10435

Notices Federal Register Vol. 68, No. 43

Wednesday, March 5, 2003

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER address in your message and ‘‘Docket pastures, citrus groves, sugar cane contains documents other than rules or No. 03–021–1’’ on the subject line. fields, ditches, vegetable crops, sod proposed rules that are applicable to the You may read any comments that we farms, forestlands, and natural areas. public. Notices of hearings and investigations, receive on the environmental Tropical soda apple was placed on the committee meetings, agency decisions and assessment in our reading room. The Federal Noxious Weed List in 1995, and rulings, delegations of authority, filing of reading room is located in room 1141 of petitions and applications and agency it is listed as one of the most invasive statements of organization and functions are the USDA South Building, 14th Street species in Florida by the Florida Exotic examples of documents appearing in this and Independence Avenue SW., Pest Plant Council. In addition to section. Washington, DC. Normal reading room Florida, the plant has been reported in hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, through Friday, except holidays. To be Louisiana, Texas, North Carolina, South DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE sure someone is there to help you, Carolina, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania. please call (202) 690–2817 before Researchers believe that it has the and Plant Health Inspection coming. potential to expand its range even Service APHIS documents published in the further in the United States. [Docket No. 03–021–1] Federal Register, and related Three types of controls are currently information, including the names of being used to limit the spread of tropical Tropical Soda Apple; Availability of an organizations and individuals who have soda apple: chemical, mechanical, and Environmental Assessment commented on APHIS dockets, are regulatory. Chemical control involves available on the Internet at http:// the use of herbicides. Mechanical AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/ control is attempted by mowing to a Inspection Service, USDA. webrepor.html. three- to four-inch height to prevent the ACTION: Notice of availability and FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. plants from producing fruit and seeds. request for comments. Tracy A. Horner, Ecologist, Several southern States are trying to prevent the spread of tropical soda SUMMARY: We are advising the public Environmental Services, PPD, APHIS, apple by means of regulatory control, that an environmental assessment has 4700 River Road Unit 149, Riverdale, regulating the movement of cattle, hay, been prepared by the Animal and Plant MD 20737–1236; (301) 734–5213. sod, manure, lots of seed, and soil from Health Inspection Service relative to the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: infested areas to areas free of infestation. control of tropical soda apple, Solanum Background Unfortunately, herbicides and mowing viarum Dunal (Solanaceae). The only provide temporary weed environmental assessment considers the The Animal and Plant Health suppression, and in addition to being effects of, and alternatives to, the release Inspection Service (APHIS) is expensive, they are not always practical of a nonindigenous , Gratiana considering an application from a in inaccessible areas. Moreover, boliviana Spaeth (Coleoptera: researcher at the University of Florida herbicides can have negative Chrysomelidae), into the environment for a permit to release a nonindigenous environmental effects, which include as a biological control agent to reduce beetle, Spaeth leaving undesirable chemical residues the severity of infestations of tropical (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), into the in the ecosystem and in commodities soda apple in Florida and other infested environment to reduce the severity of and adversely affecting non-target States in the continental United States. infestations of tropical soda apple, organisms. We are making this environmental Solanum viarum Dunal (Solanaceae) in The biological control agent G. assessment available to the public for Florida and other infested States in the boliviana, a nonindigenous tortoise review and comment. continental United States. Tropical soda apple is a perennial beetle in the family DATES: We will consider all comments shrub that belongs to the plant family Chrysomelidae, has the potential to that we receive on or before April 4, Solanaceae, section Acanthophora, reduce the severity of infestations of 2003. genus Solanum, and subgenus tropical soda apple in Florida and other ADDRESSES: You may submit comments Leptostemonum. A plant with foliage infested States in the continental United by postal mail/commercial delivery or unpalatable to livestock, tropical soda States. Adults and larvae feed on by e-mail. If you use postal mail/ apple can infest a pasture or rangeland tropical soda apple leaves, restricting commercial delivery, please send four in 1 to 2 years, resulting in lower the vigor and growth rate of the plants copies of your comment (an original and stocking rates. It is native to Brazil and and potentially reducing the three copies) to: Docket No. 03–021–1, Argentina but has become a weed in competitive advantage this invasive Regulatory Analysis and Development, other areas of South America and in weed has over native vegetation. APHIS PPD, APHIS, Station 3C71, 4700 River Africa, India, Nepal, the West Indies, has completed an environmental Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737– Honduras, Mexico, and the United assessment that considers the effects of, 1238. Please state that your comment States. Tropical soda apple was and alternatives to, the release of G. refers to Docket No. 03–021–1. If you originally detected in the United States boliviana into the environment as a use e-mail, address your comment to in Florida in 1988. The pasture land biological control agent for tropical soda [email protected]. Your infested in 1992 was estimated to be apple. comment must be contained in the body approximately 150,000 acres; 10 years APHIS’ review and analysis of the of your message; do not send attached later, the infested area had increased to potential environmental impacts files. Please include your name and more than 1 million acres of improved associated with releasing G. boliviana

VerDate Jan<31>2003 21:44 Mar 04, 2003 Jkt 200001 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\05MRN1.SGM 05MRN1 10436 Federal Register / Vol. 68, No. 43 / Wednesday, March 5, 2003 / Notices

into the environment are documented in notice announces FNS’ intention to 1998 to extend funding for the detail in an environmental assessment request renewal of Office of Clearinghouse (now called ‘‘National entitled ‘‘Field Release of a Management and Budget (OMB) Hunger Clearinghouse’’ or Nonindigenous Beetle, Gratiana approval of the National Hunger ‘‘Clearinghouse’’) through fiscal year boliviana (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), Clearinghouse Survey. 2003. FNS awarded the five-year for Biological Control of Tropical Soda DATES: Comments on this notice must be contract to World Hunger Year on Apple, Solanum viarum (Solanaceae)’’ received by May 5, 2003. September 29, 1999; it expires on (February 2003). We are making this ADDRESSES: Comments are invited on: September 30, 2003. environmental assessment available to (a) Whether the proposed collection of the public for review and comment. We The Clearinghouse includes a information is necessary for the proper database of non-governmental, will consider all comments that we performance of the functions of the receive on or before the date listed grassroots programs that work in the agency, including whether the areas of hunger and nutrition, as well as under the heading DATES at the information has practical utility; (b) the a mailing list of relevant local beginning of this notice. accuracy of the agency’s estimate of the governmental agencies. Under the The environmental assessment may burden of the proposed collection of be viewed on the Internet at http:// information; (c) ways to enhance the original contract, Clearinghouse staff www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/ by following quality, utility, and clarity of the established the database by reviewing the link for ‘‘Document/Forms Retrieval information to be collected; (d) ways to relevant programs of organizations System,’’ then clicking on the triangle minimize the burden of the collection of contained in several existing mailing beside ‘‘6-Permits-Environmental information on those who are to lists. Program and mailing information Assessments’’ and selecting document respond, including the use of about organizations culled from these number 0033. You may request paper appropriate automated, electronic, lists were collected and entered into the copies of the environmental assessment mechanical, or other technological database once each contract year (years by calling or writing to the person listed collection techniques or other forms of one through four of the original contract under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION information technology. Comments may and years one through four so far of the CONTACT. Please refer to the title of the be sent to Pam Phillips, Director, existing contract) through a series of environmental assessment when Consumer and Community Affairs, electronically-processed survey requesting copies. The environmental Office of Communications and questionnaires sent through the United assessment is also available for review Governmental Affairs, Food and States Postal Service. Clearinghouse in our reading room (information on the Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of staff followed up by phone or facsimile location and hours of the reading room Agriculture, 3101 Park Center Drive, to ensure the highest possible return is listed under the heading ADDRESSES at Room 912, Alexandria, VA 22302. rate on the questionnaires. Surveys the beginning of this notice). All responses to this notice will be could also be completed on the World The environmental assessment has summarized and included in the request been prepared in accordance with: (1) Wide Web. Returned surveys were for OMB approval. All comments will scanned and data entered into the The National Environmental Policy Act also become a matter of public record. of 1969 (NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. database. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pam 4321 et seq.), (2) regulations of the Phillips, (703) 305–2298. Copies of this Survey questionnaires will be sent out Council on Environmental Quality for information collection can be obtained one more time (year five) in the current implementing the procedural provisions from Martha Newton at the address contract. For this information collection, of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500–1508), (3) listed above. the following information was USDA regulations implementing NEPA determined: (7 CFR part 1), and (4) APHIS’ NEPA SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part Title: National Hunger Clearinghouse Estimate of the Burden: Public 372). Survey. reporting burden for this collection of OMB Number: 0584–0474. information is estimated to average five Done in Washington, DC this 28th day of Expiration Date: 2/28/03. minutes for the survey (the survey February 2003. Type of Request: Renewal of OMB includes one two-page instrument). Peter Fernandez, approval. Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Abstract: Section 26(d) of the Richard Respondents: The respondents are Health Inspection Service. B. Russell National School Lunch Act non-governmental organizations that [FR Doc. 03–5134 Filed 3–4–03; 8:45 am] (42 U.S.C. 1769g(d)), which was added have grassroots food and nutrition BILLING CODE 3410–34–P to the Act by section 123 of Pub. L. 103– programs. 448 on November 2, 1994, mandated Estimated Number of Respondents: that FNS enter into a four-year contract 1,750. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE with a non-governmental organization Estimated Number of Responses per to establish and maintain an Respondent: One response per Food and Nutrition Service information clearinghouse (named ‘‘USDA National Hunger respondent. Agency Information Collection Clearinghouse’’ or ‘‘Clearinghouse’’) for Estimated Total Annual Burden on Activities: Proposed Collection, groups that assist low-income Respondents: 146 hours. Comment Request—National Hunger individuals or communities regarding Clearinghouse Survey Dated: February 27, 2003. nutrition assistance programs or other Eric M. Bost, AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, assistance. FNS awarded the contract to USDA. World Hunger Year (WHY), Inc. on Under Secretary, Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services. ACTION: Notice. September 29, 1995; the contract ended on September 30, 1999. [FR Doc. 03–5114 Filed 3–4–03; 8:45 am] SUMMARY: In accordance with the Section 26(d) was amended by section BILLING CODE 3410–30–M Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 112 of Pub. L. 105–336 on October 31,

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