Melaleuca; Availability of an Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact, 2901-2902 [E6-446]
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 11 / Wednesday, January 18, 2006 / Notices
OSDBU and the contracting officer
immediately upon receipt of notice from
´ ´
the protege;
(4) A description of the type of
developmental program that will be
provided by the mentor firm to the
´ ´
protege firm, to include a description of
the subcontract work, a schedule for
providing assistance, and criteria for
´ ´
evaluation of the protege’s
developmental success;
(5) A listing of the number and types
of subcontracts to be awarded to the
´ ´
protege firm;
(6) Program participation term;
(7) Termination procedures;
(8) Plan for accomplishing work
should the agreement be terminated;
and
(9) Other terms and conditions, as
appropriate.
erjones on PROD1PC68 with NOTICES
Review of Agreement
(1) OSDBU will review the
information to ensure the mentor and
´ ´
protege are both eligible and the
information that is required in this
´ ´
Mentor-Protege Program Guide is
included. OSDBU may consult with the
Contracting Officer on the adequacy of
´ ´
the proposed mentor-protege
arrangement, and its review will be
completed no later than 30 calendar
days after receipt by OSDBU.
(2) Upon completion of the review,
the mentor may implement the
developmental assistance program.
(3) The agreement defines the
relationship between the mentor and
´ ´
protege firms only. The agreement itself
does not create any privity of contract
´ ´
between the mentor or protege and the
USAID.
(a) An approved agreement will be
´ ´
incorporated into the mentor or protege
firm’s contract with the USAID. It
should be added to the subcontracting
plan of the contract.
(b) If the application is disapproved,
the mentor may provide additional
information for reconsideration. OSDBU
will complete review of any
supplemental material no later than 30
days after receipt. Upon finding
deficiencies the USAID considers
correctable, OSDBU will notify the
mentor and request information
regarding correction of deficiencies to
be provided within 30 days.
Annual Reporting Burden:
Total annual responses: 20.
Total annual hours requested: 5.
Dated: January 10, 2006.
Joanne Paskar,
Chief, Information and Records Division,
Office of Administrative Services, Bureau for
Management.
[FR Doc. 06–448 Filed 1–17–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6116–01–M
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15:06 Jan 17, 2006
Jkt 208001
AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
Board for International Food and
Agricultural Development, One
Hundred and Forty-Sixth Meeting;
Notice of Meeting
Pursuant to the Federal Advisory
Committee Act, notice is hereby given of
the one hundred and forty-sixth meeting
of the Board for International Food and
Agricultural Development (BIFAD). The
meeting will be held from 8:30 a.m. to
1 p.m. on February 2, 2006 in the
ground floor meeting room of the
National Association of State
Universities & Land Grant Colleges
(NASULGC), at 1307 New York Avenue,
NW., Washington, DC.
The BIFAD will hear USAID’s
briefings on the status and future of
USAID’s Bureau for Economic Growth,
Agriculture and Trade and on the
Bureau for Africa’s regional strategic
framework; discussions on possible
topics for policy papers to be
commissioned by BIFAD; the status of
portfolio of the Collaborative Research
Support Programs (CRSPs), and other
items of current interest.
The meeting is free and open to the
public. Those wishing to attend the
meeting or obtain additional
information about BIFAD should
contact John Rifenbark, the Designated
Federal Officer for BIFAD. Write him in
care of the U.S. Agency for International
Development, Ronald Reagan Building,
Office of Agriculture, Bureau for
Economic Growth, Agriculture and
Trade, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.,
Room 2.11–085, Washington, DC
20523–2110 or telephone him at (202)
712–0163 or fax (202) 216–3010.
John T. Rifenbark,
USAID Designated Federal Officer for BIFAD,
Office of Agriculture, Bureau for Economic
Growth, Agriculture & Trade, U.S. Agency
for International Development.
[FR Doc. 06–458 Filed 1–17–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6116–01–M
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service
[Docket No. 04–105–2]
Melaleuca; Availability of an
Environmental Assessment and
Finding of No Significant Impact
Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
2901
SUMMARY: We are advising the public
that an environmental assessment and
finding of no significant impact have
been prepared by the Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service relative to the
issuance of a permit for the
environmental release of the
nonindigenous fly Fergusonina turneri
Taylor and its obligate nematode
Fergusobia quinquenerviae Davies and
Giblin-Davis, which are potential
biological control agents of Melaleuca
quinquenervia. The environmental
assessment documents our review and
analysis of environmental impacts
associated with, and alternatives to,
issuing a permit for the environmental
release of the fly and its obligate
nematode in the continental United
States. Based on its finding of no
significant impact, the Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service has
determined that an environmental
impact statement need not be prepared.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the environmental
assessment and finding of no significant
impact are available for public
inspection 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
sure someone is there to help you,
please call (202) 690–2817 before
coming.
The environmental assessment and
finding of no significant impact are also
available on the Regulations.gov Web
site. Go to https://www.regulations.gov,
click on the ‘‘Advanced Search’’ tab,
and select ‘‘Docket Search.’’ In the
Docket ID field, enter APHIS–2005–
0120 then click on ‘‘Submit’’ to view the
documents.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.
L. Joseph Vorgetts, Permits Evaluation
Specialist, Plant Health Programs, PPQ,
APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 133,
Riverdale, MD 20737–1236; (301) 734–
5405.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Australian broad-leaved
paperbark tree, Melaleuca
quinquenervia, commonly called
melaleuca, has become a successful
invasive weed in southern Florida
because of its ability to produce large
quantities of seed. Individual trees bear
up to 100 million seeds. Massive,
simultaneous seed release occurs after
fire or when some other event causes
drying of the seed capsules, but a steady
seed rain occurs even without such an
event. Densities of seedlings may be as
E:\FR\FM\18JAN1.SGM
18JAN1
erjones on PROD1PC68 with NOTICES
2902
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 11 / Wednesday, January 18, 2006 / Notices
high as 10 million seedlings/hectare
(ha), and growth and development of
the trees, along with simultaneous selfthinning produces mature stands of
10,000 to 15,000 trees/ha. Individual
trees can grow into localized stands.
These stands merge with other stands to
form expansive monocultures often
covering hundreds of acres. Melaleuca
has invaded more than a half-million
acres in southern Florida and over $25
million has been spent over the past
decade to manage it, yet it continues to
spread.
Melaleuca was first imported to
southern Florida as an ornamental tree
around 1900. Later, it was widely
planted in wetlands as an inexpensive
production method for the nursery trade
in an attempt to produce a harvestable
commodity. By the late 1970s,
melaleuca became recognized as an
invasive weed due to its ability to
produce large quantities of seed. It was
added to the Florida Prohibited Plant
List in 1990, and to the Federal Noxious
Weed List in 1992.
On October 26, 2004, we published in
the Federal Register (69 FR 62432–
63433, Docket No. 04–105–1) a notice in
which we announced the availability,
for public review and comment, of an
environmental assessment documenting
our review and analysis of
environmental impacts associated with
issuing a permit for the release of the
nonindigenous fly Fergusonina turneri
Taylor (Diptera: Fergusoninidae) and its
obligate nematode Fergusobia
quinquenerviae Davies and Giblin-Davis
(Tylenchida: Sphaerulariidae) as
biological control agents of melaleuca in
the continental United States.
The fly F. turneri and the nematode F.
quinquenerviae have a mutualistic
biology that causes galls on plant buds
and young leaves of melaleuca. Female
flies are infected with parasitic female
nematodes, nematode eggs, and
nematode juveniles that persist through
the life of the female fly. The female fly
deposits multiple eggs along with the
juvenile nematodes into developing
melaleuca buds. These nematodes
induce the formation of galls in the bud.
Fly larvae then feed on the gall tissue
and complete development within the
gall. The adult fly will later emerge from
a ‘‘window’’ in the gall wall, starting the
cycle all over again. This process
hampers the ability of melaleuca to
regenerate by decreasing seed
production and reducing survival of
melaleuca seedlings and saplings.
We solicited comments on the
environmental assessment for 30 days
ending on November 26, 2004. We
received three comments by that date.
One of the commenters supported the
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:06 Jan 17, 2006
Jkt 208001
recommendations of the environmental
assessment. The other two commenters
did not address the environmental
assessment. Therefore, we are making
no changes to the environmental
assessment in response to these
comments.
In this document, we are advising the
public of our decision and finding of no
significant impact regarding the use of
F. turneri and F. quinquenerviae to
control melaleuca in the continental
United States. This decision, which is
based on the findings in the
environmental assessment, will enable
the Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service to issue permits for the field
release of F. turneri and F.
quinquenerviae without management
constraints or mitigating measures.
The environmental assessment and
finding of no significant impact may be
viewed on the Regulations.gov Web site
and in our reading room (see ADDRESSES
above for instructions for accessing
Regulations.gov and information on the
location and hours of the reading room).
You may request paper copies of the
environmental assessment and finding
of no significant impact by calling or
writing to the person listed under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Please
refer to the title of the environmental
assessment when requesting copies.
The environmental assessment and
finding of no significant impact 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 1), and (4) APHIS’ NEPA
Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part
372).
Done in Washington, DC, this 11th day of
January 2006.
Paul R. Eggert,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E6–446 Filed 1–17–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service
[Docket No. APHIS–2006–0003]
Horse Protection; Public Meeting
Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting.
AGENCY:
PO 00000
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SUMMARY: We are advising the public
that the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service’s Animal Care
program will host a meeting to present
current information on the enforcement
of the Horse Protection Act (HPA) and
provide a forum for horse industry
members and other interested persons to
comment on the Horse Protection
Program, development of the HPA
Operating Plan for 2007 and beyond,
and other Horse Protection matters. This
notice provides the meeting’s agenda,
location, and date.
DATES: The meeting will be held from 9
a.m. to 1 p.m. on February 8, 2006.
Registration will take place from 8:30
a.m. to 9 a.m.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at
the Blue Ribbon Circle Club, 1110 Evans
Street, Shelbyville, TN 37160.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Darby G. Holladay, APHIS Legislative
and Public Affairs, 4700 River Road
Unit 51, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301)
734–3265.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service (APHIS), Animal Care, is
announcing a meeting to discuss the
enforcement of the Horse Protection Act
(HPA). This meeting is designed to
provide a forum for information
dissemination on current initiatives by
Animal Care. Further, this meeting will
provide the opportunity for industry
members and other interested parties to
provide suggestions for the HPA
Operating Plan for 2007 and beyond and
comments on other Horse Protection
Program matters during the listening
session period on the agenda. Each
speaker will indicate at registration their
intention to address the Deputy
Administrator during the listening
session and will be allotted a set amount
of time. Additional meetings of this type
are tentatively scheduled to occur on
the following dates and times: March
13, 2006, in Springfield, MO; April 19,
2006 in Dallas, TX; June 12, 2006, in
Pomona, CA; September 11, 2006, in
Chattanooga, TN; and December 11,
2006, in Riverdale, MD. These meetings
will be announced in future Federal
Register notices.
The meeting will, with the exception
of possible minor modifications, follow
the agenda below:
8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.—Registration
9 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.—Welcome and
Overview
9:15 a.m. to 11 a.m.—Horse Protection
Program Update
11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.—Listening Session
12:45 p.m. to 1 p.m.—Remarks and
Closing
E:\FR\FM\18JAN1.SGM
18JAN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 11 (Wednesday, January 18, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2901-2902]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-446]
=======================================================================
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. 04-105-2]
Melaleuca; Availability of an Environmental Assessment and
Finding of No Significant Impact
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We are advising the public that an environmental assessment
and finding of no significant impact have been prepared by the Animal
and Plant Health Inspection Service relative to the issuance of a
permit for the environmental release of the nonindigenous fly
Fergusonina turneri Taylor and its obligate nematode Fergusobia
quinquenerviae Davies and Giblin-Davis, which are potential biological
control agents of Melaleuca quinquenervia. The environmental assessment
documents our review and analysis of environmental impacts associated
with, and alternatives to, issuing a permit for the environmental
release of the fly and its obligate nematode in the continental United
States. Based on its finding of no significant impact, the Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service has determined that an environmental
impact statement need not be prepared.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the environmental assessment and finding of no
significant impact are available for public inspection 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 sure someone is there to help you,
please call (202) 690-2817 before coming.
The environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact
are also available on the Regulations.gov Web site. Go to https://
www.regulations.gov, click on the ``Advanced Search'' tab, and select
``Docket Search.'' In the Docket ID field, enter APHIS-2005-0120 then
click on ``Submit'' to view the documents.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. L. Joseph Vorgetts, Permits
Evaluation Specialist, Plant Health Programs, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River
Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 734-5405.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Australian broad-leaved paperbark tree, Melaleuca
quinquenervia, commonly called melaleuca, has become a successful
invasive weed in southern Florida because of its ability to produce
large quantities of seed. Individual trees bear up to 100 million
seeds. Massive, simultaneous seed release occurs after fire or when
some other event causes drying of the seed capsules, but a steady seed
rain occurs even without such an event. Densities of seedlings may be
as
[[Page 2902]]
high as 10 million seedlings/hectare (ha), and growth and development
of the trees, along with simultaneous self-thinning produces mature
stands of 10,000 to 15,000 trees/ha. Individual trees can grow into
localized stands. These stands merge with other stands to form
expansive monocultures often covering hundreds of acres. Melaleuca has
invaded more than a half-million acres in southern Florida and over $25
million has been spent over the past decade to manage it, yet it
continues to spread.
Melaleuca was first imported to southern Florida as an ornamental
tree around 1900. Later, it was widely planted in wetlands as an
inexpensive production method for the nursery trade in an attempt to
produce a harvestable commodity. By the late 1970s, melaleuca became
recognized as an invasive weed due to its ability to produce large
quantities of seed. It was added to the Florida Prohibited Plant List
in 1990, and to the Federal Noxious Weed List in 1992.
On October 26, 2004, we published in the Federal Register (69 FR
62432-63433, Docket No. 04-105-1) a notice in which we announced the
availability, for public review and comment, of an environmental
assessment documenting our review and analysis of environmental impacts
associated with issuing a permit for the release of the nonindigenous
fly Fergusonina turneri Taylor (Diptera: Fergusoninidae) and its
obligate nematode Fergusobia quinquenerviae Davies and Giblin-Davis
(Tylenchida: Sphaerulariidae) as biological control agents of melaleuca
in the continental United States.
The fly F. turneri and the nematode F. quinquenerviae have a
mutualistic biology that causes galls on plant buds and young leaves of
melaleuca. Female flies are infected with parasitic female nematodes,
nematode eggs, and nematode juveniles that persist through the life of
the female fly. The female fly deposits multiple eggs along with the
juvenile nematodes into developing melaleuca buds. These nematodes
induce the formation of galls in the bud. Fly larvae then feed on the
gall tissue and complete development within the gall. The adult fly
will later emerge from a ``window'' in the gall wall, starting the
cycle all over again. This process hampers the ability of melaleuca to
regenerate by decreasing seed production and reducing survival of
melaleuca seedlings and saplings.
We solicited comments on the environmental assessment for 30 days
ending on November 26, 2004. We received three comments by that date.
One of the commenters supported the recommendations of the
environmental assessment. The other two commenters did not address the
environmental assessment. Therefore, we are making no changes to the
environmental assessment in response to these comments.
In this document, we are advising the public of our decision and
finding of no significant impact regarding the use of F. turneri and F.
quinquenerviae to control melaleuca in the continental United States.
This decision, which is based on the findings in the environmental
assessment, will enable the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
to issue permits for the field release of F. turneri and F.
quinquenerviae without management constraints or mitigating measures.
The environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact
may be viewed on the Regulations.gov Web site and in our reading room
(see ADDRESSES above for instructions for accessing Regulations.gov and
information on the location and hours of the reading room). You may
request paper copies of the environmental assessment and finding of no
significant impact by calling or writing to the person listed under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Please refer to the title of the
environmental assessment when requesting copies.
The environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact
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 1), and (4) APHIS' NEPA
Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part 372).
Done in Washington, DC, this 11th day of January 2006.
Paul R. Eggert,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E6-446 Filed 1-17-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
