Availability of an Environmental Assessment for a Biological Control Agent for Water Hyacinth, 58939-58940 [E9-27393]

Download as PDF mstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 219 / Monday, November 16, 2009 / Notices notice announces the Commodity Credit Corporation’s (CCC) intention to request an extension of a currently approved information collection procedure in support of the Regulations—Financing Commercial Sales of Agricultural Commodities under Title I, Public Law 83–480; Request for Vessel Approval, Form CCC–105 and Request for Vessel Approval, Form CCC–105 (cotton); and Declaration of Sale, Form FAS–359. DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by January 15, 2010. ADDRESSES: Mail or deliver comments to Ronald Croushorn, Director, Food Assistance Division, Office of Capacity Building and Development, Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Stop 1034, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20250–1034, or to the Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Washington, DC 20503. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ronald Croushorn, Director, Food Assistance Division, Office of Capacity Building and Development, Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Stop 1034, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20250–1034, or by telephone at (202) 720–3038, or by e-mail at ronald.croushorn@fas.usda.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title: Regulations—Financing Commercial Sales of Agricultural Commodities under Title I, Public Law 83–480. OMB Numbers: 0551–0005 (Records and Rule Keeping), 0551–0008 (Request for Vessel Approval Form), and 0551– 0009 (Declaration of Sale Form) were combined into OMB Number 0551–0005 in 2003. Expiration Date of Approval: January 31, 2010. Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved information collection. Abstract: Title I of the Food for Peace Act authorizes the CCC to finance the sale and exportation of agricultural commodities on concessional credit terms. This program was previously authorized by Title I of the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954 (Pub. L. 83–480). Suppliers of commodities and ocean transportation must retain records for 3 years. Prospective commodity suppliers must provide information to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to determine eligibility. Commodity suppliers must report by telephone details of sales for price approval and submit to USDA, for approval, VerDate Nov<24>2008 16:41 Nov 13, 2009 Jkt 220001 information on any amendments to the sales. Form FAS–359, ‘‘Declaration of Sale,’’ is the written record, signed by the commodity supplier, of the terms of sale as reported by telephone. Shipping agents nominated by importing countries must submit information to allow identification of possible conflicts of interest. Shipping agents or embassies submit pertinent shipping information on Form CCC–105 to facilitate approval by CCC of shipping arrangements. This approval is necessary to assure compliance with cargo preference requirements at the lowest cost to CCC. USDA must receive this document before it can generate the CCC–106, which must be issued before an ocean carrier can receive payment for ocean freight. The information collected is used by CCC to manage, plan, evaluate and account for government resources. The reports and records are required to ensure the proper and judicious use of public funds. Estimate Number of Respondents: 9. Estimate Number of Responses per Respondent: 2. Estimated Burden of Hours per Response: .58. Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 11 hours. Copies of this information collection can be obtained from Tamoria Thompson-Hall, the Agency Information Collection Coordinator, at (202) 690– 1690. Request for Comments: Send comments regarding (a) whether the proposed 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 the burden of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Persons with disabilities who require an alternative means for communication of information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s Target Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice and TDD). All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of public record. PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 58939 Signed at Washington, DC on November 3, 2009. Michael V. Michener, Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service and Vice President, Commodity Credit Corporation. [FR Doc. E9–27353 Filed 11–13–09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–10–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service [Docket No. APHIS-2009-0058] Availability of an Environmental Assessment for a Biological Control Agent for Water Hyacinth AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments. SUMMARY: We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has prepared an environmental assessment relative to the control of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes). The environmental assessment considers the effects of, and alternatives to, the release of an insect, Megamelus scutellaris, into the continental United States for use as a biological control agent to reduce the severity of water hyacinth infestations. 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 16, 2009. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods: ∑ Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to (https://www.regulations.gov/ fdmspublic/component/ main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS2009-0058) to submit or view comments and to view supporting and related materials available electronically. ∑ Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send two copies of your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2009-0058, 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. APHIS2009-0058. 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 E:\FR\FM\16NON1.SGM 16NON1 58940 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 219 / Monday, November 16, 2009 / Notices 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. Shirley Wager-Page, Chief, Pest Permitting Branch, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1237; (301) 734-8453. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: mstockstill on DSKH9S0YB1PROD with NOTICES Background The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is proposing to issue permits for the release of an insect, Megamelus scutellaris, into the continental United States for use as a biological control agent to reduce the severity of water hyacinth infestations. Water hyacinth originated in lowland tropical South America and was first introduced into the United States in the late 1800s. Its erect, free-floating habit and attractive flowers made its use popular in ornamental ponds and garden pools which inevitably led to the spread of the plant by humans. The individual rosettes reproduce to form extensive floating mats which, in mature stands, extend a meter or more above the water’s surface. The invasiveness of water hyacinth results from its rapid growth, its ability to reinfest via seeds or plant fragments, and its lack of natural enemies. Infestations negatively affect water traffic, water quality, infrastructure for pumping and hydroelectric operations, water use, and biodiversity. The plant can also cause property damage during floods, water loss due to evapotranspiration, and an increase in mosquito populations. Existing water hyacinth management options include chemical control, draining, and harvesting. However, these management measures are ineffective, expensive, temporary, have non-target impacts, or disturb the life cycles of the currently released insects used for biological control of water hyacinth. Thus, a permit application has been submitted to APHIS for the purpose of releasing an insect, M. scutellaris, into the continental United States for use as a biological control agent to reduce the severity of water hyacinth infestations. APHIS’ review and analysis of the proposed action are documented in detail in an environmental assessment (EA) titled ‘‘Field Release of Megamelus scutellaris, Berg (Hemiptera: VerDate Nov<24>2008 18:00 Nov 13, 2009 Jkt 220001 Delphacidae), for Biological Control of Water Hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes Mart. (Solms) (Pontederiales: Pontederiaceae) in the Continental United States’’ (July 2009). We are making the EA available to the public for review and comment. We will consider all comments that we receive on or before the date listed under the heading DATES at the beginning of this notice. The EA may be viewed on the Regulations.gov Web site or 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 EA by calling or writing to the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Please refer to the title of the EA when requesting copies. The EA 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 1b), and (4) APHIS’ NEPA Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part 372). Done in Washington, DC, this 9th day of November 2009. Kevin Shea, Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. [FR Doc. E9–27393 Filed 11–13–09 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–34–S DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Rural Utilities Service RIN: 0572–ZA01 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Telecommunications and Information Administration Docket Number: 0907141137–91375–05 RIN: 0660–ZA28 Broadband Initiatives Program and Broadband Technology Opportunities Program AGENCIES: Rural Utilities Service (RUS), Department of Agriculture, and National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), Department of Commerce.s ACTION: Joint Request for Information. PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 SUMMARY: RUS and NTIA announce the release of a joint Request for Information (RFI) seeking public comment on certain issues relating to the implementation of the Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP) and the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP). This is the second joint RFI that the agencies have issued since the enactment of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act), which established these broadband initiatives. The input the agencies expect to receive from this process is intended to inform the second round of funding. In particular, the agencies seek to gather information that will help them improve the broadband programs by enhancing the applicant experience and making targeted revisions to the first Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA), if necessary. DATES: Comments must be received by November 30, 2009 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. ADDRESSES: Interested parties are encouraged to file comments electronically via e-mail to broadbandrfi@ntia.doc.gov. Paper comments should be sent to: Broadband Initiatives Program, Rural Utilities Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Stop 1599, Washington, DC 20250, and Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, National Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, HCHB Room 4887, 1401 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general inquiries regarding BIP, contact David J. Villano, Assistant Administrator, Telecommunications Program, Rural Utilities Service, email: bip@wdc.usda.gov, telephone: (202) 690–0525. For general inquiries regarding BTOP, contact Anthony Wilhelm, Deputy Associate Administrator, Infrastructure Division, Office of Telecommunications and Information Applications, National Telecommunications and Information Administration, email: btop@ntia.doc.gov, telephone: (202) 482–2048. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed the Recovery Act into law.1 The Recovery Act establishes five statutory purposes: to preserve and create jobs and promote economic recovery; to assist those most impacted by the recession; to provide investments needed to increase economic efficiency 1 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Pub. L. No. 111-5, 123 Stat. 115 (2009). E:\FR\FM\16NON1.SGM 16NON1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 219 (Monday, November 16, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58939-58940]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-27393]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2009-0058]


Availability of an Environmental Assessment for a Biological 
Control Agent for Water Hyacinth

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service has prepared an environmental assessment relative to 
the control of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes). The environmental 
assessment considers the effects of, and alternatives to, the release 
of an insect, Megamelus scutellaris, into the continental United States 
for use as a biological control agent to reduce the severity of water 
hyacinth infestations. 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 16, 2009.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to (https://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2009-0058) to submit or view comments 
and to view supporting and related materials available electronically.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send two copies of 
your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2009-0058, 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-2009-0058.
     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

[[Page 58940]]

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. Shirley Wager-Page, Chief, Pest 
Permitting Branch, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 
20737-1237; (301) 734-8453.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is proposing 
to issue permits for the release of an insect, Megamelus scutellaris, 
into the continental United States for use as a biological control 
agent to reduce the severity of water hyacinth infestations.
    Water hyacinth originated in lowland tropical South America and was 
first introduced into the United States in the late 1800s. Its erect, 
free-floating habit and attractive flowers made its use popular in 
ornamental ponds and garden pools which inevitably led to the spread of 
the plant by humans. The individual rosettes reproduce to form 
extensive floating mats which, in mature stands, extend a meter or more 
above the water's surface. The invasiveness of water hyacinth results 
from its rapid growth, its ability to reinfest via seeds or plant 
fragments, and its lack of natural enemies. Infestations negatively 
affect water traffic, water quality, infrastructure for pumping and 
hydroelectric operations, water use, and biodiversity. The plant can 
also cause property damage during floods, water loss due to 
evapotranspiration, and an increase in mosquito populations.
    Existing water hyacinth management options include chemical 
control, draining, and harvesting. However, these management measures 
are ineffective, expensive, temporary, have non-target impacts, or 
disturb the life cycles of the currently released insects used for 
biological control of water hyacinth. Thus, a permit application has 
been submitted to APHIS for the purpose of releasing an insect, M. 
scutellaris, into the continental United States for use as a biological 
control agent to reduce the severity of water hyacinth infestations.
    APHIS' review and analysis of the proposed action are documented in 
detail in an environmental assessment (EA) titled ``Field Release of 
Megamelus scutellaris, Berg (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), for Biological 
Control of Water Hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes Mart. (Solms) 
(Pontederiales: Pontederiaceae) in the Continental United States'' 
(July 2009). We are making the EA available to the public for review 
and comment. We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
the date listed under the heading DATES at the beginning of this 
notice.
    The EA may be viewed on the Regulations.gov Web site or 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 EA by calling or 
writing to the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. 
Please refer to the title of the EA when requesting copies.
    The EA 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 1b), and (4) 
APHIS' NEPA Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part 372).
    Done in Washington, DC, this 9\th\ day of November 2009.

Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E9-27393 Filed 11-13-09 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-S
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