initial NRCS pilot effort. These 11 states are: Alabama, 
Arkansas, California,\1\ Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, 
North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas. NRCS may consider 
expanding beyond these 11 pilot states, consistent with the nationwide 
scope of the FEIS. NRCS and APHIS will collaborate through State 
technical committees to identify projects under the pilot program and 
will do so in a way that places a priority where feral swine are a 
significant threat to agriculture, native ecosystems, or human or 
animal health.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ California chose not to participate at this time.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Prior to recommending adoption, NRCS completed an internal 
checklist, titled ``NEPA Supplementation Review and Documentation 
Checklist,'' as required by its National Environmental Compliance 
Handbook. It was determined that the FEIS does not need to be 
supplemented prior to adoption. Further, the FEIS evaluated five 
alternatives, incorporated mitigation into those alternatives, and 
included a comprehensive evaluation of environmental impacts. Given 
this, NRCS has determined the FEIS adequately covers NRCS' proposed 
action, as encompassed by section 2408 of the 2018 Farm Bill, and has, 
therefore, proposed its adoption. An associated decision will not be 
made earlier than 30 days following the publication of this notice in 
the Federal Register.
    NRCS requests feedback from the public, other agencies, tribes, and 
other interested parties on the proposal to adopt the APHIS FEIS, the 
FEIS itself, and any associated issues and concerns.

Kevin Norton,
Acting Associate Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-15211 Filed 7-16-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-16-P