Notice of Availability of an Environmental Assessment for Release of Ramularia Crupinae for Biological Control of Common Crupina (Crupina vulgaris) in the Contiguous United States, 68838 [2020-24125]

Download as PDF 68838 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 211 / Friday, October 30, 2020 / Notices Frequency of Responses: Reporting: One time. Total Burden Hours: 5,613. Levi S. Harrell, Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer. [FR Doc. 2020–23944 Filed 10–29–20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3411–15–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service [Docket No. APHIS–2020–0036] Notice of Availability of an Environmental Assessment for Release of Ramularia Crupinae for Biological Control of Common Crupina (Crupina vulgaris) in the Contiguous United States 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 Ramularia crupinae for the biological control of common crupina (Crupina vulgaris) in the contiguous United States. Based on the environmental assessment and other relevant data, we have reached a preliminary determination that the release of this control agent within the contiguous United States 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 November 30, 2020. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods: • Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov/ #!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2020-0036. • Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS–2020–0036, 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-2020-0036 or in our reading room, which is located in room 1620 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., jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 21:10 Oct 29, 2020 Jkt 253001 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) 851–2327; email: Colin.Stewart@usda.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is proposing to issue permits for the release of Ramularia crupinae into the contiguous United States for the biological control of common crupina (Crupina vulgaris). Common crupina, a winter annual, is spreading in pastures and rangelands resulting in a reduction in quality of forage as it displaces other species in the northwestern United States; it is a native of Eurasia, most likely originating in the Middle East. Common crupina may grow from 0.3 to 1.0 meter in height, having inconspicuous flowers ranging from lavender to purple, as well as rosettes that develop through the fall and winter. Ramularia crupinae, a leaf-spotting fungus, was chosen as a potential biological control agent of C. vulgaris in the contiguous United States over other management options because it is hostspecific. 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 Plant Fungus Ramularia crupinae (Deuteromycotina) for Classical Biological Control of Common Crupina, Crupina vulgaris (Asteraceae), in the Contiguous United States’’ (March 2020). 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 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 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 October 2020. Michael Watson, Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. [FR Doc. 2020–24125 Filed 10–29–20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–34–P COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS Notice of Public Meeting of the Utah Advisory Committee AGENCY: U.S. Commission on Civil Rights ACTION: Announcement of meeting. 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 teleconference meeting of the Utah Advisory Committee (Committee) to the Commission will be held at 12:00 p.m. Mountain Time on Friday, December 11, 2020. The purpose of the meeting will be for the Committee to review their op-ed on the gender wage gap. DATES: The meeting will be held on Friday, December 11, 2020 at 12:00 p.m. MT. Public Call Information: Dial: 800– 367–2403, Conference ID: 6978962. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ana Victoria Fortes, Designated Federal Officer (DFO) at afortes@usccr.gov or by phone at (202) 681–0857. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This meeting is available to the public through the following toll-free call-in number: 800–367–2403, conference ID number: 6978962. Any interested member of the public may call this number and listen to the meeting. 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. Persons with hearing impairments may also follow the proceedings by first calling the Federal Relay Service at 1–800–877–8339 and providing the Service with the conference call number and conference ID number. SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\30OCN1.SGM 30OCN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 211 (Friday, October 30, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 68838]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-24125]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2020-0036]


Notice of Availability of an Environmental Assessment for Release 
of Ramularia Crupinae for Biological Control of Common Crupina (Crupina 
vulgaris) in the Contiguous United States

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 Ramularia crupinae for the biological control 
of common crupina (Crupina vulgaris) in the contiguous United States. 
Based on the environmental assessment and other relevant data, we have 
reached a preliminary determination that the release of this control 
agent within the contiguous United States 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 
November 30, 2020.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2020-0036.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2020-0036, 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-2020-
0036 or in our reading room, which is located in room 1620 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) 851-2327; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service (APHIS) is proposing to issue permits for the release of 
Ramularia crupinae into the contiguous United States for the biological 
control of common crupina (Crupina vulgaris).
    Common crupina, a winter annual, is spreading in pastures and 
rangelands resulting in a reduction in quality of forage as it 
displaces other species in the northwestern United States; it is a 
native of Eurasia, most likely originating in the Middle East. Common 
crupina may grow from 0.3 to 1.0 meter in height, having inconspicuous 
flowers ranging from lavender to purple, as well as rosettes that 
develop through the fall and winter.
    Ramularia crupinae, a leaf-spotting fungus, was chosen as a 
potential biological control agent of C. vulgaris in the contiguous 
United States over other management options because it is host-
specific.
    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 Plant 
Fungus Ramularia crupinae (Deuteromycotina) for Classical Biological 
Control of Common Crupina, Crupina vulgaris (Asteraceae), in the 
Contiguous United States'' (March 2020). 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 October 2020.
Michael Watson,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-24125 Filed 10-29-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P


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