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### Finding of No Significant Impact for Importation of Hass Avocados from Peru into the Continental United States Environmental Assessment, August 2009

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), has

prepar ed an environmental assessment (EA) that analyzes potential environmental consequences of allowing the i mportation of commercial shipments of H ass avocados from Peru under the f inal rule. The EA, incorporated by reference in this document, is available fr om:

U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Plant Protection and Quarantine Commodity Import Analysis and Operation 4700 River Road, Unit 133 Riverdale, MD 20737

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The EA analyzed alternatives of (1) no action in wh ich the current regulations will remain unchanged prohibiting the movement of Hass Avocados from Peru into the Continental United States, and (2) the regulation under this rule making (preferred alternative). This rulemaking was preferred because it would not likely result in the introduction of plant pests associated with the importation of Hass Avocados from

Peru into the United States. Further, the preferred alternative will support the agency’s efforts, in accordance with international trade agreements , to remove barriers to trade in the event that such barriers are found by scientific analysis to be unnecessary. The requirements under the rule serve to negate or reduce the potential environmental consequences of the preferred alternative.



### The EA ev aluated the environmental impacts of a systems approach method that utilizes monitoring, grove requirements, surveys, harvest requirements, packinghouse requirements, inspection and certification. In addition, cold treatment and methyl bromide were evalua ted for

treatment of C. capitata . The EA concluded that environme ntal impacts from the requirements under this rulemaking are not expected to be consequential . The EA was published in the Federal Register and was made available for a 60

- day public commen t period. No comments were received that specifically mentioned the EA.

A PHIS has determined that there would be no significant impact to the human environmen t from the implementation of this rulemaking. APHIS’ Finding of No Significant Impact for this rule was based upon the expected limited environmental consequences, as analyzed in the EA. APHIS anticipates no impacts to threatened or endangered species or their habitats from this regulatory action.

T he preferred alternative poses no disproportion ate adverse effects to minority and low

- income populations and the actions undertaken for this program are entirely consistent with the principles of “environmental justice,” as expressed in Executive Order 12898, “Federal Actions to Address

Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low

- Income Populations.” Likewise, I find that the preferred program poses no disproportionate adverse effects to children and the actions undertaken for this program comply with the policy of Executive Order 13045, “Pr otection of Children from Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks.”Lastly, because I have not found evidence of significant environmental impact associated with this

program, I further find that an environmental impact statement does not need to be prepared and that this

program may be implemented.

# Alanjjf~ Date

Plant Protection and Quarantine

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

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