Washington, DC, USA
December 12, 2014
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is issuing a final environmental impact statement (EIS) on varieties of cotton and soybeans that have been genetically engineered for resistance to several herbicides, including the one known as dicamba. APHIS is issuing the final EIS today as part of its review to determine whether to deregulate these GE crops.
Under the Plant Protection Act (PPA) and APHIS’ regulations, the agency is specifically required to evaluate whether GE crops are a plant pest to agricultural crops or other plants or plant products. The Plant Protection Act defines plant pests as organisms, such as insects, bacteria, or fungi that can directly or indirectly cause disease in plants, or otherwise injure or damage plants or plant products.
In August, APHIS issued its draft EIS that examined several regulatory alternatives before the Agency. Of the alternatives examined, APHIS is required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to identify the alternative—known as the “preferred alternative”—that best meets the purpose and need for the EIS. Based on its plant pest risk assessment and under its authority through the Plant Protection Act, APHIS’ preferred alternatives in the draft EIS was full deregulation of these GE crops. APHIS selected this alternative based on its determination that the GE cotton and soybeans are unlikely to pose a plant pest risk to agricultural crops or other plants in the United States.
Following the close of a 60 day comment period on the draft EIS, APHIS thoroughly reviewed and analyzed the comments it received and has addressed them in the final EIS it is making available today.
The final EIS affirms APHIS’ preferred alternative to deregulate these new GE crops. This is also consistent with APHIS’ plant pest risk assessment (PPRA) that found the GE cotton and soybeans are unlikely to pose a plant pest risk to agricultural crops or other plants in the United States.
The final EIS enables APHIS to better understand the impacts of its regulatory decision including how the adoption of these products by farmers may lead to an increased risk in the development of new herbicide-tolerant weeds. The final EIS affirms that diversified weed management practices could mitigate the impacts. USDA and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are taking a number of steps to help address the issue of herbicide-tolerant weeds.
APHIS is finalizing its assessment of these GE plants while the EPA is concluding its concurrent review of the related herbicides. EPA has authority over the review and approval of pesticidal substances and plant-incorporated protectants under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act as amended and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. EPA is currently reviewing information submitted by the developer, Monsanto, to assess the potential for environmental and human risks associated with the use of dicamba and the other herbicides. EPA’s analysis includes a thorough review of any potential human health and environmental risks associated with the application of these herbicides to the GE cotton and soybean plants, such as the potential off-site movement of these herbicides to other crops or areas. It is expected that EPA will make available its proposed regulatory decision in the coming months for public review and comment.
The final EIS on the dicamba-resistant crops will be available for public viewing for 30 days upon publication in the Federal Register before APHIS makes its final regulatory determination on these petitions for deregulation. APHIS will publish its record of decision for the final EIS and its final regulatory determination after that 30-day public viewing period has concluded.
APHIS has submitted the final EIS to the EPA for publication in the Federal Register. APHIS anticipates that EPA will publish a notice on Dec. 12, 2014. A copy of the final EIS provided to EPA can be found at www.aphis.usda.gov/biotechnology/news.
Dicamba GE Crops Environmental Impact Statement and Related Documents
Monsanto's Dicamba-Resistant GE Crops Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
Note: The Record of Decision and Determinations of Nonregulated Status must await a 30-day public review period, ending January 12, 2015, prior to publication. See the Press Release and Questions and Answers below for more information.
Press Release on the Final EIS
Questions and Answers on the Final EIS
Federal Register Notice: Final EIS
Final EIS
Final EIS Appendices
Click here to review the Final EIS and related documents on Regulations.gov
Monsanto's Dicamba-Resistant GE Crops Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
Federal Register Notice: Draft EIS Public Comment Period Extension
Federal Register Notice: Draft EIS Available for Public Comment
Draft EIS
Draft EIS Appendices
Plant Pest Risk Assessments (PPRA)
PPRA for Petition No. 12-185-01p
PPRA for Petition No. 10-188-01p
Monsanto's Dicamba-Resistant Crops Draft EIS Virtual Public Comment Meeting
On August 11, 2014, USDA made available for public review and comment a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) as part of its review to determine whether to deregulate genetically engineered (GE) cotton resistant to the herbicides glufosinate and dicamba, and soybean resistant to dicamba. The DEIS analyzes the potential environmental impacts of these GE cotton and soybean varieties developed by Monsanto Company (Monsanto).
APHIS held a virtual public meeting on Thursday, September 11, 2014, to receive comments on the DEIS . We will consider all public comments made during the virtual meeting as well as those submitted to the docket (APHIS-2013-0043) on www.regulations.gov before finalizing the DEIS and preliminary plant pest risk assessment, and making our final regulatory decision on the Monsanto petitions.
September 11, 2014 Meeting Transcript
Supporting Documents and Supplemental Materials
State-Specific Dicamba Regulations
Monsanto Submitted EIS Supplement
Monsanto Submitted Environmental Report
Monsanto Submitted Tillage Trend Analysis
Monsanto's Dicamba-Resistant Crops EIS Virtual Public Comment Scoping Meeting
On May 16, 2013, APHIS' Biotechnology Regulatory Services (BRS) published notices of intent (NOI) in the Federal Register to prepare environmental impact statements (EIS), in response to petitions seeking determinations of nonregulated status for Dow's 2,4-D-resistant crops, and Monsanto's dicamba-resistant crops. On June 26 and 27, 2013, APHIS' BRS hosted two online virtual public meetings soliciting public comment on the scope of these draft EISs being prepared for each company's petitions, respectively. The purpose of the meetings was to further delineate the scope of alternatives and environmental impacts and issues discussed in these EISs.
Monsanto Dicamba-Resistant Crops - Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS
Monsanto's Dicamba-Resistant Q&A
June 26, 2013 Meeting Transcript
June 27, 2013 Meeting Transcript