Ventria Bioscience; Availability of Revised Environmental Assessment, With Consideration for an Additional Test Site in North Carolina, for Field Tests of Genetically Engineered Rice Expressing Lactoferrin, 25521-25522 [05-9606]
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25521
Notices
Federal Register
Vol. 70, No. 92
Friday, May 13, 2005
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.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Office of the Secretary
Research, Education, and
Economics, USDA.
ACTION: Appointment of members.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Specialty Crops
Competitiveness Act of 2004, Pub. L.
108–465, Title III, Sec. 303, amends the
National Agricultural Research,
Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of
1977 to insert after section 1408 (7
U.S.C. 3123) the following new section:
‘‘Sec. 1408A. Specialty Crop
Committee.’’ This notice announces the
individuals who were recently
appointed to the Specialty Crop
Committee by the Executive Committee
of the USDA National Agricultural
Research, Extension, Education, and
Economics Advisory Board, as required
in the legislation. Four of the eight
appointees are members serving terms
on the Advisory Board. The members of
the Specialty Crop Committee are as
follows: Chair, Dr. Walter Armbruster,
President, Farm Foundation, Oak Brook,
IL; Dr. Jeffrey Armstrong, Dean, College
of Agriculture and Natural Resources,
Michigan State University, East Lansing,
MI; Mr. Daniel Botts, Director,
Environment and Pest Management
Division, Florida Fruit and Vegetable
Association, Maitland, FL; Dr. Nancy
Cremer, Director, Center for
Environmental Farming Systems, North
Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC;
Mr. James Lugg, President, TransFRESH
Corporation, Salinas, CA; Mr. William J.
Lyons, Jr., Former California Secretary
of Agriculture and Owner, Mape’s
Ranch, Modesto, CA; Dr. Philip Nelson,
Scholle Chair Professor, Department of
Food Sciences, Purdue University, West
Lafayette, IN; Mr. Craig Regelbrugge,
Senior Director, American Nursery and
Landscape Association, Washington,
15:59 May 12, 2005
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Members to the Specialty Crop
Committee were appointed by the
Executive Committee of the USDA
National Agricultural Research,
Extension, Education, and Economics
Advisory Board during the Board’s
March 9–11, 2005 public meeting in
Washington, DC.
[Docket No. 05–006–2]
DATES:
National Agricultural
Research, Extension, Education, and
Economics Advisory Board; Room
344A, Jamie L. Whitten Building; U.S.
Department of Agriculture; STOP 2255;
1400 Independence Avenue, SW.
Washington, DC 20250–2255.
ADDRESSES:
Notice of Appointment of Members to
the Specialty Crop Committee
VerDate jul<14>2003
DC. The Specialty Crop Committee is a
permanent committee, whose members
serve at the discretion of the Advisory
Board’s Executive Committee.
Jkt 205001
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Deborah Hanfman, Executive Director,
National Agricultural Research,
Extension, Education, and Economics
Advisory Board; Room 344A, Jamie L.
Whitten Building; U.S. Department of
Agriculture, STOP 2255; 1400
Independence Avenue, SW.;
Washington, DC 20250–2255.
Telephone: 202–720–3684 Fax: 202–
720–6199; or e-mail:
dhanfman@csrees.usda.gov
The
Specialty Crop Committee is responsible
for studying the scope and effectiveness
of research, extension, and economics
programs affecting the specialty crop
industry. The term ‘‘specialty crop’’
means fruits and vegetables, tree nuts,
dried fruits, and nursery crops
(including floriculture). Findings
contained in the Specialty Crop
Committee’s annual study along with
recommendations that address items
specified in the legislation will be
submitted in a report to the Advisory
Board. Those findings and
recommendations approved by the
Board will be considered by the
Secretary in preparing annual budget
recommendations for the Department of
Agriculture.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Done at Washington, DC this 5th day of
May 2005.
Joseph J. Jen,
Under Secretary, Research, Education, and
Economics.
[FR Doc. 05–9540 Filed 5–12–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–22–P
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service
Ventria Bioscience; Availability of
Revised Environmental Assessment,
With Consideration for an Additional
Test Site in North Carolina, for Field
Tests of Genetically Engineered Rice
Expressing Lactoferrin
Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: We are advising the public
that the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service has revised an
environmental assessment for confined
field tests of rice plants genetically
engineered to express the protein
lactoferrin and has included
information on an additional field test
site. This environmental assessment is
available for public review and
comment.
DATES: We will consider all comments
that we receive on or before June 2,
2005.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
by either of the following methods:
• EDOCKET: Go to https://
www.epa.gov/feddocket to submit or
view public comments, access the index
listing of the contents of the official
public docket, and to access those
documents in the public docket that are
available electronically. Once you have
entered EDOCKET, click on the ‘‘View
Open APHIS Dockets’’ link to locate this
document.
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery:
Please send four copies of your
comment (an original and three copies)
to Docket No. 05–006–2, Regulatory
Analysis and Development, PPD,
APHIS, Station 3C71, 4700 River Road
Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737–1238.
Please state that your comment refers to
Docket No. 05–006–2.
Reading Room: You may read the
environmental assessment and any
comments that we receive 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
E:\FR\FM\13MYN1.SGM
13MYN1
25522
Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 92 / Friday, May 13, 2005 / Notices
sure someone is there to help you,
please call (202) 690–2817 before
coming.
Other Information: You may view
APHIS documents published in the
Federal Register and related
information on the Internet at https://
www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/
webrepor.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.
Levis Handley, Biotechnology
Regulatory Services, APHIS, 4700 River
Road Unit 147, Riverdale, MD 20737–
1236; (301) 734–5721. To obtain copies
of the environmental assessment,
contact Ms. Ingrid Berlanger, at (301)
734–4885; e-mail
ingrid.e.berlanger@aphis.usda.gov. The
environmental assessment is also
available on the Internet at https://
www.aphis.usda.gov/brs/aphisdocs/
05_11701r_ea.pdf.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
regulations in 7 CFR part 340,
‘‘Introduction of Organisms and
Products Altered or Produced Through
Genetic Engineering Which Are Plant
Pests or Which There Is Reason To
Believe Are Plant Pests,’’ regulate,
among other things, the introduction
(importation, interstate movement, or
release into the environment) of
organisms and products altered or
produced through genetic engineering
that are plant pests or that there is
reason to believe are plant pests. Such
genetically engineered organisms and
products are considered ‘‘regulated
articles.’’ A permit must be obtained or
a notification acknowledged before a
regulated article may be introduced into
the United States. The regulations set
forth the permit application
requirements and the notification
procedures for the importation,
interstate movement, and release into
the environment of a regulated article.
On October 28, 2004, the Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
received a permit application (APHIS
permit number 04–302–01r) from
Ventria Bioscience, Sacramento, CA, for
a permit for a confined field test of rice
(Oryza sativa) plants genetically
engineered to express a gene coding for
the protein lactoferrin, rice line LF164–
12. According to the permit application,
the field test would be conducted in
Scott County, MO. On February 23,
2005, APHIS published a notice in the
Federal Register (70 FR 8763, Docket
No. 05–006–1), announcing the
availability of an environmental
assessment (EA) for the proposed field
test and soliciting public comments for
30 days. This 30-day comment period
closed on March 25, 2005. During the
30-day comment period, APHIS
VerDate jul<14>2003
15:59 May 12, 2005
Jkt 205001
received 309 comments. Comments
were received from rice growers, rice
marketing and processing groups,
agricultural support businesses,
consumer groups, university
professionals, private individuals,
industry trade organizations, large rice
purchasers, growers of crops other than
rice, and Federal, State and local
government representatives.
On April 27, 2005, while APHIS was
evaluating these comments, we received
a request from Ventria Biosciences to
plant rice line LF164–12 in a second site
in Washington County, NC (APHIS
permit number 05–117–01r). At this
time, Ventria Biosciences has not
withdrawn its application to conduct a
field test in Scott County, MO. However,
it is likely that conducting a field test
for this growing season is not feasible
due to climatic factors in this location.
Because APHIS has not yet considered
all of the comments associated with the
earlier EA and the issues raised in North
Carolina are similar to those in
Missouri, APHIS has amended the EA to
evaluate the issues in North Carolina as
well as Missouri. These are covered in
Appendices V and VI. In addition to
evaluating site-specific issues presented
by the North Carolina application, this
revised EA also corrects errors in the
original EA. These changes are
described in the summary of the EA.
APHIS is seeking comments on the
additional information provided in this
revised EA. We are particularly
interested in comments related to
Appendices V and VI that address
issues in North Carolina. APHIS will
consider all comments received during
the previous comment period (70 FR
8763, Docket No. 05–006–1) as well as
any new comments received during this
comment period (see DATES above). The
expanded EA will be open for public
comment for an additional 20 days.
The subject rice plants have been
genetically engineered, using microprojectile bombardment, to express
human lactoferrin protein. Expression of
the gene is controlled by the rice
glutelin 1 promoter, the rice glutelin 1
signal peptide, and the nos (nopaline
synthase) terminator sequence from
Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The gene is
expressed only in the endosperm. In
addition, the plants contain the coding
sequence for the gene hygromycin
phosphotransferase (hpt), an enzyme
which confers tolerance to the antibiotic
hygromycin. This gene is a selectable
marker that is only expressed during
plant cell culture and is not expressed
in any tissues of the mature plant.
Expression of the gene is controlled by
the rice glucanase 9 (Gns 9) promoter
and the Rice Alpha Amylase 1A
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
(RAmy1A) terminator. The genetically
engineered rice plants are considered
regulated articles under the regulations
in 7 CFR part 340 because they contain
gene sequences from plant pathogens.
The purpose of the field planting is
for pure seed production and for the
extraction of lactoferrin for a variety of
research and commercial products. The
planting will be conducted using
physical confinement measures. In
addition, the experimental protocols
and field plot design, as well as the
procedures for termination of the field
planting, are designed to ensure that
none of the subject rice plants persist in
the environment beyond the termination
of the experiments.
To provide the public with
documentation of APHIS’ review and
analysis of any potential environmental
impacts and plant pest risk associated
with the proposed confined field
planting of the subject rice plants, an
environment assessment (EA) has been
prepared. The EA was 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). Copies of the EA are available
from the individual listed under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Done in Washington, DC, this 9th day of
May 2005.
Elizabeth E. Gaston,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 05–9606 Filed 5–12–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service
[Docket No. 05–007–2]
Ventria Bioscience; Availability of
Revised Environmental Assessment,
With Consideration for an Additional
Test Site in North Carolina, for Field
Tests of Genetically Engineered Rice
Expressing Lysozyme
Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: We are advising the public
that the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service has revised an
environmental assessment for confined
E:\FR\FM\13MYN1.SGM
13MYN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 92 (Friday, May 13, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25521-25522]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-9606]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. 05-006-2]
Ventria Bioscience; Availability of Revised Environmental
Assessment, With Consideration for an Additional Test Site in North
Carolina, for Field Tests of Genetically Engineered Rice Expressing
Lactoferrin
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service has revised an environmental assessment for confined
field tests of rice plants genetically engineered to express the
protein lactoferrin and has included information on an additional field
test site. This environmental assessment is available for public review
and comment.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before June
2, 2005.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
EDOCKET: Go to https://www.epa.gov/feddocket to submit or
view public comments, access the index listing of the contents of the
official public docket, and to access those documents in the public
docket that are available electronically. Once you have entered
EDOCKET, click on the ``View Open APHIS Dockets'' link to locate this
document.
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send four copies
of your comment (an original and three copies) to Docket No. 05-006-2,
Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3C71, 4700
River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state that your
comment refers to Docket No. 05-006-2.
Reading Room: You may read the environmental assessment and any
comments that we receive 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
[[Page 25522]]
sure someone is there to help you, please call (202) 690-2817 before
coming.
Other Information: You may view APHIS documents published in the
Federal Register and related information on the Internet at https://
www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Levis Handley, Biotechnology
Regulatory Services, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 147, Riverdale, MD
20737-1236; (301) 734-5721. To obtain copies of the environmental
assessment, contact Ms. Ingrid Berlanger, at (301) 734-4885; e-mail
ingrid.e.berlanger@aphis.usda.gov. The environmental assessment is also
available on the Internet at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/brs/aphisdocs/
05_11701r_ea.pdf.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations in 7 CFR part 340,
``Introduction of Organisms and Products Altered or Produced Through
Genetic Engineering Which Are Plant Pests or Which There Is Reason To
Believe Are Plant Pests,'' regulate, among other things, the
introduction (importation, interstate movement, or release into the
environment) of organisms and products altered or produced through
genetic engineering that are plant pests or that there is reason to
believe are plant pests. Such genetically engineered organisms and
products are considered ``regulated articles.'' A permit must be
obtained or a notification acknowledged before a regulated article may
be introduced into the United States. The regulations set forth the
permit application requirements and the notification procedures for the
importation, interstate movement, and release into the environment of a
regulated article.
On October 28, 2004, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
(APHIS) received a permit application (APHIS permit number 04-302-01r)
from Ventria Bioscience, Sacramento, CA, for a permit for a confined
field test of rice (Oryza sativa) plants genetically engineered to
express a gene coding for the protein lactoferrin, rice line LF164-12.
According to the permit application, the field test would be conducted
in Scott County, MO. On February 23, 2005, APHIS published a notice in
the Federal Register (70 FR 8763, Docket No. 05-006-1), announcing the
availability of an environmental assessment (EA) for the proposed field
test and soliciting public comments for 30 days. This 30-day comment
period closed on March 25, 2005. During the 30-day comment period,
APHIS received 309 comments. Comments were received from rice growers,
rice marketing and processing groups, agricultural support businesses,
consumer groups, university professionals, private individuals,
industry trade organizations, large rice purchasers, growers of crops
other than rice, and Federal, State and local government
representatives.
On April 27, 2005, while APHIS was evaluating these comments, we
received a request from Ventria Biosciences to plant rice line LF164-12
in a second site in Washington County, NC (APHIS permit number 05-117-
01r). At this time, Ventria Biosciences has not withdrawn its
application to conduct a field test in Scott County, MO. However, it is
likely that conducting a field test for this growing season is not
feasible due to climatic factors in this location. Because APHIS has
not yet considered all of the comments associated with the earlier EA
and the issues raised in North Carolina are similar to those in
Missouri, APHIS has amended the EA to evaluate the issues in North
Carolina as well as Missouri. These are covered in Appendices V and VI.
In addition to evaluating site-specific issues presented by the North
Carolina application, this revised EA also corrects errors in the
original EA. These changes are described in the summary of the EA.
APHIS is seeking comments on the additional information provided in
this revised EA. We are particularly interested in comments related to
Appendices V and VI that address issues in North Carolina. APHIS will
consider all comments received during the previous comment period (70
FR 8763, Docket No. 05-006-1) as well as any new comments received
during this comment period (see DATES above). The expanded EA will be
open for public comment for an additional 20 days.
The subject rice plants have been genetically engineered, using
micro-projectile bombardment, to express human lactoferrin protein.
Expression of the gene is controlled by the rice glutelin 1 promoter,
the rice glutelin 1 signal peptide, and the nos (nopaline synthase)
terminator sequence from Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The gene is
expressed only in the endosperm. In addition, the plants contain the
coding sequence for the gene hygromycin phosphotransferase (hpt), an
enzyme which confers tolerance to the antibiotic hygromycin. This gene
is a selectable marker that is only expressed during plant cell culture
and is not expressed in any tissues of the mature plant. Expression of
the gene is controlled by the rice glucanase 9 (Gns 9) promoter and the
Rice Alpha Amylase 1A (RAmy1A) terminator. The genetically engineered
rice plants are considered regulated articles under the regulations in
7 CFR part 340 because they contain gene sequences from plant
pathogens.
The purpose of the field planting is for pure seed production and
for the extraction of lactoferrin for a variety of research and
commercial products. The planting will be conducted using physical
confinement measures. In addition, the experimental protocols and field
plot design, as well as the procedures for termination of the field
planting, are designed to ensure that none of the subject rice plants
persist in the environment beyond the termination of the experiments.
To provide the public with documentation of APHIS' review and
analysis of any potential environmental impacts and plant pest risk
associated with the proposed confined field planting of the subject
rice plants, an environment assessment (EA) has been prepared. The EA
was 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). Copies of the EA are
available from the individual listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT.
Done in Washington, DC, this 9th day of May 2005.
Elizabeth E. Gaston,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 05-9606 Filed 5-12-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
