The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) has completed a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA), Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle Response Program in Hawaii. The EA analyzes the potential environmental effects of a cooperative program to prevent or minimize the further spread and establishment of coconut rhinoceros beetle (Oryctes rhinoceros), an invasive species that impacts a variety of palms and crop plants. Anyone wishing to view or comment on the EA can at www.regulations.gov by typing the title or Docket # APHIS-2024-0061 in the search bar, or obtain a copy from and send comments to USDA-APHIS-PPQ, 300 Ala Moana Blvd., Room 8-120, Box 50002, Honolulu, HI 96850. The comment period ends January 10, 2025. Any comments received will be considered and may result in changes to the proposed project. For general questions concerning the coconut rhinoceros beetle Draft EA please email william.d.wesela@usda.gov.
(SA1475726 12/1, 12/2, 12/3/24)