[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 1 (Tuesday, January 3, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 44]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-28530]


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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 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 1 / Tuesday, January 3, 2023 / 
Notices  

[[Page 44]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2021-0021]


Notice of Availability of an Environmental Assessment and Finding 
of No Significant Impact for Release of Ganaspis brasiliensis for 
Biological Control of Spotted-wing Drosophila in the Contiguous United 
States

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 a final environmental assessment and 
finding of no significant impact relative to permitting the release of 
the insect Ganaspis brasiliensis for the biological control of spotted-
wing Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) in 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. Robert S. Pfannenstiel, Acting 
Assistant Director, Pests, Pathogens, and Biocontrol Permits, 
Permitting and Compliance Coordination, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road, 
Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 851-2198; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is issuing 
permits for the release of the insect Ganaspis brasiliensis in the 
contiguous United States for the biological control of spotted-wing 
Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) (SWD).
    SWD is native to East Asia. It was first detected in California, 
Italy, and Spain in 2008. It has since established in most fruit-
growing regions in North America. SWD lays eggs inside ripening fruits. 
Feeding by SWD larvae results in the degradation of fruits, and the 
puncturing of the fruit skin may also provide a gateway for secondary 
bacterial and fungal infections.
    On July 16, 2021, we published in the Federal Register (86 FR 
37732-37733, Docket No. APHIS-2021-0021) 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 the insect Ganaspis brasiliensis 
in the continental United States for the biological control of spotted-
wing Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii). Comments on the notice were 
required to be received on or before August 16, 2021. We received six 
comments on the EA by that date. All of the comments were in favor of 
the proposed release and did not raise any substantive issues.
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    \1\ To view the notice, supporting documents, and the comments 
we received, go to http://www.regulations.gov and enter APHIS-2021-
0021 in the Search field.
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    In this document, we are advising the public of our finding of no 
significant impact (FONSI) regarding the release of the insect Ganaspis 
brasiliensis (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) for biological control of 
spotted-wing Drosophila, Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) in 
the contiguous United States. We are limiting this finding to the 
contiguous United States, as our assessment does not extend to the 
State of Alaska. Our finding, which is based on the EA, reflects our 
determination that release of Ganaspis brasiliensis for the biological 
control of spotted-wing Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) in the 
contiguous United States will not have a significant impact on the 
quality of the human environment. Based on this finding, we have issued 
permits for the release of Ganaspis brasiliensis for the biological 
control of spotted-wing Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) in the 
contiguous United States.
    The final EA and FONSI may be viewed on the Regulations.gov website 
(see footnote 1). Copies of the final EA and FONSI are also available 
for public inspection at 1620 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. 
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 final 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 27th day of December 2022.
Anthony Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-28530 Filed 12-30-22; 8:45 am]
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