Secretary's Advisory Committee on Animal Health; Intent To Renew, 51176-51177 [2016-18341]
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 149 / Wednesday, August 3, 2016 / Notices
impacts of proposed major Federal
actions significantly affecting the
quality of the human environment
before taking that action. In accordance
with NEPA, the regulations of the
Council on Environmental Quality for
implementing the procedural provisions
of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500–1508),
USDA regulations implementing NEPA
(7 CFR part 1b), and APHIS’ NEPA
Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part
372) require that for each submitted
petition, APHIS consider the potential
environmental impacts of a request for
nonregulated status either by preparing
an environmental assessment (EA) or an
EIS. APHIS has decided to prepare an
EIS to better understand the degree of
uncertainty for environmental impacts
associated with the deregulation of
ASR368. This uncertainty is primarily
related to four issues that will be
studied in the EIS: (1) Potential for
hybridization and introgression, (2)
management of volunteer ASR368, (3)
potential effects on weed management
practices, and (4) potential inter-related
trade and economic impacts. The EIS
will examine the broad and cumulative
environmental impacts of the requested
deregulation of ASR368, including
potential impacts of the proposed action
on the human environment and
alternative courses of action.
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Alternatives
The Federal action being considered
is whether to approve the petition for
nonregulated status of ASR368. This
notice identifies reasonable alternatives
and potential issues that may be studied
in the EIS. We are requesting public
input and comment on the range of
alternatives, and on the environmental
impacts and issues stated in this NOI as
well as suggestions for additional
alternatives for consideration and new
impacts or issues to be evaluated in the
EIS for the petition.
The EIS will consider a range of
reasonable alternatives. APHIS is
currently considering two alternatives:
(1) Take no action, i.e., APHIS would
not change the regulatory status of the
glyphosate-resistant creeping bentgrass
event ASR368 and such plants would
continue to be regulated articles, or (2)
approve the petition for determination
of nonregulated status of ASR368.
Environmental Issues for Consideration
We have identified the following
potential environmental issues for
consideration in the EIS: Impacts on
managed natural and non-agricultural
lands; on agricultural production
systems; on the physical environment;
on biological resources; on human
health; on socioeconomic issues; on
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federally listed threatened or
endangered species; and on cultural or
historic resources. In addition to
providing input and comment on these
issues, we are also requesting that the
public provide information on the
following questions during the comment
period:
Potential for Hybridization and
Introgression
• What are the weed species in
potential affected environments with
which ASR368 may hybridize and
introgress? What evidence is there that
this would or could occur?
• If introgression was to occur, would
the inability to identify introgression of
ASR368 lead to stand failures or
increasing costs for production of grass
seed crops when compared to nongenetically engineered (non-GE)
creeping bentgrass? What evidence is
there that would support stand failure
or increased costs.
Management of Volunteer ASR368
• Compared to non-GE creeping
bentgrass and other grasses, would
deregulation of ASR368 result in its
establishment and persistence in
situations where it is unwanted,
unintended, or unexpected (e.g.,
agricultural irrigation canals, habitat
restoration, riparian areas, wetlands, or
grasslands)?
• When compared to non-GE creeping
bentgrass, could the spread of ASR368
or its relatives to areas where it is
unwanted, unintended, or unexpected
potentially result in adverse effects on
native species or habitats, including
threatened and endangered species and
their habitats? What supporting
information is available to conclude an
adverse effect?
Potential Effects on Weed Management
Practices
• Would the presence of volunteer
ASR368 increase the costs and
complexity of weed control for growers
of non-GE creeping bentgrass and other
crops? What evidence is there to
support this conclusion?
• What potential changes of
agronomic practices may occur as a
result of the presence of ASR368
agricultural crops, including crop
rotation practices, herbicide use, and
tillage?
Potential Trade and Economic Impacts
• What potential impacts on GE-free
grass seed exports could result from the
presence of ASR368?
• What potential impacts on
conventional and organic crops could
result from the presence of ARS368?
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Comments that identify other issues
or alternatives that should be
considered for examination in the EIS
would be especially helpful. All
comments received during the scoping
period will be carefully considered in
developing the final scope of the EIS.
Upon completion of the draft EIS, a
notice announcing its availability and
an opportunity to comment on it will be
published in the Federal Register.
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 27th day of
July 2016.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2016–18421 Filed 8–2–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service
[Docket No. APHIS–2016–0046]
Secretary’s Advisory Committee on
Animal Health; Intent To Renew
Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
AGENCY:
We are giving notice that the
Secretary of Agriculture intends to
renew the charter for the Secretary’s
Advisory Committee on Animal Health
for a 2-year period. The Secretary has
determined that the Committee is
necessary and in the public interest.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.
Diane L. Sutton, Designated Federal
Officer, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road
Unit 43, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301)
851–3509.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant
to the Federal Advisory Committee Act
(FACA, 5 U.S.C. App.), notice is hereby
given that the Secretary of Agriculture
intends to renew the Secretary’s
Advisory Committee on Animal Health
(the Committee) for 2 years. The term
for the renewed charter will extend from
August 8, 2016, to August 7, 2018.
The Committee advises the Secretary
on strategies, policies, and programs to
prevent, control, or eradicate animal
diseases. The Committee considers
agricultural initiatives of national scope
and significance and advises on matters
of public health, conservation of
national resources, stability of livestock
economies, livestock disease
management and traceability strategies,
prioritizing animal health imperatives,
SUMMARY:
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 149 / Wednesday, August 3, 2016 / Notices
and other related aspects of agriculture.
The Committee Chairperson and Vice
Chairperson are elected by the
Committee from among its members.
Done in Washington, DC, this 27th day of
July 2016.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2016–18341 Filed 8–2–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service
[Docket No. APHIS–2012–0103]
Privacy Act Systems of Records;
Veterinary Services—Records of
Accredited Veterinarians
Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service proposed to alter an
existing system of records in its
inventory of record systems subject to
the provisions of the Privacy Act of
1974, as amended. The system of
records is Veterinary Services—Records
of Accredited Veterinarians, USDA–
APHIS–2. The system, as proposed, has
been adopted; however, we received one
comment, which is addressed in this
notice.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.
Todd Behre, Program Coordinator,
National Veterinary Accreditation
Program, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road
Unit 200, Riverdale, MD 20737; (518)
281–2157.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (5
U.S.C. 552a), requires agencies to
publish in the Federal Register notice of
new or revised systems of records. A
system of records is a group of any
records under the control of any agency,
from which information is retrieved by
the name of an individual or by some
identifying number, symbol, or other
identifying particular assigned to an
individual.
On May 12, 2015, the Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
of the United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA) published in the
Federal Register (80 FR 27142–27145,
APHIS–2012–0103) 1 a proposal to alter
a system of records, entitled Veterinary
Services—Records of Accredited
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
1 To view the notice and the comment we
received, go to https://www.regulations.gov/
#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2012-0103.
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Veterinarians, which maintains
information pertaining to veterinarians
who are or have been accredited, or who
have applied for accreditation, under
the authority of section 10410 of the
Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C.
8309).
Accredited veterinarians are
veterinarians authorized by APHIS to
perform certain services to control and
prevent the spread of animal diseases
within the United States and
internationally. Duties may encompass a
wide range of activities relating to
companion animals, livestock, poultry,
horses, and other animals, including
issuing certificates of veterinary
inspection and health certificates for
animals moving interstate or
internationally; participating in animal
disease surveillance and testing
activities (including surveillance for
emerging and foreign animal diseases);
diagnosing diseases in animals;
developing herd or flock health plans;
and performing veterinary tasks during
animal disease emergencies.
Veterinarians who wish to perform work
for APHIS must become nationally
accredited by APHIS and then
authorized by APHIS to perform
accredited duties in one or more
specific States or territories.
In order to ensure that a veterinarian’s
accreditation is in good standing and
that he or she has received the
appropriate level of training
commensurate with his or her duties,
APHIS maintains information regarding
the veterinarian in the Veterinary
Services—Records of Accredited
Veterinarians system. APHIS maintains
information about accredited
veterinarians in the system in
accordance with the APHIS Records
Management Handbook. Data associated
with accredited veterinarians (including
those whose accreditation has lapsed or
been revoked) will be destroyed when
45 years old. Data will also be destroyed
when the accredited veterinarian is
deceased. The system also contains
information about veterinarians who are
applicants for accredited status.
The system contains records related to
the accreditation status of veterinarians.
The records include name; date of birth;
business name; home and business
mailing addresses, telephone numbers,
and email address; type of employment;
State in which licensed or legally able
to practice veterinary medicine;
veterinary license number; veterinary
medical college graduated and date of
graduation; State(s) in which the
veterinarian is authorized to perform
accredited duties; species of animals the
veterinarian treats; primary medical
discipline; date of core orientation to
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51177
accreditation and State where the
veterinarian completed the orientation;
the veterinarian’s accreditation category;
date of accreditation renewal; APHIS
program certifications; APHIS-approved
supplemental training completed;
whether business contact information
may be provided to members of the
public; and information pertaining to
any alleged or adjudicated violations of
accreditation standards, including
disposition of the case. The system also
assigns a national accreditation number
(NAN) to each registered accredited
veterinarian.
We solicited comments on the notice
for 30 days ending on June 22, 2015. We
received one comment by that date from
an organization that represents
veterinarians. The commenter objected
to the use of dates of birth in the system.
The commenter stated that that the use
of the date of birth was unnecessary and
could present a vulnerability to personal
identity security.
We disagree with the commenter that
the use of the date of birth is
unnecessary. To the contrary, the date of
birth is a necessary identifier. In fact,
there are three main reasons for the use
of the date of birth to maintain records
of accredited veterinarians.
As previously indicated, the system
includes records for each accredited
veterinarian, several of these, when
listed together, are considered unique
identifiers, such as the full name (first
and last names and middle initial), date
of birth, school and year of graduation,
and the system-generated NAN. In some
instances accredited veterinarians with
the same full name also have the same
year and school of graduation. In
addition, some accredited veterinarians
do not remember their NAN, which
consists of a six-digit number that uses
leading 0’s. Some relay their NAN
incorrectly by superimposing numbers,
not using the leading 0’s, etc. In these
cases, the date of birth is used as the
most accurate identifier.
The date of birth is also used when
we find that an accredited veterinarian
has a duplicate record in the database,
which means there were two separate
NANs created. The date of birth is the
single unique identifier used to ensure
that the two records do in fact belong to
the same person, in which case, we
combine the records under one NAN.
Lastly, we conduct classroom training
sessions at major and local veterinary
meetings. Attendance at training
sessions is required for an accredited
veterinarian to renew his or her
accreditation, and each accredited
veterinarian must sign in using his or
her first name, last name, and date of
birth as identifiers. We require the date
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 149 (Wednesday, August 3, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51176-51177]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-18341]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2016-0046]
Secretary's Advisory Committee on Animal Health; Intent To Renew
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We are giving notice that the Secretary of Agriculture intends
to renew the charter for the Secretary's Advisory Committee on Animal
Health for a 2-year period. The Secretary has determined that the
Committee is necessary and in the public interest.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Diane L. Sutton, Designated
Federal Officer, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 43, Riverdale, MD
20737; (301) 851-3509.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee
Act (FACA, 5 U.S.C. App.), notice is hereby given that the Secretary of
Agriculture intends to renew the Secretary's Advisory Committee on
Animal Health (the Committee) for 2 years. The term for the renewed
charter will extend from August 8, 2016, to August 7, 2018.
The Committee advises the Secretary on strategies, policies, and
programs to prevent, control, or eradicate animal diseases. The
Committee considers agricultural initiatives of national scope and
significance and advises on matters of public health, conservation of
national resources, stability of livestock economies, livestock disease
management and traceability strategies, prioritizing animal health
imperatives,
[[Page 51177]]
and other related aspects of agriculture. The Committee Chairperson and
Vice Chairperson are elected by the Committee from among its members.
Done in Washington, DC, this 27th day of July 2016.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-18341 Filed 8-2-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
