Notice of Availability of an Environmental Assessment for the Release of Aphalara Itadori for the Biological Control of Japanese, Giant, and Bohemian Knotweeds, 24463-24464 [2019-11026]
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 102 / Tuesday, May 28, 2019 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service
[Docket No. APHIS–2019–0017]
Notice of Availability of an
Environmental Assessment for the
Release of Cheilosia urbana for
Biological Control of Invasive
Hawkweeds
Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
AGENCY:
We are advising the public
that the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service has prepared an
environmental assessment relative to
permitting the release of the hoverfly
Cheilosia urbana for the biological
control of invasive hawkweeds
(Pilosella species) within the contiguous
United States. Based on the
environmental assessment and other
relevant data, we have reached a
preliminary determination that the
release of these control agents will not
have a significant impact on the quality
of the human environment. We are
making the environmental assessment
available to the public for review and
comment.
DATES: We will consider all comments
that we receive on or before June 27,
2019.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
by either of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov/#!
docketDetail;D=APHIS-2019-0017.
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery:
Send your comment to Docket No.
APHIS–2019–0017, 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-2019-0017 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: 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–
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SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
20:49 May 24, 2019
Jkt 247001
1231; (301) 851–2237; email:
Colin.Stewart@usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Hawkweeds are invasive weeds of moist
pastures, forest meadows, and mountain
rangelands with a moderate amount of
moisture. Habitats most vulnerable to
invasion include human-disturbed sites,
such as roadsides and hayfields, and
abandoned farmland. The following
hawkweeds are considered noxious in
many western States and are currently
targets for biological control: Pilosella
flagellaris (whiplash hawkweed),
Pilosella floribunda (king devil
hawkweed), Pilosella glomerata (queen
devil or yellow devil hawkweed),
Pilosella officinarum (mouse-ear
hawkweed), and Pilosella piloselloides
(tall hawkweed).
Cheilosia urbana is a very common
and widespread hoverfly in Europe. The
fly’s potential range in North America is
expected to match much of the
distributions of the targeted Pilosella
(hawkweed) species that occur in the
northwestern United States and
northeastern United States, including
southwestern and southeastern Canada.
Permitting the release of Cheilosia
urbana is necessary to reduce the
severity of invasive hawkweed
infestations and economic losses since
other alternatives are not effective or
feasible.
The Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service’s (APHIS’) review
and analysis of the potential
environmental impacts associated with
the proposed release are documented in
detail in an environmental assessment
(EA) entitled ‘‘Field Release of the
Hoverfly Cheilosia urbana (Diptera:
Syrphidae) for Biological Control of
Invasive Pilosella species hawkweeds
(Asteraceae) in the contiguous United
States’’ (July 2018). We are making the
EA available to the public for review
and comment. We will consider all
comments that we receive on or before
the date listed under the heading DATES
at the beginning of this notice.
The EA may be viewed on the
Regulations.gov website or in our
reading room (see ADDRESSES above
for a link to Regulations.gov and
information on the location and hours of
the reading room). You may also request
paper copies of the EA by calling or
writing to the person listed under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Please
refer to the title of the EA when
requesting copies.
The EA has 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
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
24463
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 21st day of
May 2019.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2019–11027 Filed 5–24–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service
[Docket No. APHIS–2019–0002]
Notice of Availability of an
Environmental Assessment for the
Release of Aphalara Itadori for the
Biological Control of Japanese, Giant,
and Bohemian Knotweeds
Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
AGENCY:
We are advising the public
that the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service has prepared an
environmental assessment relative to
permitting the release of Aphalara
itadori for the biological control of
Japanese, Giant, and Bohemian
knotweeds (Fallopia japonica, F.
sachalinensis, and F. x bohemica),
significant invasive weeds, within the
contiguous United States. Based on the
environmental assessment and other
relevant data, we have reached a
preliminary determination that the
release of this biological control
organism will not have a significant
impact on the quality of the human
environment. We are making the
environmental assessment available to
the public for review and comment.
DATES: We will consider all comments
that we receive on or before June 27,
2019.
SUMMARY:
You may submit comments
by either of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov/#!
docketDetail;D=APHIS-2019-0002.
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery:
Send your comment to Docket No.
APHIS–2019–0002, 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
ADDRESSES:
E:\FR\FM\28MYN1.SGM
28MYN1
jbell on DSK3GLQ082PROD with NOTICES
24464
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 102 / Tuesday, May 28, 2019 / Notices
may be viewed at https://
www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;
D=APHIS-2019-0002 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) 7997039 before coming.
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) 851–2237; email:
Colin.Stewart@usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Invasive
knotweeds in North America are a
complex of three closely related species
in the family Polygonaceae that were
introduced from Japan during the late
19th century. They include Fallopia
japonica (Japanese knotweed), F.
sachalinensis (Giant knotweed), and the
hybrid between the two, F. x bohemica
(Bohemian knotweed). These large
herbaceous perennials have spread
throughout much of North America,
with the greatest infestations in the
Pacific Northwest, the northeast of the
United States, and eastern Canada.
While capable of growing in diverse
habitats, the knotweeds have become
especially problematic along the banks
and floodplains of rivers and streams,
where they crowd out native plants and
potentially affect stream nutrients and
food webs. While several States have
active control programs against
knotweeds, the inaccessibility of some
of the infestations and the difficulty
with which the plants are killed suggest
that complete eradication of knotweeds
within the United States is unlikely.
The Hokkaido and Kyushu biotypes of
the insect Aphalara itadori were chosen
as potential biological control
organisms. The biotypes are expected to
reduce the severity of infestations of
Japanese, Giant, and Bohemian
knotweed, and are known to be highly
host specific due to their intimate
relationship with their host plants.
The Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service’s (APHIS’) review
and analysis of the potential
environmental impacts associated with
the proposed release are documented in
detail in an environmental assessment
(EA) entitled ‘‘Field Release of the
Knotweed Psyllid Aphalara itadori
(Hemiptera: Psyllidae) for Classical
Biological Control of Japanese, Giant,
and Bohemian Knotweeds, Fallopia
japonica, F. sachalinensis, and F. x
VerDate Sep<11>2014
20:49 May 24, 2019
Jkt 247001
bohemica (Polygonaceae), in the
Contiguous United States,
Environmental Assessment’’ (April
2018). We are making the EA available
to the public for review and comment.
We will consider all comments that we
receive on or before the date listed
under the heading DATES at the
beginning of this notice.
The EA may be viewed on the
Regulations.gov website or in our
reading room (see ADDRESSES above for
a link to Regulations.gov and
information on the location and hours of
the reading room). You may also request
paper copies of the EA by calling or
writing to the person listed under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Please
refer to the title of the EA when
requesting copies.
The EA has 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 21st day of
May 2019.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2019–11026 Filed 5–24–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Commodity Credit Corporation
Foreign Agricultural Service
Notice of Funding Opportunity: Inviting
Applications for the Foreign Market
Development Cooperator Program
The Commodity Credit
Corporation (CCC) announces that it is
inviting proposals for the 2020 Foreign
Market Development Cooperator
(Cooperator) program. The Cooperator
program is administered by personnel of
the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)
on behalf of CCC. The intended effect of
this notice is to solicit applications from
eligible applicants for fiscal year 2020
and to set out criteria for the awarding
of funds under the program.
DATES: All applications must be
received by 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight
Time, Friday, June 28, 2019.
Applications received after this date
will not be considered. FAS anticipates
that the initial funding selections will
SUMMARY:
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
be made by the end of October 2019,
with the initial award dates estimated to
be by the end of December 2019.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Applicants needing assistance should
contact the Program Operations
Division, Office of Trade Programs,
Foreign Agricultural Service by courier:
Room 6512, 1400 Independence Ave.
SW, Washington, DC 20250, or by
phone: (202) 720–4327, or by fax: (202)
720–9361, or by email: uesadmin@
fas.usda.gov. Information, including a
copy of the program regulations, is also
available on the FAS website at the
following URL address: https://
www.fas.usda.gov/programs/foreignmarket-development-program-fmd.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
A. Funding Opportunity Description
Announcement Type: New.
Award Instrument: Grant.
Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance (CFDA) Number: 10.600.
Authorizing Authority: The
Cooperator program is authorized by
Section 203(c) of the Agricultural Trade
Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 5623(c)), as
amended. Cooperator program
regulations appear at 7 CFR part 1484.
Appropriation Authority: Funding for
the Cooperator program is provided
under 7 U.S.C. 5623(f).
Purpose: The Cooperator program is
designed to maintain and develop
foreign markets for United States
agricultural commodities and products
through cost-share assistance. Financial
assistance under the Cooperator
program will be made available on a
competitive basis and applications will
be reviewed against the evaluation
criteria contained herein and in the
Cooperator program regulations. All
U.S. agricultural commodities, except
tobacco, are eligible for consideration.
FAS allocates funds in a manner that
effectively supports the strategic
decision-making initiatives of the
Government Performance and Results
Act (GPRA) of 1993. In deciding
whether a proposed project will
contribute to the effective creation,
expansion, or maintenance of foreign
markets, FAS considers whether the
applicant provides a clear, long-term
agricultural trade strategy and an
effective program time line against
which results can be measured at
specific intervals using quantifiable
product or country goals. FAS also
considers the extent to which a
proposed project targets markets with
the greatest growth potential. These
factors are part of the FAS resource
allocation strategy to fund applicants
who can demonstrate performance and
address the objectives of the GPRA.
E:\FR\FM\28MYN1.SGM
28MYN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 102 (Tuesday, May 28, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24463-24464]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-11026]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2019-0002]
Notice of Availability of an Environmental Assessment for the
Release of Aphalara Itadori for the Biological Control of Japanese,
Giant, and Bohemian Knotweeds
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service has prepared an environmental assessment relative to
permitting the release of Aphalara itadori for the biological control
of Japanese, Giant, and Bohemian knotweeds (Fallopia japonica, F.
sachalinensis, and F. x bohemica), significant invasive weeds, within
the contiguous United States. Based on the environmental assessment and
other relevant data, we have reached a preliminary determination that
the release of this biological control organism will not have a
significant impact on the quality of the human environment. We are
making the environmental assessment available to the public for review
and comment.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before June
27, 2019.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2019-0002.
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to
Docket No. APHIS-2019-0002, 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
[[Page 24464]]
may be viewed at https://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-
2019-0002 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) 7997039 before coming.
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) 851-2237; email:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Invasive knotweeds in North America are a
complex of three closely related species in the family Polygonaceae
that were introduced from Japan during the late 19th century. They
include Fallopia japonica (Japanese knotweed), F. sachalinensis (Giant
knotweed), and the hybrid between the two, F. x bohemica (Bohemian
knotweed). These large herbaceous perennials have spread throughout
much of North America, with the greatest infestations in the Pacific
Northwest, the northeast of the United States, and eastern Canada.
While capable of growing in diverse habitats, the knotweeds have become
especially problematic along the banks and floodplains of rivers and
streams, where they crowd out native plants and potentially affect
stream nutrients and food webs. While several States have active
control programs against knotweeds, the inaccessibility of some of the
infestations and the difficulty with which the plants are killed
suggest that complete eradication of knotweeds within the United States
is unlikely.
The Hokkaido and Kyushu biotypes of the insect Aphalara itadori
were chosen as potential biological control organisms. The biotypes are
expected to reduce the severity of infestations of Japanese, Giant, and
Bohemian knotweed, and are known to be highly host specific due to
their intimate relationship with their host plants.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's (APHIS') review
and analysis of the potential environmental impacts associated with the
proposed release are documented in detail in an environmental
assessment (EA) entitled ``Field Release of the Knotweed Psyllid
Aphalara itadori (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) for Classical Biological
Control of Japanese, Giant, and Bohemian Knotweeds, Fallopia japonica,
F. sachalinensis, and F. x bohemica (Polygonaceae), in the Contiguous
United States, Environmental Assessment'' (April 2018). We are making
the EA available to the public for review and comment. We will consider
all comments that we receive on or before the date listed under the
heading DATES at the beginning of this notice.
The EA may be viewed on the Regulations.gov website or in our
reading room (see ADDRESSES above for a link to Regulations.gov and
information on the location and hours of the reading room). You may
also request paper copies of the EA by calling or writing to the person
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Please refer to the title
of the EA when requesting copies.
The EA has 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 21st day of May 2019.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-11026 Filed 5-24-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
