Notice2024-19639
Notice of Availability of an Environmental Assessment for Release of Bagous nodulosus for Biological Control of Flowering Rush in the Continental United States
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
September 3, 2024
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentAnimal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Abstract
We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has prepared an environmental assessment relative to permitting the release of the insect, Bagous nodulosus, for the biological control of flowering rush (Butomus umbellatus) in the continental United States. Based on the environmental assessment and other relevant data, we have reached a preliminary determination that the release of this control agent within the continental United States will not have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment. We are making the environmental assessment available to the public for review and comment.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 170 (Tuesday, September 3, 2024)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 170 (Tuesday, September 3, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71250-71251]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-19639]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2024-0032]
Notice of Availability of an Environmental Assessment for Release
of Bagous nodulosus for Biological Control of Flowering Rush in the
Continental United States
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service has prepared an environmental assessment relative to
permitting the release of the insect, Bagous nodulosus, for the
biological control of flowering rush (Butomus umbellatus) in the
continental United States. Based on the environmental assessment and
other relevant data, we have reached a preliminary determination that
the release of this control agent within the continental United States
will not have a significant impact on the quality of the human
environment. We are making the
[[Page 71251]]
environmental assessment available to the public for review and
comment.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before
October 3, 2024.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
<bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>.
Enter APHIS-2024-0032 in the Search field. Select the Documents tab,
then select the Comment button in the list of documents.
<bullet> Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to
Docket No. APHIS-2024-0032, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD,
APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1238.
Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may
be viewed at <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> or in our reading room, which is located
in room 1620 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) 799-7039 before coming.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Jinbo Wang, Assistant Director,
Pests, Pathogens, and Biocontrol Permits, Permitting and Compliance
Coordination, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD
20737-1238; (301) 851-2327; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#642e0d0a060b4a33050a0324111700054a030b12"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a8e2c1c6cac786ffc9c6cfe8dddbccc986cfc7de">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service (APHIS) is proposing to issue permits for the release of the
insect, Bagous nodulosus, for the biological control of flowering rush
(Butomus umbellatus) in the continental United States. The action is
proposed to reduce the severity of infestations of flowering rush in
the continental United States.
Flowering rush is an herbaceous aquatic perennial in the plant
family Butomaceae. Native to Europe and Asia, flowering rush was
introduced into North America by 1900, possibly both accidentally in
ballast water and packing material and intentionally via the
horticulture trade. It is now widely naturalized in wetlands, lakes,
ditches, and slow-moving rivers in 23 States and nine provinces
surrounding the United States/Canada border and is continuing to expand
outward. Flowering rush displaces native plant species, impedes water
flow, alters habitat structure and nutrient cycling, damages fishing,
hunting, boating, and other recreational sectors, and is difficult to
control. In western North America, it provides habitat for highly
damaging invasive and nuisance species.
Permitting the release of B. nodulosus in the continental United
States is necessary to help control invasive flowering rush. B.
nodulosus, a semi-aquatic weevil, is a highly specific and potentially
very damaging biological control agent for flowering rush. Both adult
and larval feeding of B. nodulosus have been shown to reduce the vigor
of flowering rush and this agent attacks flowering rush very early
during the field season (adults are active from April onwards) and over
a long period of time (larvae can be found feeding in the plants from
April to September), which should reduce the ability of the plant to
compensate for the attack. Host-specificity testing indicates B.
nodulosus is unlikely to attack non-target species.
Flowering rush is very difficult to control. Conventional
management strategies are often costly to implement, vary in their
effectiveness, and sometimes result in extensive non-target damage.
However, flowering rush is an excellent target for biological control
because it is a perennial plant growing in stable habitats and because
it is the only species in its family, Butomaceae, in North America.
Classical biological control is a potentially useful management
strategy for an invasive pest species whenever effective resident
natural enemies are lacking in the new distribution range.
APHIS' review and analysis of the potential environmental impacts
associated with the proposed release are documented in an environmental
assessment (EA) titled ``Field release of the weevil Bagous nodulosus
(Coleoptera: Curculionidae) for classical biological control of
flowering rush (Butomaceae) in the continental United States'' (May
2024). Based on our findings in the EA, we are proposing to issue
permits for the release of the insect, B. nodulosus, as a biological
control agent to reduce the severity of infestations of flowering rush.
We are making the EA available to the public for review and comment. We
will consider all comments that we receive on or before the date listed
under the heading DATES at the beginning of this notice.
The EA may be viewed on the <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> website or in our
reading room (see ADDRESSES above for a link to <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> and
information on the location and hours of the reading room). You may
also request paper copies of the EA by calling or writing to the person
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Please refer to the title
of the EA when requesting copies.
The EA has 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)
in effect as of the date of this notice, (3) USDA regulations
implementing NEPA (7 CFR part 1b), and (4) APHIS' NEPA Implementing
Procedures (7 CFR part 372).
Done in Washington, DC, this 16th day of August 2024.
Michael Watson,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-19639 Filed 8-30-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on September 3, 2024.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.