Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 156 / Tuesday, August 17, 2021 / Notices 45955 

1To view the final rule, go to 

www.regulations.gov and enter APHIS–2018–0034 

in the Search field. 

mechanisms to audit access attempts 

and access granted into these areas. 

RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURES: 

All requests for access to records must 

be in writing and should be submitted 

to the OASCR FOIA Officer, 1400 

Independence Avenue SW, Washington, 

DC 20250; or by email at USDAFOIA@

usda.gov. In accordance with 7 CFR part 

1, subpart G, § 1.112 (Procedures for 

requests pertaining to individual 

records in a record system), the request 

must include the full name of the 

individual making the request; the name 

of the system of records; and preference 

of inspection, in person or by mail. In 

accordance with 7 CFR 1.113, prior to 

inspection of the records, the requester 

shall present sufficient identification 

(e.g., driver’s license, employee 

identification card, social security card, 

credit cards) to establish that the 

requester is the individual to whom the 

records pertain. In addition, if an 

individual submitting a request for 

access wishes to be supplied with 

copies of the records by mail, the 

requester must include with his or her 

request sufficient data for the agency to 

verify the requester’s identity. 

CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES: 

Individuals seeking to contest or 

amend records maintained in this 

system of records must direct their 

request to the address indicated in the 

‘‘RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURES’’ 

paragraph, above and must follow the 

procedures set forth in 7 CFR part 1, 

subpart G, § 1.116 (Request for 

correction or amendment to record). All 

requests must state clearly and 

concisely what record is being 

contested, the reasons for contesting it, 

and the proposed amendment to the 

record. 

NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES: 

Individuals may be notified if a record 

in this system of records pertains to 

them when the individuals request 

information utilizing the same 

procedures as those identified in the 

‘‘RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURES’’ 

paragraph, above. 

EXEMPTIONS PROMULGATED FOR THE SYSTEM: 

None. 

HISTORY: 

None. 

[FR Doc. 2021–17569 Filed 8–16–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–9R–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

[Docket No. APHIS–2020–0023] 

BASF Corporation; Availability of a 

Draft Plant Pest Risk Assessment and 

Draft Environmental Assessment for 

Determination of Nonregulated Status 

of Plant-Parasitic Nematode-Protected 

and Herbicide Tolerant Soybean 

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 draft 

plant pest risk assessment and draft 

environmental assessment regarding a 

request from BASF Corporation seeking 

a determination of nonregulated status 

for soybean event GMB151, which has 

been developed using genetic 

engineering for resistance to the plantparasitic nematode, soybean cyst 

nematode (Heterodera glycines), and for 

tolerance to 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate 

dioxygenase (HPPD-4) inhibitor 

herbicides. We are making these 

documents available for public review 

and comment. 

DATES: We will consider all comments 

that we receive on or before September 

16, 2021 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

by either of the following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

www.regulations.gov. Enter APHIS– 

2020–0023 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–2020–0023, Regulatory Analysis 

and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 

3A–03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, 

Riverdale, MD 20737–1238. 

The petition, draft environmental 

assessment, draft plant pest risk 

assessment, and any comments we 

receive on this docket may be viewed at 

www.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) 7997039 before coming. 

Supporting documents for this 

petition are also available on the APHIS 

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

aphis/ourfocus/biotechnology/permitsnotifications-petitions/petitions/ 

petition-status. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Cindy Eck, Biotechnology Regulatory 

Services, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 

147, Riverdale, MD 20737–1236; (301) 

851–3892, email: cynthia.a.eck@

usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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, ‘‘Movement of Organisms Modified 

or Produced Through Genetic 

Engineering,’’ regulate, among other 

things, the importation, interstate 

movement, or release into the 

environment of organisms modified or 

produced through genetic engineering 

that are plant pests or pose a plausible 

plant pest risk. 

The petition for nonregulated status 

described in this notice is being 

evaluated under the version of the 

regulations effective at the time that it 

was received. The Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service (APHIS) 

issued a final rule, published in the 

Federal Register on May 18, 2020 (85 

FR 29790–29838, Docket No. APHIS– 

2018–0034),1 revising 7 CFR part 340; 

however, the final rule is being 

implemented in phases. The new 

Regulatory Status Review (RSR) process, 

which replaces the petition for 

determination of nonregulated status 

process, became effective on April 5, 

2021 for corn, soybean, cotton, potato, 

tomato, and alfalfa. The RSR process is 

effective for all crops as of October 1, 

2021. However, ‘‘[u]ntil RSR is available 

for a particular crop . . . APHIS will 

continue to receive petitions for 

determination of nonregulated status for 

the crop in accordance with the [legacy] 

regulations at 7 CFR 340.6.’’ (85 FR 

29815). This petition for a 

determination of nonregulated status is 

being evaluated in accordance with the 

regulations at 7 CFR 340.6 (2020) as it 

was received by APHIS on November 

13, 2019. 

BASF Corporation (BASF) has 

submitted a petition (APHIS Petition 

Number 19–317–01p) to APHIS seeking 

a determination of nonregulated status 

under 7 CFR part 340, for soybean event 

GMB151 which has been developed 

using genetic engineering for resistance 

to the plant-parasitic nematode, soybean 

cyst nematode (Heterodera glycines), 

and for tolerance to 4- 

hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase 

(HPPD-4) inhibitor herbicides. The 

petition states that GMB151 soybean is 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
45956 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 156 / Tuesday, August 17, 2021 / Notices 

2On March 6, 2012, APHIS published in the 

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

APHIS–2011–0129) a notice describing our public 

review process for soliciting public comments and 

information when considering petitions for 

determinations of nonregulated status for organisms 

developed using genetic engineering. To view the 

notice, go to www.regulations.gov and enter APHIS– 

2011–0129 in the Search field. 

3To view the notice, its supporting documents, 

and the comments that we received, go to 

www.regulations.gov and enter APHIS–2020–0023 

in the Search field. 

unlikely to pose a plant pest risk and, 

therefore, should not be regulated under 

APHIS’ regulations in 7 CFR part 340. 

According to our process 2 for 

soliciting public comment when 

considering petitions for determination 

of nonregulated status of organisms 

developed using genetic engineering, 

APHIS accepts written comments 

regarding a petition once APHIS deems 

the petition complete. On May 28, 2020, 

APHIS announced in the Federal 

Register 3 (85 FR 32004–32005, Docket 

No. APHIS–2020–0023) the availability 

of the BASF petition for public 

comment. APHIS solicited comments on 

the petition for 60 days ending July 27, 

2020. 

APHIS received nine comments 

during the comment period. They were 

from the agricultural and private 

sectors. Five comments generally 

supported BASF’s petition, while four 

expressed objections to crops developed 

or modified through genetic 

engineering. 

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 2), 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 

an organism that raises no substantive 

new issues, APHIS will follow 

Approach 1 for public involvement. 

Under Approach 1, APHIS prepares and 

announces in the Federal Register the 

availability of APHIS’ preliminary 

regulatory determination along with its 

draft EA, preliminary finding of no 

significant impact (FONSI), and its draft 

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. If APHIS determines that 

no substantive information has been 

received that would warrant APHIS 

altering its preliminary regulatory 

determination or FONSI, or 

substantially change the analysis of 

impacts in the EA, our preliminary 

regulatory determination will become 

final and effective upon notification of 

the public through an announcement on 

our website. No further Federal Register 

notice will be published announcing the 

final regulatory determination. 

Under Approach 2, 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 an organism that raises 

substantive new issues, APHIS first 

solicits written comments from the 

public on a draft EA and draft 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 draft 

PPRA and other information, APHIS 

will revise the draft PPRA as necessary. 

It will then 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). 

For this petition, we will be following 

Approach 2. 

As part of our decision-making 

process regarding an organism’s 

regulatory status, APHIS prepared a 

PPRA to assess the plant pest risk of the 

organism, and an EA to evaluate 

potential impacts on the human 

environment. This will provide the 

Agency and the public with a review 

and analysis of any potential 

environmental impacts that may result 

if the petition request is approved. 

APHIS’ draft PPRA compared the pest 

risk posed by soybean event GMB151 

with that of the unmodified variety from 

which it was derived. The draft PPRA 

concluded that soybean event GMB151 

is unlikely to pose an increased plant 

pest risk compared to the unmodified 

soybean. 

The draft EA evaluated potential 

impacts that may result from the 

commercial production of GMB151 

soybean, to include potential impacts on 

conventional and organic soybean 

production; the acreage and area 

required for U.S. soybean production; 

agronomic practices and inputs; the 

physical environment; biological 

resources; human health and worker 

safety; animal health and welfare; and 

socioeconomic impacts. No significant 

impacts were identified with the 

production and marketing of GMB151 

soybean. 

The draft 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). 

We are making available for a 30-day 

review period our draft EA and draft 

PPRA. These documents 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. 

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 11th day of 

August 2021. 

Michael Watson, 

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service. 

[FR Doc. 2021–17558 Filed 8–16–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 

COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS 

Notice of Public Meetings of the 

Minnesota Advisory Committee 

AGENCY: U.S. Commission on Civil 

Rights. 

ACTION: Announcement of meeting. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given, 

pursuant to the provisions of the rules 

and regulations of the U.S. Commission 

on Civil Rights (Commission) and the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act that 

the Minnesota Advisory Committee 

(Committee) will hold a meeting via the 

online platform WebEx on Tuesday, 

August 24, 2021 at 12:00 p.m. Central 

Time. The purpose of the meeting is to 

discuss a memorandum on civil rights 

concerns in the state. 

DATES: The meeting will be held on: 

• Tuesday, August 24, 2021, at 12:00 

p.m. Central Time 

Web link: https://civilrights.webex.com/ 

civilrights/j.php?MTID=

m16213078bd3f943a55c68fe

7491c75ad 

Join by phone: 800–360–9505 USA Toll 

Free 

Access code: 199 660 9075 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

David Barreras, Designated Federal 

Officer, at dbarreras@usccr.gov or (202) 

656–8937. 


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