76376 Notices Federal Register Vol. 67, No. 239 Thursday, December 12, 2002 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The environmental assessment and contains documents other than rules or finding of no significant impact may be Background proposed rules that are applicable to the viewed on the Internet at http:// public. Notices of hearings and investigations, The Animal and Plant Health www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq by following committee meetings, agency decisions and Inspection Service (APHIS) is the link for ‘‘Documents/Forms rulings, delegations of authority, filing of considering an application from the petitions and applications and agency Retrieval System’’ then clicking on the statements of organization and functions are University of Montana for a permit to triangle beside ‘‘6—Permits— examples of documents appearing in this release a nonindigenous organism, Environmental Assessments,’’ and section. Chondrilla root moth (Bradyrrhoa selecting document number 0037. You gilveolella), to reduce the severity of may request paper copies of the rush skeletonweed (Chondrilla juncea) environmental assessment and finding DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE in the continental United States. of no significant impact by calling or Native to Eurasia, rush skeletonweed writing to the person listed under FOR Animal and Plant Health Inspection has become established in the District of FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Please Service Columbia and several States including refer to the title of the environmental [Docket No. 02–060–2] California, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, assessment when requesting copies. The Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, environmental assessment and finding Availability of an Environmental New Jersey, New York, Oregon, of no significant impact are also Assessment and Finding of No Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, available for review in our reading room Significant Impact and West Virginia. This invasive weed (information on the location and hours infests roadsides, railways, rangelands, of the reading room is listed under the AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health pastures, grain fields, coastal sand heading ADDRESSES at the beginning of Inspection Service, USDA. dunes, and shaley hillsides in this notice). ACTION: Notice. mountainous regions. Rush The EA and FONSI have been skeletonweed causes losses in infested prepared in accordance with: (1) The SUMMARY: We are advising the public grain fields, reduces rangeland forage National Environmental Policy Act of that an environmental assessment and production, and reduces plant and 1969 (NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. finding of no significant impact have animal diversity. 4321 et seq.), (2) regulations of the been prepared by the Animal and Plant On July 25, 2002, we published in the Council on Environmental Quality for Health Inspection Service relative to the Federal Register (67 FR 48610–48611, implementing the procedural provisions control of rush skeletonweed Docket No. 02–060–1) a notice in which of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500–1508), (3) (Chondrilla juncea). The environmental we announced the availability, for USDA regulations implementing NEPA assessment considers the effects of, and public review and comment, of an (7 CFR part 1), and (4) APHIS’ NEPA alternatives to, the release of a environmental assessment (EA) that Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part nonindigenous organism, Chondrilla examined the potential effects of the 372). root moth (Bradyrrhoa gilveolella), into release of the Chondrilla root moth into the environment for use as a biological Done in Washington, DC this 6th day of the environment for use as a biological control agent to reduce the severity of December 2002. control agent to reduce the severity of rush skeletonweed infestations. Based Peter Fernandez, rush skeletonweed infestations. on its finding of no significant impact, Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Chondrilla root moth larvae feed on the the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Health Inspection Service. roots of rush skeletonweed, causing the Service has determined that an [FR Doc. 02–31308 Filed 12–11–02; 8:45 am] plant to die or increasing its environmental impact statement need BILLING CODE 3410–34–P susceptibility to pathogenic fungi. not be prepared. We solicited comments on the EA for ADDRESSES: Copies of the environmental 30 days ending on August 26, 2002. We DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE assessment and finding of no significant received one comment by that date. The impact are available for public commenter supported the proposed Rural Utilities Service inspection in our reading room. The action. reading room is located in room 1141 of In this document, we are advising the Information Collection Activity; the USDA South Building, 14th Street public of APHIS’ record of decision and Comment Request and Independence Avenue SW., finding of no significant impact (FONSI) AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA. Washington, DC. Normal reading room regarding the proposed field release of hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday ACTION: Notice and request for the Chondrilla root moth into the comments. through Friday, except holidays. To be environment for use as a biological sure someone is there to help you, control agent to reduce the severity of SUMMARY: In accordance with the please call (202) 690–2817 before rush skeletonweed infestations. The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 coming. decision, which is based on the analysis U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended), the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. found in the EA, reflects our Rural Utilities Service (RUS) invites Robert V. Flanders, Branch Chief, Pest determination that release of the comments on this information Permit Evaluation, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 organism will not have a significant collection for which RUS intends to River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD impact on the quality of the human request approval from the Office of 20737–1228; (301) 734–5930. environment. Management and Budget (OMB). VerDate 0ct<31>2002 11:26 Dec 11, 2002 Jkt 200001 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 E:\FR\FM\12DEN1.SGM 12DEN1.