U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service; Availability of Petition and Environmental Assessment for Determination of Nonregulated Status for Plum Genetically Engineered for Resistance to Plum Pox, 28296-28298 [E6-7402]
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28296
Notices
Federal Register
Vol. 71, No. 94
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
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
Submission for OMB Review;
Comment Request
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
May 11, 2006.
The Department of Agriculture has
submitted the following information
collection requirement(s) to OMB for
review and clearance under the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,
Public Law 104–13. Comments
regarding (a) whether the collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
agency, including whether the
information will have practical utility;
(b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate
of burden including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (c)
ways to enhance the quality, utility and
clarity of the information to be
collected; (d) ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information
on those who are to respond, including
through the use of appropriate
automated, electronic, mechanical, or
other technological collection
techniques or other forms of information
technology should be addressed to: Desk
Officer for Agriculture, Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Office of Management and Budget
(OMB),
OIRA_Submission@OMB.EOP.GOV or
fax (202) 395–5806 and to Departmental
Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail
Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250–
7602. Comments regarding these
information collections are best assured
of having their full effect if received
within 30 days of this notification.
Copies of the submission(s) may be
obtained by calling (202) 720–8681.
An agency may not conduct or
sponsor a collection of information
unless the collection of information
displays a currently valid OMB control
number and the agency informs
potential persons who are to respond to
the collection of information that such
persons are not required to respond to
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Jkt 208001
the collection of information unless it
displays a currently valid OMB control
number.
Foreign Agricultural Service
Title: Foreign Market Development
Cooperator Program and the Market
Access Program.
OMB Control Number: 0551–0026.
Summary of Collection: The authority
for the Foreign Market Development
Cooperator Program and the Market
Access Program (MAP) is contained in
Title VII and section 203 of the
Agricultural Trade Act of 1978, U.S.C.
5721, et seq. The primary objective of
the Foreign Market Development
Cooperator Program and the Market
Access Program is to encourage and aid
in the creation, maintenance and
expansion of commercial export markets
for U.S. agricultural products through
cost-share assistance to eligible trade
organizations. The programs are a
cooperative effort between the
Commodity Credit Corporation and the
eligible trade organizations. Personnel
of the Foreign Agricultural Service
(FAS) administer the programs. Prior to
initiating program activities, each
Cooperator or MAP participant must
submit a detailed application to FAS.
Need and Use of the Information: The
information collected will be used by
FAS to manage, plan, evaluate, and
account for government resources.
Without the submission of information,
the programs could not be implemented.
Description of Respondents: Not-forprofit institutions; State, local, or tribal
government.
Number of Respondents: 71.
Frequency of Responses:
Recordkeeping; Reporting: Annually.
Total Burden Hours: 91,070.
Foreign Agricultural Service
Title: Technical Assistance for
Specialty Crops Program.
OMB Control Number: 0551–0038.
Summary of Collection: The
Technical Assistance for Specialty
Crops (TASC) program is authorized by
section 3205 of the Farm Security and
Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Pub. L.
107–171). This section provides that the
Secretary of Agriculture shall establish
a program to address unique barriers
that prohibit or threaten the export of
U.S. specialty crops. The Foreign
Agricultural Service (FAS) administers
the program for the Commodity Credit
Corporation. The TASC is designed to
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assist U.S. organizations by providing
funding for projects that address
sanitary, phytosanitary, and technical
barriers that prohibit or threaten the
export of U.S. specialty crops.
Need and Use of the Information: FAS
collects data for fund allocation,
program management, planning and
evaluation. FAS will collect information
from applicant desiring to receive grants
under the program to determine the
viability of requests for funds. The
program could not be implemented
without the submission of project
proposals, which provide the necessary
information upon which funding
decisions are based.
Description of Respondents: Not-forprofit; Business or other for-profit;
Federal Government; State, Local or
Tribal Government.
Number of Respondents: 50.
Frequency of Responses:
Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion;
Annually.
Total Burden Hours: 1600.
Ruth Brown,
Departmental Information Collection
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. E6–7457 Filed 5–15–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–10–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service
[Docket No. APHIS–2006–0084]
U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Agricultural Research Service;
Availability of Petition and
Environmental Assessment for
Determination of Nonregulated Status
for Plum Genetically Engineered for
Resistance to Plum Pox
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 received a
petition from the U.S. Department of
Agriculture’s Agricultural Research
Service seeking a determination of
nonregulated status for plum designated
as transformation event C5, which has
been genetically engineered to resist
infection by plum pox virus (PPV). The
petition has been submitted in
E:\FR\FM\16MYN1.SGM
16MYN1
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 94 / Tuesday, May 16, 2006 / Notices
accordance with our regulations
concerning the introduction of certain
genetically engineered organisms and
products. In accordance with those
regulations, we are soliciting public
comments on whether this plum
presents a plant pest risk. We are also
making available for public comment an
environmental assessment for the
proposed determination of nonregulated
status.
DATES: We will consider all comments
we receive on or before July 17, 2006.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
by either of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov and, in the
lower ‘‘Search Regulations and Federal
Actions’’ box, select ‘‘Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service’’ from the
agency drop-down menu, then click on
‘‘Submit.’’ In the Docket ID column,
select APHIS–2006–0084 to submit or
view public comments and to view
supporting and related materials
available electronically. Information on
using Regulations.gov, including
instructions for accessing documents,
submitting comments, and viewing the
docket after the close of the comment
period, is available through the site’s
‘‘User Tips’’ link.
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery:
Please send four copies of your
comment (an original and three copies)
to Docket No. APHIS–2006–0084,
Regulatory Analysis and Development,
PPD, APHIS, Station 3A–03.8, 4700
River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD
20737–1238. Please state that your
comment refers to Docket No. APHIS–
2006–0084.
Reading Room: You may read the
petition, 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
sure someone is there to help you,
please call (202) 690–2817 before
coming.
Other Information: Additional
information about APHIS and its
programs is available on the Internet at
https://www.aphis.usda.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.
Michael Watson, Biotechnology
Regulatory Services, APHIS, 4700 River
Road Unit 147, Riverdale, MD 20737–
1236; (301) 734–0486. To obtain copies
of the petition or the environmental
assessment (EA), contact Ms. Ingrid
Berlanger at (301) 734–4885; e-mail:
ingrid.e.berlanger@aphis.usda.gov. The
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:06 May 15, 2006
Jkt 208001
petition and the EA are also available on
the Internet at: https://
www.aphis.usda.gov/brs/aphisdocs/
04_26401p.pdf and https://
www.aphis.usda.gov/brs/aphisdocs/
04_26401p.ea.pdf, respectively.
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.’’
The regulations in § 340.6(a) provide
that any person may submit a petition
to the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (APHIS) seeking a
determination that an article should not
be regulated under 7 CFR part 340.
Paragraphs (b) and (c) of § 340.6
describe the form that a petition for a
determination of nonregulated status
must take and the information that must
be included in the petition.
On September 9, 2004, APHIS
received a petition (APHIS Petition
Number 04–264–01p) from the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA),
Agricultural Research Service (ARS),
Appalachian Fruit Research Station in
Kearneysville, WV, requesting a
determination of nonregulated status
under 7 CFR part 340 for plum (Prunus
domestica L.) designated as
transformation event ARS–PLMC5–6
(C5) which has been genetically
engineered to resist infection by plum
pox virus (PPV). The ARS petition states
that the subject plum should not be
regulated by APHIS because it does not
present a plant pest risk.
As described in the petition, the C5
plum has been genetically engineered
with a sequence from the PPV. This
sequence was derived from the viral
coat protein gene. The resistance to
plum pox infection appears to be
conferred through post transcriptional
gene silencing. As a result of this
mechanism, no detectable viral coat
protein is found in the subject plum.
Event C5 has been considered a
regulated article under the regulations
in 7 CFR part 340 because it was
originally engineered with sequences
derived from plant pathogens. This
plum event has been field tested since
1995 in the United States under APHIS
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Sfmt 4703
28297
permits. It has also been field tested in
Poland, Romania, and Spain, where
plum pox virus is present in the
environment. In the process of
reviewing the permits for field trials of
the subject plum, APHIS determined
that the permit conditions provided for
appropriate confinement and would not
present a risk of plant pest introduction
or dissemination.
In § 403 of the Plant Protection Act (7
U.S.C. 7701–7772), plant pest is defined
as any living stage of any of the
following that can directly or indirectly
injure, cause damage to, or cause
disease in any plant or plant product: A
protozoan, a nonhuman animal, a
parasitic plant, a bacterium, a fungus, a
virus or viroid, an infectious agent or
other pathogen, or any article similar to
or allied with any of the foregoing.
APHIS views this definition very
broadly. The definition covers direct or
indirect injury, disease, or damage not
just to agricultural crops, but also to
plants in general, for example, native
species, as well as to organisms that
may be beneficial to plants, for example,
honeybees, rhizobia, etc.
The Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) published a statement of policy
on foods derived from new plant
varieties in the Federal Register on May
29, 1992 (57 FR 22984–23005). The FDA
statement of policy includes a
discussion of FDA’s authority for
ensuring food safety under the Federal
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and
provides guidance to industry on the
scientific considerations associated with
the development of foods derived from
new plant varieties, including those
plants developed through the
techniques of genetic engineering. ARS
is consulting with FDA on the subject
plum line.
To provide the public with
documentation of APHIS’ review and
analysis of the environmental impacts
and plant pest risk associated with a
proposed determination of nonregulated
status for ARS–PLMC5–6 plum, an
environmental 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).
In accordance with § 340.6(d) of the
regulations, we are publishing this
notice to inform the public that APHIS
will accept written comments regarding
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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 94 / Tuesday, May 16, 2006 / Notices
the petition for a determination of
nonregulated status from interested
persons for a period of 60 days from the
date of this notice. We are also soliciting
written comments from interested
persons on the EA prepared to examine
any environmental impacts of the
proposed determination for the subject
plum event. The petition, the EA, and
any comments we receive are available
for public review on the Regulations.gov
Web site or in our reading room
(instructions for accessing
Regulations.gov and information on the
location and hours of the reading room
are provided under the heading
ADDRESSES at the beginning of this
notice). Copies of the petitions and the
EA are also available as indicated in the
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
section of this notice.
After the comment period closes,
APHIS will review the data submitted
by the petitioner, all written comments
received during the comment period,
and any other relevant information.
After reviewing and evaluating the
comments on the petition and the EA
and other data and information, APHIS
will furnish a response to the petitioner,
either approving the petition in whole
or in part, or denying the petition.
APHIS will then publish a notice in the
Federal Register announcing the
regulatory status of ARS–PLMC5–6
plum and the availability of APHIS’
written decision.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 7701–7772 and 7781–
7786; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and
371.3.
Done in Washington, DC, this 10th day of
May 2006.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E6–7402 Filed 5–15–06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Big Creek Vegetation Treatment
Project, Wasatch-Cache National
Forest, Rich County, UT
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of intent to prepare an
environmental impact statement.
AGENCY:
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The Forest Supervisor of the
Wasatch-Chache National Forest gives
notice of the agency’s intent to prepare
an environmental impact statement on a
proposal for vegetation treatment over
approximately 4,000 acres of vegetation
in the 21,000 acre Big Creek project area
in the Bear River Range in northeastern
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16:06 May 15, 2006
Jkt 208001
Utah. The project area is approximately
50 miles northeast of Ogden, Utah and
is located at the headwaters of the Big
Creek watershed. The vegetation types
to be treated include aspen-conifer,
conifer, and sagebrush communities that
are not in properly functioning
condition. Methods include prescribed
fire, timber harvest, mechanical
treatment, and herbicide application.
DATES: Comments concerning the scope
of the analysis must be received by June
15, 2006. The draft environmental
impact statement is expected in
November, 2006 and the final
environmental impact statement is
expected April, 2007.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to
District Ranger, Ogden Ranger District,
507 25th Street, Suite 103, Ogden, Utah
84401, Attn: Big Creek Project. Or, email comments to: comments-intermtnwasatch-chache-ogden@fs.fed.us.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Chip Sibbernsen, Ogden Ranger District,
507 25th Street, Suite 103, Ogden, UT
84401, (801) 625–5112.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose and Need for Action
The purpose and need for this project
is three-fold: (1) To develop variation in
vegetation age and type across the
landscape, consistent with the properly
functioning condition as described in
the Revised Forest Plan; (2) to enhance
ecosystem resiliency and maintain
desired fuel levels with fire operating
within historical fire regimes as
described in the Revised Forest Plan;
and, (3) to provide commercial timber
that contributes to a sustainable level of
goods and services consistent with the
Revised Forest Plan.
Proposed Action
The proposed project includes
treatment of approximately 4,000 acres
of aspen-conifer, conifer, and sagebrush
communities within the Big Creek
project area. This would include the
following: (1) About 700 acres
(primarily aspen-conifer communities)
would be treated with prescribed fire in
a mosaic pattern; (2) approximately
1,300 acres of sagebrush would be
treated by prescribed fire, mechanical
means, or application of herbicides,
depending on specific site
characteristics and desired results; (3)
timber harvest would be the method of
treatment over approximately 1,000
acres of the conifer type, including
partial and selective cutting scattered
over about 850 acres of Engelmann
spruce/subalpine fir, Douglas-fir, and
mixed conifer to regenerate aspen and
conifer trees, and about 150 acres of
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
clearcutting in lodgepole pine to
incorporate existing, small clearcut
units into larger patches more
resembling historic landscape patterns;
and (4) approximately 1,000 acres of the
conifer-aspen type would have a timber
harvest of commercial conifer trees
followed by prescribed burning to
reduce fuels and facilitate aspen
regeneration.
Accessing the vegetation treatment
areas would potentially require the
construction of approximately 12 miles
of temporary roads. These roads would
be obliterated (returned to contour and
revegetated) upon completion of the
project. Approximately 2 miles of roads
would be constructed to access conifer
harvest units that are partially cut (to
allow for future access). Referred to as
‘‘intermittent service roads’’, these roads
would be gated closed and seeded, but
the road prism would be kept in place
for future administrative use.
Possible Alternatives
A no action alternative will be
considered as well as any other
alternatives that may be developed in
response to significant issues.
Responsible Official
The Responsible Official is Faye
Krueger, Forest Supervisor, WasatchCache National Forest, 8236 Federal
Building, 125 South State Street, Salt
Lake City, UT 84138.
Nature of Decision To Be Made
The decisions to be made include
whether or not to implement the
proposed prescribed fire, timber harvest,
mechanical and chemical treatments in
aspen, conifer, and sagebrush
communities, and if so, where and to
what degree.
Scoping Process
The forest Service invites comments
and suggestions on the scope of the
analysis to be included in the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS).
In addition, the Forest Service gives
notice that it is beginning a full
environmental analysis and decisionmaking process for this proposal so that
interested or affected people may know
how they can participate in the
environmental analysis and contribute
to the final decision. This notice of
intent initiates the scoping process
which guides the development of the
environmental impact statement. The
Forest Service welcomes any public
comments on the proposal.
Preliminary Issues
Preliminary issues include effects of
treatments on wildlife habitat and
E:\FR\FM\16MYN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 94 (Tuesday, May 16, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28296-28298]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-7402]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2006-0084]
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service;
Availability of Petition and Environmental Assessment for Determination
of Nonregulated Status for Plum Genetically Engineered for Resistance
to Plum Pox
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 received a petition from the U.S. Department of
Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service seeking a determination of
nonregulated status for plum designated as transformation event C5,
which has been genetically engineered to resist infection by plum pox
virus (PPV). The petition has been submitted in
[[Page 28297]]
accordance with our regulations concerning the introduction of certain
genetically engineered organisms and products. In accordance with those
regulations, we are soliciting public comments on whether this plum
presents a plant pest risk. We are also making available for public
comment an environmental assessment for the proposed determination of
nonregulated status.
DATES: We will consider all comments we receive on or before July 17,
2006.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://
www.regulations.gov and, in the lower ``Search Regulations and Federal
Actions'' box, select ``Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service''
from the agency drop-down menu, then click on ``Submit.'' In the Docket
ID column, select APHIS-2006-0084 to submit or view public comments and
to view supporting and related materials available electronically.
Information on using Regulations.gov, including instructions for
accessing documents, submitting comments, and viewing the docket after
the close of the comment period, is available through the site's ``User
Tips'' link.
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send four copies
of your comment (an original and three copies) to Docket No. APHIS-
2006-0084, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-
03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state
that your comment refers to Docket No. APHIS-2006-0084.
Reading Room: You may read the petition, 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 sure someone is there to help you, please call (202)
690-2817 before coming.
Other Information: Additional information about APHIS and its
programs is available on the Internet at https://www.aphis.usda.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Michael Watson, Biotechnology
Regulatory Services, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 147, Riverdale, MD
20737-1236; (301) 734-0486. To obtain copies of the petition or the
environmental assessment (EA), contact Ms. Ingrid Berlanger at (301)
734-4885; e-mail: ingrid.e.berlanger@aphis.usda.gov. The petition and
the EA are also available on the Internet at: https://
www.aphis.usda.gov/brs/aphisdocs/04_26401p.pdf and https://
www.aphis.usda.gov/brs/aphisdocs/04_26401p.ea.pdf, respectively.
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.''
The regulations in Sec. 340.6(a) provide that any person may
submit a petition to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
(APHIS) seeking a determination that an article should not be regulated
under 7 CFR part 340. Paragraphs (b) and (c) of Sec. 340.6 describe
the form that a petition for a determination of nonregulated status
must take and the information that must be included in the petition.
On September 9, 2004, APHIS received a petition (APHIS Petition
Number 04-264-01p) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA),
Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Appalachian Fruit Research Station
in Kearneysville, WV, requesting a determination of nonregulated status
under 7 CFR part 340 for plum (Prunus domestica L.) designated as
transformation event ARS-PLMC5-6 (C5) which has been genetically
engineered to resist infection by plum pox virus (PPV). The ARS
petition states that the subject plum should not be regulated by APHIS
because it does not present a plant pest risk.
As described in the petition, the C5 plum has been genetically
engineered with a sequence from the PPV. This sequence was derived from
the viral coat protein gene. The resistance to plum pox infection
appears to be conferred through post transcriptional gene silencing. As
a result of this mechanism, no detectable viral coat protein is found
in the subject plum.
Event C5 has been considered a regulated article under the
regulations in 7 CFR part 340 because it was originally engineered with
sequences derived from plant pathogens. This plum event has been field
tested since 1995 in the United States under APHIS permits. It has also
been field tested in Poland, Romania, and Spain, where plum pox virus
is present in the environment. In the process of reviewing the permits
for field trials of the subject plum, APHIS determined that the permit
conditions provided for appropriate confinement and would not present a
risk of plant pest introduction or dissemination.
In Sec. 403 of the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701-7772),
plant pest is defined as any living stage of any of the following that
can directly or indirectly injure, cause damage to, or cause disease in
any plant or plant product: A protozoan, a nonhuman animal, a parasitic
plant, a bacterium, a fungus, a virus or viroid, an infectious agent or
other pathogen, or any article similar to or allied with any of the
foregoing. APHIS views this definition very broadly. The definition
covers direct or indirect injury, disease, or damage not just to
agricultural crops, but also to plants in general, for example, native
species, as well as to organisms that may be beneficial to plants, for
example, honeybees, rhizobia, etc.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a statement of
policy on foods derived from new plant varieties in the Federal
Register on May 29, 1992 (57 FR 22984-23005). The FDA statement of
policy includes a discussion of FDA's authority for ensuring food
safety under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and provides
guidance to industry on the scientific considerations associated with
the development of foods derived from new plant varieties, including
those plants developed through the techniques of genetic engineering.
ARS is consulting with FDA on the subject plum line.
To provide the public with documentation of APHIS' review and
analysis of the environmental impacts and plant pest risk associated
with a proposed determination of nonregulated status for ARS-PLMC5-6
plum, an environmental 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).
In accordance with Sec. 340.6(d) of the regulations, we are
publishing this notice to inform the public that APHIS will accept
written comments regarding
[[Page 28298]]
the petition for a determination of nonregulated status from interested
persons for a period of 60 days from the date of this notice. We are
also soliciting written comments from interested persons on the EA
prepared to examine any environmental impacts of the proposed
determination for the subject plum event. The petition, the EA, and any
comments we receive are available for public review on the
Regulations.gov Web site or in our reading room (instructions for
accessing Regulations.gov and information on the location and hours of
the reading room are provided under the heading ADDRESSES at the
beginning of this notice). Copies of the petitions and the EA are also
available as indicated in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section
of this notice.
After the comment period closes, APHIS will review the data
submitted by the petitioner, all written comments received during the
comment period, and any other relevant information. After reviewing and
evaluating the comments on the petition and the EA and other data and
information, APHIS will furnish a response to the petitioner, either
approving the petition in whole or in part, or denying the petition.
APHIS will then publish a notice in the Federal Register announcing the
regulatory status of ARS-PLMC5-6 plum and the availability of APHIS'
written decision.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 7701-7772 and 7781-7786; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 7
CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.3.
Done in Washington, DC, this 10th day of May 2006.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E6-7402 Filed 5-15-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
