Finding of No Significant Impact

Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program Fence Deterrent in

Cameron and Willacy Counties, Texas

Supplemental Environmental Assessment

April 2022

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

APHIS), Veterinary Services (VS) prepared a supplemental environmental assessment (EA) 

analyzing potential environmental consequences associated with the installation of high game 

and pasture fencing at specific locations in Cameron County, Texas, to prevent or limit the 

spread of cattle fever ticks by free-ranging wildlife hosts (such as white-tailed deer and nilgai). 

The supplemental EA, incorporated by reference in this document in its entirety, is available 

from:

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Veterinary Services

2150 Centre Avenue, Bldg. B

Fort Collins, CO 80526

Ongoing cattle fever tick eradication efforts in southern Texas include surveillance and patrolling 

for stray or smuggled tick-infested livestock, treatment of tick-infested animals, and vacating of 

tick-infested pastures and premises. Unfortunately, these efforts seem to be insufficient given the 

persistent increasing number of tick-infested premises observed outside of the Permanent Tick 

Quarantine Zone in recent years, and also given the potential for both the ticks and the bovine 

disease to spread across the region including Cameron County. Installing high game and pasture 

fencing, in addition to above-mentioned ongoing eradication efforts, may limit the movements of 

tick hosts (such as white-tailed deer and nilgai antelope) and eventually contribute to the 

program’s effort to reducing the use of chemicals needed to treat tick-infested cattle, as well as 

associated animal production costs overall. Therefore, by funding the installation of fencing 

against potential wildlife tick-hosts, the USDA APHIS VS cattle fever tick eradication program 

(CFTEP) expects to reduce the risk of the spread of the disease bovine babesiosis among U.S. 

cattle populations in Southern Texas.

The EA analyzed the alternatives of (A) no action under which USDA APHIS VS would not 

fund the installation of fencing in Cameron County, which would allow the continued spread of 

cattle fever ticks by infested wildlife ungulates in cattle ranches with the potential of increasing 

the likelihood of babesiosis outbreaks in U.S. cattle populations and related financial 

consequences; and (B) proposed action under which USDA APHIS VS would fund the 
installation of high game and pasture fencing at specific locations in Cameron County to deter 

the movements of potential wildlife tick-hosts, facilitating current CFTEP efforts.

USDA-APHIS announced the availability of this EA for a 30-day public comment period via two 

local newspapers in Texas and via Regulations.gov (Docket ID APHIS-2022-0021). The 

comment period ended on April 22, 2022. The agency received no comments on the EA.

USDA-APHIS determined that there are no disproportionate adverse effects associated with the 

preferred action alternative to children, minority and low-income populations or disadvantaged 

communities over those effects to the general populations, in accordance with Executive Order 

12898, Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and LowIncome Populations; Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for 

Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government; Executive Order 14008, Tackling 

the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad; and Executive Order 13045, Protection of Children 

from Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks.

I found that the implementation of the proposed program will not significantly impact the quality 

of the human environment. I have considered and based my finding of no significant impact on 

the environment on the analysis contained within the EA. Because I have not found evidence of 

significant environmental impacts associated with the proposed action, I find that an 

environmental impact statement does not need to be prepared and that the program may proceed.

____________________

Date

_________________________________

Dr. Mark Lyons

Acting Director, Ruminant Health Center

Strategy and Policy 

Veterinary Services

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

April 25, 2022