Sirex Woodwasp; Availability of an Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact, 62246-62247 [E8-24889]
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62246
Notices
Federal Register
Vol. 73, No. 203
Monday, October 20, 2008
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
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service
[Docket No. APHIS–2008–0073]
Sirex Woodwasp; Availability of an
Environmental Assessment and
Finding of No Significant Impact
Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: We are advising the public
that a final environmental assessment
and finding of no significant impact
have been prepared by the Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service relative
to a proposed biological control program
for Sirex woodwasp. The environmental
assessment documents our review and
analysis of environmental impacts
associated with the proposed biological
control program. 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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.
Lynn Evans-Goldner, Staff Officer,
Emergency and Domestic Programs,
PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 137,
Riverdale, MD 20737–1231; (301) 734–
7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES
Background
The Sirex woodwasp (Sirex noctilio
Fabricius [Hymenoptera: Siricidae]) is a
member of the horntail wasp family
native to Europe, Asia, and northern
Africa, where it is generally considered
to be a secondary pest. In its native
range, it attacks pines, such as Austrian
(Pinus nigra), maritime (P. pinaster),
and Scotch (P. sylvestris) pines, almost
exclusively. While stressed trees are
most at risk, Sirex woodwasp can also
attack and kill healthy trees. Adult
wasps are strong fliers and can naturally
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:42 Oct 17, 2008
Jkt 217001
disperse up to 25 miles, especially when
aided by strong winds. In addition, the
artificial spread of Sirex woodwasp can
occur through the movement of infested
host plant materials such as pine logs.
Because Sirex woodwasp inhabits the
sapwood and larvae tunnel deep into
host trees, this pest is difficult to detect
through visual inspection.
Sirex woodwasp can complete its
lifecycle on many pine species, which
are the pest’s primary hosts. Thus far, in
North America, jack pine (P.
banksiana), red pine (P. resinosa),
Scotch pine (P. sylvestris), and white
pine (P. strobus) have served as hosts for
Sirex woodwasp. The first detection of
a breeding population of the Sirex
woodwasp in the United States occurred
in 2004 in Oswego County, NY. As a
result of ongoing surveys conducted by
State and Federal officials since 2005,
the Sirex woodwasp has been detected
in additional counties in Michigan, New
York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont.
In an environmental assessment
prepared in March 2007, APHIS
considered a program to control Sirex
woodwasp in New York and
Pennsylvania, the only States where
Sirex woodwasp had been detected at
that time. The environmental
assessment evaluated four alternatives:
No action, a quarantine program, a
biological control program, and a
combination of quarantine and
biological control (preferred action) in
New York and Pennsylvania. APHIS
issued a finding of no significant impact
on June 21, 2007, which determined
that the proposed program (including
quarantine and biological control)
identified as the preferred action would
not have a significant impact on the
quality of the human environment in
those States.
Since that time, Sirex woodwasp has
been detected in additional States, and
APHIS would like to implement a
biological control program in those
States. If the pest is detected in other
States in the future, APHIS would also
want to implement a biological control
program in those States, as well. APHIS
therefore revised the environmental
assessment in order to consider the
potential effects on the quality of the
human environment from implementing
a program for control of Sirex
woodwasp in all of the currently
infested States and in the surrounding
States where Sirex woodwasp would
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
most likely be detected if it were to
spread.
On July 21, 2008, we published in the
Federal Register (73 FR 42313–42314,
Docket No. APHIS–2008–0073) a
notice 11 in which we announced the
availability for public review and
comment of the revised environmental
assessment, entitled ‘‘Proposed Program
for the Control of the Woodwasp Sirex
noctilio F. (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) in
the Northeastern United States’’ (May
2008). APHIS received 18 comments on
the revised environmental assessment.
Of these, 17 were outside the scope of
the environmental assessment; instead,
they pertained to movement restrictions
and economic impacts that may occur if
APHIS were to impose Sirex-related
movement conditions.
The one comment that was relevant to
the environmental assessment
questioned the efficacy of the proposed
environmental release of the parasitic
nematode Beddingia siricidicola and is
addressed in the August 2008 finding of
no significant impact.
In this document, we are advising the
public of our decision and finding of no
significant impact regarding a proposed
program for the control of Sirex
woodwasp. This decision is based upon
the updated environmental assessment,
entitled ‘‘Proposed Program for the
Control of the Woodwasp Sirex noctilio
F. (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) in the
Northeastern United States’’ (August
2008).
The final environmental assessment
and finding of no significant impact
may be viewed on the Regulations.gov
Web site or in our reading room (see
ADDRESSES above for a link to
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 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
11 To view the notice, the environmental
assessment, the finding of no significant impact,
and the comments we received, go to https://
www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/
main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2008-
E:\FR\FM\20OCN1.SGM
20OCN1
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 203 / Monday, October 20, 2008 / Notices
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 14th day of
October 2008.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E8–24889 Filed 10–17–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
BROADCASTING BOARD OF
GOVERNORS
Sunshine Act Meeting
Wednesday, October 22,
2008, 1:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m.
DATE AND TIME:
Cohen Building, Room 3321, 330
Independence Ave., SW., Washington,
DC 20237.
PLACE:
CLOSED MEETING: The members of the
Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG)
will meet in closed session to review
and discuss a number of issues relating
to U.S. Government-funded nonmilitary international broadcasting.
They will address internal procedural,
budgetary, and personnel issues, as well
as sensitive foreign policy issues
relating to potential options in the U.S.
international broadcasting field. This
meeting is closed because if open it
likely would either disclose matters that
would be properly classified to be kept
secret in the interest of foreign policy
under the appropriate executive order (5
U.S.C. 552b.(c)(1)) or would disclose
information the premature disclosure of
which would be likely to significantly
frustrate implementation of a proposed
agency action. (5 U.S.C. 552b.(c)(9)(B))
In addition, part of the discussion will
relate solely to the internal personnel
and organizational issues of the BBG or
the International Broadcasting Bureau.
(5 U.S.C. 552b.(c)(2) and (6))
CONTACT PERSON FOR MORE INFORMATION:
mstockstill on PROD1PC66 with NOTICES
Persons interested in obtaining more
information should contact Timi
Nickerson Kenealy at (202) 203–4545.
Dated: October 15, 2008.
Timi Nickerson Kenealy,
Acting Legal Counsel.
[FR Doc. E8–24976 Filed 10–16–08; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 8610–01–P
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16:42 Oct 17, 2008
Jkt 217001
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Submission for OMB Review;
Comment Request
The Department of Commerce will
submit to the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) for clearance the
following proposal for collection of
information under the provisions of the
Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C.
chapter 35).
Agency: U.S. Census Bureau.
Title: Generic Clearance for 2010
Census Communications Campaign
Testing Activities.
Form Number(s): None.
OMB Control Number: None.
Type of Request: New collection.
Burden Hours: 13,000.
Number of Respondents: 8,000.
Average Hours per Response: 1 hour
and 38 minutes.
Needs and Uses: Every ten years, the
U.S. Census Bureau is congressionally
mandated to count everyone (citizens
and non-citizens) residing in the United
States. An accurate count is critical for
many reasons including but not limited
to:
• Congressional reapportionment;
• Redistricting congressional
boundaries;
• Community planning; and
• Distribution of public funds and
program development.
To facilitate the data collection effort
for the 2010 Census, the Census Bureau
is developing an Integrated
Communications Campaign (ICC). The
role of the ICC is to increase public
awareness and motivate people to
respond to the census promptly, saving
millions of taxpayer dollars. The
specific objectives of the ICC are:
• Increase mail response;
• Improve cooperation with
enumerators; and
• Improve overall accuracy and
reduce differential undercount.
From 1970—the first year
questionnaires were mailed to
households—to 1990, the mail response
rate declined from 78 percent to 65
percent. To help halt the declining mail
response rate, the Census Bureau ran a
paid advertising campaign to support
data collection activities for the 2000
Census. The resulting mail response rate
in 2000 was 67 percent—two percentage
points above 1990. This campaign was
considered a very successful initiative
and one of several reasons cited with
helping to reverse declining mail
response rates.
In order to support the
aforementioned objectives, the ICC will
be based on behavioral learning during
the 2000 Census as well as information
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
62247
that will come from new research. All
messaging and communications that
will be developed as part of the 2010
Census integrated communications will
be supported by primary research
among a wide range of target audiences.
The research will serve to support
campaign direction and decisions made
at each stage of message and
communications development, such
research commenced in late 2007 and in
2008 (covered as part of Generic
Clearance OMB Control No. 0607–0725).
That research covered the development
of a unifying idea (Only You Can Make
the Census Ours) and creative
expression (It’s in Our Hands), which
will be reflected across all
communications under the campaign.
This research provided valuable
guidance for the next stages of
development. Going forward, additional
research must be conducted in order to
support these next stages. At this time,
the Census Bureau is seeking a generic
clearance for conducting research to
gain respondent feedback to specific
messaging, a variety of creative
executions, and to track the campaign
progress once launched. This will
enable the Census Bureau to continue
providing support for research activities
as part of the Census 2010 ICC.
The proposed quantitative and
qualitative methods are: One-on-one
interviews; focus groups; online
quantitative surveys; telephone
quantitative surveys; and in-person
quantitative surveys.
Since the types of studies included
under the umbrella of the clearance are
so varied, it is impossible to specify at
this point what kinds of activities would
be involved in any particular activity.
But at a minimum, Census expect to use
in-person group interviews, focus
groups, usability tests, and tracking
surveys.
OMB will be provided a copy of
questionnaires, moderator guides,
creative materials, and debriefing
materials in advance of any testing
activity. Depending on the stage of
creative development, this may be rough
mock-ups of printed materials or story
boards. A brief description of the
planned field activity will also be
provided. The Census Bureau will send
OMB an annual report at the end of each
year summarizing the number of hours
used, as well as the nature and results
of the activities completed under this
clearance.
The information collected in this
program will be used by staff from the
Census Bureau and its contractors to
evaluate and improve the quality of the
communications, advertising, and
messages that are produced as part of
E:\FR\FM\20OCN1.SGM
20OCN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 203 (Monday, October 20, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62246-62247]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-24889]
========================================================================
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. 73, No. 203 / Monday, October 20, 2008 /
Notices
[[Page 62246]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2008-0073]
Sirex Woodwasp; 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 a final environmental
assessment and finding of no significant impact have been prepared by
the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service relative to a proposed
biological control program for Sirex woodwasp. The environmental
assessment documents our review and analysis of environmental impacts
associated with the proposed biological control program. 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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Lynn Evans-Goldner, Staff
Officer, Emergency and Domestic Programs, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road
Unit 137, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-7228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Sirex woodwasp (Sirex noctilio Fabricius [Hymenoptera:
Siricidae]) is a member of the horntail wasp family native to Europe,
Asia, and northern Africa, where it is generally considered to be a
secondary pest. In its native range, it attacks pines, such as Austrian
(Pinus nigra), maritime (P. pinaster), and Scotch (P. sylvestris)
pines, almost exclusively. While stressed trees are most at risk, Sirex
woodwasp can also attack and kill healthy trees. Adult wasps are strong
fliers and can naturally disperse up to 25 miles, especially when aided
by strong winds. In addition, the artificial spread of Sirex woodwasp
can occur through the movement of infested host plant materials such as
pine logs. Because Sirex woodwasp inhabits the sapwood and larvae
tunnel deep into host trees, this pest is difficult to detect through
visual inspection.
Sirex woodwasp can complete its lifecycle on many pine species,
which are the pest's primary hosts. Thus far, in North America, jack
pine (P. banksiana), red pine (P. resinosa), Scotch pine (P.
sylvestris), and white pine (P. strobus) have served as hosts for Sirex
woodwasp. The first detection of a breeding population of the Sirex
woodwasp in the United States occurred in 2004 in Oswego County, NY. As
a result of ongoing surveys conducted by State and Federal officials
since 2005, the Sirex woodwasp has been detected in additional counties
in Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont.
In an environmental assessment prepared in March 2007, APHIS
considered a program to control Sirex woodwasp in New York and
Pennsylvania, the only States where Sirex woodwasp had been detected at
that time. The environmental assessment evaluated four alternatives: No
action, a quarantine program, a biological control program, and a
combination of quarantine and biological control (preferred action) in
New York and Pennsylvania. APHIS issued a finding of no significant
impact on June 21, 2007, which determined that the proposed program
(including quarantine and biological control) identified as the
preferred action would not have a significant impact on the quality of
the human environment in those States.
Since that time, Sirex woodwasp has been detected in additional
States, and APHIS would like to implement a biological control program
in those States. If the pest is detected in other States in the future,
APHIS would also want to implement a biological control program in
those States, as well. APHIS therefore revised the environmental
assessment in order to consider the potential effects on the quality of
the human environment from implementing a program for control of Sirex
woodwasp in all of the currently infested States and in the surrounding
States where Sirex woodwasp would most likely be detected if it were to
spread.
On July 21, 2008, we published in the Federal Register (73 FR
42313-42314, Docket No. APHIS-2008-0073) a notice \11\ in which we
announced the availability for public review and comment of the revised
environmental assessment, entitled ``Proposed Program for the Control
of the Woodwasp Sirex noctilio F. (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) in the
Northeastern United States'' (May 2008). APHIS received 18 comments on
the revised environmental assessment. Of these, 17 were outside the
scope of the environmental assessment; instead, they pertained to
movement restrictions and economic impacts that may occur if APHIS were
to impose Sirex-related movement conditions.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\11\ To view the notice, the environmental assessment, the
finding of no significant impact, and the comments we received, go
to https://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/
main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2008-0073
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The one comment that was relevant to the environmental assessment
questioned the efficacy of the proposed environmental release of the
parasitic nematode Beddingia siricidicola and is addressed in the
August 2008 finding of no significant impact.
In this document, we are advising the public of our decision and
finding of no significant impact regarding a proposed program for the
control of Sirex woodwasp. This decision is based upon the updated
environmental assessment, entitled ``Proposed Program for the Control
of the Woodwasp Sirex noctilio F. (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) in the
Northeastern United States'' (August 2008).
The final environmental assessment and finding of no significant
impact may be viewed on the Regulations.gov Web site or in our reading
room (see ADDRESSES above for a link to 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 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
[[Page 62247]]
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 14th day of October 2008.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E8-24889 Filed 10-17-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
