Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 241 / Friday, December 14, 2001 / Notices 64797

Estimate of burden: The public

reporting burden for this collection of

information is estimated to average

0.083 hours per response.

Respondents: State cooperators.

Estimated annual number of

respondents: 120.

Estimated annual number of

responses per respondent: 2.

Estimated annual number of

responses: 240.

Estimated total annual burden on

respondents: 20 hours. (Due to

averaging, the total annual burden hours

may not equal the product of the annual

number of responses multiplied by the

reporting burden per response.)

All responses to this notice will be

summarized and included in the request

for OMB approval. All comments will

also become a matter of public record.

Done in Washington, DC, this 10th day of

December, 2001.

W. Ron DeHaven,

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant

Health Inspection Service.

[FR Doc. 01–30897 Filed 12–13–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–34–U

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection

Service

[Docket No. 01–096–1]

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 an environmental assessment has

been prepared by the Animal and Plant

Health Inspection Service relative to the

control of Melaleuca quinquenervia.

The environmental assessment

considers the effects of, and alternatives

to, the release of two nonindigenous

organisms into the environment for use

as biological control agents to reduce

the severity of melaleuca infestations.

The environmental assessment has been

prepared to provide the public with

documentation of our review and

analysis of the potential environmental

impacts and plant pest risks associated

with releasing these biological control

agents into the environment.

DATES: We invite you to comment on the

environmental assessment. We will

consider all comments we receive that

are postmarked, delivered, or e-mailed

by January 14, 2002.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments

by postal mail/commercial delivery or

by e-mail. If you use postal mail/

commercial delivery, please send four

copies of your comment (an original and

three copies) to: Docket No. 01–096–1,

Regulatory Analysis and Development,

PPD, APHIS, Station 3C71, 4700 River

Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737–

1238. Please state that your comment

refers to Docket No. 01–096–1. If you

use e-mail, address your comment to

regulations@aphis.usda.gov. Your

comment must be contained in the body

of your message; do not send attached

files. Please include your name and

address in your message and ‘‘Docket

No. 01–096–1’’ on the subject line.

You may read the environmental

assessment and any comments that we

receive on the environmental

assessment in our reading room. The

reading room 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) 690–2817 before

coming.

APHIS documents published in the

Federal Register, and related

information, including the names of

organizations and individuals who have

commented on APHIS dockets, are

available on the Internet at http://

www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/

webrepor.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.

Tracy Horner, Entomologist, Permits

and Risk Assessment, PPQ, APHIS, 4700

River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD

20737–1228; (301) 734–5213.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As part of

an integrated control project to reduce

the severity of Melaleuca quinquenervia

(Cav.) S.T. Blake (Myrtales: Myrtaceae)

infestations in Florida, the Animal and

Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)

is proposing to release two

nonindigenous organisms,

Boreioglycaspis melaleucae Moore

(Hemiptera: Psyllidae) and Lophyrotoma

zonalis Rohwer (Hymenoptera:

Pergidae) in areas affected by melaleuca.

Melaleuca, a broad-leaf paper bark

tree native to Australia, was originally

introduced in Florida during the early

1900’s as an ornamental and was later

planted along dikes and levees for

erosion control and to convert wetlands

into productive forest lands. Over the

last four decades, it has spread

throughout southern Florida, displacing

native plant and animal species, and

threatening the stability of the Florida

Everglades ecosystem. The purpose of

the proposed action is to reduce the

severity of the infestations of melaleuca

throughout the affected areas.

APHIS’ current melaleuca control

project encompasses the areas known to

be infested in central and south Florida

and involves an integrated control

approach sensitive to site-specific

conditions, which may include a

combination of physical, biological,

and/or chemical controls. In response to

permit applications the Agency received

for the release of B. melaleucae, a

psyllid native to Australia, and L.

zonalis, a sawfly also native to

Australia, APHIS is investigating the use

of these biological control agents to

control melaleuca in the affected areas.

If APHIS decides to issue permits to

release B. melaleucae and/or L. zonalis,

these organisms would be added to the

integrated control methods already

available. Presently, there is only one

biological control agent, a

nonindigenous weevil (Oxyops vitiosa),

used to suppress melaleuca.

APHIS has completed an

environmental assessment that

considers the effects of, and alternatives

to, releasing B. melaleucae and L.

zonalis into the environment. B.

melaleucae and L. zonalis are known to

attack only species within the family

Myrtaceae. Our findings indicate that L.

zonalis and B. melaleucae will not

develop on any native species of

Myrtaceae, but may temporarily feed on,

and cause minor damage to, introduced

species of Callistemon and Myrtaceae,

and possibly wax myrtle. There is no

evidence that the release of these two

biological control agents will adversely

affect threatened and endangered

species or their habitat, or cultural,

historical, and archaeological resources.

L. zonalis is being tested for toxicity

to vertebrates because a closely related

species, Lophyrotoma interrupta Klug,

is reported to be toxic to cattle in

Australia under certain conditions.

Until further testing is completed, L.

zonalis will not be released into the

environment. Therefore, we are

considering the release of B. melaleucae

and, pending further testing, the release

of L. zonalis to reduce the severity of

melaleuca infestations in Florida.

APHIS’ review and analysis of the

potential environmental impacts

associated with releasing these

biological control agents into the

environment are documented in detail

in an environmental assessment entitled

‘‘Field Release of Two Biological

Control Agents Boreioglycaspis

melaleucae Moore (Hemiptera:

Psyllidae) and Lophyrotoma zonalis

Rohwer (Hymenoptera: Pergidae) for the

Control of Melaleuca quinquenervia

(Cav.) S.T. Blake (Myrtales: Myrtaceae)

64798 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 241 / Friday, December 14, 2001 / Notices

in South Florida’’ (September 2001). We

are making this environmental

assessment available to the public for

review and comment.

The environmental assessment may

be viewed on the Internet at http://

www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/ by accessing

‘‘Forms,’’ then ‘‘Permits-Pests;’’ the

environmental assessment is document

number 0030. Copies of the

environmental assessment may be

obtained by calling the Plant Protection

and Quarantine Automated Fax System

at (301) 734–4327 or (301) 734–3560;

please enter document number 0030

when prompted. You may also request

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 is also available for review

in our reading room (information on the

location and hours of the reading room

is listed under the heading ADDRESSES

at the beginning of this notice.)

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.), 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 10th day of

December 2001 .

W. Ron DeHaven,

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant

Health Inspection Service.

[FR Doc. 01–30896 Filed 12–13–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service

Agency Information Collection

Activities: Proposed Collection;

Comment Request—Nutrition

Education Materials for Food and

Nutrition Service Population Groups

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service,

USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: In accordance with the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this

notice invites the general public and

other public agencies to comment on a

proposed information collection. This

information collection is based on the

Child Nutrition Act of 1966, as

amended, the National School Lunch

Act of 1966, as amended, the Food

Stamp Act of 1977, as amended, the

Agriculture and Consumer Protection

Act of 1973, as amended, and the

Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983,

as amended. This project is a new

collection of information.

DATES: Written comments must be

received on or before February 12, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Comments are invited on:

(a) Whether the proposed collection of

information is necessary for the proper

performance of the functions of the

agency, including whether the

information shall have practical utility;

(b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate

of the burden of the proposed collection

of information, including the validity of

the methodology and assumptions used;

(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility,

and clarity of the information to be

collected; and (d) ways to minimize the

burden of the collection of information

on those who are to respond, including

use of appropriate automated,

electronic, mechanical, or other

technological collection techniques or

other forms of information technology.

Comments may be sent to Judy F.

Wilson, Director, Nutrition Services

Staff, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S.

Department of Agriculture, 3101 Park

Center Drive, Room 1012, Alexandria,

VA 22302. Comments may also be faxed

to the attention of Judy F. Wilson at

(703) 305–2576.

All written comments will be open for

public inspection at the office of the

Food and Nutrition Service during

regular business hours (8:30 a.m. to 5

p.m., Monday through Friday) at 3101

Park Center Drive, Alexandria, Virginia

22302, Room 1012.

All responses to this notice will be

summarized and included in the request

for Office of Management and Budget

(OMB) approval. All comments will be

a matter of public record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information

should be directed to Judy F. Wilson,

(703) 305–2585 or Marion Hinners,

(703) 305–2116.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Nutrition Education Materials

for FNS Population Groups.

OMB Number: Not yet assigned.

Expiration Date: N/A.

Type of Request: New collection.

Abstract: Diet has a significant impact

on the health of citizens and is linked

to four leading causes of disease and

premature death. Diet also plays a role

in the development of other health

conditions, which can reduce the

quality of life and contribute to

premature death. One of FNS’ goals

includes improving the nutrition of

children and low-income families by

providing access to program benefits

and nutrition education in a manner

that supports American agriculture and

inspires public confidence.

Materials in support of nutrition

education goals will be developed by

FNS. Eat Smart. Play Hard.TM (ESPH) is

a project geared particularly towards

children, including their caregivers,

who are eligible for FNS nutrition

assistance programs. Components

already completed for ESPH consist of

a spokes character with accompanying

posters, brochures, activity sheets, and a

kit of promotional materials.

As part of the Phase II development

of ESPH, FNS will develop the

following:

1. Additional messages and materials

for a subsection of the children and

caregivers group, materials for Hispanic

children and caregivers as well as

public service announcements (PSA’s);

and

2. An interactive Internet Web site.

In addition to ESPH Phase II, FNS

will also develop materials to include:

1. Low-literacy education materials

and tools to communicate and promote

the implementation of the Dietary

Guidelines for Americans; and

2. The conversion of existing English

nutrition education materials to

appropriate language and culture for the

Hispanic audiences.

The materials will be tested using

focus groups, short semi-structured

interviews, and web-based tools to test

the interactive Web site. The groups

tested will provide information

regarding the acceptability of materials

and products during both the

developmental process and during the

final product development stage. Semistructured short interviews will be

conducted with FNS program

recipients, staff, stakeholders and

consumer volunteers at the State and

local levels to determine acceptability

and efficacy of materials and products

developed. Interviews will be integrated

into other program activities as

appropriate.

FNS will also collect information

regarding effective nutrition education

initiatives being implemented by State

agencies that administer nutrition

assistance programs to address critical

nutrition issues.

Respondents: Recipients of and those

persons eligible for FNS nutrition

assistance programs, State and local

staff administering FNS programs, FNS

stakeholders and consumers.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

(including padding for variables of

recruitment, site activity, etc.)