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[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 85 (Friday, May 2, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25094-25095]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-10038]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2014-0004]

Field Release of Aphelinus rhamni 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.

[[Page 25095]]

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments.

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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 rhamni 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 June 
2, 2014.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2014-0004.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2014-0004, 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-2014-
0004 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Shirley A Wager-Pag[eacute], 
Chief, Pest Permitting Branch, Plant Health Programs, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 
River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 851-2323.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The soybean aphid, Aphis glycines, which is 
native to Asia, was found in North America in 2000 and has since become 
a major pest. It infested 42 million acres in North America in 2003, 
resulting in decreased soybean yields and greatly increased control 
costs. The soybean aphid has invaded most soybean production regions in 
North America. By 2009, soybean aphid was present in 30 States and 3 
Canadian Provinces.
    The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is proposing 
to issue permits for the field release of a parasitic wasp, Aphelinus 
rhamni, to reduce the severity of soybean damage from infestations of 
soybean aphid in the United States.
    APHIS' review and analysis of the potential environmental impacts 
associated with this proposed field release are documented in detail in 
an environmental assessment entitled ``Field Release of Aphelinus 
rhamni (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) for the Biological Control of the 
Soybean Aphid, Aphis glycines (Hemiptera: Aphididae), in the 
Continental United States'' (August 2013). 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 1b); and (4) APHIS' NEPA Implementing Procedures (7 CFR 
part 372).

    Done in Washington, DC, this 28th day of April 2014.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-10038 Filed 5-1-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
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