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[Federal Register: May 27, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 102)]
[Notices]               
[Page 29706]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr27my10-24]                         

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Notices
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
appearing in this section.

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[[Page 29706]]

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2006-0172]

 
Interstate Movement of Garbage from Hawaii; Availability of an 
Environmental Assessment and Finding 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 an environmental assessment 
and finding of no significant impact have been prepared by the Animal 
and Plant Health Inspection Service relative to a request to allow the 
interstate movement of garbage from Hawaii to a landfill in the State 
of Washington. The environmental assessment documents our review and 
analysis of the environmental impacts associated with, and alternatives 
to, the movement of palletized or containerized baled municipal solid 
waste to three existing ports on the Columbia River via barge and the 
transfer and transportation of the waste via truck or rail to the 
landfill. Based on its finding of no significant impact, the Animal and 
Plant Health Inspection Service has determined that an environmental 
impact statement need not be prepared.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. David B. Lamb, Import Specialist, 
Regulatory Coordination and Compliance, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road 
Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-0627.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The importation and interstate movement of garbage is regulated by 
the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) under 7 CFR 
330.400 and 9 CFR 94.5 (referred to below as the regulations) in order 
to protect against the introduction into and dissemination within the 
United States of plant and animal pests and diseases.
    On January 19, 2010, we published in the Federal Register (75 FR 
2845-2846, Docket No. APHIS-2006-0172) a notice\1\ in which we 
announced the availability, for public review and comment, of an 
environmental assessment documenting our review and analysis of the 
environmental impacts associated with, and alternatives to, the 
movement of palletized or containerized baled municipal solid waste to 
three existing ports on the Columbia River via barge and the transfer 
and transportation of the waste via truck or rail to the landfill.
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    \1\ To view the environmental assessment, the comments we 
received and our responses to the comments, and the finding of no 
significant impact, go to (http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2006-0172).
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    We solicited comments on the environmental assessment for 30 days 
ending on February 18, 2010. We received 37 comments by that date. The 
commenters raised several issues, including the potential for invasive 
species/pest introductions, impacts on air and water quality, impacts 
on fish and wildlife habitat, impacts on existing infrastructure 
(highway, rail, and barge), increased traffic at associated ports, and 
the adequacy of the environmental assessment's analysis of cumulative 
effects.
    Our analysis of the comments received and our responses to the 
issues raised in the comments are contained in a response to comments 
document that may be viewed on the Regulations.gov Web page (see 
footnote 1) or obtained from the person listed under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT. The response to comments document, along with 
copies of the environmental assessment and finding of no significant 
impact, is also 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 copies are requested to call ahead 
on (202) 690-2817 to facilitate entry into the reading room.
    The environmental assessment and finding 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 20\th\ day of May 2010.

Kevin Shea
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-12828 Filed 5-26-10: 7:27 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-S
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