![[logo] US EPA](http://www.epa.gov/epafiles/images/logo_epaseal.gif){kind=logo}
Availability of Environmental Assessments and Findings of No Significant Impact
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
[Federal Register: October 18, 1996 (Volume 61, Number 203)] [Notices]
[Page 54408-54409]
>From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service [Docket No. 96-081-1]Availability of Environmental Assessments and Findings of No Significant Impact
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
SUMMARY: We are advising the public that three environmental assessments and findings of no significant impact have been prepared by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service relative to the issuance of permits to allow the field testing of genetically engineered organisms. The environmental assessments provide a basis for our conclusion that the field testing of the genetically engineered organisms will not present a risk of introducing or disseminating a plant pest and will not have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment. Based on its findings of no significant impact, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has determined that environmental impact statements need not be prepared.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the environmental assessments and findings of no significant impact are available for public inspection at USDA, room 1141, South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. Persons wishing to inspect those documents are requested to call ahead on (202) 690-2817 to facilitate entry into the reading room.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Arnold Foudin, Deputy Director, Biotechnology Permits, BBEP, APHIS, Suite 5B05, 4700 River Road Unit 147, Riverdale, MD 20737-1237; (301) 734-7612. For copies of the environmental assessments and findings of no significant impact, contact Mr. Clayton Givens at (301) 734-7612; e-mail: cgivens@aphis.usda.gov. Please refer to the permit numbers listed below when ordering documents.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations in 7 CFR part 340 (referred to below as the regulations) regulate the introduction (importation, interstate movement, and release into the environment) of genetically engineered organisms and products that are plant pests or that there is reason to believe are plant pests (regulated articles). A permit must be obtained or a notification acknowledged before a regulated article may be introduced into the United States. The regulations set forth the permit application requirements and the notification procedures for the importation, interstate movement, and release into the environment of a regulated article.
In the course of reviewing each permit application, APHIS assessed the impact on the environment that releasing the organisms under the conditions described in the permit application would have. APHIS has issued permits for the field testing of the organisms listed below after concluding that the organisms will not present a risk of plant pest introduction or dissemination and will not have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment. The environmental assessments and findings of no significant impact, which are based on data submitted by the applicants and on a review of other relevant literature, provide the public with documentation of APHIS' review and analysis of the environmental impacts associated with conducting the field tests.
Environmental assessments and findings of no significant impact have been prepared by APHIS relative to the issuance of permits to allow the field testing of the following genetically engineered organisms:[[Page 54409]]
Permit No. Permittee Date issued Organisms Field test location
96-129-02 Texas Tech University. 8-23-96 Onion plants Texas. genetitically engineered to express two types of chitinase genes that may confer resistance to two fungal pathogens. 96-071-06 University of Florida. 8-26-96 Mutants of a Florida. bacterium, Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesi- catoria, genetically engineered to be non- pathogenic. 96-215-01 Pioneer Hi-Bred 9-17-96 Canola plants California International, Inc. genetically engineered to express proteins of pharmaceutical or industrial interest..
The environmental assessments and findings of no significant impact have been prepared in accordance with: (1) The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA)(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 11th day of October 1996. A. Strating,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. [FR Doc. 96-26804 Filed 10-17-96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-34-P