Imported Fire Ant; Availability of an Environmental Assessment, 63874 [E7-22092]
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63874
Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 218 / Tuesday, November 13, 2007 / Notices
Done in Washington, DC, this 7th day of
November 2007.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E7–22094 Filed 11–9–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service
[Docket No: APHIS–2007–0118]
Imported Fire Ant; Availability of an
Environmental Assessment
Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of availability and
request for comments.
AGENCY:
We are advising the public
that a draft environmental assessment
has been prepared by the Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service relative
to the proposed release into areas
quarantined for imported fire ant of five
additional species of phorid flies for use
as biological control agents. We are
making the environmental assessment
available to the public for review and
comment.
SUMMARY:
We will consider all comments
that we receive on or before December
13, 2007.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
by either of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov, select
‘‘Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service’’ from the agency drop-down
menu, then click ‘‘Submit.’’ In the
Docket ID column, select APHIS–2007–
0118 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–2007–0118,
Regulatory Analysis and Development,
PPD, APHIS, Station 3A–03.8, 4700
River Road, Riverdale, MD 20737–1238.
Please state that your comment refers to
Docket No. APHIS–2007–0118.
Reading Room: You may read any
comments that we receive on the
environmental assessment in our
reading room. The reading room is
rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with NOTICES
DATES:
VerDate Aug<31>2005
15:30 Nov 09, 2007
Jkt 214001
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: Mr.
Charles L. Brown, Imported Fire Ant
Quarantine Program Manager, Pest
Detection and Management Programs,
PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 134,
Riverdale, MD 20737–1236; (301) 734–
4838.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The imported fire ant (Solenopsis
invicta Buren, Solenopsis richteri Forel,
and hybrids of these species) is an
aggressive, stinging insect that, in large
numbers, can seriously injure and even
kill livestock, pets, and humans. The
imported fire ant, which is not native to
the United States, feeds on crops and
builds large, hard mounds that damage
farm and field machinery. The imported
fire ant regulations (contained in 7 CFR
301.81 through 301.81–10 and referred
to below as the regulations) are intended
to prevent the imported fire ant from
spreading throughout its ecological
range within the country. The
regulations quarantine infested States or
infested areas within States and restrict
the interstate movement of regulated
articles to prevent the artificial spread of
the imported fire ant.
In addition to the movement
restrictions in the regulations, the
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service (APHIS) and its State
cooperators release phorid flies
(Pseudacteon species), a natural enemy
of the imported fire ant, into
quarantined areas. These flies parasitize
the imported fire ant, killing those that
are parasitized. Those ants that are not
parasitized are affected behaviorally by
the presence of the flies because their
presence reduces fire ant foraging. A
decrease in foraging activity facilitates
competition from native fire ants that
might otherwise be excluded from food
sources in fire ant territory.
Currently, APHIS uses three species
of phorid flies (Pseudacteon curvatus, P.
litoralis, and P. tricuspis) as biological
control agents. We are now proposing to
release five more species (P. cultellatus,
P. nocens, P. nudicornis, P. obtusus, and
P. sp. near obtusus) into areas
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
quarantined for imported fire ant within
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and
the following States: Alabama,
Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia,
Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina,
New Mexico, Oklahoma, South
Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.
To provide the public with
documentation of APHIS’ review and
analysis of the potential environmental
impacts associated with releasing these
additional species of phorid flies into
the environment, we have prepared a
draft environmental assessment entitled
‘‘Field Release of Phorid Flies
(Pseudacteon species) for the Biological
Control of Imported Fire Ants’’ (July
2007).
The environmental assessment has
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 7th day of
November 2007.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E7–22092 Filed 11–9–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
[A–351–840]
Certain Orange Juice from Brazil;
Notice of Extension of Time Limits for
Preliminary Results of Antidumping
Duty Administrative Review
Import Administration,
International Trade Administration,
Department of Commerce.
EFFECTIVE DATE: November 13, 2007.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Elizabeth Eastwood, AD/CVD
Operations, Office 2, Import
Administration, International Trade
Administration, U.S. Department of
Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution
Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230;
telephone: (202) 482–3874.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
AGENCY:
Background
On April 27, 2007, the Department of
Commerce (the Department) published a
notice of initiation of administrative
review of the antidumping duty order
E:\FR\FM\13NON1.SGM
13NON1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 218 (Tuesday, November 13, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 63874]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-22092]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No: APHIS-2007-0118]
Imported Fire Ant; Availability of an Environmental Assessment
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We are advising the public that a draft environmental
assessment has been prepared by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service relative to the proposed release into areas quarantined for
imported fire ant of five additional species of phorid flies for use as
biological control agents. We are making the environmental assessment
available to the public for review and comment.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before
December 13, 2007.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://
www.regulations.gov, select ``Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service'' from the agency drop-down menu, then click ``Submit.'' In the
Docket ID column, select APHIS-2007-0118 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-
2007-0118, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-
03.8, 4700 River Road, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state that your
comment refers to Docket No. APHIS-2007-0118.
Reading Room: You may read any comments that we receive on the
environmental assessment 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: Mr. Charles L. Brown, Imported Fire
Ant Quarantine Program Manager, Pest Detection and Management Programs,
PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 134, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301)
734-4838.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta Buren, Solenopsis
richteri Forel, and hybrids of these species) is an aggressive,
stinging insect that, in large numbers, can seriously injure and even
kill livestock, pets, and humans. The imported fire ant, which is not
native to the United States, feeds on crops and builds large, hard
mounds that damage farm and field machinery. The imported fire ant
regulations (contained in 7 CFR 301.81 through 301.81-10 and referred
to below as the regulations) are intended to prevent the imported fire
ant from spreading throughout its ecological range within the country.
The regulations quarantine infested States or infested areas within
States and restrict the interstate movement of regulated articles to
prevent the artificial spread of the imported fire ant.
In addition to the movement restrictions in the regulations, the
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and its State
cooperators release phorid flies (Pseudacteon species), a natural enemy
of the imported fire ant, into quarantined areas. These flies
parasitize the imported fire ant, killing those that are parasitized.
Those ants that are not parasitized are affected behaviorally by the
presence of the flies because their presence reduces fire ant foraging.
A decrease in foraging activity facilitates competition from native
fire ants that might otherwise be excluded from food sources in fire
ant territory.
Currently, APHIS uses three species of phorid flies (Pseudacteon
curvatus, P. litoralis, and P. tricuspis) as biological control agents.
We are now proposing to release five more species (P. cultellatus, P.
nocens, P. nudicornis, P. obtusus, and P. sp. near obtusus) into areas
quarantined for imported fire ant within the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico and the following States: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida,
Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Mexico, Oklahoma,
South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.
To provide the public with documentation of APHIS' review and
analysis of the potential environmental impacts associated with
releasing these additional species of phorid flies into the
environment, we have prepared a draft environmental assessment entitled
``Field Release of Phorid Flies (Pseudacteon species) for the
Biological Control of Imported Fire Ants'' (July 2007).
The environmental assessment has 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 7th day of November 2007.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E7-22092 Filed 11-9-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
