[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 143 (Monday, July 27, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40093-40094]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-19996]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. 98-071-1]
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 four 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 for these field tests.
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 telephone before visiting 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 the 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 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 applicant
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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98-117-03r..................... Limagrain 6-10-98 Corn genetically Illinois, Iowa.
Genetics engineered to express
Research. the human serum
albumin protein.
98-117-04r..................... Limagrain 6-12-98 Corn genetically Indiana.
Genetics engineered to express
Research. the rabies virus G
glycoprotein.
98-117-01r..................... Limagrain 6-12-98 Corn genetically Illinois.
Genetics engineered to express
Research. human hemoglobin
protein chains.
98-117-02r..................... Limagrain 6-12-98 Corn genetically Indiana.
Genetics engineered to express
Research. a human procollagen
type chain protein.
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[[Page 40094]]
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 22nd day of July 1998.
Charles P. Schwalbe,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 98-19996 Filed 7-24-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
