Availability of Preliminary Plant Pest Risk Assessment and Draft Environmental Assessment for Petition to Deregulate Petunias Modified Using Genetic Engineering

September 25, 2020

Dear BRS Stakeholder,

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is seeking public comment on two documents related to the potential deregulation of a petunia variety developed using genetic engineering to produce orange flowers. The documents are a preliminary Plant Pest Risk Assessment (PPRA) that examines any plant pest risks and a draft Environmental Assessment (DEA) that analyzes the potential issues and environmental impacts.

APHIS is seeking public comment on these documents for 30 days. APHIS will thoroughly review and consider all public input submitted during the comment period, and use the information as we work to complete, and then publish, final environmental documents and our regulatory determination.

The preliminary PPRA and DEA can be accessed now on the News page of the BRS website. This notice may be viewed in today’s Federal Register. Beginning September 28, 2020, members of the public will be able to submit comments through October 28, 2020, through our online comment portal: https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=APHIS-2019-0037.