[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 34 (Tuesday, February 20, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Page 12812]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-03378]


 ========================================================================
 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. 89, No. 34 / Tuesday, February 20, 2024 / 
Notices  

[[Page 12812]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2022-0015]


Notice of Availability of Final Environmental Assessment and 
Finding of No Significant Impact for Release of Psyllaephagus 
euphyllurae for Biological Control of Olive Psyllid in the Contiguous 
United States

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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

SUMMARY: We are advising the public that we have prepared a final 
environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact relative 
to permitting the release of the insect Psyllaephagus euphyllurae for 
biological control of olive psyllid (Euphyllura olivina) 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, Ph.D., 
Senior Entomologist, Biological Control, Pests, Pathogens and 
Biocontrol Permitting, Plant Health Programs, 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 
Psyllaephagus euphyllurae in the contiguous United States for the 
biological control of olive psyllid (Euphyllura olivina).
    The olive psyllid is native to southern Europe. It was first 
detected in North America in 2007. By the time this psyllid was found 
on olives in southern California, it was widespread in the region. This 
pest feeds exclusively on the flower blossoms and growing tissue of 
olives, causing reductions in fruit set, with reductions in fruit yield 
as high as 60 percent reported in some parts of the Mediterranean 
Basin.
    Permitting the release of P. euphyllurae is necessary to reduce the 
severity of damage to olives from infestations of olive psyllid. P. 
euphyllurae is a small, stingless parasitoid wasp specific only to 
olive psyllid. The adult wasp lays an egg inside the olive psyllid. The 
egg hatches and consumes the olive psyllid host. The P. euphyllurae 
then goes into prolonged dormancy as a preadult in the host mummy's 
remains until the following spring. The wasp poses no risk to humans, 
livestock, or wildlife.
    On March 31, 2022, we published in the Federal Register (87 FR 
18764, Docket No. 2022-0015) 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 P. euphyllurae (Hymenoptera:Encyrtidae) 
in the contiguous United States for the biological control of olive 
psyllid (Euphyllura olivine, Hemiptera: Liviidae). Comments on the 
notice were required to be received on or before May 2, 2022. We 
received one comment on the EA by that date. It was in favor of the 
environmental release of P. euphyllurae.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ To view the notice, supporting documents, and the comment we 
received, go to http://www.regulations.gov and enter APHIS-2022-0015 
in the Search field.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In this document, we are advising the public of our finding of no 
significant impact (FONSI) regarding the field release of the insect, 
P. euphyllurae, for biological control of olive psyllid in the 
contiguous United States. Our finding, which is based on the EA, 
reflects our determination that release of P. euphyllurae for the 
biological control of olive psyllid 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 a permit for the 
release of P. euphyllurae for the biological control of olive psyllid 
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) U.S. Department of Agriculture regulations 
implementing NEPA (7 CFR part 1b); and (4) APHIS' NEPA Implementing 
Procedures (7 CFR part 372).

    Done in Washington, DC, this 6th day of February 2024.
Michael Watson,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-03378 Filed 2-16-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P