Notice of Availability of an Environmental Assessment for Release of Lilioceris, 1477-1478 [2021-00063]
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 5 / Friday, January 8, 2021 / Notices
animal and animal product trade. To
facilitate the export of U.S. animals and
animal products, the Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of
the U.S. Department of Agriculture
maintains information regarding the
import health requirements of other
countries for animals and animal
products, including aquaculture
animals, exported from the United
States.
While APHIS does not currently
require the approval or certification of
laboratories that conduct disease tests
for the export of aquaculture animals,
some countries that import these
animals from the United States require
them to be tested for certain diseases
and the test results recorded on the
export certificates. In addition, the test
results must originate from a laboratory
approved by the competent authority of
the exporting country, which is APHIS
in this case. State, university, and
private laboratories can voluntarily seek
APHIS approval of individual
diagnostic methods. Though APHIS
does not have regulations for the
approval or certification of laboratories
that conduct tests for the export of
aquaculture animals, APHIS provides
this approval as a service to U.S.
exporters who export aquaculture
animals to countries that require this
certification.
APHIS evaluates diagnostic methods
for detecting aquatic animal pathogens
listed by the World Organization for
Animal Health (OIE) in the OIE
diagnostic manual and other supporting
scientific literature. APHIS lists the
laboratories approved to conduct
diagnostic testing in support of export
health certification of aquatic species at
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_
health/lab_info_services/downloads/
ApprovedLabs_Aquaculture.pdf. Once
approved, the laboratories are inspected
by APHIS every 2 years to maintain
their approval.
The approval of laboratories to
conduct tests for the export of
aquaculture animals requires the use of
certain information collection activities
including notification of intent to
request approval, application for APHIS
approval, protocol statement,
submission and recordkeeping of
sample copies of diagnostic reports,
quality assurance/control plans and
their recordkeeping, notification of
proposed changes to assay protocols,
recordkeeping of supporting assay
documentation, and request for removal
of approved status.
We are asking the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) to
approve our use of these information
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collection activities, as described, for an
additional 3 years.
The purpose of this notice is to solicit
comments from the public (as well as
affected agencies) concerning our
information collection. These comments
will help us:
(1) Evaluate whether the collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
Agency, including whether the
information will have practical utility;
(2) Evaluate the accuracy of our
estimate of the burden of the collection
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 11.4 hours per
response.
Respondents: State, university, and
private laboratory personnel.
Estimated annual number of
respondents: 8.
Estimated annual number of
responses per respondent: 70.
Estimated annual number of
responses: 560.
Estimated total annual burden on
respondents: 6,382 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 4th day of
January 2021.
Mark Davidson,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2021–00064 Filed 1–7–21; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service
[Docket No. APHIS–2019–0068]
Notice of Availability of an
Environmental Assessment for
Release of Lilioceris egena for
Biological Control of Air Potato
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 (EA) relative
to permitting the release of an insect,
Lilioceris egena, for the biological
control of air potato (Dioscorea
bulbifera). Based on the environmental
assessment and other relevant data, we
have reached a preliminary
determination that the release of this
control agent within the continental
United States will not have a significant
impact on the quality of the human
environment. We are making the EA
available to the public for review and
comment.
SUMMARY:
We will consider all comments
that we receive on or before February 8,
2021.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
by either of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov/
#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2019-0068.
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery:
Send your comment to Docket No.
APHIS–2019–0068, 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-2019-0068 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–
1237; (301) 851–2327; colin.stewart@
usda.gov.
DATES:
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 5 / Friday, January 8, 2021 / Notices
tkelley on DSKBCP9HB2PROD with NOTICES
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (APHIS) is proposing
to issue permits for the release of an
insect, Lilioceris egena, into the
continental United States for use as a
biological control agent to reduce the
severity of air potato (Dioscorea
bulbifera) infestations.
Air potato is an herbaceous, twining
vine that can grow 65 feet long or more,
capable of climbing and out-competing
native vegetation. Since its introduction
to Florida in 1905, air potato has
aggressively spread throughout the
State; this species is reportedly
naturalized in Georgia, Alabama,
Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, and
Hawaii. In 1999, the Florida Department
of Agricultural and Consumer Services
added air potato to its list of noxious
weeds in an attempt to protect the
State’s native plant species from being
displaced or hybridized. Presently, the
air potato is well established in Florida
and probably throughout the Gulf States
where it has the potential to severely
disrupt entire ecosystems.
Existing air potato management
options, which include chemical and
mechanical control methods, are
ineffective, expensive, temporary, or
have non-target impacts. Thus, a permit
application has been submitted to
APHIS for the purpose of releasing an
insect, L. egena, into the continental
United States for use as a biological
control agent to reduce the severity of
air potato infestations.
APHIS’ review and analysis of the
proposed action are documented in
detail in an environmental assessment
(EA) titled ‘‘Field Release of the Beetle
Lilioceris egena (Coleoptera:
Chrysomelidae) for Classical Biological
Control of Air Potato, Dioscorea
bulbifera (Dioscoreaceae), in the
Continental United States’’ (October
2019). 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
instructions for accessing
Regulations.gov and information on the
location and hours of the reading room).
You may 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
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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 4th day of
January 2021.
Michael Watson,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2021–00063 Filed 1–7–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Bureau of Economic Analysis
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Submission to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for
Review and Approval; Comment
Request; Direct Investment Surveys:
BE–605, Quarterly Survey of Foreign
Direct Investment in the United
States—Transactions of U.S. Affiliate
With Foreign Parent
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
via the Federal Register on October 23,
2020 during a 60-day comment period.
This notice allows for an additional 30
days for public comments.
Agency: Bureau of Economic Analysis
(BEA), Commerce.
Title: Quarterly Survey of Foreign
Direct Investment in the United States—
Transactions of U.S. Affiliate with
Foreign Parent.
OMB Control Number: 0608–0009.
Form Number: BE–605.
Type of Request: Regular submission.
Number of Responses: 17,800
annually.
Average Hours per Response: One
hour is the average but may vary
considerably among respondents
because of differences in company size
and complexity.
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Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 17,800.
Needs and Uses: The Quarterly
Survey of Foreign Direct Investment in
the United States—Transactions of U.S.
Affiliate with Foreign Parent (Form BE–
605) obtains quarterly data on
transactions and positions between
foreign-owned U.S. business enterprises
and their ‘‘affiliated foreign groups’’
(i.e., their foreign parents and foreign
affiliates of their foreign parents). The
survey is a sample survey that covers all
U.S. affiliates above a size-exemption
level. The sample data are used to
derive universe estimates of direct
investment transactions, positions, and
income in non-benchmark years from
similar data reported in the BE–12,
Benchmark Survey of Foreign Direct
Investment in the United States, which
is conducted every five years and will
next be conducted for the fiscal year
ending in 2022. The data collected
through the BE–605 survey are essential
for the preparation of the U.S.
international transactions, national
income and product, and input-output
accounts and the international
investment position of the United
States. The data are needed to measure
the size and economic significance of
foreign direct investment in the United
States, measure changes in such
investment, and assess its impact on the
U.S. economy.
Affected Public: Businesses or other
for-profit organizations.
Frequency: Quarterly.
Respondent’s Obligation: Mandatory.
Legal Authority: International
Investment and Trade in Services
Survey Act (Pub. L. 94–472, 22 U.S.C.
3101–3108, as amended).
This information collection request
may be viewed at www.reginfo.gov.
Follow the instructions to view
Department of Commerce collections
currently under review by OMB.
Written comments and
recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be
submitted within 30 days of the
publication of this notice on the
following website https://
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.
Find this particular information
collection by selecting ‘‘Currently under
30-day Review—Open for Public
Comments’’ or by using the search
function and entering either the title of
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 5 (Friday, January 8, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1477-1478]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-00063]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2019-0068]
Notice of Availability of an Environmental Assessment for Release
of Lilioceris egena for Biological Control of Air Potato
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 (EA)
relative to permitting the release of an insect, Lilioceris egena, for
the biological control of air potato (Dioscorea bulbifera). Based on
the environmental assessment and other relevant data, we have reached a
preliminary determination that the release of this control agent within
the continental United States will not have a significant impact on the
quality of the human environment. We are making the EA available to the
public for review and comment.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before
February 8, 2021.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2019-0068.
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to
Docket No. APHIS-2019-0068, 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-
0068 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 20737-1237; (301) 851-2327; [email protected].
[[Page 1478]]
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is proposing
to issue permits for the release of an insect, Lilioceris egena, into
the continental United States for use as a biological control agent to
reduce the severity of air potato (Dioscorea bulbifera) infestations.
Air potato is an herbaceous, twining vine that can grow 65 feet
long or more, capable of climbing and out-competing native vegetation.
Since its introduction to Florida in 1905, air potato has aggressively
spread throughout the State; this species is reportedly naturalized in
Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, and Hawaii. In 1999,
the Florida Department of Agricultural and Consumer Services added air
potato to its list of noxious weeds in an attempt to protect the
State's native plant species from being displaced or hybridized.
Presently, the air potato is well established in Florida and probably
throughout the Gulf States where it has the potential to severely
disrupt entire ecosystems.
Existing air potato management options, which include chemical and
mechanical control methods, are ineffective, expensive, temporary, or
have non-target impacts. Thus, a permit application has been submitted
to APHIS for the purpose of releasing an insect, L. egena, into the
continental United States for use as a biological control agent to
reduce the severity of air potato infestations.
APHIS' review and analysis of the proposed action are documented in
detail in an environmental assessment (EA) titled ``Field Release of
the Beetle Lilioceris egena (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) for Classical
Biological Control of Air Potato, Dioscorea bulbifera (Dioscoreaceae),
in the Continental United States'' (October 2019). 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 instructions for accessing
Regulations.gov and information on the location and hours of the
reading room). You may 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 4th day of January 2021.
Michael Watson,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-00063 Filed 1-7-21; 8:45 am]
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