19-101- 01P) for Determination of Nonregulated Status for Enhanced Grain Yield and Glufosinate-Ammonium Resistant DP202216 Corn
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Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. Petition (19-101- 01p) for Determination of Nonregulated Status for Enhanced Grain Yield and Glufosinate-Ammonium Resistant DP202216 Corn OECD Unique Identifier: DP-2Ø2216-6 Draft Environmental Assessment July 2020 Agency Contact Cindy Eck Biotechnology Regulatory Services 4700 River Road USDA, APHIS Riverdale, MD 20737 Fax: (301) 734-8669 In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: [email protected]. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1 PURPOSE AND NEED ............................................................................................................................... 1‐1 1.1 BACKGROUND ...............................................................................................................................................1‐1 1.2 PURPOSE OF DP CORN ....................................................................................................................................1‐1 1.3 COORDINATED FRAMEWORK FOR THE REGULATION OF BIOTECHNOLOGY ..................................................................1‐2 1.4 PURPOSE AND NEED FOR USDA‐APHIS ACTION .................................................................................................1‐3 1.5 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT ....................................................................................................................................1‐3 1.5.1 Public Involvement for Petition 19‐101‐01p .........................................................................................1‐3 1.6 ISSUES CONSIDERED IN THIS DRAFT EA ...............................................................................................................1‐4 2 ALTERNATIVES ........................................................................................................................................ 2‐1 2.1 NO ACTION ALTERNATIVE: CONTINUATION AS A REGULATED ARTICLE ......................................................................2‐1 2.2 PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE: DETERMINATION THAT DP CORN IS NO LONGER A REGULATED ARTICLE ................................2‐1 2.3 ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED BUT REJECTED FROM FURTHER CONSIDERATION ............................................................2‐1 2.4 SUMMARY OF THE NO ACTION AND PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE ANALYSES ..................................................................2‐2 3 AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT ....................................................................................................................... 3‐1 3.1 AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION OF CORN ..............................................................................................................3‐1 3.1.1 Acreage and Area of U.S. Corn Production ...........................................................................................3‐1 3.1.2 Agronomic Practices and Inputs ...........................................................................................................3‐4 3.2 PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT ...............................................................................................................................3‐15 3.2.1 Soil Quality ..........................................................................................................................................3‐15 3.2.2 Water Resources .................................................................................................................................3‐17 3.2.3 Air Quality ...........................................................................................................................................3‐21 3.3 BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES ................................................................................................................................3‐23 3.3.1 Soil Biota .............................................................................................................................................3‐23 3.3.2 Animal Communities ...........................................................................................................................3‐25 3.3.3 Plant Communities ..............................................................................................................................3‐26 3.3.4 Gene Flow and Weediness of Corn .....................................................................................................3‐28 3.3.5 Biodiversity .........................................................................................................................................3‐34 3.4 HUMAN HEALTH ..........................................................................................................................................3‐34 3.4.1 Food Safety .........................................................................................................................................3‐35 3.4.2 Pesticides, Tolerance Limits for Foods, and Exemption from the Requirement for a Tolerance .........3‐37 3.4.3 Worker Safety .....................................................................................................................................3‐38 3.5 ANIMAL HEALTH AND WELFARE ......................................................................................................................3‐39 3.6 SOCIOECONOMICS ........................................................................................................................................3‐39 3.6.1 Domestic and International Markets ..................................................................................................3‐39 4 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES ......................................................................................................... 4‐1 4.1 SCOPE OF ANALYSIS ........................................................................................................................................4‐1 4.2 NO ACTION ALTERNATIVE – DENY THE PETITION ..................................................................................................4‐4 4.3 PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE – APPROVE THE PETITION .............................................................................................4‐6 4.3.1 Agricultural Production of Corn ............................................................................................................4‐6 4.3.2 Physical Environment ..........................................................................................................................4‐10 4.3.3 Biological Resources ...........................................................................................................................4‐11 i 4.3.4 Human Health .....................................................................................................................................4‐14 4.3.5 Animal Health and Welfare ................................................................................................................4‐15 4.3.6 Socioeconomic Impacts .......................................................................................................................4‐15 5 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS ............................................................................................................................ 5‐1 5.1 ASSUMPTIONS USED FOR CUMULATIVE IMPACTS ANALYSIS ....................................................................................5‐1 5.2 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS: AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION OF CORN ..............................................................................5‐1 5.2.1 Herbicide Use ........................................................................................................................................5‐2 5.2.2 Weed and Herbicide Resistant Weed Management .............................................................................5‐2 5.3 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS: PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT ................................................................................................5‐3