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

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October 19, 2020

Dear BRS Stakeholder,

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is inviting public comment on a preliminary plant pest risk assessment (PPRA) and draft environmental assessment (dEA) prepared in response to a petition from the Monsanto Company (Monsanto) seeking deregulation of a cotton variety developed using genetic engineering for resistance to certain insects, primarily those of the Lygus genus.  The PPRA and dEA will be available for public review and comment for 30 days.

APHIS is interested in receiving comments regarding potential environmental and interrelated economic impacts to assist in our assessment of the petition as it relates to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).  The public comments received, along with the best available scientific documents, will assist APHIS in making a determination on the regulatory status of this cotton variety developed using genetic engineering.

The PPRA and dEA can be accessed on the News page of the BRS website.  Members of the public can submit comments through November 16, 2020 at: https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=APHIS-2019-0050.