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Availability of an Environmental Assessment for a Proposed Field Release of Genetically Engineered Safflower

Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.

 [Federal Register: February 5, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 23)]
[Notices]
[Page 5263-5264]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05fe07-26]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2006-0190]

Availability of an Environmental Assessment for a Proposed Field
Release of Genetically Engineered Safflower

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that an environmental assessment
has been prepared for a proposed field release involving a transgenic
safflower line that has been genetically engineered to express, within
the seeds, a carp growth hormone fused to an Arabidopsis oleosin. The
purpose of this field release is to obtain a seed increase of material
harvested in Chile for future use as a supplement in aquaculture meal.
We are making the environmental assessment available to the public for
review and comment.

DATES: We will consider all comments received on or before March 7, 2007.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
    ? Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov,
select ``Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service'' from the agency
drop-down menu, then click ``Submit.'' In the Docket ID column, select
APHIS-2006-0190 to submit or view public comments and to view supporting
and related materials available electronically. Information on using
Regulations.gov, including instruction for accessing documents, submitting
comments, and viewing the docket after the close of the comment period,
is available through the site's ``User Tips'' link.
    ? Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send four copies
of your comment (an original and three copies) to Docket No. APHIS-
2006-0190, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-
03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state
that your comment refers to Docket No. APHIS-2006-0190.
    Reading Room: You may read the environmental assessment (EA) and
any comments we receive on this docket in our reading room. The reading
room is located in room 1141 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) 690-2817 before
coming. The EA is also available on the Internet at
http://aphis.usda.gov/brs/aphisdocs/06_25001r_ea.pdf.
    Other Information: Additional information about APHIS and its
programs is available on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Patricia Beetham, Biotechnology
Regulatory Services, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 147, Riverdale, MD
20737-1236; (301) 734-0664. To obtain copies of the environmental
assessment, contact Ms. Cynthia Eck at (301) 734-0667; e-mail: 
cynthia.a.eck@aphis.usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations in 7 CFR part 340,
``Introduction of Organisms and Products Altered or Produced Through
Genetic Engineering Which Are Plant Pests or Which There Is Reason to
Believe Are Plant Pests,'' regulate, among other things, the
introduction (importation, interstate movement, or release into the
environment) of organisms and products altered or produced through
genetic engineering that are plant pests or that there is reason to
believe are plant pests. Such genetically engineered organisms and
products are considered ``regulated articles.'' A permit must be
obtained or a notification acknowledged before a regulated article may
be introduced. The regulations set forth the permit application
requirements and the notification procedures for the importation,
interstate movement, or release in the environment of a regulated article.
    On September 5, 2006, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service (APHIS) received a permit application (APHIS No. 06-250-02r)
from SemBioSys Genetics, Inc. of West Sacramento, CA, for a field trial
using a line of transgenic safflower. Permit application 06-250-02r
describes a transgenic safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) cultivar that
has been genetically engineered to express a fusion protein consisting
of oleosin from Arabidopsis thaliana and carp growth hormone
(somatotropin) from Cyprinus carpio exclusively within its seeds.
Expression of the fusion protein is controlled by the phaseolin
promoter and terminator sequences from Phaseolus vulgaris L. (common
bean). Constructs were inserted into the recipient organisms via a
disarmed Agrobacterium tumefaciens vector system. The seed from these
safflower plants will be ground and incorporated into aquaculture feed
to be used in experimental fish feeding studies by SemBioSys and is not
for commercial production.
    The subject safflower is considered a regulated article under the
regulations in 7 CFR part 340 because it has been genetically
engineered using the recombinant DNA technique using a vector derived
from the plant pest Agrobacterium tumefaciens.
    To provide the public with documentation of APHIS' review and
analysis of any potential environmental impacts and plant pest risks
associated with the proposed release of these transgenic safflowers, an
environmental assessment (EA) has been prepared. The EA was prepared in
accordance with: (1) The National Environmental Policy Act

[[Page 5264]]

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). Copies of the EA are available from the
individual listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 7701-7772 and 7781-7786; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 7 CFR
2.22, 2.80, and 371.3.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 30th day of January 2007.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E7-1790 Filed 2-2-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P

 
 

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