Availability of a Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for Release of Aceria drabae for Biological Control of Hoary Cress, 7654 [2018-03552]

Download as PDF 7654 Notices Federal Register Vol. 83, No. 36 Thursday, February 22, 2018 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–2017–0086] Availability of a Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for Release of Aceria drabae for Biological Control of Hoary Cress Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: We are advising the public that an environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact have been prepared by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service relative to the release of the gall mite, Aceria drabae, for classical biological control of hoary cress in the contiguous United States. Based on its finding of no significant impact, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has determined that an environmental impact statement need not be prepared. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Colin D. Stewart, Assistant Director, Pests, Pathogens, and Biocontrol Permits, Permitting and Compliance Coordination, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737– 1231; (301) 851–2327, email: Colin.Stewart@aphis.usda.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is proposing to issue permits for the release of a mite, Aceria drabae, into the continental United States for use as a biological control agent to reduce the severity of hoary cress infestations. On December 5, 2017, we published in the Federal Register (82 FR 57424– 57425, Docket No. APHIS–2017–0086) a notice 1 in which we announced the daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: 1 To view the notice, EA, and FONSI, and the comment we received, go to https:// VerDate Sep<11>2014 20:10 Feb 21, 2018 Jkt 244001 availability, for public review and comment, of an environmental assessment (EA) that examined the potential environmental impacts associated with the proposed release of this biological control agent into the continental United States. We solicited comments on the EA for 30 days ending January 4, 2018. We received one comment by the close of the comment period. The commenter was generally opposed to the release of insects for biological control but did not raise any specific or substantive issues. In this document, we are advising the public of our finding of no significant impact (FONSI) regarding the release of Aceria drabae into the continental United States for use as a biological control agent to reduce the severity of hoary cress infestations. The finding, which is based on the EA, reflects our determination that release of this biological control agent will not have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment. The EA and FONSI may be viewed on the Regulations.gov website (see footnote 1). Copies of the EA and FONSI are also available for public inspection 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. In addition, copies may be obtained by calling or writing to the individual listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. The EA and FONSI have 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). www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS2017-0086. PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Done in Washington, DC, this 15th day of February 2018. Kevin Shea, Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. [FR Doc. 2018–03552 Filed 2–21–18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–34–P COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS Agenda and Notice of Public Meeting of the Rhode Island Advisory Committee Commission on Civil Rights. Announcement of monthly planning meetings. AGENCY: ACTION: Notice is hereby given, pursuant to the provisions of the rules and regulations of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (Commission), and the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), that a planning meeting of the Rhode Island State Advisory Committee to the Commission will convene by conference call, on Tuesday, March 6, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. (EST). The purpose of the meeting is project planning so that members can begin discussing potential topics for its civil rights project. SUMMARY: Tuesday, March 6, 2018, at 11:00 a.m. (EST). Public Call-In Information: Conference call number: 1–800–310– 7032 and conference call ID: 2757439. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Barbara de La Viez, at ero@usccr.gov or by phone at 202–376–7533 SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Interested members of the public may listen to the discussion by calling the following tollfree conference call number: 1–800– 310–7032 and conference call ID: 2757439. Please be advised that before placing them into the conference call, the conference call operator may ask callers to provide their names, their organizational affiliations (if any), and email addresses (so that callers may be notified of future meetings). Callers can expect to incur charges for calls they initiate over wireless lines, and the Commission will not refund any incurred charges. Callers will incur no charge for calls they initiate over landline connections to the toll-free telephone number herein. Persons with hearing impairments may also follow the discussion by first DATES: E:\FR\FM\22FEN1.SGM 22FEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 36 (Thursday, February 22, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Page 7654]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-03552]


========================================================================
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. 83, No. 36 / Thursday, February 22, 2018 / 
Notices

[[Page 7654]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2017-0086]


Availability of a Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of 
No Significant Impact for Release of Aceria drabae for Biological 
Control of Hoary Cress

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: We are advising the public that an environmental assessment 
and finding of no significant impact have been prepared by the Animal 
and Plant Health Inspection Service relative to the release of the gall 
mite, Aceria drabae, for classical biological control of hoary cress in 
the contiguous United States. Based on its finding of no significant 
impact, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has determined 
that an environmental impact statement need not be prepared.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Colin D. Stewart, Assistant 
Director, Pests, Pathogens, and Biocontrol Permits, Permitting and 
Compliance Coordination, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 133, 
Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 851-2327, email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service (APHIS) is proposing to issue permits for the release of a 
mite, Aceria drabae, into the continental United States for use as a 
biological control agent to reduce the severity of hoary cress 
infestations.
    On December 5, 2017, we published in the Federal Register (82 FR 
57424-57425, Docket No. APHIS-2017-0086) a notice \1\ in which we 
announced the availability, for public review and comment, of an 
environmental assessment (EA) that examined the potential environmental 
impacts associated with the proposed release of this biological control 
agent into the continental United States.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ To view the notice, EA, and FONSI, and the comment we 
received, go to https://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-
2017-0086.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We solicited comments on the EA for 30 days ending January 4, 2018. 
We received one comment by the close of the comment period. The 
commenter was generally opposed to the release of insects for 
biological control but did not raise any specific or substantive 
issues.
    In this document, we are advising the public of our finding of no 
significant impact (FONSI) regarding the release of Aceria drabae into 
the continental United States for use as a biological control agent to 
reduce the severity of hoary cress infestations. The finding, which is 
based on the EA, reflects our determination that release of this 
biological control agent will not have a significant impact on the 
quality of the human environment.
    The EA and FONSI may be viewed on the Regulations.gov website (see 
footnote 1). Copies of the EA and FONSI are also available for public 
inspection 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. In addition, copies 
may be obtained by calling or writing to the individual listed under 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
    The EA and FONSI have 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 15th day of February 2018.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2018-03552 Filed 2-21-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-34-P

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