The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is advising the public that we are withdrawing a 2015 environmental assessment on a national approach for the control of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreaks within the United States, pending further evaluation. Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is an infectious and often fatal disease of poultry. On February 9, 2016, APHIS published a notice in the Federal Register announcing the availability of a December 2015 final environmental assessment (EA), entitled “High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza Control in Commercial Poultry Operations-A National Approach," (2015 HPAI EA) and a finding of no significant impact (FONSI) relative to a national approach for the control of HPAI outbreaks within the United States.Circumstances have changed since 2016, and therefore APHIS needs time for further evaluation. Withdrawal of the 2015 HPAI EA and FONSI will not hamper APHIS’ ability to respond to an outbreak in the future. The full notice regarding this action may be found at Regulations.gov
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
