[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 185 (Tuesday, September 24, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49979-49980]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-20583]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2019-0017]


Availability of an Environmental Assessment and Finding of No 
Significant Impact for the Release of Cheilosia urbana for Biological 
Control of Invasive Hawkweeds

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that we have prepared an 
environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact relative 
to the release of the hoverfly Cheilosia urbana for the biological 
control of hawkweeds

[[Page 49980]]

(Pilosella species), a significant invasive weed, within the contiguous 
United States. Based on our finding of no significant impact, we have 
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: Hawkweeds are invasive weeds of moist 
pastures, forest meadows, and mountain rangelands with a moderate 
amount of moisture. Habitats most vulnerable to invasion include human-
disturbed sites, such as roadsides and hayfields, and abandoned 
farmland. The following hawkweeds are considered noxious in many 
western States and are currently targets for biological control: 
Pilosella flagellaris (whiplash hawkweed), Pilosella floribunda (king 
devil hawkweed), Pilosella glomerata (queen devil or yellow devil 
hawkweed), Pilosella officinarum (mouse-ear hawkweed), and Pilosella 
piloselloides (tall hawkweed).
    Cheilosia urbana is a very common and widespread hoverfly in 
Europe. The fly's potential range in North America is expected to match 
much of the distributions of the targeted Pilosella (hawkweed) species 
that occur in the northwestern United States and northeastern United 
States, including southwestern and southeastern Canada. Permitting the 
release of Cheilosia urbana is necessary to reduce the severity of 
invasive hawkweed infestations and economic losses since other 
alternatives are not effective or feasible.
    On May 28, 2019, we published in the Federal Register (84 FR 24463, 
Docket No. APHIS-2019-0017) 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 release of Cheilosia urbana for the biological 
control of invasive hawkweeds within the contiguous United States.
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    \1\ To view the notice, supporting documents, and the comments 
we received, go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2019-0017.
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    We solicited comments on the EA for 30 days ending June 27, 2019. 
We received eight comments by that date. Six of those comments were in 
favor of the release of the biological control agents. One comment was 
a general comment against the Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service (APHIS) but raised no substantive issues. One comment raised 
questions regarding impacts on native hawkweeds. This last comment is 
addressed in Appendix 6 of the final EA.
    In this document, we are advising the public of our finding of no 
significant impact (FONSI) regarding the release of Cheilosia urbana 
for the biological control of invasive hawkweeds within the contiguous 
United States. The finding, which is based on the EA, reflects our 
determination that release of the Cheilosia urbana will not have a 
significant impact on the quality of the human environment. Concurrent 
with this announcement, we will issue a permit for the release of 
Cheilosia urbana for the biological control of invasive hawkweeds.
    The EA and FONSI may be viewed on the Regulations.gov website (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 17th day of September 2019.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-20583 Filed 9-23-19; 8:45 am]
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