Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service July 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We are advising the public of our record of decision for the final supplemental environmental impact statement for the Gull Hazard Reduction Program at John F. Kennedy International Airport.

We are reopening the comment period for our interim final rule that will establish a herd certification program to control chronic wasting disease (CWD) in farmed or captive cervids in the United States. The interim final rule requested comment on our decision that our regulations will set minimum requirements for the interstate movement of farmed or captive cervids but not preempt State or local laws or regulations that are more restrictive than our regulations, except any such laws or regulations that prohibit or further restrict the transit through a State of deer, elk, and moose that are otherwise eligible for interstate movement. This action will allow interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments on our preemption policy with respect to CWD. This document also indicates that we will consider comments on issues other than our preemption policy for future rulemaking.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request an extension of approval of an information collection associated with the Cooperative State-Federal Brucellosis Eradication Program.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to initiate the Layers 2013 Study, an information collection to support the U.S. poultry industry.

We are proposing to amend the Virus-Serum-Toxin Act regulations to require that veterinary biologics prepared under the veterinary practitioner exemption must be prepared at the same facility the veterinarian utilizes in conducting the day-to-day activities associated with his or her practice. This exemption applies to veterinary biologics prepared by a veterinary practitioner solely for administration to animals in the course of a State-licensed professional practice of veterinary medicine under a veterinarian- client-patient relationship. This proposed amendment is necessary to ensure that veterinary biologics are not prepared in unlicensed establishments in violation of the Virus-Serum-Toxin Act. The effect of the proposed amendment would be to clarify the regulations regarding the preparation of product by a veterinary practitioner under a veterinarian-client-patient relationship.

We are advising the public of our determination that a soybean line developed by the Monsanto Co., designated as event MON 87769, which has been genetically engineered to produce stearidonic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid not found in conventional soybean, is no longer considered a regulated article under our regulations governing the introduction of certain genetically engineered organisms. Our determination is based on our evaluation of data submitted by the Monsanto Company in its petition for a determination of nonregulated status, our analysis of available scientific data, and comments received from the public in response to our previous notice announcing the availability of the petition for nonregulated status and its associated environmental assessment and plant pest risk assessment. This notice also announces the availability of our written determination and finding of no significant impact.

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has received a petition from the Monsanto Company (Monsanto) seeking a determination of nonregulated status of soybean designated as MON 87712, which has been genetically engineered for increased yield. The petition has been submitted in accordance with our regulations concerning the introduction of certain genetically engineered organisms and products. We are making the Monsanto petition available for review and comment to help us identify potential environmental and interrelated economic issues and impacts that APHIS may determine should be considered in our evaluation of the petition.

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has received a petition from Okanagan Specialty Fruits, Inc., seeking a determination of nonregulated status of apple events designated as events GD743 and GS784, which have been genetically engineered to resist browning. The petition has been submitted in accordance with our regulations concerning the introduction of certain genetically engineered organisms and products. We are making the Okanagan Specialty Fruits, Inc., petition available for review and comment to help us identify potential environmental and interrelated economic issues and impacts that APHIS may determine should be considered in our evaluation of the petition.

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has received a petition from BASF Plant Science LP (BASF) seeking a determination of nonregulated status of soybean designated as event BPS-CV127-9, which has been genetically engineered for tolerance to herbicides in the imidazolinone family. The petition has been submitted in accordance with our regulations concerning the introduction of certain genetically engineered organisms and products. We are making the BASF petition available for review and comment to help us identify potential environmental and interrelated economic issues and impacts that APHIS may determine should be considered in our evaluation of the petition.

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has received a petition from Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., (Pioneer) seeking a determination of nonregulated status of canola designated as DP-073496-4, which has been genetically engineered for tolerance to the herbicide glyphosate. The petition has been submitted in accordance with our regulations concerning the introduction of certain genetically engineered organisms and products. We are making the Pioneer petition available for review and comment to help us identify potential environmental and interrelated economic issues and impacts that APHIS may determine should be considered in our evaluation of the petition.

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has prepared a finding of no significant impact and a preliminary decision regarding a request from Bayer CropScience LP to extend to cotton event T303-3, which has been genetically engineered to be tolerant to the herbicide glufosinate and resistant to several lepidopteran pests, our determination of nonregulated status of TwinLinkTM cotton (event T304-40). We are making available for public comment our finding of no significant impact for the proposed determination of nonregulated status.

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has received a petition from GENECTIVE SA seeking a determination of nonregulated status of maize designated as VCO-[Oslash]1981-5, which has been genetically engineered for tolerance to the herbicide glyphosate. The petition has been submitted in accordance with our regulations concerning the introduction of certain genetically engineered organisms and products. We are making the GENECTIVE SA petition available for review and comment to help us identify potential environmental and interrelated economic issues and impacts that APHIS may determine should be considered in our evaluation of the petition.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's (APHIS) intention to request an approval of an information collection associated with the APHIS Asian longhorned beetle eradication program.