Notice of Availability of an Environmental Assessment for the Release of Cheilosia urbana, 24463 [2019-11027]
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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–
jbell on DSK3GLQ082PROD with NOTICES
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
PO 00000
Frm 00002
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
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 102 (Tuesday, May 28, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 24463]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-11027]
[[Page 24463]]
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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
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 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 20737-1231; (301) 851-2237; email:
[email protected].
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 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
