Verdeca LLC; Availability of a Petition for Determination of Nonregulated Status of Soybean Genetically Engineered for Increased Yield, 52873-52874 [2017-24634]
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52873
Notices
Federal Register
Vol. 82, No. 219
Wednesday, November 15, 2017
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–2017–0075]
Verdeca LLC; Availability of a Petition
for Determination of Nonregulated
Status of Soybean Genetically
Engineered for Increased Yield
Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
We are advising the public
that the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (APHIS) has received
a petition from Verdeca LLC seeking a
determination of nonregulated status for
the new plant variety HB4 soybean
designated as IND–00410–5, which has
been genetically engineered for
increased yield. The petition has been
submitted in accordance with our
regulations concerning the introduction
of certain genetically engineered
organisms and products. We are making
the Verdeca LLC petition available for
review and comment to help us identify
potential environmental and
interrelated economic issues and
impacts that APHIS may determine
should be considered in our evaluation
of the petition.
DATES: We will consider all comments
that we receive on or before January 16,
2018.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
by either of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov/#!docket
Detail;D=APHIS-2017-0075.
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery:
Send your comment to Docket No.
APHIS–2017–0075, 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
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:58 Nov 14, 2017
Jkt 244001
may be viewed at https://
www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=
APHIS-2017-0075 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.
The petition is also available on the
APHIS Web site at https://
www.aphis.usda.gov/biotechnology/
petitions_table_pending.shtml under
APHIS petition 17–223–01p.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.
John Turner, Director, Biotechnology
Risk Analysis Programs, BRS, APHIS,
4700 River Road Unit 147, Riverdale,
MD 20737–1236; (301) 851–3954, email:
john.t.turner@aphis.usda.gov. To obtain
copies of the petition contact Ms. Cindy
Eck at (301) 851–3892, email:
cynthia.a.eck@aphis.usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the
authority of the plant pest provisions of
the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701
et seq.), the regulations in 7 CFR part
340, ‘‘Introduction of Organisms and
Products Altered or Produced Through
Genetic Engineering Which Are Plant
Pests or Which There Is Reason to
Believe Are Plant Pests,’’ regulate,
among other things, the introduction
(importation, interstate movement, or
release into the environment) of
organisms and products altered or
produced through genetic engineering
that are plant pests or that there is
reason to believe are plant pests. Such
genetically engineered organisms and
products are considered ‘‘regulated
articles.’’
The regulations in § 340.6(a) provide
that any person may submit a petition
to the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (APHIS) seeking a
determination that an article should not
be regulated under 7 CFR part 340.
Paragraphs (b) and (c) of § 340.6
describe the form that a petition for a
determination of nonregulated status
must take and the information that must
be included in the petition.
APHIS has received a petition (APHIS
Petition Number 17–223–01p) from
Verdeca LLC (Verdeca), seeking a
determination of nonregulated status for
the new plant variety called HB4
soybean (Glycine max) designated as
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
event IND–00410–5 that has been
genetically engineered for increased
yield, stating that this soybean is
unlikely to pose a plant pest risk and,
therefore, should not be a regulated
article under APHIS’ regulations in 7
CFR part 340.
As described in the petition, soybean
event IND–00410–5 has been genetically
engineered to increase yield through the
insertion of the HaHB4 transcription
factor gene variant from the sunflower
(Helianthus annuus). This gene
improves plant fitness by reducing its
sensitivity to ethylene, which would
otherwise negatively impact growth,
allowing the soybean to grow in a
greater variety of environments with
reduced negative impact on growth,
development, and yield. Soybean event
IND–00410–5 is currently regulated
under 7 CFR part 340. Interstate
movements and field tests of soybean
event IND–00410–5 have been
conducted under permits issued or
notifications acknowledged by APHIS.
Field tests conducted under APHIS
oversight allowed for evaluation in a
natural agricultural setting while
imposing measures to minimize the risk
of persistence in the environment after
completion of the test. Data are gathered
on multiple parameters and used by the
applicant to evaluate agronomic
characteristics and product
performance. These and other data are
used by APHIS to determine if the new
variety poses a plant pest risk.
In accordance with § 340.6(d) of the
regulations, we are publishing this
notice to inform the public that APHIS
will accept written comments regarding
the petition for a determination of
nonregulated status from interested or
affected persons for a period of 60 days
from the date of this notice. The petition
is available for public review, and
copies are available as indicated under
ADDRESSES and FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT above. We are
interested in receiving comments
regarding potential environmental and
interrelated economic issues and
impacts that APHIS may determine
should be considered in our evaluation
of the petition. We are particularly
interested in receiving comments
regarding biological, cultural, or
ecological issues, and we encourage the
submission of scientific data, studies, or
research to support your comments. We
also request that, when possible,
E:\FR\FM\15NON1.SGM
15NON1
52874
Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 219 / Wednesday, November 15, 2017 / Notices
commenters provide relevant
information regarding specific localities
or regions as soybean growth, crop
management, and crop utilization may
vary considerably by geographic region.
After the comment period closes,
APHIS will review all written comments
received during the comment period
and any other relevant information; any
substantive issues identified by APHIS
based on our review of the petition and
our evaluation and analysis of
comments will be considered in the
development of our decisionmaking
documents.
As part of our decisionmaking process
regarding a genetically engineered
organism’s regulatory status, APHIS
prepares a plant pest risk assessment
(PPRA) to assess its plant pest risk and
the appropriate environmental
documentation—either an
environmental assessment (EA) or an
environmental impact statement (EIS)—
in accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), to
provide the Agency with a review and
analysis of any potential environmental
impacts associated with the petition
request. For petitions for which APHIS
prepares an EA, APHIS will publish a
separate notice in the Federal Register
announcing the availability of the EA
and PPRA. Should we determine that an
EIS is necessary, APHIS will complete
the NEPA EIS process in accordance
with Council on Environmental Quality
regulations (40 CFR part 1500–1508)
and APHIS’ NEPA implementing
regulations (7 CFR part 372).
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 8th day of
November 2017.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2017–24634 Filed 11–14–17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Farm Service Agency
Information Collection Request,
Volunteer Program
Farm Service Agency, USDA.
Notice; request for comments.
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
AGENCY:
ACTION:
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the
Farm Service Agency (FSA) is
requesting comments from all interested
individuals and organizations on an
extension of a currently approved
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:58 Nov 14, 2017
Jkt 244001
information collection associated with
the Volunteer Program.
DATES: We will consider comments that
we receive by January 16, 2018.
ADDRESSES: We invite you to submit
comments on this notice. In your
comment, include the volume, date, and
page number of this issue of the Federal
Register. You may submit comments by
any of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to:
www.regulations.gov. Follow the online
instructions for submitting comments.
• Mail, Hand-Delivery or Courier: Ms.
Shannon (Logan) Morrison, USDA, FSA,
Human Resources Division, HCSPIB,
355 E Street SW., 12th Floor,
Washington, DC 20024.
You may also send comments to the
Desk Officer for Agriculture, Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Office of Management and Budget,
Washington, DC 20503. Comments will
be available for inspection online at
https://www.regulations.gov.
Copies of the information collection
may be requested by contacting
Shannon (Logan) Morrison at the above
address. Persons with disabilities who
require alternative means of
communications should contact the
USDA Target center at (202)720–2600
(voice).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
specific questions related to collection
activities, Ms. Shannon (Logan)
Morrison; (202) 401–0165.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Volunteer Program.
OMB Control Number: 0560–0232.
Expiration Date for Approval: January
31, 2018.
Type of Request: Extension.
Abstract: Section 1526 of the
Agriculture and Food Act of 1981 (7
U.S.C. 2272) authorizes the Secretary of
Agriculture to establish a program (‘‘the
Volunteer Program’’) to use volunteers
to perform a wide range of activities to
carry out the programs of the
Department of Agriculture. In addition,
5 U.S.C. 3111 grants agencies the
authority to establish programs designed
to provide educationally-related work
assignments for students in non-pay
status. For FSA’s volunteer program,
each volunteer must follow the same
responsibilities and guidelines for
conduct that Federal government
employees are expected to follow. The
volunteers, who are mainly students
participating in the sponsored volunteer
program, must complete a service
agreement, attendance records, and
other forms, and provide the required
supporting documents to FSA. The
information will allow FSA to
effectively recruit, train, and accept
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
volunteers to carry out programs
supported by the Department of
Agriculture, therefore benefitting
volunteers, the Department of
Agriculture, and the general public.
Without the information, FSA will be
unable to document the services
provided by the volunteers. FSA will
report the collected information to
offices within the Department of
Agriculture and the Office of Personnel
Management that request information
on the Volunteer Program.
FSA continues to use forms AD–2022,
AD–2023, AD–2024, and AD–2025 in
the Volunteer Program. There is no
change to the burden hours since the
last OMB approval. Also, FSA will
remove the FSA-related burden for form
OF301 from the generic information
collection request approved under OMB
control number 0596–0080; FSA had
previously used form OF301, but no
longer uses that form.
For the following estimated total
annual burden on respondents, the
formula used to calculate the total
burden hours is the estimated average
time per response multiplied by the
estimated total annual responses.
Estimate of Average Time to Respond:
Public reporting burden for collecting
information under this notice is
estimated to average 15 minutes (0.25)
per response for each of the 4 forms,
including the time for reviewing
instructions, searching existing data
sources, gathering and maintaining the
data needed, and completing and
reviewing the collection of information
for all respondent. Therefore, it would
be an average 0.38 hours per response
in this collection.
Type of Respondents: Any
individuals.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
20.
Estimated Number of Responses per
Respondent: 4.
Estimated Total Annual Reponses: 80.
Estimated Average Time per
Response: 0.38 hours.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on
Respondents: 30 hours.
We are requesting comments on all
aspects of this information to help us to:
(1) Evaluate 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;
(2) Evaluate the accuracy of the
agency’s estimate of the burden of the
collection of information, including the
validity of the methodology and
assumptions used;
E:\FR\FM\15NON1.SGM
15NON1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 219 (Wednesday, November 15, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52873-52874]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-24634]
========================================================================
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. 82, No. 219 / Wednesday, November 15, 2017 /
Notices
[[Page 52873]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2017-0075]
Verdeca LLC; Availability of a Petition for Determination of
Nonregulated Status of Soybean Genetically Engineered for Increased
Yield
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (APHIS) has received a petition from Verdeca LLC
seeking a determination of nonregulated status for the new plant
variety HB4 soybean designated as IND-00410-5, which has been
genetically engineered for increased yield. The petition has been
submitted in accordance with our regulations concerning the
introduction of certain genetically engineered organisms and products.
We are making the Verdeca LLC petition available for review and comment
to help us identify potential environmental and interrelated economic
issues and impacts that APHIS may determine should be considered in our
evaluation of the petition.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before
January 16, 2018.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2017-0075.
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to
Docket No. APHIS-2017-0075, 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-2017-
0075 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.
The petition is also available on the APHIS Web site at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/biotechnology/petitions_table_pending.shtml under
APHIS petition 17-223-01p.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. John Turner, Director,
Biotechnology Risk Analysis Programs, BRS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit
147, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 851-3954, email:
john.t.turner@aphis.usda.gov. To obtain copies of the petition contact
Ms. Cindy Eck at (301) 851-3892, email: cynthia.a.eck@aphis.usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the authority of the plant pest
provisions of the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.), the
regulations in 7 CFR part 340, ``Introduction of Organisms and Products
Altered or Produced Through Genetic Engineering Which Are Plant Pests
or Which There Is Reason to Believe Are Plant Pests,'' regulate, among
other things, the introduction (importation, interstate movement, or
release into the environment) of organisms and products altered or
produced through genetic engineering that are plant pests or that there
is reason to believe are plant pests. Such genetically engineered
organisms and products are considered ``regulated articles.''
The regulations in Sec. [thinsp]340.6(a) provide that any person
may submit a petition to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
(APHIS) seeking a determination that an article should not be regulated
under 7 CFR part 340. Paragraphs (b) and (c) of Sec. [thinsp]340.6
describe the form that a petition for a determination of nonregulated
status must take and the information that must be included in the
petition.
APHIS has received a petition (APHIS Petition Number 17-223-01p)
from Verdeca LLC (Verdeca), seeking a determination of nonregulated
status for the new plant variety called HB4 soybean (Glycine max)
designated as event IND-00410-5 that has been genetically engineered
for increased yield, stating that this soybean is unlikely to pose a
plant pest risk and, therefore, should not be a regulated article under
APHIS' regulations in 7 CFR part 340.
As described in the petition, soybean event IND-00410-5 has been
genetically engineered to increase yield through the insertion of the
HaHB4 transcription factor gene variant from the sunflower (Helianthus
annuus). This gene improves plant fitness by reducing its sensitivity
to ethylene, which would otherwise negatively impact growth, allowing
the soybean to grow in a greater variety of environments with reduced
negative impact on growth, development, and yield. Soybean event IND-
00410-5 is currently regulated under 7 CFR part 340. Interstate
movements and field tests of soybean event IND-00410-5 have been
conducted under permits issued or notifications acknowledged by APHIS.
Field tests conducted under APHIS oversight allowed for evaluation in a
natural agricultural setting while imposing measures to minimize the
risk of persistence in the environment after completion of the test.
Data are gathered on multiple parameters and used by the applicant to
evaluate agronomic characteristics and product performance. These and
other data are used by APHIS to determine if the new variety poses a
plant pest risk.
In accordance with Sec. [thinsp]340.6(d) of the regulations, we
are publishing this notice to inform the public that APHIS will accept
written comments regarding the petition for a determination of
nonregulated status from interested or affected persons for a period of
60 days from the date of this notice. The petition is available for
public review, and copies are available as indicated under ADDRESSES
and FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT above. We are interested in
receiving comments regarding potential environmental and interrelated
economic issues and impacts that APHIS may determine should be
considered in our evaluation of the petition. We are particularly
interested in receiving comments regarding biological, cultural, or
ecological issues, and we encourage the submission of scientific data,
studies, or research to support your comments. We also request that,
when possible,
[[Page 52874]]
commenters provide relevant information regarding specific localities
or regions as soybean growth, crop management, and crop utilization may
vary considerably by geographic region.
After the comment period closes, APHIS will review all written
comments received during the comment period and any other relevant
information; any substantive issues identified by APHIS based on our
review of the petition and our evaluation and analysis of comments will
be considered in the development of our decisionmaking documents.
As part of our decisionmaking process regarding a genetically
engineered organism's regulatory status, APHIS prepares a plant pest
risk assessment (PPRA) to assess its plant pest risk and the
appropriate environmental documentation--either an environmental
assessment (EA) or an environmental impact statement (EIS)--in
accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), to
provide the Agency with a review and analysis of any potential
environmental impacts associated with the petition request. For
petitions for which APHIS prepares an EA, APHIS will publish a separate
notice in the Federal Register announcing the availability of the EA
and PPRA. Should we determine that an EIS is necessary, APHIS will
complete the NEPA EIS process in accordance with Council on
Environmental Quality regulations (40 CFR part 1500-1508) and APHIS'
NEPA implementing regulations (7 CFR part 372).
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 8th day of November 2017.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-24634 Filed 11-14-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
