Environmental Impact Statement; Grasshopper and Mormon Cricket Suppression Program, 60338-60339 [2016-21082]
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60338
Notices
Federal Register
Vol. 81, No. 170
Thursday, September 1, 2016
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–2016–0045]
Environmental Impact Statement;
Grasshopper and Mormon Cricket
Suppression Program
Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an
environmental impact statement.
AGENCY:
We are advising the public
that the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service plans to prepare an
environmental impact statement to
analyze the effects of a program to
suppress populations of grasshoppers
and Mormon cricket from 17 States in
the western United States. This notice
identifies potential issues and
alternatives that will be studied in the
environmental impact statement, and
requests public comments to further
delineate the scope of the alternatives
and environmental impacts and issues.
DATES: We will consider all comments
that we receive on or before October 17,
2016.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
by either of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov/
#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2016-0045.
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery:
Send your comment to Docket No.
APHIS–2016–0045, 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-2016-0045 or
in our reading room, which is located in
room 1141 of the USDA South Building,
14th Street and Independence Avenue
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:14 Aug 31, 2016
Jkt 238001
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) 799–7039
before coming.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
questions related to the Grasshopper
and Mormon Cricket Suppression
Program, contact Mr. William D.
Wesela, APHIS National Grasshopper
and Mormon Cricket Program Manager,
William.D.Wesela@aphis.usda.gov,
(301) 851–2229. For questions related to
the environmental impact statement,
contact Dr. Jim Warren, Environmental
Protection Specialist, Environmental
and Risk Analysis Services, PPD,
APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 149,
Riverdale, MD 20737; Jim.E.Warren@
aphis.usda.gov; (202) 316–3216.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: About 400
species of grasshoppers inhabit the 17
western States (Arizona, California,
Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana,
Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North
Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South
Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and
Wyoming) involved in the Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service’s
(APHIS’) cooperative grasshopper
suppression program, but only a small
percentage are considered pest species.
APHIS assists Federal land management
agencies and State, county, and local
governments during rangeland pest
outbreaks. Grasshoppers and Mormon
crickets (hereafter referred to
collectively as grasshoppers) feed on
and damage grasses and other
vegetation, including some adjacent
crops.
Rangeland in the western United
States is a valuable agricultural resource
for livestock production. Other
economic benefits include energy
production sites and recreation uses.
Rangelands also provide numerous
ecosystem benefits, such as protection
of water and soil quality, nutrient
cycling and serve as habitat for a variety
of wildlife. Grasshoppers are natural
components of this ecosystem; however,
their populations can reach outbreak
levels and cause serious economic
losses to rangeland forage, especially
when accompanied by a drought. A
rapid and effective response is required
when a grasshopper outbreak develops
and threatens rangeland forage.
Currently, APHIS conducts surveys
for grasshopper populations on
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
rangeland in the western United States,
provides technical assistance on
grasshopper management to land
owners/managers, and cooperatively
suppresses grasshoppers when direct
intervention is requested by a Federal
land management agency or a State
agriculture department and deemed
necessary.
Under the provisions of the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C 4321 et
seq.), Federal agencies must examine
the potential environmental effects of
the proposed Federal actions and
alternatives. As such, we intend to
prepare an environmental impact
statement (EIS) to examine the
environmental effects of control
alternatives available to the agency,
including a no action alternative. The
EIS will be used for planning and
decisionmaking and to inform the
public about the environmental effects
of APHIS’ grasshopper suppression
activities. It will also provide an
overview of APHIS activities to which
we can tier site-specific analyses and
environmental assessments if new
grasshopper infestations are discovered
in the affected States.
We are requesting public comment to
help us identify or confirm potential
alternatives and environmental issues
that should be examined in the EIS, as
well as comments that identify other
issues that should be examined in the
EIS.
The EIS will be prepared in
accordance with: (1) NEPA, (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).
We have identified three alternatives
for further examination in the EIS:
No action. Under this alternative,
APHIS would maintain the program that
was described in the 2002 EIS and
Record of Decision. APHIS may opt to
provide technical assistance, but any
suppression program would be
implemented by a Federal land
management agency, a State agriculture
department, a local government, or a
private group or individual.
No suppression program. Under this
alternative, APHIS would not fund or
E:\FR\FM\01SEN1.SGM
01SEN1
asabaliauskas on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 170 / Thursday, September 1, 2016 / Notices
participate in any program to suppress
grasshopper infestations. APHIS may
opt to provide technical assistance, but
any suppression program would be
implemented by a Federal land
management agency, a State agriculture
department, a local government, or a
private group or individual.
Insecticide applications at
conventional rates or reduced agent
area treatments. This alternative would
update the information and technologies
that were analyzed in the 2002 EIS. The
insecticides available for use by APHIS
include the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency-registered chemicals
carbaryl, diflubenzuron,
chlorantraniliprole, and malathion.
Carbaryl and malathion are
cholinesterase inhibitors which effects
the nervous system. Diflubenzuron is an
insect growth regulator.
Chlorantraniliprole affects the nervous
system by activating ryanodine
receptors in insects. Only one
insecticide would be used at a time, and
would be applied at a rate that is
normally or conventionally used for
grasshopper suppression treatments, or
could be applied as a reduced agent area
treatment (RAATs). The RAATs strategy
uses a reduced rate of insecticide from
conventional levels by alternating
treatment swaths in a spray block,
reduced application rates, or both. The
RAATs strategy suppresses
grasshoppers within treated swaths,
while conserving grasshopper predators
and parasites in swaths that are not
treated. An adaptive approach of either
conventional rates or RAATs will allow
the program to make site-specific
suppression applications using a range
of application rates to ensure adequate
suppression.
We have identified the following
potential environmental impacts or
issues for further examination in the
EIS:
• Effects on wildlife, including
consideration of migratory bird species
and changes in native wildlife habitat
and populations, and federally listed
endangered and threatened species.
• Effects on soil, air, and water
quality.
• Effects on human health and safety.
• Effects on cultural and historic
resources.
• Effects on economic resources.
All comments on this notice 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 invitation to
comment on it will be published in the
Federal Register.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:14 Aug 31, 2016
Jkt 238001
Done in Washington, DC, this 26th day of
August 2016.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2016–21082 Filed 8–31–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Glenn and Colusa County Resource
Advisory Committee
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of meeting.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The Glenn and Colusa County
Resource Advisory Committee (RAC)
will meet in Willows, California. The
committee is authorized under the
Secure Rural Schools and Community
Self-Determination Act (the Act) and
operates in compliance with the Federal
Advisory Committee Act. The purpose
of the committee is to improve
collaborative relationships and to
provide advice and recommendations to
the Forest Service concerning projects
and funding consistent with title II of
the Act. RAC information can be found
at the following Web site: https://
www.fs.usda.gov/main/pts/
specialprojects/racweb.
DATES: The meeting will be held on
September 19, 2016, from 1:00 p.m. to
4:00 p.m.
All RAC meetings are subject to
cancellation. For status of meeting prior
to attendance, please contact the person
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at
the USDA Mendocino National Forest,
Snow Mountain Conference Room, 825
North Humboldt Avenue, Willows,
California.
Written comments may be submitted
as described under SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION. 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 the USDA
Mendocino National Forest, Grindstone
Ranger District, 825 North Humboldt
Avenue, Willows, California. Please call
ahead at 530–934–3316 to facilitate
entry into the building.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Zachary Rich, Committee Coordinator
by phone at 530–934–1259, or via email
at zrich@fs.fed.us.
Individuals who use
telecommunication devices for the deaf
(TDD) may call the Federal Information
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
60339
Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339
between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.,
Eastern Standard Time, Monday
through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
purpose of the meeting is to discuss
current or completed projects and
present new projects for review.
The meeting is open to the public.
The agenda will include time for people
to make oral statements of three minutes
or less. Individuals wishing to make an
oral statement should request in writing
by September 12, 2016, to be scheduled
on the agenda. Anyone who would like
to bring related matters to the attention
of the committee may file written
statements with the committee staff
before or after the meeting. Written
comments and requests for time for oral
comments must be sent to Zachary Rich,
Committee Coordinator, USDA
Mendocino National Forest, Grindstone
Ranger District, 825 North Humboldt
Avenue, Willows, California 95988; or
by email to zrich@fs.fed.us, or via
facsimile to 530–934–7384.
Meeting Accommodations: If you are
a person requiring reasonable
accommodation, please make requests
in advance for sign language
interpreting, assistive listening devices
or other reasonable accommodation. For
access to the facility or proceedings,
please contact the person listed in the
section titled FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT. All reasonable
accommodation requests are managed
on a case by case basis.
Dated: August 25, 2016.
Eduardo Olmedo,
District Ranger.
[FR Doc. 2016–21060 Filed 8–31–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Tehama County Resource Advisory
Committee
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of meeting.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The Tehama County Resource
Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet in
Red Bluff, California. The committee is
authorized under the Secure Rural
Schools and Community SelfDetermination Act (the Act) and
operates in compliance with the Federal
Advisory Committee Act. The purpose
of the committee is to improve
collaborative relationships and to
provide advice and recommendations to
the Forest Service concerning projects
and funding consistent with title II of
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\01SEN1.SGM
01SEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 170 (Thursday, September 1, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60338-60339]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-21082]
========================================================================
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. 81, No. 170 / Thursday, September 1, 2016 /
Notices
[[Page 60338]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2016-0045]
Environmental Impact Statement; Grasshopper and Mormon Cricket
Suppression Program
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service plans to prepare an environmental impact statement
to analyze the effects of a program to suppress populations of
grasshoppers and Mormon cricket from 17 States in the western United
States. This notice identifies potential issues and alternatives that
will be studied in the environmental impact statement, and requests
public comments to further delineate the scope of the alternatives and
environmental impacts and issues.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before
October 17, 2016.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2016-0045.
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to
Docket No. APHIS-2016-0045, 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-2016-
0045 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) 799-7039 before coming.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions related to the
Grasshopper and Mormon Cricket Suppression Program, contact Mr. William
D. Wesela, APHIS National Grasshopper and Mormon Cricket Program
Manager, William.D.Wesela@aphis.usda.gov, (301) 851-2229. For questions
related to the environmental impact statement, contact Dr. Jim Warren,
Environmental Protection Specialist, Environmental and Risk Analysis
Services, PPD, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 149, Riverdale, MD 20737;
Jim.E.Warren@aphis.usda.gov; (202) 316-3216.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: About 400 species of grasshoppers inhabit
the 17 western States (Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas,
Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon,
South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming) involved in the
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's (APHIS') cooperative
grasshopper suppression program, but only a small percentage are
considered pest species. APHIS assists Federal land management agencies
and State, county, and local governments during rangeland pest
outbreaks. Grasshoppers and Mormon crickets (hereafter referred to
collectively as grasshoppers) feed on and damage grasses and other
vegetation, including some adjacent crops.
Rangeland in the western United States is a valuable agricultural
resource for livestock production. Other economic benefits include
energy production sites and recreation uses. Rangelands also provide
numerous ecosystem benefits, such as protection of water and soil
quality, nutrient cycling and serve as habitat for a variety of
wildlife. Grasshoppers are natural components of this ecosystem;
however, their populations can reach outbreak levels and cause serious
economic losses to rangeland forage, especially when accompanied by a
drought. A rapid and effective response is required when a grasshopper
outbreak develops and threatens rangeland forage.
Currently, APHIS conducts surveys for grasshopper populations on
rangeland in the western United States, provides technical assistance
on grasshopper management to land owners/managers, and cooperatively
suppresses grasshoppers when direct intervention is requested by a
Federal land management agency or a State agriculture department and
deemed necessary.
Under the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C 4321 et seq.), Federal agencies must
examine the potential environmental effects of the proposed Federal
actions and alternatives. As such, we intend to prepare an
environmental impact statement (EIS) to examine the environmental
effects of control alternatives available to the agency, including a no
action alternative. The EIS will be used for planning and
decisionmaking and to inform the public about the environmental effects
of APHIS' grasshopper suppression activities. It will also provide an
overview of APHIS activities to which we can tier site-specific
analyses and environmental assessments if new grasshopper infestations
are discovered in the affected States.
We are requesting public comment to help us identify or confirm
potential alternatives and environmental issues that should be examined
in the EIS, as well as comments that identify other issues that should
be examined in the EIS.
The EIS will be prepared in accordance with: (1) NEPA, (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).
We have identified three alternatives for further examination in
the EIS:
No action. Under this alternative, APHIS would maintain the program
that was described in the 2002 EIS and Record of Decision. APHIS may
opt to provide technical assistance, but any suppression program would
be implemented by a Federal land management agency, a State agriculture
department, a local government, or a private group or individual.
No suppression program. Under this alternative, APHIS would not
fund or
[[Page 60339]]
participate in any program to suppress grasshopper infestations. APHIS
may opt to provide technical assistance, but any suppression program
would be implemented by a Federal land management agency, a State
agriculture department, a local government, or a private group or
individual.
Insecticide applications at conventional rates or reduced agent
area treatments. This alternative would update the information and
technologies that were analyzed in the 2002 EIS. The insecticides
available for use by APHIS include the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency-registered chemicals carbaryl, diflubenzuron,
chlorantraniliprole, and malathion. Carbaryl and malathion are
cholinesterase inhibitors which effects the nervous system.
Diflubenzuron is an insect growth regulator. Chlorantraniliprole
affects the nervous system by activating ryanodine receptors in
insects. Only one insecticide would be used at a time, and would be
applied at a rate that is normally or conventionally used for
grasshopper suppression treatments, or could be applied as a reduced
agent area treatment (RAATs). The RAATs strategy uses a reduced rate of
insecticide from conventional levels by alternating treatment swaths in
a spray block, reduced application rates, or both. The RAATs strategy
suppresses grasshoppers within treated swaths, while conserving
grasshopper predators and parasites in swaths that are not treated. An
adaptive approach of either conventional rates or RAATs will allow the
program to make site-specific suppression applications using a range of
application rates to ensure adequate suppression.
We have identified the following potential environmental impacts or
issues for further examination in the EIS:
Effects on wildlife, including consideration of migratory
bird species and changes in native wildlife habitat and populations,
and federally listed endangered and threatened species.
Effects on soil, air, and water quality.
Effects on human health and safety.
Effects on cultural and historic resources.
Effects on economic resources.
All comments on this notice 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 invitation to comment
on it will be published in the Federal Register.
Done in Washington, DC, this 26th day of August 2016.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-21082 Filed 8-31-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
