[Federal Register: February 28, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 40)]
[Notices]
[Page 10739]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28fe08-35]
========================================================================
Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
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.
========================================================================
[[Page 10739]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2007-0118]
Imported Fire Ant; Availability of a Final Environmental
Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We are advising the public that a final environmental
assessment and finding of no significant impact have been prepared by
the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service relative to the release
into areas quarantined for imported fire ant of five additional species
of phorid flies for use as biological control agents. The final
environmental assessment documents our review and analysis of
environmental impacts associated with, and alternatives to, the release
of these biological control agents. Based on its finding of no
significant impact, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has
determined that an environmental impact statement need not be prepared.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Charles L. Brown, Imported Fire
Ant Quarantine Program Manager, Pest Detection and Management Programs,
PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 134, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301)
734-4838.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta Buren, Solenopsis
richteri Forel, and hybrids of these species) is an aggressive,
stinging insect that, in large numbers, can seriously injure and even
kill livestock, pets, and humans. The imported fire ant, which is not
native to the United States, feeds on crops and builds large, hard
mounds that damage farm and field machinery. The imported fire ant
regulations (contained in 7 CFR 301.81 through 301.81-10 and referred
to below as the regulations) are intended to prevent the imported fire
ant from spreading throughout its ecological range within the country.
The regulations quarantine infested States or infested areas within
States and restrict the interstate movement of regulated articles to
prevent the artificial spread of the imported fire ant.
In addition to the movement restrictions in the regulations, the
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and its State
cooperators release three species of phorid flies (Pseudacteon
species), a natural enemy of the imported fire ant, into quarantined
areas. These flies parasitize the imported fire ant, killing those that
are parasitized. Those ants that are not parasitized are affected
behaviorally by the presence of the flies because their presence
reduces fire ant foraging. A decrease in foraging activity facilitates
competition from native fire ants that might otherwise be excluded from
food sources in fire ant territory.
On November 13, 2007, we published in the Federal Register (72 FR
63874, Docket No. APHIS-2007-0118) a notice \1\ in which we announced
the availability for review and comment of a draft environmental
assessment, entitled ``Field Release of Phorid Flies (Pseudacteon
species) for the Biological Control of Imported Fire Ants'' (July
2007), that examined the potential environmental impacts associated
with releasing five additional species of phorid flies into areas
quarantined for imported fire ant within the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico and the following States: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Florida,
Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma,
South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ To view the notice, the environmental assessment, the
finding of no significant impact, and the comment we received, go to
http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/
main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2007-0118.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
We solicited comments on the draft environmental assessment for 30
days ending December 13, 2007. We received one comment by that date,
from a private citizen, but the commenter did not address the action
examined in the assessment (namely, the release of the additional
species of phorid flies).
In this document, we are advising the public of our decision and
finding of no significant impact regarding the release of five
additional species of phorid flies for the biological control of
imported fire ants. Accordingly, we are also advising the public that
we have adopted the draft environmental assessment, without change, as
a final environmental assessment entitled ``Field Release of Phorid
Flies (Pseudacteon species) for the Biological Control of Imported Fire
Ants'' (January 2008).
The final environmental assessment and finding of no significant
impact may be viewed on the Regulations.gov Web site \2\ or in our
reading room at USDA, Room 1141, South Building, 14th Street and
Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Persons wishing to view the
final environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact are
requested to call ahead on (202) 690-2817 to facilitate entry into the
reading room. You may request paper copies of the final environmental
assessment and finding of no significant impact by calling or writing
to the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Please
refer to the title of the final environmental assessment when
requesting copies.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ See footnote 1.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The final environmental assessment and finding of no significant
impact have 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 22nd day of February 2008.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E8-3809 Filed 2-27-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P