Bayer CropScience LP.; Availability of Draft Environmental Assessment, Plant Pest Risk Similarity Assessment, Preliminary Finding of No Significant Impact, and Preliminary Decision for an Extension of a Determination of Nonregulated Status of Canola Genetically Engineered for Male Sterility and Glufosinate-Ammonium Resistance

AGENCY:

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION:

Notice; extension of comment period.

SUMMARY:

We are extending the comment period for our notice advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has reached a preliminary decision to extend our determination of nonregulated status of InVigor® MS8 canola (hereinafter MS8 canola) to Bayer's canola event MS11 in response to a request from Bayer CropScience LP. MS11 canola has been genetically engineered for male sterility and resistance to the herbicide glufosinate-ammonium using the same mechanism of action as MS8 canola. This action will allow interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments on our draft environmental assessment, preliminary regulatory determination, preliminary finding of no significant impact, and plant pest risk similarity assessment for the proposed determination of nonregulated status.

DATES:

The comment period for the notice published on April 12, 2017 (82 FR 17625) is extended. We will consider all comments that we receive on or before May 30, 2017.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments by either of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2017-0015.
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2017-0015, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238.

The Bayer CropScience LP. extension request, our draft environmental assessment, plant pest risk similarity assessment, our preliminary finding of no significant impact, our preliminary determination, and any comments we receive on this docket may be viewed at http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2017-0015 or in our reading room, which is located in Room 1141 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.

Supporting documents and any comments we received regarding our determination of nonregulated status of the antecedent organism, MS8 canola, may be inspected in our reading room. Supporting documents may also be found on the APHIS Web site for MS11 canola (the organism under evaluation) under APHIS Petition Number 16-235-01p.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ms. Cindy Eck, Document Control Officer/Team Leader, Policy Coordination Programs, Biotechnology Regulatory Services, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 147, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 851-3954, email: cynthia.a.eck@aphis.usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

On April 12, 2017, we published in the Federal Register (82 FR 17625-17626, Docket No. APHIS-2017-0015) a notice advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has reached a preliminary decision to extend our determination of nonregulated status of InVigor® MS8 canola (hereinafter MS8 canola) to Bayer's canola event MS11 in response to a request from Bayer CropScience LP. MS11 canola has been genetically engineered for male sterility and resistance to the herbicide glufosinate-ammonium using the same mechanism of action as MS8 canola. The notice also made available for public comment our draft environmental assessment, preliminary regulatory determination, preliminary finding of no significant impact, and plant pest risk similarity assessment for the proposed determination of nonregulated status.

Comments on the notice were required to be received on or before May 12, 2017. We are extending the comment period on Docket No. APHIS-2017-0015 for an additional 15 days. This action will allow interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments.

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 7701-7772 and 7781-7786; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.3.