Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 244 / Thursday, December 19, 2024 / Notices 103769 

7To sign up for the Stakeholder Registry, go to: 

https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/ 

USDAAPHIS/subscriber/new. 

8For more information on NAPPO consultation: 

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/internationalstandards/plant-health-standards/draft. 

9NAPPO website: http://nappo.org. 

1 Domestic poultry that can be affected include 

chickens; turkeys; ring-necked pheasants; ducks; 

geese; common, Japanese, or bobwhite quail; Indian 

peafowl; chukar or grey partridge; pigeons; ostrich; 

and guinea fowl. 

2To view the draft EA, draft FONSI, the 

comments we received, the final EA, and the final 

FONSI, go to www.regulations.gov and enter 

APHIS–2022–0031 in the Search field. 

3Current HPAI outbreak data can be accessed at 

APHIS’ website at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/ 

aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-diseaseinformation/avian/avian-influenza/2022-hpai (last 

visited November 21, 2024). 

4To view the draft supplemental EA, draft 

FONSI, and the comment we received, go to 

www.regulations.gov and enter APHIS–2022–0031 

in the Search field. 

and use of international and regional 

plant health standards, including 

through the use of APHIS Stakeholder 

Registry notices 7 and the APHIS public 

website. Plant health stakeholders are 

strongly encouraged to comment on 

draft standards, documents, and 

specifications during consultation 

periods. APHIS posts links to draft 

standards on the website as they become 

available and provides information on 

the due dates for comments.8 Additional 

information on NAPPO standards 

(including the NAPPO work program, 

calls for projects, expert groups, the 

standard-setting process, and adopted 

standards) is available on the NAPPO 

website.9

For the most current information on 

official U.S. participation in NAPPO 

activities, including U.S. positions on 

standards being considered, contact 

Stephanie Dubon (see FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT above). Those 

wishing to provide comments on any of 

the areas of work being undertaken at 

NAPPO may do so at any time by 

responding to this notice (see 

ADDRESSES above) or by providing 

comments through Stephanie Dubon. 

Done in Washington, DC, this 16th day of 

December 2024. 

Michael Watson, 

Administrator, Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–30318 Filed 12–18–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

[Docket No. APHIS–2022–0031] 

Notice of Availability of a Final 

Supplemental Environmental 

Assessment and Finding of No 

Significant Impact for Emergency 

Response for Highly Pathogenic Avian 

Influenza Outbreaks in the United 

States Migratory Bird Flyways 

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of availability. 

SUMMARY: We are advising the public 

that we have prepared a final 

supplemental environmental assessment 

(EA) and finding of no significant 

impact (FONSI) relative to our 

emergency response activities for highly 

pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks in 

commercial and backyard poultry 

operations located in the four migratory 

bird flyways in the United States. This 

final supplemental EA supplements the 

initial EA and FONSI we published in 

September 2022, which evaluated the 

environmental impacts associated with 

the first seven States where highly 

pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks 

occurred. Based on our FONSI, we have 

determined that an environmental 

impact statement need not be prepared 

for the proposed action as described in 

this final supplemental EA. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Chelsea Bare, Chief of Staff, Veterinary 

Services, APHIS, U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue 

SW, Whitten Building Room 318–E, 

Washington, DC 20250; (515) 337–6128; 

chelsea.j.bare@usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

The United States Department of 

Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service (APHIS), 

Veterinary Services (VS), has been 

delegated the authority under the 

Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 

8301–8322) to protect the health of 

livestock, poultry, and aquaculture 

populations in the United States by 

preventing the introduction and 

interstate spread of serious diseases and 

pests of livestock, poultry, and 

aquaculture, and eradicating such 

diseases within the United States when 

feasible. Highly pathogenic avian 

influenza (HPAI) is an extremely 

infectious disease and often fatal to 

poultry.1 Avian influenza (AI) viruses 

may circulate freely in wild bird 

populations without the birds appearing 

sick. As these birds migrate, they carry 

HPAI and other AI viruses with them 

and may subsequently transmit AI to 

domestic birds. HPAI can rapidly spread 

within and between domestic poultry 

flocks and wild bird (especially 

waterfowl) populations. It is APHIS’ 

objective to stamp out HPAI as rapidly 

as possible at locations where it has 

been found. Preventing the entry of 

diseased birds and eggs into the United 

States, monitoring AI in migratory birds, 

identifying AI strains occurring 

primarily in migratory waterbird 

species, as well as backyard and 

commercial poultry flocks, and 

stamping out HPAI as it arises in 

domestic poultry is important for the 

long-term maintenance of disease-free 

United States poultry stocks. 

In response to outbreaks of the HPAI 

H5N1 (AI strain) virus subtype in 

commercial and backyard poultry flocks 

that began on February 8, 2022, we 

published a draft environmental 

assessment (EA) and draft finding of no 

significant impact (FONSI) in April 

2022 to allow VS to carry out emergency 

response activities in seven States 

(Indiana, Kentucky, Virginia, New York, 

Maine, Delaware, and Michigan). A final 

EA titled ‘‘Emergency Response for 

HPAI Outbreaks in Seven States’’ and 

final FONSI were published in 

September 2022.2

Since the preparation and publication 

of the final EA and FONSI for the initial 

seven States, HPAI outbreaks have 

continued to occur across the United 

States. As of November 21, 2024, the 

virus was confirmed in 538 commercial, 

661 backyard, and 32 other types (e.g., 

live bird markets, rehabilitation 

facilities) of flocks, affecting 

approximately 110 million birds in 49 

States.3 As HPAI outbreaks have been 

stamped out, new outbreaks emerge and 

are likely to continue with seasonal (i.e., 

spring and fall) bird migrations. For this 

reason, we prepared a supplemental EA 

titled ‘‘Emergency Response for Highly 

Pathogenic Avian Influenza Outbreaks 

in the United States Migratory Bird 

Flyways’’ to cover HPAI emergency 

response activities in other impacted 

States in the four North American 

migratory bird flyways (i.e., the 

Atlantic, Mississippi, Central, and 

Pacific Flyways). 

On August 24, 2023, we published in 

the Federal Register (88 FR 57923– 

57924, Docket No. APHIS–2022–0031) a 

notice in which we announced the 

availability, for public review and 

comment, of a draft supplemental EA 

and draft FONSI that examined the 

potential environmental impacts 

associated with HPAI response activities 

for additional outbreaks in commercial 

and backyard poultry operations in 

other impacted States in the four North 

American migratory bird flyways.4

We solicited comments on the draft 

supplemental EA and FONSI for 30 days 


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103770 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 244 / Thursday, December 19, 2024 / Notices 

ending September 25, 2023. We 

received one comment on the draft 

supplemental EA by that date. Besides 

commenting on specific outbreak 

information not included in the draft 

supplemental EA and the timeliness of 

publication, the commenter raised 

several concerns regarding the draft 

supplemental EA. These concerns 

included whether APHIS appropriately 

consulted with other Federal agencies as 

required by the Endangered Species Act; 

that APHIS has not considered the 

significant effects that outbreak 

response actions will cause to the 

natural environment, nearby 

communities, wildlife and ecological 

resources, particularly threatened and 

endangered wildlife populations; and 

that reasonable alternatives were not 

considered, especially restricting certain 

disposal options that the commenter felt 

would limit the potential exposure of 

threatened and endangered species to 

HPAI-infected domestic poultry. 

We reviewed and considered the 

concerns raised by the commenter. We 

have both revised the draft 

supplemental EA where appropriate and 

provided responses to concerns 

expressed. Our full responses can be 

found in Appendix E of the final 

supplemental EA. 

We are also advising the public of our 

final FONSI regarding the final 

supplemental EA for our emergency 

response activities for HPAI in the 

United States migratory bird flyways. 

The FONSI, which is based on the final 

supplemental EA, reflects our 

determination that the methods used as 

part of HPAI emergency outbreak 

response activities will not have a 

significant impact on the quality of the 

human environment. 

The final supplemental EA and 

FONSI may be viewed on the 

Regulations.gov website (see footnote 4). 

Copies of the final supplemental EA and 

FONSI are also available for public 

inspection in our reading room located 

in Room 1620 of the USDA South 

Building, 14th Street and Independence 

Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250. 

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. In addition, copies 

may be obtained by calling or writing to 

the individual listed under FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT. 

The final supplemental EA and 

FONSI were prepared in accordance 

with: (1) the National Environmental 

Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended 

(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), (2) the Council 

on Environmental Quality’s NEPA 

Implementing Regulations (40 CFR parts 

1500 through 1508) in effect prior to 

July 1, 2024, (3) USDA’s NEPAimplementing regulations (7 CFR part 

1b), and (4) APHIS’ NEPA Implementing 

Procedures (7 CFR part 372). 

Done in Washington, DC, this 3rd day of 

December 2024. 

Michael Watson, 

Administrator, Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–30256 Filed 12–18–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

[Docket No. APHIS–2024–0048] 

Notice of Request for Reinstatement of 

an Information Collection; National 

Animal Health Monitoring System; 

Poultry 2025 Small Enterprise Study 

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Reinstatement of an information 

collection; comment request. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 

notice announces the Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service’s intention to 

request the reinstatement of an 

information collection associated with 

conducting the National Animal Health 

Monitoring System’s small enterprise 

poultry study in 2025. 

DATES: We will consider all comments 

that we receive on or before February 

18, 2025. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

by either of the following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

www.regulations.gov. Enter APHIS– 

2024–0048 in the Search field. Select 

the Documents tab, then select the 

Comment button in the list of 

documents. 

• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: 

Send your comment to Docket No., 

APHIS–2024–0048, Regulatory Analysis 

and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 

2C–10.16, 4700 River Road, Unit 25, 

Riverdale, MD 20737–1238. 

Supporting documents and any 

comments we receive on this docket 

may be viewed at regulations.gov or in 

our reading room, which is located in 

Room 1620 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: For 

information on the Poultry 2025 Small 

Enterprise Study, contact Ms. Nia 

Washington-Plaskett, Program Analyst, 

Center for Epidemiology and Animal 

Health, VS, APHIS, 2150 Centre Ave., 

Bldg. B, Fort Collins, CO 80524; phone: 

(866) 907–8190; email: nia.washingtonplaskett@usda.gov or vs.sp.ceah.pci@

usda.gov. For more detailed information 

on the information collection process, 

contact Mr. Joseph Moxey, APHIS’ 

Paperwork Reduction Act Coordinator, 

at (301) 851–2533, or email: 

joseph.moxey@usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: National Animal Health 

Monitoring System; Poultry 2025 Small 

Enterprise Study. 

OMB Control Number: 0579–0260. 

Type of Request: Reinstatement of a 

previously approved information 

collection. 

Abstract: Under the Animal Health 

Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8301 et seq.), 

the Secretary of Agriculture is 

authorized to protect the health of the 

livestock, poultry, and aquaculture 

populations in the United States by 

preventing the introduction and 

interstate spread of serious diseases and 

pests of livestock, and for eradicating 

such diseases from the United States 

when feasible. This authority has been 

delegated to the Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service (APHIS). 

In connection with this mission, 

APHIS operates the National Animal 

Health Monitoring System (NAHMS), 

which collects on a national basis 

statistically valid and scientifically 

sound data on the prevalence and 

economic importance of livestock, 

poultry, and aquaculture disease risk 

factors. 

NAHMS’ studies have evolved into a 

collaborative industry and government 

initiative to help determine the most 

effective means of preventing and 

controlling diseases of poultry. NAHMS 

is the only agency responsible for 

collecting data on poultry health. 

Participation in any NAHMS study is 

voluntary, and all data are confidential. 

NAHMS plans to conduct the Poultry 

2025 Small Enterprise Study as part of 

an ongoing series of NAHMS studies on 

the U.S. poultry population. This study 

will support the following objectives: (1) 

Establish baselines for animal health 

and management practices on U.S. 

poultry operations with 1,000 to 74,999 

table egg layers inventory, 1,000 to 

99,999 broilers sold or moved annually, 

and 1,000 to 29,999 meat turkeys sold 

or moved annually; (2) describe 

management and biosecurity practices 

of small enterprise operations with a 


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