Dow AgroScience LLC; Availability of Petition, Plant Pest Risk Assessment, and Environmental Assessment for Determination of Nonregulated Status of Corn Genetically Engineered for Herbicide Tolerance, 10472 [2012-4081]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 35 (Wednesday, February 22, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 10472]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-4081]


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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.

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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 35 / Wednesday, February 22, 2012 / 
Notices

[[Page 10472]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2010-0103]


Dow AgroScience LLC; Availability of Petition, Plant Pest Risk 
Assessment, and Environmental Assessment for Determination of 
Nonregulated Status of Corn Genetically Engineered for Herbicide 
Tolerance

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: We are extending the comment period for a petition received 
from Dow AgroScience LLC seeking a determination of nonregulated status 
of corn designated as DAS-40278-9, which has been genetically 
engineered for increased resistance to broadleaf herbicides in the 
phenoxy auxin group (such as the herbicide 2,4-D) and resistance to 
grass herbicides in the aryloxyphenoxypropionate acetyl coenzyme A 
carboxylase inhibitor group (such as quizalofop herbicides). This 
action will allow interested persons additional time to prepare and 
submit comments on the petition, our plant pest risk assessment, and 
our draft environmental assessment for the proposed determination of 
nonregulated status.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before April 
27, 2012.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2010-0103-0001.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2010-0103, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, 
APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1238.
    Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may 
be viewed at https://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2010-
0103 or in our reading room, which 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.
    The petition, draft environmental assessment, and plant pest risk 
assessment are also available on the APHIS Web site at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/brs/aphisdocs/09_23301p.pdf, https://www.aphis.usda.gov/brs/aphisdocs/09_23301p_dea.pdf, and https://www.aphis.usda.gov/brs/aphisdocs/09_23301p_dpra.pdf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Evan Chestnut, Policy Analyst, 
Biotechnology Regulatory Services, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 147, 
Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 851-3910, email: 
evan.a.chestnut@aphis.usda.gov. To obtain copies of the petition, draft 
environmental assessment, or plant pest risk assessment, contact Ms. 
Cindy Eck at (301) 851-3892, email: cynthia.a.eck@aphis.usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 27, 2011, we published in the 
Federal Register (76 FR 80872-80873, Docket No. APHIS-2010-0103) a 
notice \1\ advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service (APHIS) has received a petition from Dow AgroScience 
LLC seeking a determination of nonregulated status of corn (Zea mays) 
designated as event DAS-40278-9, which has been genetically engineered 
for increased resistance to broadleaf herbicides in the phenoxy auxin 
group (such as the herbicide 2,4-D) and resistance to grass herbicides 
in the aryloxyphenoxypropionate acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase inhibitor 
group (such as quizalofop herbicides).
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    \1\ To view the notice, supporting documents, and any comments 
we have received, go to https://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2010-0103.
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    Comments on the Dow petition, our plant pest risk assessment, and 
our draft environmental assessment for the proposed determination of 
nonregulated status were required to be received on or before February 
27, 2012. We are extending the comment period on Docket No. APHIS-2010-
0103 for an additional 60 days, ending April 27, 2012. This action will 
allow interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments 
on the Dow petition, our plant pest risk assessment, and our draft 
environmental assessment for the proposed determination of nonregulated 
status.

    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 15th day of February 2012.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-4081 Filed 2-21-12; 8:45 am]
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