[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 41 (Monday, March 2, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 12250]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-04239]


 ========================================================================
 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
 and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
 statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
 appearing in this section.
 
 ========================================================================
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 41 / Monday, March 2, 2020 / 
Notices  

[[Page 12250]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2019-0083]


Notice of Availability of an Environmental Assessment; Cogongrass 
Control Efforts in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and South Carolina

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service is making available a draft programmatic 
environmental assessment for control of cogongrass, a noxious weed, in 
Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and South Carolina. The environmental 
assessment assesses the potential environmental effects of establishing 
an integrated management strategy to control cogongrass in coordination 
with the above States. We are making the draft programmatic 
environmental assessment available to the public for review and 
comment.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before April 
1, 2020.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2019-0083.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2019-0083, 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-2019-
0083 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) 799-7039 before coming.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Anne LeBrun, APHIS, 4700 River 
Road, Unit 26, Riverdale, MD 20737, Phone: 301-851-2259, Email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica) is an 
invasive, exotic perennial grass that is naturalized throughout the 
southeastern United States. Cogongrass grows in both natural and 
disturbed areas, including around homes, on public properties, paved 
and unpaved roadways, forestland, stream banks, and farmland. It 
spreads rapidly, reducing forest productivity, harming wildlife habitat 
and native ecosystems, encroaching in pasture and hayfields, and 
impacting rights-of-way. It usually grows in warm or tropical areas and 
is widely distributed on all continents except Antarctica.
    In 7 CFR part 360, a noxious weed is defined as ``any plant or 
plant product that can directly or indirectly injure or cause damage to 
crops (including nursery stock or plant products), livestock, poultry, 
or other interests of agriculture, irrigation, navigation, the natural 
resources of the United States, the public health, or the 
environment.'' As a federally regulated noxious weed, Cogongrass is 
restricted from entry into the United States.
    Due to the impact cogongrass has on the agriculture and forestry 
industries, Congress has provided the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service (APHIS) with funding to partner with four States--
Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and South Carolina--to establish a 
program for controlling the spread of cogongrass. While it is unlikely 
that cogongrass can be eliminated from the southeastern United States, 
we have proposed that active control and eradication of cogongrass 
along the edge of the naturalized distribution area may be possible 
through an integrated management strategy employing preventative, 
cultural, mechanical, biological, and chemical methods.
    We are therefore announcing the availability of a draft 
programmatic environmental assessment (EA), entitled ``Cogongrass 
Control Program in the Southeastern United States--Alabama, Georgia, 
Mississippi and South Carolina'' (December 2019), that considers the 
potential environmental effects of an integrated management strategy--
APHIS' preferred alternative--to control the spread of cogongrass. The 
EA also considers the alternative of having no Federal program and 
taking no action. APHIS will use this EA for cogongrass program 
planning and decisionmaking, in addition to informing the public about 
the potential environmental effects of actions considered as part of 
the integrated management strategy. We are making the EA available for 
review and comment and 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 
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 25th day of February 2020.
Kevin Shea,
 Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-04239 Filed 2-28-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-34-P