[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 45 (Tuesday, March 9, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 11434]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-5782]
[[Page 11434]]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. 99-013-1]
Availability of Environmental Assessments and Findings of No
Significant Impact
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that two 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, Assistant Director,
Scientific Services, PPQ, APHIS, Suite 5B05, 4700 River Road Unit 147,
Riverdale, MD 20737-1237; (301) 734-7710. For copies of the
environmental assessments and findings of no significant impact,
contact Ms. Linda Lightle at (301) 734-8231; e-mail:
Linda.Lightle@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, the Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) assessed the impact on the
environment that releasing the organisms under the conditions described
in the permit applications 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:
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Permit No. Permittee Date issued Organisms Field test location
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98-274-02r............... Monsanto Company.... 2-03-99 Corn plants genetically Florida, Texas
engineered to express a
novel protein of
pharmaceutical
interests..
98-274-01r............... Monsanto Company.... 2-04-99 Corn plants genetically Hawaii
engineered to express a
novel protein of
pharmaceutical
interests..
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The environmental assessments and findings of no significant impact
have 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 3rd day of March 1999.
Joan M. Arnoldi,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 99-5782 Filed 3-8-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
