Spotted Lanternfly Cooperative Control Program; Availability of a Programmatic Environmental Assessment, 77259-77260 [2023-24752]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 216 / Thursday, November 9, 2023 / Notices displays a currently valid OMB control number. ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 Agricultural Marketing Service Title: Federal Seed Act Program. OMB Control Number: 0581–0026. Summary of Collection: The Federal Seed Act (FSA) (7 U.S.C. 1551–1611) regulates agricultural and vegetable seeds in interstate commerce. Fresh apples and grapes grown in the United States shipped to designated foreign destination must meet minimum quality and other requirements established by regulations issued under the Export Apple Act (7 U.S.C. 581–590) and the Export Grape and Plum Act (7 U.S.C. 591–599) (Acts) in 7 CFR parts 33 and 35, respectively. Regulations for plum exports have not been in effect since 1991. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) issues regulations that cover exports of U.S. fresh apples and grapes shipped to foreign destinations, except for grapes shipped to Canada or Mexico and apples in bulk bins shipped to Canada. Certain limited quantity provisions may exempt some shipments from this information collection. Regulations issued under the Acts (7 CFR 33.11 for apples and § 35.12 for grapes) require that USDA inspect and certify that each export shipment of fresh apples and grapes complies with quality and shipping requirements effective under the Acts. Need and Use of the Information: The information in this collection is the minimum information necessary to effectively carry out the enforcement of FSA. With the exception of the requirements for entering a new variety into a State seed certification program (set forth separately below), the information collection is entirely recordkeeping rather than reporting. The FSA program would be ineffective without the ability to examine pertinent records as necessary to resolve complaints of violations. Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Farm. Number of Respondents: 3,484. Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion. Total Burden Hours: 97,847. Agricultural Marketing Service Title: Export Fruit Regulations— Export Apple Act (7 CFR part 33) and Export Grape and Plum Act (7 CFR part 35). OMB Control Number: 0581–0143. Summary of Collection: Fresh apples and grapes grown in the United States shipped to designated foreign destination must meet minimum quality and other requirements established by VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:22 Nov 08, 2023 Jkt 262001 regulations issued under the Export Apple Act (7 U.S.C. 581–590) and the Export Grape and Plum Act (7 U.S.C. 591–599) (Acts) in 7 CFR parts 33 and 35, respectively. Regulations for plum exports have not been in effect since 1991. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) issues regulations that cover exports of U.S. fresh apples and grapes shipped to foreign destinations, except for grapes shipped to Canada or Mexico and apples in bulk bins shipped to Canada. Certain limited quantity provisions may exempt some shipments from this information collection. Regulations issued under the Acts (7 CFR 33.11 for apples and § 35.12 for grapes) require that USDA inspect and certify that each export shipment of fresh apples and grapes complies with quality and shipping requirements effective under the Acts. Need and Use of the Information: The information collection requirements in this request are essential to carry out the intent and administration of the Acts. The currently approved collection under OMB No. 0581–0143 authorizes the use of an Export Form Certificate (SC–205). Federal or Federal-State Inspection Program (FSIP) inspectors use the Export Form Certificate to certify inspection of the shipment for exports bound for non-Canadian destinations. Procedures require shippers to maintain and provide, upon USDA’s request, a paper or electronic copy of the SC–205 when needed for USDA to monitor compliance with regulations. Based on procedures amended in 2016 and approved by OMB for information collection purposes, carriers, which transport goods on behalf of shippers, are no longer required to maintain a copy of the SC– 205. Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit. Number of Respondents: 200. Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting; Annually. Total Burden Hours: 9,750. Levi S. Harrell, Departmental Information Collection Clearance Officer. [FR Doc. 2023–24842 Filed 11–8–23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–02–P PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 77259 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service [Docket No. APHIS–2023–0079] Spotted Lanternfly Cooperative Control Program; Availability of a Programmatic Environmental Assessment Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments. AGENCY: We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has prepared a programmatic environmental assessment relative to the Spotted Lanternfly Cooperative Control Program in the conterminous United States. The environmental assessment documents our review and analysis of environmental impacts associated with the Spotted Lanternfly Cooperative Control Program. We are making the programmatic environmental assessment available to the public for review and comment. DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before December 11, 2023. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods: • Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov. Enter APHIS– 2023–0079 in the Search field. Select the Documents tab, then select the Comment button in the list of documents. • Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS–2023–0079, 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 regulations.gov 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: Mr. Matthew Travis, Spotted Lanternfly National Policy Manager, PPQ, APHIS, Emergency and Domestic Programs, 4700 River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737–1238; email: Matthew.A.Travis@usda.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The spotted lanternfly (SLF), Lycorma SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\09NON1.SGM 09NON1 ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1 77260 Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 216 / Thursday, November 9, 2023 / Notices delicatula, an invasive species native to Asia, is a destructive pest that in large numbers can cause significant damage to critical habitat and economically important plants. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is proposing to control SLF, to slow the spread of this invasive insect in the conterminous United States, wherever outbreaks are detected. SLF was first detected in the United States in 2014 in Pennsylvania. In 2015, APHIS implemented SLF control activities to respond to this new pest threat. Later, in 2019, APHIS started an official SLF program. SLF is a significant economic and lifestyle pest for residents, businesses, tourism, forestry, and agriculture. SLF infestation has led to crop loss, agriculture exportation problems, and increased management costs. APHIS is concerned by the potential for longdistance movement of SLF within the United States, and by the continued risk of SLF introduction from other countries. The environmental and socioeconomic damage to SLF-affected regions can be substantial. For context, grape vineyards in South Korea and the United States appear to be particularly affected, jeopardizing an industry worth billions of dollars. One vineyard in the United States reportedly faced a crop yield loss of up to 90 percent. An uncontained SLF infestation could drain Pennsylvania’s economy of at least $324 million annually. While SLF has not yet been found in western United States, it has been intercepted in airplanes arriving from the eastern United States. Suitable conditions for SLF establishment exist in large regions of the United States, giving the insect the potential to damage valuable host crops, forests, and critical habitat for listed species. APHIS’ review and analysis of potential environmental impacts associated with the Spotted Lanternfly Cooperative Control Program are documented in a programmatic environmental assessment (ProEA) titled ‘‘Spotted Lanternfly Cooperative Control Program for the Conterminous United States’’ (June 2023). The ProEA incorporates by reference, the analysis in ‘‘Expanded Spotted Lanternfly Control Program in Select States in the Midwest, Northeast, and Mid-Atlantic Regions of the United States EA’’.1 In our analysis, APHIS found that an adaptive pest management approach that combines quarantine, chemical treatments, and pest survey is the preferred alternative to address the 1 https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/ea/ 2023/regional-slf-2023-ea.pdf. VerDate Sep<11>2014 18:22 Nov 08, 2023 Jkt 262001 potential environmental impact of a SLF outbreak. The ProEA 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 ProEA by calling or writing to the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Please refer to the title of the ProEA when requesting copies. The ProEA 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). The public meeting is scheduled for December 6, 2023, from 1:00–2:30 p.m. EDT. DATES: DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE The public meeting will take place via Video Teleconference only. Documents related to the 7th Session of the CCSCH will be accessible via the internet at the following address: https://www.fao.org/fao-whocodexalimentarius/meetings/detail/en/ ?meeting=CCSCH&session=7. Mr. Dorian LaFond, U.S. Delegate to the 7th Session of the CCSCH, invites interested U.S. parties to submit their comments electronically to the following email address: dorian.lafond@ usda.gov. Registration: Attendees may register to attend the public meeting here: https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/ register/vJItcuyqrDgsEpm1ar 9sahLeoFTqCPXeXig. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. For further information about the 7th Session of the CCSCH, contact U.S. Delegate, Mr. Dorian LaFond, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, dorian.lafond@usda.gov, (202) 690– 4944. For an additional contact regarding the public meeting, contact the U.S. Codex Office by email at: uscodex@usda.gov. U.S. Codex Office SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Done in Washington, DC, this 31st day of October 2023. Michael Watson, Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. [FR Doc. 2023–24752 Filed 11–8–23; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–34–P Codex Alimentarius Commission: Meeting of the Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs AGENCY: U.S. Codex Office, USDA. Notice of public meeting and request for comments. ACTION: The U.S. Codex Office is sponsoring a public meeting on December 6, 2023. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft U.S. positions to be discussed at the 7th Session of the Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC). CCSCH7 will be held in Kochi, Kerala, India, from January 29–February 2, 2024. The U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius and the Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 7th Session of the CCSCH and to address items on the agenda. SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 ADDRESSES: Background The Codex Alimentarius Commission was established in 1963 by two United Nations organizations, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Through adoption of food standards, codes of practice, and other guidelines developed by its committees, and by promoting their adoption and implementation by governments, Codex seeks to protect the health of consumers and ensure fair practices in the food trade. The Terms of Reference of the Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH) are: (a) To elaborate worldwide standards for spices and culinary herbs in their dried and dehydrated state in whole, ground, and cracked or crushed form; (b) To consult, as necessary, with other international organizations in the standards development process to avoid duplication. The CCSCH is hosted by India. The United States attends the CCSCH as a member country of Codex. E:\FR\FM\09NON1.SGM 09NON1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 216 (Thursday, November 9, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77259-77260]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-24752]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2023-0079]


Spotted Lanternfly Cooperative Control Program; Availability of a 
Programmatic Environmental Assessment

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments.

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

SUMMARY: We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service has prepared a programmatic environmental assessment 
relative to the Spotted Lanternfly Cooperative Control Program in the 
conterminous United States. The environmental assessment documents our 
review and analysis of environmental impacts associated with the 
Spotted Lanternfly Cooperative Control Program. We are making the 
programmatic environmental assessment available to the public for 
review and comment.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
December 11, 2023.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov. 
Enter APHIS-2023-0079 in the Search field. Select the Documents tab, 
then select the Comment button in the list of documents.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2023-0079, 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 regulations.gov 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: Mr. Matthew Travis, Spotted Lanternfly 
National Policy Manager, PPQ, APHIS, Emergency and Domestic Programs, 
4700 River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The spotted lanternfly (SLF), Lycorma

[[Page 77260]]

delicatula, an invasive species native to Asia, is a destructive pest 
that in large numbers can cause significant damage to critical habitat 
and economically important plants. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is proposing to 
control SLF, to slow the spread of this invasive insect in the 
conterminous United States, wherever outbreaks are detected.
    SLF was first detected in the United States in 2014 in 
Pennsylvania. In 2015, APHIS implemented SLF control activities to 
respond to this new pest threat. Later, in 2019, APHIS started an 
official SLF program. SLF is a significant economic and lifestyle pest 
for residents, businesses, tourism, forestry, and agriculture.
    SLF infestation has led to crop loss, agriculture exportation 
problems, and increased management costs. APHIS is concerned by the 
potential for long-distance movement of SLF within the United States, 
and by the continued risk of SLF introduction from other countries. The 
environmental and socioeconomic damage to SLF-affected regions can be 
substantial. For context, grape vineyards in South Korea and the United 
States appear to be particularly affected, jeopardizing an industry 
worth billions of dollars. One vineyard in the United States reportedly 
faced a crop yield loss of up to 90 percent. An uncontained SLF 
infestation could drain Pennsylvania's economy of at least $324 million 
annually.
    While SLF has not yet been found in western United States, it has 
been intercepted in airplanes arriving from the eastern United States. 
Suitable conditions for SLF establishment exist in large regions of the 
United States, giving the insect the potential to damage valuable host 
crops, forests, and critical habitat for listed species. APHIS' review 
and analysis of potential environmental impacts associated with the 
Spotted Lanternfly Cooperative Control Program are documented in a 
programmatic environmental assessment (ProEA) titled ``Spotted 
Lanternfly Cooperative Control Program for the Conterminous United 
States'' (June 2023). The ProEA incorporates by reference, the analysis 
in ``Expanded Spotted Lanternfly Control Program in Select States in 
the Midwest, Northeast, and Mid-Atlantic Regions of the United States 
EA''.\1\ In our analysis, APHIS found that an adaptive pest management 
approach that combines quarantine, chemical treatments, and pest survey 
is the preferred alternative to address the potential environmental 
impact of a SLF outbreak.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/ea/2023/regional-slf-2023-ea.pdf.
_____________________________________-

    The ProEA 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 ProEA by calling or writing to the 
person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Please refer to 
the title of the ProEA when requesting copies.
    The ProEA 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 31st day of October 2023.
Michael Watson,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-24752 Filed 11-8-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P

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