Draft EA Supplement Issued on: Bird Damage Management in Illinois

Friday, March 31, 2023

Wildlife Services (WS), a program within the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, has prepared a Supplement to the Environmental Assessment (EA), "Bird Damage Management in the State of Illinois."

The Supplement analyzes the potential environmental impacts of alternatives for WS involvement in bird damage management. The proposed action is to implement an integrated approach using a variety of methods to reduce bird damage to agriculture, property, natural resources, and human health and safety. WS is requesting that the public review the Supplement and provide substantive comments no later than May 15.

Comments should be as specific as possible and substantive. A substantive comment provides new information about the proposed action, an alternative, or the analysis; identifies an alternative and reasonable suggestion to solve the problem; points out a specific flaw in the analysis; suggests alternate methodologies and the reason(s) why they should be used; makes factual corrections or identifies a different source of credible research which, if used in the analysis, could result in different effects.

WS may not respond to comments without substance or outside the scope of the proposed action, including those:

- in favor of or against the proposed action or alternatives, or

- that fall outside WS statutory authority.

Interested parties may view and provide comments on the Supplement by going to https://www.regulations.gov. In the search box, enter APHIS-2023-0033.

Interested parties may also request a copy of the Supplement and send written comments to:

Illinois Wildlife Services State Director 3430 Constitution Drive, Suite 121 Springfield, IL 62711

To receive full consideration prior to the decision, you must provide comments on the Supplement at www.regulations.gov or submit comments in writing at the address indicated by the end of the day on May 15.

WS will maintain all comments received, including the names and addresses of those who comment, as part of the public record and releasable for public review as required and allowed by law.