[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 201 (Thursday, October 17, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 55548]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-22652]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Natural Resources Conservation Service
[Docket ID NRCS-2019-0015]
Adoption of Another Agency's Final Environmental Impact Statement
To Implement the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program
AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), U.S. Department
of Agriculture (USDA).
ACTION: Notice of Availability for the Record of Decision (ROD).
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SUMMARY: NRCS announces the availability of the agency's Record of
Decision (ROD) to adopt the Final Environmental Impact Statement
(FEIS), ``Feral Swine Damage Management: A National Approach EIS'',
prepared by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service (APHIS), under the Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS) adoption provisions of the Council on Environmental
Quality (CEQ).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Martin Lowenfish, Branch Chief for
Areawide Planning, Natural Resources Conservation Service, at
[email protected] or (202) 690-4979. Persons with disabilities
who require alternative means for communication should contact the USDA
Target Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NRCS will adopt the FEIS titled, ``Feral
Swine Damage Management; A National Approach EIS'', prepared by APHIS
under the EIS adoption provisions of CEQ) regulations (40 CFR 1506.3).
NRCS is taking this action to address the mandates in section 2408 of
the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill, Pub. L. 115-
334) to provide financial assistance for a Feral Swine Eradication and
Control Pilot Program in collaboration with APHIS. The purpose of the
pilot program, as stated in the Act, is to respond to the threat feral
swine pose to agriculture, native ecosystems, and human and animal
health. NRCS's actions under section 2408 of the 2018 Farm Bill are
narrower than the scope of the larger APHIS effort defined in the FEIS
and are limited to providing financial assistance specifically for
outreach, training, equipment, and operations for feral swine trapping,
consistent with APHIS technical standards. Subsequent actions,
including disposal, are the responsibility of those carrying out the
trapping activities, and must occur consistent with all associated
Federal, State, and local laws. The details on the FEIS were provided
in the published Notice of Intent to adopt FEIS dated on July 17, 2019
(84 FR 34118) and associated Notice of Availability published by the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (84 FR 32168). Two comments were
received in response to these notices. The first, submitted by the
State Department of Land and Natural Resources, in support of the
actions and methods defined in the FEIS and is appended to this NOA.
The second, submitted by a private citizen indicating they disagreed
with this use of Federal funding. The Agriculture Improvement Act of
2018 left no discretion to the agency concerning this matter.
The ROD is available by requesting a copy at the above address.
Documentation developed during the agency's review of the FEIS is on
file and may be reviewed by contacting Martin Lowenfish at the above
number.
No administrative action on implementation of the proposal will be
taken until 30 days after the date of this publication in the Federal
Register.
Kevin Norton,
Associate Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-22652 Filed 10-16-19; 8:45 am]
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