APHIS Extends Comment Period for GE Apple

 

Dear BRS Stakeholder,

In early November 2013, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced a 30-day public comment period for the review of a plant pest risk assessment (PPRA) and draft environmental assessment (EA) for a genetically engineered (GE) apple. These documents are in response to an application from Okanagan Specialty Fruits, Inc. to deregulate its GE browning-resistant apple.

Comments on the PPRA and draft EA were required to be received on or before December 9, 2013. We are reopening the comment period for an additional 30 days due to numerous requests for additional time to prepare and submit comments.

To submit comments through January 30, 2014, to the Okanagan docket (APHIS-2012-0025) using the comment portal www.Regulations.gov, please use the link below:

http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2012-0025-1938

We will also consider all comments received between December 10, 2013, (the day after the close of the original comment period) and the date of this notice.