[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 71 (Tuesday, April 14, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19956-19957]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-08604]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2015-0003]


Availability of an Environmental Assessment for Field Testing a 
Marek's Disease Vaccine, Serotype 1, Live Virus

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service has prepared an environmental assessment concerning 
authorization to ship for the purpose of field testing, and then to 
field test, an unlicensed Marek's disease vaccine, serotype 1, live 
virus. The environmental assessment, which is based on a risk analysis 
prepared to assess the risks associated with the field testing of this 
vaccine, examines the potential effects that field testing this 
veterinary vaccine could have on the quality of the human environment. 
Based on the risk analysis and other relevant data, we have reached a 
preliminary determination that field testing this veterinary vaccine 
will not have a significant impact on the quality of the human 
environment, and that an environmental impact statement need not be 
prepared. We intend to authorize shipment of this vaccine for field 
testing following the close of the comment period for this notice 
unless new substantial issues bearing on the effects of this action are 
brought to our attention. We also intend to issue a U.S. Veterinary 
Biological Product license for this vaccine, provided the field test 
data support the conclusions of the environmental assessment and the 
issuance of a finding of no significant impact and the product meets 
all other requirements for licensing.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before May 
14, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
    <bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2015-0003.
    <bullet> Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2015-0003, 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://

[[Page 19957]]

www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2015-0003 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) 799-7039 
before coming.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Donna Malloy, Operational Support 
Section, Center for Veterinary Biologics, Policy, Evaluation, and 
Licensing, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 148, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1231; phone (301) 851-3426, fax (301) 734-4314.
    For information regarding the environmental assessment or the risk 
analysis, or to request a copy of the environmental assessment (as well 
as the risk analysis with confidential business information removed), 
contact Dr. Patricia L. Foley, Risk Manager, Center for Veterinary 
Biologics, Policy, Evaluation, and Licensing, VS, APHIS, 1920 Dayton 
Avenue, P.O. Box 844, Ames, IA 50010; phone (515) 337-6100, fax (515) 
337-6120.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Under the Virus-Serum-Toxin Act (21 U.S.C. 151 et seq.), a 
veterinary biological product must be shown to be pure, safe, potent, 
and efficacious before a veterinary biological product license may be 
issued. A field test is generally necessary to satisfy prelicensing 
requirements for veterinary biological products. Prior to conducting a 
field test on an unlicensed product, an applicant must obtain approval 
from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), as well as 
obtain APHIS' authorization to ship the product for field testing.
    To determine whether to authorize shipment and grant approval for 
the field testing of the unlicensed product referenced in this notice, 
APHIS considers the potential effects of this product on the safety of 
animals, public health, and the environment. Using the risk analysis 
and other relevant data, APHIS has prepared an environmental assessment 
(EA) concerning the field testing of the following unlicensed 
veterinary biological product:
    Requester: Merial, Inc.
    Product: Marek's Disease Vaccine, Serotype 1, Live Virus.
    Possible Field Test Locations: Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, North 
Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.
    The above-mentioned product is a live Marek's Disease serotype 1 
vaccine virus containing the long terminal repeat of the 
reticuloendotheliosis virus. The attenuated vaccine is intended for use 
in healthy day-old chickens, as an aid in the prevention of Marek's 
disease caused by very virulent Marek's disease virus.
    The EA has 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).
    Unless substantial issues with adverse environmental impacts are 
raised in response to this notice, APHIS intends to issue a finding of 
no significant impact (FONSI) based on the EA and authorize shipment of 
the above product for the initiation of field tests following the close 
of the comment period for this notice.
    Because the issues raised by field testing and by issuance of a 
license are identical, APHIS has concluded that the EA that is 
generated for field testing would also be applicable to the proposed 
licensing action. Provided that the field test data support the 
conclusions of the original EA and the issuance of a FONSI, APHIS does 
not intend to issue a separate EA and FONSI to support the issuance of 
the product license, and would determine that an environmental impact 
statement need not be prepared. APHIS intends to issue a veterinary 
biological product license for this vaccine following completion of the 
field test provided no adverse impacts on the human environment are 
identified and provided the product meets all other requirements for 
licensing.

    Authority:  21 U.S.C. 151-159.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 8th day of April 2015.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-08604 Filed 4-13-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-34-P