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

46373 

Vol. 77, No. 150 

Friday, August 3, 2012 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

[Docket No APHIS–2012–0061] 

Field Release of Aphelinus glycinis for 

the Biological Control of the Soybean 

Aphid in the Continental United States; 

Availability of an Environmental 

Assessment 

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of availability and 

request for comments. 

SUMMARY: We are advising the public 

that a draft environmental assessment 

has been prepared by the Animal and 

Plant Health Inspection Service relative 

to the proposed release of Aphelinus 

glycinis for the biological control of the 

soybean aphid, Aphis glycines, in the 

continental United States. We are 

making this environmental assessment 

available to the public for review and 

comment. 

DATES: We will consider all comments 

that we receive on or before September 

4, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

by either of the following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov/ 

#!documentDetail;D=APHIS–2012–0061. 

• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: 

Send your comment to Docket No. 

APHIS–2012–0061, Regulatory Analysis 

and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 

3A–03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, 

Riverdale, MD 20737–1238. 

The environmental assessment and 

any comments we receive may be 

viewed at http://www.regulations.gov/ 

#!docketDetail;D=APHIS–2012–0061 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. 

Shirley A. Wager-Page, Chief, Pest 

Permitting Branch, Registration, 

Identification, Permitting, and Plant 

Safeguarding, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River 

Road Unit 134, Riverdale, MD 20737– 

1236; (301) 851–2323. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

The soybean aphid, Aphis glycinis, 

which is native to Asia, was found in 

North America in 2000 and has since 

become a major pest in America. It 

infested 42 million acres alone in 2003, 

resulting in decreased soybean yields 

and greatly increased control costs. The 

soybean aphid has invaded most 

soybean production regions in North 

America, including numerous U.S. 

States and three Canadian Provinces. 

The Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service (APHIS) is proposing 

to issue permits for the field release of 

the insect Aphelinus glycinis to reduce 

the severity of soybean damage from 

infestations of soybean aphid in the 

United States. Permitting the release of 

this parasite species is necessary to 

determine its impact on soybean aphid 

populations and its ability to survive in 

the target area. 

APHIS’ review and analysis of the 

potential environmental impacts 

associated with these proposed field 

tests are documented in detail in an 

environmental assessment entitled 

‘‘Field Release of Aphelinus glycinis for 

the Biological Control of the Soybean 

Aphid in the Continental United States’’ 

(March 2012). We are making this 

environmental assessment available to 

the public for review and comment. We 

will consider all comments that we 

receive on or before the date listed 

under the heading DATES at the 

beginning of this notice. 

The environmental assessment may 

be viewed on the Regulations.gov Web 

site or in our reading room (see 

ADDRESSES above for a link to 

Regulations.gov and information on the 

location and hours of the reading room). 

You may request paper copies of the 

environmental assessment by calling or 

writing to the person listed under FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Please 

refer to the title of the environmental 

assessment when requesting copies. 

The environmental assessment 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 1); and (4) APHIS’ NEPA 

Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part 

372). 

Done in Washington, DC, this 30th day of 

July 2012. 

Kevin Shea, 

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–19026 Filed 8–2–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

[Docket No. APHIS–2012–0060] 

Availability of an Environmental 

Assessment for a Biological Control 

Agent for Hemlock Woolly Adelgid 

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 an 

environmental assessment relative to 

the release of Symnus coniferarum to 

control hemlock woolly adelgid. The 

environmental assessment considers the 

effects of, and alternatives to, the release 

of Symnus coniferarum into the eastern 

United States for use as a biological 

control agent to reduce the severity of 

hemlock woolly adelgid infestations. 

We are making the environmental 

assessment available to the public for 

review and comment. 

DATES: We will consider all comments 

that we receive on or before September 

4, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

by either of the following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov/ 

#!documentDetail;D=APHIS–2012– 

0060–0001. 


TKELLEY on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
46374 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 150 / Friday, August 3, 2012 / Notices 

• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: 

Send your comment to Docket No. 

APHIS–2012–0060, 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–2012–0060 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. 

Shirley A. Wager-Page, Chief, Pest 

Permitting Branch, Registration, 

Identification, Permitting, and Plant 

Safeguarding, APHIS, 4700 River Road 

Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737–1236; 

(301) 851–2323. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

The Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service (APHIS) is proposing 

to issue permits for the release of 

Scymnus coniferarum, a native 

predaceous beetle from the western 

United States, into the eastern United 

States for use as a biological control 

agent to reduce the severity of hemlock 

woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae) 

infestations on hemlock. 

Hemlock woolly adelgid was 

accidentally introduced to the eastern 

United States from Asia. Although 

native to the western United States, in 

the eastern United States, hemlock 

woolly adelgid is a destructive pest of 

the eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis), 

where it causes needle loss, abortion of 

buds, and the eventual death of infested 

trees. 

Four predatory beetles have been 

introduced to the eastern United States 

as biological controls of hemlock woolly 

adelgid with two of these considered 

established in the eastern United States. 

However, because hemlock woolly 

adelgid has a multigenerational lifestyle 

with multiple forms appearing at 

different times during the year, a group 

of natural predators similar to that 

found in areas in which it is native is 

needed in order to provide more 

efficient control. Therefore, APHIS is 

proposing to issue permits for the 

release of S. coniferarum into the 

eastern United States in order to reduce 

the severity and extent of hemlock 

woolly adelgid infestations. 

The proposed biological control agent, 

S. coniferarum, is a small lady beetle 

about 2 millimeters long and covered in 

fine, short hairs. In the wild it feeds on 

all hemlock woolly adelgid stages 

except nymphs that are in diapause 

during the summer. Because the larvae 

of S. coniferarum primarily target the 

egg stage of the hemlock woolly adelgid 

in late spring to early summer, the 

release of S. coniferarum will provide a 

predator that the spring generation of 

hemlock woolly adelgid currently lacks 

in the eastern United States. 

APHIS’ review and analysis of the 

potential environmental effects 

associated with the proposed action are 

documented in detail in an 

environmental assessment (EA) entitled 

‘‘Release of the Predatory Beetle 

Scymnus coniferarum (Coleoptera: 

Coccinellidae), for Biological Control of 

the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (Adelges 

tsugae) in the Eastern United States’’ 

(February 2012). We are making the EA 

available to the public for review and 

comment. We will consider all 

comments that we receive on or before 

the date listed under the heading DATES

at the beginning of this notice. 

The EA may be viewed on the 

Regulations.gov Web site or in our 

reading room. (Instructions for accessing 

Regulations.gov and information on the 

location and hours of the reading room 

are provided under the heading 

ADDRESSES at the beginning of this 

notice.) In addition, copies may be 

obtained by calling or writing to the 

individual listed under FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT. 

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). 

Done in Washington, DC, this 30th day of 

July 2012. 

Kevin Shea, 

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service. 

[FR Doc. 2012–19029 Filed 8–2–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

[Docket No. APHIS–2012–0044] 

National Poultry Improvement Plan; 

General Conference Committee 

Meeting and 41st Biennial Conference 

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of meeting. 

SUMMARY: We are giving notice of a 

meeting of the General Conference 

Committee of the National Poultry 

Improvement Plan (NPIP) and the 

NPIP’s 41st Biennial Conference. 

DATES: The General Conference 

Committee meeting will be held on 

September 25, 2012, from 12 p.m. to 

4 p.m. The Biennial Conference will 

meet on September 26, 2012, from 8 

a.m. to 5 p.m., and on September 27, 

2012, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at 

the Loews New Orleans Hotel, 300 

Poydras Street, New Orleans, LA. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. 

C. Stephen Roney, Senior Coordinator, 

National Poultry Improvement Plan, VS, 

APHIS, 1506 Klondike Road, Suite 300, 

Conyers, GA 30094–5173, (770) 922– 

3496. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

General Conference Committee (the 

Committee) of the National Poultry 

Improvement Plan (NPIP), representing 

cooperating State agencies and poultry 

industry members, serves an essential 

function by acting as a liaison between 

the poultry 

industry and the Department in 

matters pertaining to poultry health. 

The Committee meets to discuss 

significant poultry health issues and 

makes recommendations to improve the 

NPIP program. 

Topics for discussion at the upcoming 

meetings include: 

1. Salmonella testing. 

2. Technical Committee report. 

3. Avian influenza. 

4. USDA regulatory review. 

The meetings will be open to the 

public. However, due to time 

constraints, the public will not be 

allowed to provide oral comments 

pertaining to the discussions during 

either of the meetings. Written 

statements on meeting topics may be 

filed with the Committee before or after 

the meeting by sending them to the 

person listed under FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT. Written 

statements may also be filed at the 

meeting. Please refer to Docket No. 


TKELLEY on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES