[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 178 (Friday, September 13, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 48325]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-19856]


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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 
 statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 178 / Friday, September 13, 2019 / 
Notices  

[[Page 48325]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2008-0076]


Environmental Impact Statement; Regulation of the Importation, 
Interstate Movement, and Intrastate Movement of Plant Pests: Record of 
Decision

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public of the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service's record of decision for the final environmental 
impact statement titled ``Regulation of the Importation, Interstate 
Movement, and Intrastate Movement of Plant Pests.''

DATES: An official of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service-
Plant Protection and Quarantine signed the record of decision on July 
17, 2019.

ADDRESSES: You may read the final environmental impact statement and 
record of decision in our reading room. The reading room 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) 799-7039 before coming. The record 
of decision, final environmental impact statement, and supporting 
information may also be viewed at http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2008-0076. To obtain copies of the documents, 
contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions related to the 
importation and movement of plant pests and biological control agents, 
contact Dr. Colin D. Stewart, Assistant Director, Pests, Pathogens, and 
Biocontrol Permits Branch, Plant Health Programs, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 
River Road, Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737; [email protected]; 
(301) 851-2237. For questions related to the environmental impact 
statement, contact Dr. Tracy Willard, Environmental Protection 
Specialist/Entomologist, ERAS, PPD, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 149, 
Riverdale, MD 20737; [email protected]; (301) 851-3101.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 20, 2009, we published in the 
Federal Register (74 FR 53673-53674) a notice \1\ of intent to prepare 
a environmental impact statement (EIS) for the movement of plant pests, 
biological control organisms, and associated articles. That notice 
identified three broad alternatives to consider in the EIS and 
requested public comments to help delineate the scope of the issues and 
alternatives to be analyzed. The 30-day period for scoping of public 
comments was extended to November 19, 2009. We received 14 comments 
during the scoping period.
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    \1\ The notices, comments, draft and final EIS, record of 
decision, and supporting documents for this docket can be viewed at 
http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2008-0076.
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    On January 23, 2017, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 
published a notice of availability for the draft EIS in the Federal 
Register (82 FR 7822). The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
(APHIS) made the draft EIS available and invited public comment through 
March 20, 2017. Our responses to the four comments received in response 
to the draft EIS are in an appendix to the final EIS. On June 14, 2019, 
the EPA published a notice of availability of the final EIS in the 
Federal Register (84 FR 27777). The review period for the final EIS 
ended on July 15, 2019.
    The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) implementing 
regulations in 40 CFR 1506.10 require a minimum 30-day waiting period 
between the time a final EIS is published and the time an agency makes 
a decision on an action covered by the EIS. We did not receive any 
comments during the 30-day waiting period. APHIS has reviewed the final 
EIS and concluded that it fully analyzes the issues covered by the 
draft EIS and addresses the comments and suggestions submitted by 
commenters. This notice advises the public that the waiting period has 
elapsed, and APHIS has issued a record of decision (ROD) to implement 
the preferred alternative described in the final EIS.
    The ROD has been prepared in accordance with: (1) 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 10th day of September 2019.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-19856 Filed 9-12-19; 8:45 am]
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