[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 125 (Thursday, June 30, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-15948]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: June 30, 1994]
VOL. 59, NO. 125
Thursday, June 30, 1994
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. 94-060-1]
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 eight 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 these 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, USDA, room 850, Federal Building,
6505 Belcrest Road, Hyattsville, MD 20782, (301) 436-7612. For copies
of the environmental assessments and findings of no significant impact,
write to Mr. Clayton Givens at the same address. 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 before a regulated article may be introduced into the
United States. The regulations set forth the procedures for obtaining a
limited permit for the importation or interstate movement of a
regulated article and for obtaining a permit for the release into the
environment of a regulated article. The Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (APHIS) has stated that it would prepare an
environmental assessment and, when necessary, an environmental impact
statement before issuing a permit for the release into the environment
of a regulated article (see 52 FR 22906).
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:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Permit No. Permittee Date issued Organisms Field test location
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
94-105-02, renewal of Michigan State 5-18-94 Melon plants genetically Michigan.
permit 92-164-02, University. engineered to express
issued on 07-30-92. resistance to zucchini
yellow mosaic virus.
94-090-02, renewal of Upjohn Company........ 5-24-94 Squash plants genetically California, Georgia,
permit 93-053-02, engineered to express Texas.
issued on 05-20-93. resistance to cucumber
mosaic virus, watermelon
mosaic virus 2, and
zucchini yellow mosaic
virus.
94-024-01.............. Monsanto Agricultural 5-26-94 Wheat plants genetically Montana.
Company. engineered to express
marker genes including
glyphosate herbicide
tolerance as a marker.
94-039-01.............. Petoseed Company, 5-26-94 Squash plants genetically California.
Incorporated. engineered to express
resistance to cucumber
mosaic virus, watermelon
mosaic virus 2, and
zucchini yellow mosaic
virus.
94-010-01.............. Connecticut 6-03-94 Cryphonectria parasitica, a Connecticut, West
Agricultural causal agent of chestnut Virginia.
Experiment Station. blight, genetically
engineered to be
hypovirulent.
94-060-01.............. Upjohn Company........ 6-03-94 Lettuce plants genetically Georgia.
engineered to express
resistance to tomato
spotted wilt virus.
94-090-01.............. Upjohn Company........ 6-03-94 Melon plants genetically Oregon.
engineered to express
resistance to cucumber
mosaic virus, watermelon
mosaic virus 2, and
zucchini yellow mosaic
virus.
94-098-02 renewal of University of 6-03-94 Pseudomonas syringae Wisconsin.
permit 90-135-01, Wisconsin-Madison. genetically engineered to
issued on 09-04-90. be avirulent through the
use of Tn5.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The environmental assessments and findings of no significant impact
have been prepared in accordance with: (1) The National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (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 Guidelines
Implementing NEPA (44 FR 50381-50384, August 28, 1979, and 44 FR 51272-
51274, August 31, 1979).
Done in Washington, DC, this 24th day of June, 1994.
Alex B. Theirmann,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 94-15948 Filed 6-29-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
