Department of Agriculture November 15, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has prepared an environmental assessment concerning authorization to ship for the purpose of field testing, and then to field test, an unlicensed Canine Melanoma Vaccine, DNA, for use in dogs. The environmental assessment, which is based on a risk analysis prepared to assess the risks associated with the field testing of this vaccine, examines the potential effects that field testing this veterinary vaccine could have on the quality of the human environment. Based on the risk analysis, we have reached a preliminary determination that field testing this veterinary vaccine will not have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment, and that an environmental impact statement need not be prepared. We intend to authorize shipment of this vaccine for field testing following the close of the comment period for this notice unless new substantial issues bearing on the effects of this action are brought to our attention. We also intend to issue a U.S. Veterinary Biological Product license for this vaccine, provided the field test data support the conclusions of the environmental assessment and the issuance of a finding of no significant impact and the product meets all other requirements for licensing.

The Forest Service, USDA, will prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) on a site-specific proposal to improve forest health and sustainability on National Forest lands in the Natapoc Mountain area of the Wenatchee River Ranger District, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forests. The proposal will include a variety of vegetative treatments and road management actions, as further described in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below. Approximately 4,588 acres would be treated in the proposed project area. The analysis area is located within the Wenatchee River watershed near Plain, Washington, approximately 12 miles north of the city of Leavenworth. It is generally bounded by U.S. Highway 2 and State Highway 207 to the west, and the Wenatchee River to the north, east and west, and includes parts of the following townships: T27N, R17E; T26N, R17E; and T25N, R17E., Williamette Meridian. The proposal is designed to meet the following needs: (1) Promote the restoration of forest structure, composition, and age class distribution, to a more sustainable condition; (2) reduce the risks from wildfire, insects, and disease to late-successional habitat in the Deadhorse Late Successional Reserve and Natapoc Managed Late Successional Area; and (3) reduce hazardous fuels within the wildland- urban interface, particularly in areas adjacent to private property. The direction in the Wenatchee National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (1990), as amended by the Northwest Forest Plan (1994; 2004), provides the overall guidance for management of this area. Activities would be implemented between 2006 and approximately 2016 by a combination of private contracting, Forest Service personnel, cooperative agreements, and volunteers.