Oral Rabies Vaccine Program; Notice of Availability of Decision and Finding of No Significant Impact for the Environmental Assessment, 31137-31138 [2020-11108]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 100 / Friday, May 22, 2020 / Notices of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, through use, as appropriate, of automated, electronic, mechanical, and other collection technologies; e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses. Estimate of burden: The public burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 2.5 hours per response. Respondents: State and local animal health officials and poultry producers. Estimated annual number of respondents: 18,950. Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 1. Estimated annual number of responses: 19,763. Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 48,714 hours. (Due to averaging, the total annual burden hours may not equal the product of the annual number of responses multiplied by the reporting burden per response.) All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of public record. Done in Washington, DC, this 19th day of May 2020. Michael Watson, Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. [FR Doc. 2020–11075 Filed 5–21–20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–34–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service [Docket No. APHIS–2019–0034] Oral Rabies Vaccine Program; Notice of Availability of Decision and Finding of No Significant Impact for the Environmental Assessment 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 a Decision and Finding of No Significant Impact for the final environmental assessment, relative to an oral rabies vaccination program in Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia. Based on our decision and finding of no significant impact, the SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:07 May 21, 2020 Jkt 250001 Animal and Plant Health Inspection has determined that an environmental impact statement need not be prepared. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Richard Chipman, Rabies Program Coordinator, Wildlife Services, APHIS, 59 Chenell Drive, Suite 2, Concord, NH 03301; (603) 223–9623. To obtain copies of the environmental assessment and the finding of no significant impact, contact Ms. Beth Kabert, Environmental Coordinator, Wildlife Services, APHIS, 59 Chenell Drive, Suite 2, Concord, NH 03301; (908) 442–6761, email: beth.e.kabert@usda.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Wildlife Services (WS) program in the Animal and Plant Inspection Service (APHIS) cooperates with Federal agencies, State and local governments, and private individuals to research and implement the best methods of managing conflicts between wildlife and human health and safety, agriculture, property, and natural resources. Wildlife-borne diseases that can affect domestic animals and humans are among the types of conflicts that APHIS–WS addresses. Wildlife is the dominant reservoir of rabies in the United States. Since 2011, WS has been conducting field trials to study the immunogenicity and safety of an experimental oral rabies vaccine, a human adenovirus type 5 rabies glycoprotein recombinant vaccine called ONRAB (produced by Artemis Technologies Inc., Guelph, Ontario, Canada). The field trials began in portions of West Virginia, including U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service National Forest System lands. Beginning in 2012, WS expanded field trials into portions of New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Vermont, and new areas of West Virginia, including additional National Forest System lands, in order to further assess the immunogenicity of ONRAB in raccoons and skunks for raccoon rabies virus variant. On July 9, 2019, we published in the Federal Register (84 FR 32700–32701, Docket No. APHIS–2019–0034) 1 a notice 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 expanded use of ONRAB vaccine-baits throughout the oral rabies vaccination (ORV) distribution zone in Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, 1 The EA, Decision/FONSI, and comments we received may be viewed at https:// www.regulations.gov/docket?D=APHIS-2019-0034. PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 31137 Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia. We solicited comments on the EA for 30 days ending August 8, 2019. We received 6 comments by that date. The comments were from private individuals supporting and opposing the oral rabies vaccination program. The comments, and APHIS’ responses to the comments, are presented in an appendix to the Decision and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI). In the EA, we identified a number of alternatives for consideration. Our proposed alternative recommended the expanded use of ONRAB throughout the ORV zone in Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia. This alternative involves the continued or expanded use of Federal funds by APHIS–WS to purchase ONRAB oral vaccine baits and to participate in the distribution of vaccine baits under the authorities of the appropriate State agencies in selected areas of the States listed above to stop or prevent raccoon, gray fox, and coyote rabies, and to assist with monitoring and surveillance efforts by capturing and releasing or killing target species for the purposes of obtaining biological samples. In this document, we are advising the public of our decision, as well as availability of a final EA and FONSI, regarding the implementation of the continued and expanded APHIS–WS ORV programs using the ONRAB wildlife rabies vaccine to eliminate or stop the spread of raccoon rabies variant in the eastern United States and prevent the reintroduction of the dog-coyote rabies variants from Mexico in the Southwestern United States, including National Forest System lands, in Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia. The finding, which is based on the proposed alternative in the EA, reflects our determination that the distribution of the ONRAB wildlife rabies vaccine will not have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment. The final EA and FONSI may be viewed on the APHIS website at https:// www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/ wildlifedamage/programs/nepa/ct_ nepa_regulations_assessments and on the Regulations.gov website. Copies of the EA and FONSI are also available for public inspection at USDA, Room 1141, South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. Persons wishing to inspect copies are requested to call ahead at (202) 799–7039 to facilitate entry into E:\FR\FM\22MYN1.SGM 22MYN1 31138 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 100 / Friday, May 22, 2020 / Notices the reading room. In addition, copies may be obtained as described 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 19th day of May 2020. Michael Watson, Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. [FR Doc. 2020–11108 Filed 5–21–20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–34–P Written comments may be submitted as described under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. All comments, including names and addresses, when provided, are placed in the record and available for public inspection and copying. The public may inspect comments received at Black Hills National Forest Supervisor’s Office. Please call ahead to facilitate entry into the building. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott Jacobson, Committee Coordinator, by phone at 605–440–1409 or by email at scott.j.jacobson@usda.gov. Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss: (1) Orientation Topic: Forest Plan Revision vs. Forest Plan Amendment; (2) Mount Rushmore Fireworks; (3) Sustainable Forest Discussion; (4) Timber Sustainability Working Group Recommendation; and (5) August Field Trip. The meeting is open to the public. Individuals wishing to provide comments with regards to this meeting’s agenda and for comments to be included with the meeting minutes/records, comments must be submitted in writing by June 25, 2020. Anyone who would like to bring related letters to the attention of the Board may file written statements with the Board’s staff before or after the meeting. Written comments must be sent to Scott Jacobson, Black Hills National Forest Supervisor’s Office, 1019 North Fifth Street, Custer, South Dakota 57730; by email to scott.j.jacobson@usda.gov, or via facsimile to 605–673–9208. 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. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Black Hills National Forest Advisory Board; Meeting Forest Service, USDA. Notice of meeting. AGENCY: ACTION: The Black Hills National Forest Advisory Board (Board) will conduct a virtual meeting. The committee is established consistent with 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 Secretary of Agriculture through the Black Hills National Forest Supervisor on a broad range of forest issues. Board information, including the meeting agenda and the meeting summary/ minutes can be found at the following website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/ blackhills/workingtogether/advisory committees. DATES: The meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 24, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. All meetings are subject to cancellation. For updated status of meeting prior to attendance, please contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held via Adobe Connect along with two conference call lines: One line will be for participants, and one line will be for the public for listen only. Detailed instructions on how to attend the meeting virtually will be sent out via email along with a news release approximately one week prior to the meeting. SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:07 May 21, 2020 Jkt 250001 Dated: May 19, 2020. Cikena Reid, USDA Committee Management Officer. [FR Doc. 2020–11110 Filed 5–21–20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3411–15–P PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Collaborative Forest Restoration Program Technical Advisory Panel Forest Service, USDA. Notice of meeting. AGENCY: ACTION: The Collaborative Forest Restoration Program Technical Advisory Panel (Panel) will hold a virtual meeting. The Panel is established consistent with the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972 (FACA), and Title VI of the Community Forest Restoration Act (the Act). Additional information concerning the Panel, including the meeting summary/ minutes, can be found by visiting the Panel’s website at: https:// www.fs.usda.gov/main/r3/working together/grants. DATES: The meeting will be held on June 29–July 1, 2020 (Monday–Wednesday), with meetings each day from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. All 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 with virtual attendance only. For virtual meeting information, please contact the person listed under the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. 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 USDA Forest Service Region 3 Regional Office. Please call ahead to facilitate entry into the building. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ian Fox, Designated Federal Officer, by phone at 505–842–3425 or via email at ian.fox@usda.gov. Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information 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: (1) Review Panel Bylaws, Charter, and what it means to be a Federal Advisory Committee; (2) Evaluate and score the 2019 and 2020 CFRP grant applications to determine which applications best meet the program objectives; SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\22MYN1.SGM 22MYN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 100 (Friday, May 22, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31137-31138]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-11108]


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

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2019-0034]


Oral Rabies Vaccine Program; Notice of Availability of Decision 
and Finding of No Significant Impact for the Environmental Assessment

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 a Decision and Finding of No 
Significant Impact for the final environmental assessment, relative to 
an oral rabies vaccination program in Maine, New Hampshire, New York, 
Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia. Based on 
our decision and finding of no significant impact, the Animal and Plant 
Health Inspection has determined that an environmental impact statement 
need not be prepared.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Richard Chipman, Rabies Program 
Coordinator, Wildlife Services, APHIS, 59 Chenell Drive, Suite 2, 
Concord, NH 03301; (603) 223-9623. To obtain copies of the 
environmental assessment and the finding of no significant impact, 
contact Ms. Beth Kabert, Environmental Coordinator, Wildlife Services, 
APHIS, 59 Chenell Drive, Suite 2, Concord, NH 03301; (908) 442-6761, 
email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Wildlife Services (WS) program in the 
Animal and Plant Inspection Service (APHIS) cooperates with Federal 
agencies, State and local governments, and private individuals to 
research and implement the best methods of managing conflicts between 
wildlife and human health and safety, agriculture, property, and 
natural resources. Wildlife-borne diseases that can affect domestic 
animals and humans are among the types of conflicts that APHIS-WS 
addresses. Wildlife is the dominant reservoir of rabies in the United 
States.
    Since 2011, WS has been conducting field trials to study the 
immunogenicity and safety of an experimental oral rabies vaccine, a 
human adenovirus type 5 rabies glycoprotein recombinant vaccine called 
ONRAB (produced by Artemis Technologies Inc., Guelph, Ontario, Canada). 
The field trials began in portions of West Virginia, including U.S. 
Department of Agriculture Forest Service National Forest System lands. 
Beginning in 2012, WS expanded field trials into portions of New 
Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Vermont, and new areas of West Virginia, 
including additional National Forest System lands, in order to further 
assess the immunogenicity of ONRAB in raccoons and skunks for raccoon 
rabies virus variant.
    On July 9, 2019, we published in the Federal Register (84 FR 32700-
32701, Docket No. APHIS-2019-0034) \1\ a notice 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 expanded use of ONRAB vaccine-baits 
throughout the oral rabies vaccination (ORV) distribution zone in 
Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, 
Virginia, and West Virginia.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ The EA, Decision/FONSI, and comments we received may be 
viewed at https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=APHIS-2019-0034.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We solicited comments on the EA for 30 days ending August 8, 2019. 
We received 6 comments by that date. The comments were from private 
individuals supporting and opposing the oral rabies vaccination 
program. The comments, and APHIS' responses to the comments, are 
presented in an appendix to the Decision and Finding of No Significant 
Impact (FONSI).
    In the EA, we identified a number of alternatives for 
consideration. Our proposed alternative recommended the expanded use of 
ONRAB throughout the ORV zone in Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, 
Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia. This 
alternative involves the continued or expanded use of Federal funds by 
APHIS-WS to purchase ONRAB oral vaccine baits and to participate in the 
distribution of vaccine baits under the authorities of the appropriate 
State agencies in selected areas of the States listed above to stop or 
prevent raccoon, gray fox, and coyote rabies, and to assist with 
monitoring and surveillance efforts by capturing and releasing or 
killing target species for the purposes of obtaining biological 
samples.
    In this document, we are advising the public of our decision, as 
well as availability of a final EA and FONSI, regarding the 
implementation of the continued and expanded APHIS-WS ORV programs 
using the ONRAB wildlife rabies vaccine to eliminate or stop the spread 
of raccoon rabies variant in the eastern United States and prevent the 
reintroduction of the dog-coyote rabies variants from Mexico in the 
Southwestern United States, including National Forest System lands, in 
Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, 
Virginia, and West Virginia. The finding, which is based on the 
proposed alternative in the EA, reflects our determination that the 
distribution of the ONRAB wildlife rabies vaccine will not have a 
significant impact on the quality of the human environment.
    The final EA and FONSI may be viewed on the APHIS website at 
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/wildlifedamage/programs/nepa/ct_nepa_regulations_assessments and on the Regulations.gov website. 
Copies of the EA and FONSI are also available for public inspection at 
USDA, Room 1141, South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue 
SW, Washington, DC, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except holidays. Persons wishing to inspect copies are 
requested to call ahead at (202) 799-7039 to facilitate entry into

[[Page 31138]]

the reading room. In addition, copies may be obtained as described 
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 19th day of May 2020.
Michael Watson,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-11108 Filed 5-21-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.