Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.: Availability of a Petition for the Determination of Nonregulated Status for Insect Resistant and Herbicide-Tolerant Maize, 69564-69566 [2020-24267]
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69564
Notices
Federal Register
Vol. 85, No. 213
Tuesday, November 3, 2020
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER
contains documents other than rules or
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committee meetings, agency decisions and
rulings, delegations of authority, filing of
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Submission for OMB Review;
Comment Request
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October 29, 2020.
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submitted the following information
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VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:55 Nov 02, 2020
Jkt 253001
displays a currently valid OMB control
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Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service
Title: Bovine Spongiform
Encephalopathy (BSE); Importation of
Animals and Animal Products.
OMB Control Number: 0579–0393.
Summary of Collection: The Animal
Health Protection Act (AHPA) of 2002 is
the primary Federal law governing the
protection of animal health. The law
gives the Secretary of Agriculture broad
authority to detect, control, or eradicate
pests or diseases of livestock or poultry.
The Secretary may also prohibit or
restrict import or export of any animal
or related material if necessary to
prevent the spread of any livestock or
poultry pest or disease. The AHPA is
contained in Title X, Subtitle E,
Sections 10401–18 of Public Law 107–
171, May 13, 2002, the Farm Security
and Rural Investment Act of 2002. The
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service (APHIS) regulates the
importation of animals and animal
products into the United States to guard
against the introduction of animal
diseases. The regulations in 9 CFR parts
92 through 98, govern the importation of
certain animals, birds, poultry, meat,
other animal products and byproducts,
hay, and straw. It also contains
measures for preventing the
introduction of various diseases into the
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Need and Use of the Information: To
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risk, declaration of importation, import
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Failure to collect this information
would make it impossible for APHIS to
effectively prevent BSE-contaminated
animals and animal products from
entering the United States, and to track
movement of any imported BSEcontaminated animals or products
within the United States post-arrival.
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Description of Respondents: Business
or other for-profit; Federal Government;
Individuals.
Number of Respondents: 2,225.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting,
Recordkeeping: On occasion.
Total Burden Hours: 292,884.
Ruth Brown,
Departmental Information Collection
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2020–24317 Filed 11–2–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service
[Docket No. APHIS–2020–0098]
Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.:
Availability of a Petition for the
Determination of Nonregulated Status
for Insect Resistant and HerbicideTolerant Maize
Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
We are advising the public
that the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (APHIS) has received
a petition from Pioneer Hi-Bred
International, Inc. seeking a
determination of nonregulated status for
DP23211 maize (corn). The corn is
engineered for insect resistance against
corn rootworm and contains the gene
that codes for the phosphinothricin
acetyltransferase protein responsible for
tolerance to glufosinate-ammonium
herbicides. DP23211 corn also contains
the gene that encodes for the
phosphomannose isomerase protein,
which is used as a selectable marker.
We are making the petition available for
review and comment to help us identify
potential issues and impacts that APHIS
may determine should be considered in
our evaluation of the petition.
DATES: We will consider all comments
that we receive on or before January 4,
2021.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
by either of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov/
#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2020-0098.
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery:
Send your comment to Docket No.
APHIS–2020–0098, Regulatory Analysis
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\03NON1.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 213 / Tuesday, November 3, 2020 / Notices
and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station
3A–03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118,
Riverdale, MD 20737–1238.
The petition and any comments we
receive on this docket may be viewed at
https://www.regulations.gov/
#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2020-0098 or
in our reading room, which is located in
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) 7997039 before coming.
The petition is also available on the
APHIS website at: https://
www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/
biotechnology/permits-notificationspetitions/petitions/petition-status under
APHIS petition 20–203–01p.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.
Cindy Eck, Biotechnology Regulatory
Services, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit
147, Riverdale, MD 20737–1236; (301)
851–3892; email: cynthia.a.eck@
usda.gov. Secondary contact: Dr. Subray
Hegde, Director, Risk Analysis
Programs, Biotechnology Regulatory
Services, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit
147, Riverdale, MD 20737–1236; (301)
851–3901; email: subray.hegde@
usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the
authority of the plant pest provisions of
the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701
et seq.), the regulations in 7 CFR part
340, ‘‘Introduction of Organisms and
Products Altered or Produced Through
Genetic Engineering Which Are Plant
Pests or Which There Is Reason to
Believe Are Plant Pests,’’ regulate,
among other things, the introduction
(importation, interstate movement, or
release into the environment) of
organisms and products altered or
produced through genetic engineering
that are plant pests or that there is
reason to believe are plant pests. Such
organisms and products developed
using genetic engineering are
considered ‘‘regulated articles.’’
Pursuant to the terms set forth in a
final rule published in the Federal
Register on May 18, 2020 (85 FR 29790–
29838, Docket No. APHIS–2018–0034),1
any person may submit a petition to the
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service (APHIS) seeking a
determination that an article should not
be regulated under 7 CFR part 340.
APHIS has received a petition (APHIS
Petition Number 20–203–01p) from
Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.
(Pioneer) seeking a determination of
nonregulated status of maize (corn)
designated as DP23211, which has been
genetically engineered for insect
resistance against corn rootworm that
consists of a double-stranded RNA
combined with a novel protein.
DP23211 corn also contains the gene
that codes for the phosphinothricin
acetyltransferase (PAT) protein
responsible for the tolerance to
glufosinate-ammonium herbicides and
the gene that encodes for
phosphomannose isomerase (PMI)
protein, which is used as a selectable
marker. We are making the Pioneer
petition available for public comment
and requesting public input regarding
potential issues and impacts that APHIS
should be considering in our evaluation
of the petition. The Pioneer petition
states that information collected during
field trials and laboratory analyses
indicates that DP23211 corn is not likely
to be a plant pest and therefore should
not be a regulated article under APHIS’
regulations in 7 CFR part 340.
As described in the petition, DP23211
corn was genetically engineered to
produce DvSSJ1 double-stranded
ribonucleic acid (dsRNA) and the
IPD072Aa protein for control of corn
rootworm pests, the PAT protein for
tolerance to glufosinate-ammonium
herbicides, and the PMI protein used as
a selectable marker. Agronomic
performance assessments for DP23211
corn were conducted in replicated field
studies at a total of 12 locations in the
United States and Canada. The Pioneer
petition states that agronomic
performance of DP23211 corn is
comparable to the non-genetically
modified conventional counterpart and
reference varieties and that these data
support the conclusion that DP23211
corn lacks weediness potential and
plant pest risk.
Field tests conducted under APHIS
oversight allowed for evaluation of
DP23211 corn in a natural agricultural
setting while imposing measures to
minimize the likelihood of persistence
in the environment after completion of
the tests. Data are gathered on multiple
parameters and used by the applicant to
evaluate agronomic characteristics and
product performance. These and other
data are used by APHIS to determine if
the new variety poses a plant pest risk.
On March 6, 2012, we published in
the Federal Register (77 FR 13258–
13260, Docket No. APHIS–2011–0129) a
notice 2 describing our process for
soliciting public comment when
considering petitions for determinations
1 To view the final rule, go to https://
www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS2018-0034.
2 To view the notice, go to https://
www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS2011-0129.
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16:55 Nov 02, 2020
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69565
of nonregulated status for organisms
developed using genetic engineering. In
that notice we indicated that APHIS
would accept written comments
regarding a petition for 60 days once
APHIS deemed it complete.
In accordance with our process for
soliciting public input when
considering petitions for determinations
of nonregulated status, we are
publishing this notice to inform the
public that APHIS will accept written
comments regarding the petition for a
determination of nonregulated status
from interested or affected persons for a
period of 60 days from the date of this
notice. The petition is available for
public review and comment, and copies
are available as indicated under
ADDRESSES and FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT above. We are
interested in receiving comments
regarding potential environmental and
interrelated economic issues and
impacts that APHIS may determine
should be considered in our evaluation
of the petition. We are particularly
interested in receiving comments
regarding biological, cultural, or
ecological issues, and we encourage the
submission of scientific data, studies, or
research to support your comments.
After the comment period closes,
APHIS will review all written comments
received during the comment period
and any other relevant information. Any
substantive issues identified by APHIS
based on our review of the petition and
our evaluation and analysis of
comments will be considered in the
development of our decision-making
documents. As part of our decisionmaking process regarding an organism’s
regulatory status, APHIS prepares a
plant pest risk assessment to assess its
plant pest risk and the appropriate
environmental documentation—either
an environmental assessment (EA) or an
environmental impact statement (EIS)—
in accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), to
provide the Agency with a review and
analysis of any potential environmental
impacts associated with the petition
request. For petitions for which APHIS
prepares an EA, APHIS will follow our
published process for soliciting public
comment (see footnote 2) and publish a
separate notice in the Federal Register
announcing the availability of APHIS’
EA and plant pest risk assessment.
Should APHIS determine that an EIS is
necessary, APHIS will complete the
NEPA EIS process in accordance with
Council on Environmental Quality
regulations (40 CFR part 1500–1508)
and APHIS’ NEPA implementing
regulations (7 CFR part 372).
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69566
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 213 / Tuesday, November 3, 2020 / Notices
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 7701–7772 and 7781–
7786; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and
371.3.
Done in Washington, DC, this 28th day of
October 2020.
Michael Watson,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2020–24267 Filed 11–2–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS
Notice of Public Meeting of the South
Carolina Advisory Committee
U.S. Commission on Civil
Rights.
ACTION: Notice of meeting.
AGENCY:
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 that
the South Carolina Advisory Committee
(Committee) will hold a meeting via
web-conference on Wednesday,
November 18, 2020, at 12:30 p.m. (EST)
for the purpose of hearing testimony on
subminimum wages for people with
disabilities.
DATES: The meeting will be held on
Wednesday, November 18, 2020 at 12:30
p.m. (EST).
ADDRESSES: Public Call Information:
Dial: 800–353–6461, conference ID:
6388666.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Barbara Delaviez at bdelaviez@usccr.gov
or (202) 539–8246.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Members
of the public can listen to the
discussion. This meeting is available to
the public through the following tollfree call-in number. An open comment
period will be provided to allow
members of the public to make a
statement as time allows. The
conference operator will ask callers to
identify themselves, the organizations
they are affiliated with (if any), and an
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expect to incur charges for calls they
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Commission will not refund any
incurred charges. Callers will incur no
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telephone number. Persons with hearing
impairments may also follow the
proceedings by first calling the Federal
Relay Service at 1–800–977–8339 and
providing the Service with the
conference call number and conference
ID number.
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SUMMARY:
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16:55 Nov 02, 2020
Jkt 253001
Members of the public are also
entitled to submit written comments;
the comments must be received in the
regional office within 30 days following
the meeting. Written comments may be
emailed to Carolyn Allen at callen@
usccr.gov in the Regional Program Unit
Office/Advisory Committee
Management Unit. Persons who desire
additional information may contact the
Regional Program Unit Office at (202)
539–8246.
Records generated from this meeting
may be inspected and reproduced at the
Regional Program Unit, as they become
available, both before and after the
meeting. Records of the meeting will be
available via https://
www.facadatabase.gov/FACA/FACA
PublicViewCommitteeDetails?id=
a10t0000001gzmPAAQ under the
Commission on Civil Rights, South
Carolina Advisory Committee link.
Persons interested in the work of this
Committee are directed to the
Commission’s website, https://
www.usccr.gov, or may contact the
Regional Program Unit at the above
email or phone number.
Agenda
1. Web Conference on Subminimum
Wages for People with Disabilities
2. Next Steps
3. Open Comment
4. Adjourn
Dated: October 29, 2020.
David Mussatt,
Supervisory Chief, Regional Programs Unit.
[FR Doc. 2020–24343 Filed 11–2–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
U.S. Census Bureau
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Submission to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for
Review and Approval; Comment
Request; Annual Survey of School
System Finances
The Department of Commerce will
submit the following information
collection request to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for
review and clearance in accordance
with the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995, on or after the date of publication
of this notice. We invite the general
public and other Federal agencies to
comment on proposed, and continuing
information collections, which helps us
assess the impact of our information
collection requirements and minimize
the public’s reporting burden. Public
comments were previously requested
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via the Federal Register on August 25,
2020 during a 60-day comment period.
This notice allows for an additional 30
days for public comments.
Agency: U.S. Census Bureau.
Title: Annual Survey of School
System Finances.
OMB Control Number: 0607–0700.
Form Number(s): F–33, F–33(L1), F–
33(L2), F–33(L3).
Type of Request: Regular submission,
Request for a Revision of a Currently
Approved Collection.
Number of Respondents: 3.681.
Average Hours per Response: 1.12
hours.
Burden Hours: 4,130.
Needs and Uses: The U.S. Census
Bureau, on behalf of the U.S.
Department of Education’s National
Center for Education Statistics (NCES),
requests an extension with revisions of
approval for the Annual Survey of
School System Finances. The Census
Bureau’s collection of school district
finance data and associated publications
are the most comprehensive sources for
pre-kindergarten through grade 12
finance data.
These data are collected from the
universe of school districts using
uniform definitions and concepts of
revenue, expenditure, debt, and assets
as defined by Financial Accounting for
Local and State School Systems: 2014
Edition. This survey and the Annual
Surveys of State and Local Government
Finances (OMB No. 0607–0585) are
conducted as part of the Census
Bureau’s State and Local Government
Finance program. Data collected from
cities, counties, states, and special
district governments are combined with
data collected from local school systems
to produce state and national totals of
government spending. Local school
system spending comprises a significant
portion of total government spending. In
2018, public elementary-secondary
expenditures accounted for 40 percent
of local government spending.
This comprehensive and ongoing time
series collection of local education
agency finances maintains historical
continuity in the state and local
government statistics community.
Elementary-secondary education related
spending is the single largest financial
activity of state and local governments.
Education finance statistics provided by
the Census Bureau allow for analyses of
how public elementary-secondary
school systems receive and spend funds.
Increased focus on education has led to
a demand for data reflecting student
performance, graduation rates, and
school finance policy—all of which are
related to the collection of this local
education finance data. State
E:\FR\FM\03NON1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 213 (Tuesday, November 3, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69564-69566]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-24267]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2020-0098]
Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.: Availability of a Petition
for the Determination of Nonregulated Status for Insect Resistant and
Herbicide-Tolerant Maize
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (APHIS) has received a petition from Pioneer Hi-Bred
International, Inc. seeking a determination of nonregulated status for
DP23211 maize (corn). The corn is engineered for insect resistance
against corn rootworm and contains the gene that codes for the
phosphinothricin acetyltransferase protein responsible for tolerance to
glufosinate-ammonium herbicides. DP23211 corn also contains the gene
that encodes for the phosphomannose isomerase protein, which is used as
a selectable marker. We are making the petition available for review
and comment to help us identify potential issues and impacts that APHIS
may determine should be considered in our evaluation of the petition.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before
January 4, 2021.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2020-0098.
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to
Docket No. APHIS-2020-0098, Regulatory Analysis
[[Page 69565]]
and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit
118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238.
The petition and any comments we receive on this docket may be
viewed at https://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2020-0098
or in our reading room, which is located in 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) 7997039 before coming.
The petition is also available on the APHIS website at: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/biotechnology/permits-notifications-petitions/petitions/petition-status under APHIS petition 20-203-01p.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Cindy Eck, Biotechnology
Regulatory Services, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 147, Riverdale, MD
20737-1236; (301) 851-3892; email: [email protected]. Secondary
contact: Dr. Subray Hegde, Director, Risk Analysis Programs,
Biotechnology Regulatory Services, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 147,
Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 851-3901; email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the authority of the plant pest
provisions of the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.), the
regulations in 7 CFR part 340, ``Introduction of Organisms and Products
Altered or Produced Through Genetic Engineering Which Are Plant Pests
or Which There Is Reason to Believe Are Plant Pests,'' regulate, among
other things, the introduction (importation, interstate movement, or
release into the environment) of organisms and products altered or
produced through genetic engineering that are plant pests or that there
is reason to believe are plant pests. Such organisms and products
developed using genetic engineering are considered ``regulated
articles.''
Pursuant to the terms set forth in a final rule published in the
Federal Register on May 18, 2020 (85 FR 29790-29838, Docket No. APHIS-
2018-0034),\1\ any person may submit a petition to the Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service (APHIS) seeking a determination that an
article should not be regulated under 7 CFR part 340.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ To view the final rule, go to https://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2018-0034.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
APHIS has received a petition (APHIS Petition Number 20-203-01p)
from Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. (Pioneer) seeking a
determination of nonregulated status of maize (corn) designated as
DP23211, which has been genetically engineered for insect resistance
against corn rootworm that consists of a double-stranded RNA combined
with a novel protein. DP23211 corn also contains the gene that codes
for the phosphinothricin acetyltransferase (PAT) protein responsible
for the tolerance to glufosinate-ammonium herbicides and the gene that
encodes for phosphomannose isomerase (PMI) protein, which is used as a
selectable marker. We are making the Pioneer petition available for
public comment and requesting public input regarding potential issues
and impacts that APHIS should be considering in our evaluation of the
petition. The Pioneer petition states that information collected during
field trials and laboratory analyses indicates that DP23211 corn is not
likely to be a plant pest and therefore should not be a regulated
article under APHIS' regulations in 7 CFR part 340.
As described in the petition, DP23211 corn was genetically
engineered to produce DvSSJ1 double-stranded ribonucleic acid (dsRNA)
and the IPD072Aa protein for control of corn rootworm pests, the PAT
protein for tolerance to glufosinate-ammonium herbicides, and the PMI
protein used as a selectable marker. Agronomic performance assessments
for DP23211 corn were conducted in replicated field studies at a total
of 12 locations in the United States and Canada. The Pioneer petition
states that agronomic performance of DP23211 corn is comparable to the
non-genetically modified conventional counterpart and reference
varieties and that these data support the conclusion that DP23211 corn
lacks weediness potential and plant pest risk.
Field tests conducted under APHIS oversight allowed for evaluation
of DP23211 corn in a natural agricultural setting while imposing
measures to minimize the likelihood of persistence in the environment
after completion of the tests. Data are gathered on multiple parameters
and used by the applicant to evaluate agronomic characteristics and
product performance. These and other data are used by APHIS to
determine if the new variety poses a plant pest risk.
On March 6, 2012, we published in the Federal Register (77 FR
13258-13260, Docket No. APHIS-2011-0129) a notice \2\ describing our
process for soliciting public comment when considering petitions for
determinations of nonregulated status for organisms developed using
genetic engineering. In that notice we indicated that APHIS would
accept written comments regarding a petition for 60 days once APHIS
deemed it complete.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ To view the notice, go to https://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2011-0129.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
In accordance with our process for soliciting public input when
considering petitions for determinations of nonregulated status, we are
publishing this notice to inform the public that APHIS will accept
written comments regarding the petition for a determination of
nonregulated status from interested or affected persons for a period of
60 days from the date of this notice. The petition is available for
public review and comment, and copies are available as indicated under
ADDRESSES and FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT above. We are interested
in receiving comments regarding potential environmental and
interrelated economic issues and impacts that APHIS may determine
should be considered in our evaluation of the petition. We are
particularly interested in receiving comments regarding biological,
cultural, or ecological issues, and we encourage the submission of
scientific data, studies, or research to support your comments.
After the comment period closes, APHIS will review all written
comments received during the comment period and any other relevant
information. Any substantive issues identified by APHIS based on our
review of the petition and our evaluation and analysis of comments will
be considered in the development of our decision-making documents. As
part of our decision-making process regarding an organism's regulatory
status, APHIS prepares a plant pest risk assessment to assess its plant
pest risk and the appropriate environmental documentation--either an
environmental assessment (EA) or an environmental impact statement
(EIS)--in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA),
to provide the Agency with a review and analysis of any potential
environmental impacts associated with the petition request. For
petitions for which APHIS prepares an EA, APHIS will follow our
published process for soliciting public comment (see footnote 2) and
publish a separate notice in the Federal Register announcing the
availability of APHIS' EA and plant pest risk assessment. Should APHIS
determine that an EIS is necessary, APHIS will complete the NEPA EIS
process in accordance with Council on Environmental Quality regulations
(40 CFR part 1500-1508) and APHIS' NEPA implementing regulations (7 CFR
part 372).
[[Page 69566]]
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 7701-7772 and 7781-7786; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 7
CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.3.
Done in Washington, DC, this 28th day of October 2020.
Michael Watson,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-24267 Filed 11-2-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
