Photo Credit: Raido Lepp
This genetically engineered alfalfa is commonly referred to as Roundup Ready alfalfa. USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has just announced that they are seeking public comments in order to help them in composing their draft environmental impact statement. In this statement, they will be evaluating the potential environmental effects of deregulating alfalfa engineered to be resistant to the herbicide glyphosate, known commercially as Roundup.
APHIS considered two alternatives in the draft environmental impact statement: to grant nonregulated status to the two RR alfalfa lines, or to maintain the lines’ status as regulated articles. APHIS analyzed these alternatives with regard to their potential environmental impacts, socioeconomic impacts, as well as human health and safety impacts.
The comment period will now end on March 3, 2010. APHIS will consider all public comments submitted during the comment period before finalizing the statement or making any decisions regarding the regulatory status of Roundup Ready alfalfa. Preliminarily, APHIS concluded that there is no significant impact on the human environment due to granting nonregulated status to Roundup Ready alfalfa.
APHIS is also holding a series of public meetings where interested parties can comment on the draft environmental impact statement. Meetings took place in Nevada and Nebraska earlier this year. The final meeting, which will be held in Riverdale, Md., is now scheduled for Wednesday, February 24, 2010. The meeting will take place from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the APHIS Conference Center, 4700 River Road, Riverdale, Md., 20737.
The draft environmental impact statement is available on the APHIS Web site. Notice of this draft EIS was published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the Dec. 18, 2009, Federal Register. EPA published notice of the extension of the comment period in the Feb. 5, 2010, Federal Register.
Consideration will be given to comments received on or before March 3, 2010. You can comment by either of the following methods:
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: please send a copy of your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2007-0044, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238.
Comments received are posted on the Regulations.gov Web site.
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