Availability of an Environmental Assessment for a Biological Control Agent for Asian Citrus Psyllid, 28233-28234 [2010-12026]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 97 / Thursday, May 20, 2010 / Notices 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 A. Wager-Page, Chief, Pest Permitting Branch, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1237; (301) 734-8453. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with NOTICES_PART 1 Background The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is proposing to issue permits for the release of an insect, Laricobius osakensis, into the continental United States for use as a biological control agent to reduce the severity of hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) infestations. HWA, an introduced insect pest destructive to forest and ornamental hemlock trees, was first discovered in Virginia in 1951. HWA now infests 18 States due to the movements of infested nursery plants as well as non-human modes of dispersal that include birds, deer, and wind. HWA feeds at the bases of hemlock needles, causing them to dry out and resulting in needle loss. This prevents trees from producing new buds for the next year’s growth, and leads to branch dieback and, often, the eventual death of the tree. HWA infestation is fatal to eastern hemlocks of all ages, regardless of health prior to infestation, with tree mortality occurring between four and ten or more years after infestation, depending on environmental conditions. Existing HWA management options include chemical control and silvicultural control, which, in this instance, would involve close management of trees on a site-by-site basis. However, these management measures can be expensive, temporary, or have non-target impacts. Thus, a permit application has been submitted to APHIS for the purpose of releasing an insect, L. osakensis, into the continental United States for use as a biological control agent to reduce the severity of HWA infestations. APHIS’ review and analysis of the proposed action are documented in detail in an environmental assessment (EA) titled ‘‘Proposed Field Release of Laricobius osakensis (Coleoptera: Derodontidae), a Predatory Beetle for Biological Control of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (Adelges tsugae), in the Continental United States’’ (December 2009). We are making the EA available VerDate Mar<15>2010 15:45 May 19, 2010 Jkt 220001 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 14th day of May 2010. Kevin Shea, Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. [FR Doc. 2010–12024 Filed 5–19–10; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–34–S DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service [Docket No. APHIS-2010-0028] Availability of an Environmental Assessment for a Biological Control Agent for Asian Citrus Psyllid 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 Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri Kuwayama). The environmental assessment considers the effects of, and alternatives to, the release of an insect, Tamarixia radiata, into the continental United States for use as a biological control agent to reduce the severity of Asian citrus psyllid infestations. We are making the environmental assessment available to the public for review and comment. PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 28233 DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before June 21, 2010. 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=APHIS2010-0028) to submit or view comments and to view supporting and related materials available electronically. ∑Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send one copy of your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2010-0028, 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. APHIS2010-0028. 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: Dr. Shirley A. 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, Tamarixia radiata, into the continental United States for use as a biological control agent to reduce the severity of Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) infestations. ACP, a serious pest of citrus, was first discovered in Florida in 1998. By 2001 it had spread to 31 counties within the State, primarily due to the movements of infested nursery plants. In that year ACP was also accidentally introduced into Puerto Rico and Texas. It was subsequently discovered in Hawaii in 2006, Guam in 2007, in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and California in 2008, in portions of one county in Arizona in 2009, and in the U.S. Virgin Islands in 2010. E:\FR\FM\20MYN1.SGM 20MYN1 wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with NOTICES_PART 1 28234 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 97 / Thursday, May 20, 2010 / Notices ACP is of particular concern since it is a carrier of Huanglongbing disease (citrus greening), which is considered to be one of the most serious citrus diseases in the world. Citrus greening is a bacterial disease that attacks the vascular system of its host plant, causing yellow shoots, blotchy mottling and chlorosis, reduced foliage, and tip dieback. Citrus greening greatly reduces production, destroys the economic value of citrus fruit, and can kill trees. Once infected, there is no cure for a tree with citrus greening. In areas of the world where citrus greening is established, citrus trees decline and die within a few years and may never produce usable fruit. In addition to transmitting citrus greening, ACP can cause economic damage to citrus in groves and nurseries by direct feeding. Both adults and nymphs feed on young foliage, depleting the sap and causing galling or curling of leaves. Large populations of ACP feeding on a citrus shoot can kill the growing tip. Alternative ACP management options include chemical control and the release of an alternative biological control agent, an encyrtid wasp, (Diaphorencyrtus aligarhensis). However, these management measures can be expensive, temporary, or have non-target impacts. Thus, a permit application has been submitted to APHIS for the purpose of releasing an insect, T. radiata, into the continental United States for use as a biological control agent to reduce the severity of ACP infestations. APHIS’ review and analysis of the proposed action are documented in detail in an environmental assessment (EA) titled ‘‘Proposed Release of a Parasitoid (Tamarixia radiate Waterston) for the Biological Control of Asian Citrus Psyllid (Diaphorina citri Kuwayama) in the Continental United States’’ (November 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 VerDate Mar<15>2010 15:45 May 19, 2010 Jkt 220001 (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 14th day of May 2010. Kevin Shea, Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. [FR Doc. 2010–12026 Filed 5–19–10; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–34–S DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Eleven Point Resource Advisory Committee Forest Service, USDA. Notice of meeting. AGENCY: ACTION: SUMMARY: The Eleven Point Resource Advisory Committee will meet in Winona, Missouri. The committee is meeting as authorized under the Secure Rural Schools and Community SelfDetermination Act (Pub. L. 110–343) and in compliance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act. The purpose of the meeting is to initiate review of proposed forest management projects so that recommendations may be made to the Forest Service on which should be funded through Title II of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act of 2000, as amended in 2008. DATES: The meeting will be held Thursday, June 17, 2010, 6:30 p.m. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the Twin Pines Conservation Education Center located on U.S. Highway 60, Rt. 1, Box 1998, Winona, MO. Written comments should be sent to David Whittekiend, Designated Federal Official, Mark Twain National Forest, 401 Fairgrounds Road, Rolla, MO. Comments may also be sent via e-mail to dwhittekiend@fs.fed.us or via facsimile to 573–364–6844. All comments, including names and addresses when provided, are placed in the record and are available for public inspection and copying. The public may inspect comments received at Mark Twain National Forest Supervisors Office, 401 Fairgrounds Road, Rolla, MO. Visitors are encouraged to call ahead to 573–341–7404 to facilitate entry into the building. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Hall, Eleven Point Resource PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Advisory Committee Coordinator, Mark Twain National Forest, 573–341–7404. Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The meeting is open to the public. The following business will be conducted: This being the first meeting of this newly chartered Resource Advisory Committee, much of the meeting will focus on the responsibilities of the committee. Discussion of operating guidelines the committee may adopt for conducting business will be on the agenda. Potential projects will also be discussed. Persons who wish to bring related matters to the attention of the Committee may file written statements with David Whittekiend (address above) before or after the meeting. Dated: May 14, 2010. David Whittekiend, Forest Supervisor. [FR Doc. 2010–12087 Filed 5–19–10; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–11–M COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS Sunshine Act Notice AGENCY: United States Commission on Civil Rights. ACTION: Notice of meeting. DATE AND TIME: Friday, May 28, 2010; 11:30 a.m. EDT. PLACE: Via Teleconference, Public Dial In: 1–800–597–7623, Conference ID # 76198308. Meeting Agenda This meeting is open to the public, except where noted otherwise. I. Approval of Agenda II. State Advisory Committee Issues • Colorado SAC • Oregon SAC • Consideration of Additional Nominee to the New Jersey SAC III. Program Planning • Approval of Briefing Report on Health Care Disparities • Approval of Findings & Recommendations on Educational Effectiveness of Historically Black Colleges & Universities Briefing Report • Approval of 2011 Business Meeting Calendar • Update on Status of NBPP Enforcement Report—Some of the discussion of this agenda item may be held in closed session. • Update on Status of Title IX Project—Some of the discussion of this E:\FR\FM\20MYN1.SGM 20MYN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 97 (Thursday, May 20, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28233-28234]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-12026]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2010-0028]


Availability of an Environmental Assessment for a Biological 
Control Agent for Asian Citrus Psyllid

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 Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri Kuwayama). The 
environmental assessment considers the effects of, and alternatives to, 
the release of an insect, Tamarixia radiata, into the continental 
United States for use as a biological control agent to reduce the 
severity of Asian citrus psyllid 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 June 
21, 2010.

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-2010-0028) to submit or view comments 
and to view supporting and related materials available electronically.
    Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send one copy of 
your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2010-0028, 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-2010-0028.
    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: Dr. Shirley A. 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, Tamarixia radiata, into 
the continental United States for use as a biological control agent to 
reduce the severity of Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) infestations.
    ACP, a serious pest of citrus, was first discovered in Florida in 
1998. By 2001 it had spread to 31 counties within the State, primarily 
due to the movements of infested nursery plants. In that year ACP was 
also accidentally introduced into Puerto Rico and Texas. It was 
subsequently discovered in Hawaii in 2006, Guam in 2007, in Alabama, 
Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and California in 
2008, in portions of one county in Arizona in 2009, and in the U.S. 
Virgin Islands in 2010.

[[Page 28234]]

    ACP is of particular concern since it is a carrier of Huanglongbing 
disease (citrus greening), which is considered to be one of the most 
serious citrus diseases in the world. Citrus greening is a bacterial 
disease that attacks the vascular system of its host plant, causing 
yellow shoots, blotchy mottling and chlorosis, reduced foliage, and tip 
dieback. Citrus greening greatly reduces production, destroys the 
economic value of citrus fruit, and can kill trees. Once infected, 
there is no cure for a tree with citrus greening. In areas of the world 
where citrus greening is established, citrus trees decline and die 
within a few years and may never produce usable fruit.
    In addition to transmitting citrus greening, ACP can cause economic 
damage to citrus in groves and nurseries by direct feeding. Both adults 
and nymphs feed on young foliage, depleting the sap and causing galling 
or curling of leaves. Large populations of ACP feeding on a citrus 
shoot can kill the growing tip.
    Alternative ACP management options include chemical control and the 
release of an alternative biological control agent, an encyrtid wasp, 
(Diaphorencyrtus aligarhensis). However, these management measures can 
be expensive, temporary, or have non-target impacts. Thus, a permit 
application has been submitted to APHIS for the purpose of releasing an 
insect, T. radiata, into the continental United States for use as a 
biological control agent to reduce the severity of ACP infestations.
    APHIS' review and analysis of the proposed action are documented in 
detail in an environmental assessment (EA) titled ``Proposed Release of 
a Parasitoid (Tamarixia radiate Waterston) for the Biological Control 
of Asian Citrus Psyllid (Diaphorina citri Kuwayama) in the Continental 
United States'' (November 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 14\th\ day of May 2010.

Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-12026 Filed 5-19-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-S
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