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.

Notices Federal Register

45169 

Vol. 78, No. 144 

Friday, July 26, 2013 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Submission for OMB Review; 

Comment Request 

July 22, 2013. 

The Department of Agriculture has 

submitted the following information 

collection requirement(s) to OMB for 

review and clearance under the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 

Public Law 104–13. Comments 

regarding (a) Whether the collection of 

information is necessary for the proper 

performance of the functions of the 

agency, including whether the 

information will have practical utility; 

(b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate 

of burden including the validity of the 

methodology and assumptions used; (c) 

ways to enhance the quality, utility and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected; (d) ways to minimize the 

burden of the collection of information 

on those who are to respond, including 

through the use of appropriate 

automated, electronic, mechanical, or 

other technological collection 

techniques or other forms of information 

technology. 

Comments regarding this information 

collection received by August 26, 2013 

will be considered. Written comments 

should be addressed to: Desk Officer for 

Agriculture, Office of Information and 

Regulatory Affairs, Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB), New 

Executive Office Building, 725 17th 

Street NW., Washington, DC 20502. 

Commenters are encouraged to submit 

their comments to OMB via email to: 

OIRA_Submission@OMB.EOP.GOV or 

fax (202) 395–5806 and to Departmental 

Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail 

Stop 7602, Washington, DC 20250– 

7602. Copies of the submission(s) may 

be obtained by calling (202) 720–8958. 

An agency may not conduct or 

sponsor a collection of information 

unless the collection of information 

displays a currently valid OMB control 

number and the agency informs 

potential persons who are to respond to 

the collection of information that such 

persons are not required to respond to 

the collection of information unless it 

displays a currently valid OMB control 

number. 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

Title: Animal Disease Traceability 

Information Systems, Agreements, and 

Reports (formerly: National Animal 

Identification System). 

OMB Control Number: 0579–0259. 

Summary of Collection: The Animal 

and Plant Health Inspection Service 

(APHIS) has the authority to issue 

orders and promulgate regulations to 

prevent the introduction into the United 

States and the dissemination within the 

United States of any pest or disease of 

livestock. APHIS’ regulations govern 

cooperative programs to control and 

eradicate communicable diseases of 

livestock. The regulations also establish 

requirements for the interstate 

movement of livestock to prevent the 

dissemination of diseases of livestock 

within the United States. Knowing 

where diseased and at-risk animals are, 

where they have been, and when, is 

indispensable in emergency response 

and in ongoing disease control and 

eradication programs. To provide a 

system that could provide for animal 

traceability, APHIS developed the 

Animal Disease Traceability (ADT) 

framework and ADT information 

systems. The basic data APHIS acquires 

through the ADT information systems 

will help APHIS obtain timely 

information on animal movement 

tracebacks and trace forwards when 

responding to an animal disease of 

concern. 

Need and Use of the Information: 

APHIS’ goal is to create an effective, 

consistent, and efficient system which 

will allow traces of animals to be 

completed in a timely manner, detection 

of disease, and ensure rapid 

containment of disease. The ADT 

information systems involve reporting 

and recordkeeping activities, including 

animal identification; premises 

registration; nonproducer participant 

registration; updates submitted by 

animal identification number 

manufacturers and managers; 

cooperative agreements; cooperative 

agreement applications; cooperator 

(State/Tribe) quarterly accomplishment 

reports; an identification number 

management system; and records 

associated with animal movement 

activities. Failing to collect the needed 

information would make it impossible 

for APHIS to conduct a timely traceback 

or trace forward of animals potentially 

exposed to disease. 

Description of Respondents: Business 

or other for-profit; State, Local, or Tribal 

Government. 

Number of Respondents: 60,315. 

Frequency of Responses: 

Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion. 

Total Burden Hours: 47,054. 

Ruth Brown, 

Departmental Information Collection 

Clearance Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2013–17925 Filed 7–25–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

[Docket No. APHIS–2012–0046] 

GENECTIVE SA; Availability of Plant 

Pest Risk Assessment, Environmental 

Assessment, Preliminary Finding of No 

Significant Impact, and Preliminary 

Determination of Nonregulated Status 

of Maize Genetically Engineered for 

Herbicide Resistance 

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: We are advising the public 

that the Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service has prepared a 

preliminary determination regarding a 

request from GENECTIVE SA, seeking a 

determination of nonregulated status of 

maize designated as VCO–01981–5, 

which has been genetically engineered 

for resistance to the herbicide 

glyphosate. We are also making 

available for public review our plant 

pest risk assessment, environmental 

assessment, and preliminary finding of 

no significant impact for the 

preliminary determination of 

nonregulated status. 

DATES: We will consider any 

information that we receive on or before 

August 26, 2013. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit any 

information by either of the following 

methods: 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
45170 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 144 / Friday, July 26, 2013 / Notices 

1On March 6, 2012, APHIS published in the 

Federal Register (77 FR 13258–13260, Docket No. 

APHIS–2011–0129) a notice describing our process 

for soliciting public comment when considering 

petitions for determinations of nonregulated status 

for GE organisms. To view the notice, go to http:// 

www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS2011-0129. 

2To view the notice, the petition, and the 

comments we received, go to http:// 

www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS2012-;0046. 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov/ 

#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2012-0046. 

• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: 

Send your comment to Docket No. 

APHIS–2012–0046, Regulatory Analysis 

and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 

3A–03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, 

Riverdale, MD 20737–1238. 

Supporting documents and any 

comments we receive on this docket 

may be viewed at http:// 

www.regulations.gov/ 

#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2012-0046 or 

in our reading room, which is located in 

room 1141 of the USDA South Building, 

14th Street and Independence Avenue 

SW., Washington, DC. Normal reading 

room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 

Monday through Friday, except 

holidays. To be sure someone is there to 

help you, please call (202) 7997039 

before coming. 

Supporting documents are also 

available on the APHIS Web site at 

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ 

biotechnology/ 

petitions_table_pending.shtml under 

APHIS Petition Number 11–342–01p. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. 

Rebecca Stankiewicz Gabel, Chief, 

Biotechnology Environmental Analysis 

Branch, Environmental Risk Analysis 

Programs, Biotechnology Regulatory 

Services, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 

147, Riverdale, MD 20737–1236; (301) 

851–3927, email: rebecca.l.stankiewiczgabel@aphis.usda.gov. To obtain copies 

of the petition, contact Ms. Cindy Eck at 

(301) 851–3892, email: 

cynthia.a.eck@aphis.usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

Under the authority of the plant pest 

provisions of the Plant Protection Act (7 

U.S.C. 7701 et seq.), the regulations in 

7 CFR part 340, ‘‘Introduction of 

Organisms and Products Altered or 

Produced Through Genetic Engineering 

Which Are Plant Pests or Which There 

Is Reason to Believe Are Plant Pests,’’ 

regulate, among other things, the 

introduction (importation, interstate 

movement, or release into the 

environment) of organisms and products 

altered or produced through genetic 

engineering that are plant pests or that 

there is reason to believe are plant pests. 

Such genetically engineered (GE) 

organisms and products are considered 

‘‘regulated articles.’’ 

The regulations in § 340.6(a) provide 

that any person may submit a petition 

to the Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service (APHIS) seeking a 

determination that an article should not 

be regulated under 7 CFR part 340. 

APHIS received a petition (APHIS 

Petition Number 11–342–01p) from 

GENECTIVE SA of Chappes, France, 

seeking a determination of nonregulated 

status of maize (Zea mays L.) designated 

as event VCO–01981–5, which has been 

genetically engineered for resistance to 

the herbicide glyphosate. The petition 

stated that this maize is unlikely to pose 

a plant pest risk and, therefore, should 

not be a regulated article under APHIS’ 

regulations in 7 CFR part 340. 

According to our process 1 for 

soliciting public comment when 

considering petitions for determinations 

of nonregulated status of GE organisms, 

APHIS accepts written comments 

regarding a petition once APHIS deems 

it complete. In a notice 2 published in 

the Federal Register on July 13, 2012, 

(77 FR 41353–41354, Docket No. 

APHIS–2012–0046), APHIS announced 

the availability of the GENECTIVE SA 

petition for public comment. APHIS 

solicited comments on the petition for 

60 days ending on September 11, 2012, 

in order to help identify potential 

environmental and interrelated 

economic issues and impacts that 

APHIS may determine should be 

considered in our evaluation of the 

petition. 

APHIS received 79 comments on the 

petition. Several of these comments 

included electronic attachments 

consisting of a consolidated document 

of many identical or nearly identical 

letters, for a total of 4,693 comments. 

Issues raised during the comment 

period include outcrossing and crosspollination concerns and effects of 

herbicide use, such as the development 

of herbicide-resistant weeds and effects 

on non-target organisms. APHIS has 

evaluated the issues raised during the 

comment period and, where 

appropriate, has provided a discussion 

of these issues in our environmental 

assessment (EA). 

After public comments are received 

on a completed petition, APHIS 

evaluates those comments and then 

provides a second opportunity for 

public involvement in our 

decisionmaking process. According to 

our public review process (see footnote 

1), the second opportunity for public 

involvement follows one of two 

approaches, as described below. 

If APHIS decides, based on its review 

of the petition and its evaluation and 

analysis of comments received during 

the 60-day public comment period on 

the petition, that the petition involves a 

GE organism that raises no substantive 

new issues, APHIS will follow 

Approach 1 for public involvement. 

Under Approach 1, APHIS announces in 

the Federal Register the availability of 

APHIS’ preliminary regulatory 

determination along with its EA, 

preliminary finding of no significant 

impact (FONSI), and its plant pest risk 

assessment (PPRA) for a 30-day public 

review period. APHIS will evaluate any 

information received related to the 

petition and its supporting documents 

during the 30-day public review period. 

For this petition, we are using Approach 

1. 

If APHIS decides, based on its review 

of the petition and its evaluation and 

analysis of comments received during 

the 60-day public comment period on 

the petition, that the petition involves a 

GE organism that raises substantive new 

issues, APHIS will follow Approach 2. 

Under Approach 2, APHIS first solicits 

written comments from the public on a 

draft EA and PPRA for a 30-day 

comment period through the 

publication of a Federal Register notice. 

Then, after reviewing and evaluating the 

comments on the draft EA and PPRA 

and other information, APHIS will 

revise the PPRA as necessary and 

prepare a final EA and, based on the 

final EA, a National Environmental 

Policy Act (NEPA) decision document 

(either a FONSI or a notice of intent to 

prepare an environmental impact 

statement). 

As part of our decisionmaking process 

regarding a GE organism’s regulatory 

status, APHIS prepares a PPRA to assess 

the plant pest risk of the article. APHIS 

also prepares the appropriate 

environmental documentation—either 

an EA or an environmental impact 

statement—in accordance with NEPA, 

to provide the Agency with a review 

and analysis of any potential 

environmental impacts associated with 

the petition request. 

APHIS has prepared a PPRA and has 

concluded that maize event VCO– 

01981–5 is unlikely to pose a plant pest 

risk. In section 403 of the Plant 

Protection Act, ‘‘plant pest’’ is defined 

as any living stage of any of the 

following that can directly or indirectly 

injure, cause damage to, or cause 

disease in any plant or plant product: A 

protozoan, a nonhuman animal, a 

parasitic plant, a bacterium, a fungus, a 

virus or viroid, an infectious agent or 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 144 / Friday, July 26, 2013 / Notices 45171 

other pathogen, or any article similar to 

or allied with any of the foregoing. 

APHIS has prepared an EA in which 

we present two alternatives based on 

our analysis of data submitted by 

GENECTIVE SA, a review of other 

scientific data, field tests conducted 

under APHIS oversight, and comments 

received on the petition. APHIS is 

considering the following alternatives: 

(1) Take no action, i.e., APHIS would 

not change the regulatory status of 

maize event VCO–01981–5 and it would 

continue to be a regulated article, or (2) 

make a determination of nonregulated 

status of maize event VCO–01981–5. 

The EA was prepared in accordance 

with (1) 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 our EA and other 

pertinent scientific data, APHIS has 

reached a preliminary FONSI with 

regard to the preferred alternative 

identified in the EA. 

Based on APHIS’ analysis of field and 

laboratory data submitted by 

GENECTIVE SA, references provided in 

the petition, peer-reviewed 

publications, information analyzed in 

the EA, the PPRA, comments provided 

by the public, and discussion of issues 

in the EA in response to those public 

comments, APHIS has determined that 

maize event VCO–01981–5 is unlikely 

to pose a plant pest risk. We have 

therefore reached a preliminary decision 

to make a determination of nonregulated 

status of maize event VCO–01981–5, 

whereby maize event VCO–01981–5 

would no longer be subject to our 

regulations governing the introduction 

of certain GE organisms. 

We are making available for a 30-day 

review period APHIS’ preliminary 

regulatory determination of maize event 

VCO–01981–5, along with our PPRA, 

EA, and preliminary FONSI for the 

preliminary determination of 

nonregulated status. The EA, 

preliminary FONSI, PPRA, and our 

preliminary determination for maize 

event VCO–01981–5, as well as the 

GENECTIVE SA petition and the 

comments received on the petition, are 

available as indicated under ADDRESSES

and FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT

above. Copies of these documents may 

also be obtained from the person listed 

under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT. 

After the 30-day review period closes, 

APHIS will review and evaluate any 

information received during the 30-day 

review period. If, after evaluating the 

information received, APHIS determines 

that we have not received substantive 

new information that would warrant 

APHIS altering our preliminary 

regulatory determination or FONSI, 

substantially changing the proposed 

action identified in the EA, or 

substantially changing the analysis of 

impacts in the EA, APHIS will notify 

the public through an announcement on 

our Web site of our final regulatory 

determination. If, however, APHIS 

determines that we have received 

substantive new information that would 

warrant APHIS altering our preliminary 

regulatory determination or FONSI, 

substantially changing the proposed 

action identified in the EA, or 

substantially changing the analysis of 

impacts in the EA, then APHIS will 

notify the public of our intent to 

conduct additional analysis and to 

prepare an amended EA, a new FONSI, 

and/or a revised PPRA, which would be 

made available for public review 

through the publication of a notice of 

availability in the Federal Register. 

APHIS will also notify the petitioner. 

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 7701–7772 and 7781– 

7786; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 

371.3. 

Done in Washington, DC, this 19th day of 

July, 2013. 

Kevin Shea, 

Administrator, Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service. 

[FR Doc. 2013–17937 Filed 7–25–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Food and Nutrition Service 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities: Proposed Collection; 

Comment Request–WIC Nutrition 

Services and Administration (NSA) 

Cost Study 

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service 

(FNS), USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 

notice invites the general public and 

other public agencies to comment on 

this proposed information collection. 

This collection is a new collection to 

obtain data on how State and local WIC 

agencies calculate NSA costs; how 

recent Program changes have impacted 

NSA costs; and how administrative 

costs and policies compare to those of 

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 

Program (SNAP) and Temporary 

Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). 

DATES: Written comments must be 

received on or before September 24, 

2013. 

ADDRESSES: Comments are invited on (a) 

whether the proposed data collection of 

information is necessary for the proper 

performance of the functions of the 

agency, including whether the 

information shall have practical utility; 

(b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate 

of the burden of the proposed collection 

of information, including the validity of 

the methodology and assumptions that 

were used; (c) ways to enhance the 

quality, utility, and clarity of the 

information to be collected; and (d) 

ways to minimize the burden of the 

collection of information on those who 

are to respond, including the use of 

appropriate automated, electronic, 

mechanical, or other technological 

collection techniques or other forms of 

information technology. 

Written comments may be sent to: Dr. 

Melissa Abelev, Food and Nutrition 

Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 

3101 Park Center Drive, Room 1014, 

Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments may 

also be submitted via fax to the attention 

of Dr. Melissa Abelev at 703–305–2209 

or via email to 

Melissa.Abelev@fns.usda.gov. 

Comments will also be accepted through 

the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov, and follow 

the online instructions for submitting 

comments electronically. 

All written comments will be open for 

public inspection at the office of the 

Food and Nutrition Service during 

regular business hours (8:30 a.m. to 5:00 

p.m., Monday through Friday) at 3101 

Park Center Drive, Room 1014, 

Alexandria, Virginia 22302. 

All responses to this notice will be 

summarized and included in the request 

for Office of Management and Budget 

approval. All comments will be a matter 

of public record. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Requests for additional information or 

copies of this information collection 

should be directed to Dr. Melissa Abelev 

at 703–305–2209. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: WIC Nutrition Services and 

Administration (NSA) Cost Study. 

Form Number: N/A. 

OMB Number: Not yet assigned. 

Expiration Date: Not yet determined. 

Type of Request: New collection. 

Abstract: The Special Supplemental 

Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, 

and Children (WIC), (Pub. L. 109–85), is 

administered at the Federal level by the 

Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the 

U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

Through Federal grants to States, WIC 


tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES