Contact:
Andrea McNally (301)734-0602
USDA EXTENDS PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD ON DEREGULATION OF GENETICALLY ENGINEERED SOYBEAN
WASHINGTON, Nov. 4, 2009--The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is extending the public comment period on a petition from Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., seeking a determination of nonregulated status for a soybean that has been genetically engineered to have higher levels of oleic acid and lower levels of linoleic and linolenic acids in its oil.
Due to an agency oversight, an incorrect version of the Pioneer petition was originally posted on the Internet for review and comment. With this notice, APHIS is advising the public that the correct version of the petition has been posted and is available for review and comment. APHIS is also extending the comment period for the petition, the draft environmental assessment and the plant pest risk assessment in order to provide the public a full 60 days to consider the petition for determination of nonregulated status and the supporting documents associated with that petition.
This action was published in the Oct. 26 Federal Register.
Consideration will be given to all comments received on or before Dec. 28. You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
- Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to
http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2007-0156 to submit or view comments.
- Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send two copies of your comment to
Docket No. APHIS-2007-0156, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state that your comment refers to Docket No. APHIS-2007-0156.
Comments are posted on the Regulations.gov Web site and also can be reviewed at USDA, Room1141, South Building, 14th St. and Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C., between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. To facilitate entry into the comment reading room, please call (202) 690-2817.
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