64350 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 234 / Friday, December 5, 1997 / Notices

(2) Evaluate the accuracy of our

estimate of the burden of the proposed

collection of information, including the

validity of the methodology and

assumptions used;

(3) Enhance the quality, utility, and

clarity of the information to be

collected; and

(4) Minimize the burden of the

collection of information on those who

are to respond, through use, as

appropriate, of automated, electronic,

mechanical, and other collection

technologies, e.g., permitting electronic

submission of responses.

Estimate of burden: The public

reporting burden for this collection of

information is estimated to average

2.2063 hours per response.

Respondents: U.S. importers of

biological products, shippers, operators

of establishments that produce or test

biological products or that engage in

product research and development.

Estimated number of respondents:

114.

Estimated number of responses per

respondent: 298.73.

Estimated annual number of

responses: 34,056.

Estimated total annual burden on

respondents: 75,138 hours. (Due to

rounding, the total annual burden hours

may not equal the product of the annual

number of responses multiplied by the

average reporting burden per response.)

All responses to this notice will be

summarized and included in the request

for OMB approval. All comments will

also become a matter of public record.

Done in Washington, DC, this 28th day of

November.

Craig A. Reed,

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant

Health Inspection Service.

[FR Doc. 97–31903 Filed 12–4–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection

Service

[Docket No. 97–052–2]

Monsanto Co. and Dekalb Genetics

Corp.; Availability of Determination of

Nonregulated Status for Genetically

Engineered Corn Line

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health

Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: We are advising the public of

our determination that a corn line

developed by Monsanto Company and

Dekalb Genetics Corporation designated

as GA21, which has been genetically

engineered for tolerance to the herbicide

glyphosate, is no longer considered a

regulated article under our regulations

governing the introduction of certain

genetically engineered organisms. Our

determination is based on our

evaluation of data submitted by

Monsanto Company and Dekalb

Genetics Corporation in their petition

for a determination of nonregulated

status and an analysis of other scientific

data. This notice also announces the

availability of our written determination

document and its associated

environmental assessment and finding

of no significant impact.

EFFECTIVE DATE: November 18, 1997.

ADDRESSES: The determination, an

environmental assessment and finding

of no significant impact, the petition,

and any written comments received

regarding the petition may be inspected

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 asked to

call in advance of visiting at (202) 690–

2817 to facilitate entry into the reading

room.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.

Ray Dobert, Biotechnology Evaluation,

BSS, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit

147, Riverdale, MD 20737–1236; (301)

734–8365. To obtain a copy of the

determination or the environmental

assessment and finding of no significant

impact, contact Ms. Kay Peterson at

(301) 734–4885; e-mail:

mkpeterson@aphis.usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On April 9, 1997, the Animal and

Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)

received a petition (APHIS Petition No.

97–099–01p) from Monsanto Company

of St. Louis, MO, and Dekalb Genetics

Corporation of Mystic, CT (Monsanto/

Dekalb), seeking a determination that a

corn line designated as GA21, which

has been genetically engineered for

tolerance to the herbicide glyphosate,

does not present a plant pest risk and,

therefore, is not a regulated article

under APHIS’ regulations in 7 CFR part

340.

On August 13, 1997, APHIS published

a notice in the Federal Register (62 FR

43311–43312, Docket No. 97–052–1)

announcing that the Monsanto/Dekalb

petition had been received and was

available for public review. The notice

also discussed the role of APHIS, the

Environmental Protection Agency, and

the Food and Drug Administration in

regulating the subject corn line and food

products derived from it. In the notice,

APHIS solicited written comments from

the public as to whether the subject corn

line posed a plant pest risk. The

comments were to have been received

by APHIS on or before October 14, 1997.

APHIS received no comments on the

subject petition during the designated

60-day comment period.

Analysis

Corn line GA21 has been genetically

engineered to contain a modified corn 5-

enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphatesynthase (EPSPS) gene, which, when

expressed in the plant, confers tolerance

to the herbicide glyphosate. The

modified corn EPSPS gene was

introduced into the parental inbred corn

line AT by the particle acceleration

method, and its expression is controlled

in part by the rice actin promoter and

intron and the NOS 3′ termination

sequence derived from the plant

pathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

Corn line GA21 has been considered

a regulated article under APHIS’

regulations in 7 CFR part 340 because it

contains gene sequences derived from a

plant pathogen. However, evaluation of

field data reports from field tests of the

subject corn line conducted under

APHIS notifications since 1994

indicates that there were no deleterious

effects on plants, nontarget organisms,

or the environment as a result of the

subject corn plants’ release into the

environment.

Determination

Based on its analysis of the data

submitted by Monsanto/Dekalb, and a

review of other scientific data and field

tests of the subject corn line, APHIS has

determined that corn line GA21: (1)

Exhibits no plant pathogenic properties;

(2) is no more likely to become a weed

than corn developed by traditional

breeding techniques; (3) is unlikely to

increase the weediness potential for any

other cultivated or wild species with

which it can interbreed; (4) will not

harm other organisms, including

agriculturally beneficial organisms and

threatened and endangered species; and

(5) should not cause damage to raw or

processed agricultural commodities.

Therefore, APHIS has concluded that

corn line GA21 and any progeny

derived from hybrid crosses with

nontransformed corn varieties will be

just as safe to grow as traditionally bred

corn lines that are not regulated under

7 CFR part 340.

The effect of this determination is that

the Monsanto/Dekalb corn line

designated as GA21 is no longer

considered a regulated article under

APHIS’ regulations in 7 CFR part 340.
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 234 / Friday, December 5, 1997 / Notices 64351

Therefore, the requirements pertaining

to regulated articles under those

regulations no longer apply to the field

testing, importation, or interstate

movement of corn line GA21 or its

progeny. However, importation of the

subject corn line or seeds capable of

propagation is still subject to the

restrictions found in APHIS’ foreign

quarantine notices in 7 CFR part 319.

National Environmental Policy Act

An environmental assessment (EA)

has been prepared to examine the

potential environmental impacts

associated with this determination. The

EA was 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). Based on that EA, APHIS has

reached a finding of no significant

impact (FONSI) with regard to its

determination that the Monsanto/Dekalb

corn line GA21 and lines developed

from it are no longer regulated articles

under its regulations in 7 CFR part 340.

Copies of the EA and the FONSI are

available upon request from the

individual listed under FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT.

Done in Washington, DC, this 28th day of

November 1997.

Craig A. Reed,

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant

Health Inspection Service.

[FR Doc. 97–31901 Filed 12–4–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P

ASSASSINATION RECORDS REVIEW

BOARD

Sunshine Act Meeting

DATE: December 15, 1997.

PLACE: National Archives at College

Park, MD.

STATUS: Closed.

MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED:

1. Review of Assassination Records

2. Other Business

CONTACT PERSON FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Eileen Sullivan, Press Officer, 600 E

Street, NW, Second Floor, Washington,

DC 20530. Telephone: (202) 724–0088;

Fax: (202) 724–0457.

T. Jeremy Gunn,

Executive Director.

[FR Doc. 97–32016 Filed 12–3–97; 10:50 am]

BILLING CODE 6118–01–P

COMMITTEE FOR PURCHASE FROM

PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR

SEVERELY DISABLED

Procurement List; Proposed Additions

and Deletions

AGENCY: Committee for Purchase From

People Who Are Blind or Severely

Disabled

ACTION: Proposed additions to and

deletions from Procurement List

SUMMARY: The Committee has received a

proposal to add to the Procurement List

commodities and services to be

furnished by nonprofit agencies

employing persons who are blind or

have other severe disabilities, and to

delete a commodity and services

previously furnished by such agencies.

COMMENTS MUST BE RECEIVED ON OR

BEFORE: January 5, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Committee for Purchase

From People Who Are Blind or Severely

Disabled, Crystal Gateway 3, Suite 310,

1215 Jefferson Davis Highway,

Arlington, Virginia 22202–4302.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Beverly Milkman (703) 603–7740.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This

notice is published pursuant to 41

U.S.C. 47(a)(2) and 41 CFR 51–2.3. Its

purpose is to provide interested persons

an opportunity to submit comments on

the possible impact of the proposed

actions.

Additions

If the Committee approves the

proposed addition, all entities of the

Federal Government (except as

otherwise indicated) will be required to

procure the commodities and services

listed below from nonprofit agencies

employing persons who are blind or

have other severe disabilities.

I certify that the following action will

not have a significant impact on a

substantial number of small entities.

The major factors considered for this

certification were:

1. The action will not result in any

additional reporting, recordkeeping or

other compliance requirements for small

entities other than the small

organizations that will furnish the

commodities and services to the

Government.

2. The action does not appear to have

a severe economic impact on current

contractors for the commodities and

services.

3. The action will result in

authorizing small entities to furnish the

commodities and services to the

Government.

4. There are no known regulatory

alternatives which would accomplish

the objectives of the Javits-WagnerO’Day Act (41 U.S.C. 46–48c) in

connection with the commodities and

services proposed for addition to the

Procurement List. Comments on this

certification are invited. Commenters

should identify the statement(s)

underlying the certification on which

they are providing additional

information.

The following commodities and

services have been proposed for

addition to Procurement List for

production by the nonprofit agencies

listed:

Commodities

Office and Miscellaneous Supplies

(Requirements for the Marine Corps Air

Station, Yuma, Arizona)

NPA: Arizona Industries for the Blind,

Phoenix, Arizona

Office and Miscellaneous Supplies

(Requirements for the Marine Corps Air

Station, Beaufort, North Carolina)

NPA: Lions Club Industries, Inc.,

Durham, North Carolina

Services

Janitorial/Custodial

Federal Building

648 Mission

Ketchikan, Alaska

NPA: REACH, Inc., Juneau, Alaska

Janitorial/Custodial

for the following Grand Rapids,

Michigan locations:

VA Outpatient Clinic, 3019 Coit Avenue

Special Mental Health Clinic, 3000

Monroe Street

NPA: Hope Network, Grand Rapids,

Michigan

Deletions

I certify that the following action will

not have a significant impact on a

substantial number of small entities.

The major factors considered for this

certification were:

1. The action will not result in any

additional reporting, recordkeeping or

other compliance requirements for small

entities.

2. The action does not appear to have

a severe economic impact on future

contractors for the commodity and

services.

3. The action will result in

authorizing small entities to furnish the

commodity and services to the

Government.

4. There are no known regulatory

alternatives which would accomplish

the objectives of the Javits-WagnerO’Day Act (41 U.S.C. 46–48c) in

connection with the commodity and

services proposed for deletion from the

Procurement List.