GRS lines W62 and<br> W98 have been genetically engineered to express the bar gene originally isolated from<br> Streptomyces hygroscopicus that confers tolerance to the application of the<br> phosphinothricin class of herbicides by coding for a phosphinothricin-N-acetyltrasferase (PAT) enzyme which catalyzes the conversion of the active ingredient<br> Glufosinate-Ammonium  to the inactive form L-phosphinothricin.  In addition, GRS<br> lines W62 and W98 also express a selectable marker gene, gus, coding for á-glucuronidase.  GRS lines A2704-12, A2704-21, and A5547-35 express the pat gene<br> which is a synthetic version of the PAT coding gene originally isolated from S.<br> viridochromogenes.  The gus gene expressed only in W62 and W98 lines was<br> originally isolated from Escherichia coli. <br> AgrEvo submitted its petition after numerous field tests of GRS lines at 197 sites<br> throughout the continental United States under 8 permits and 26 notifications.  Field<br> trial reports from these tests demonstrate that the transformed lines had no deleterious<br> effects on plants, did not exhibit weedy characteristics, and had no effect on nontarget<br> organisms or the general environment.   <br> An Environmental Assessment (EA) was prepared prior to granting field test permits<br> involving the GRS lines.  The EA for the previous introductions of GRS lines<br> addressed plant pest risk issues relative to the conduct of field trials under physical and<br> reproductive confinement.  This EA specifically addresses the potential impacts of the<br> GRS lines to the human environment through the unrestricted use in agriculture.  The<br> U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has the authority over the potential uses<br> of the herbicide glufosinate (Basta , Ignite , Rely , Liberty , Harvest , and<br> Finale ) in conjunction with GRS lines through the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and<br> Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). <br> APHIS has considered the information provided by AgrEvo in its petition as well as<br> other scientific data, information, and comments received from the public relating to <br> potential plant pest risk and related environmental impacts of the GRS lines.  A<br> thorough evaluation of the potential for significant impact to the human environment<br> through the unconfined, agricultural use of GRS lines resulted in a Finding of No<br> Significant Impact (FONSI) by APHIS.  This conclusion is based upon (1) the nature of<br> the genetic modification; (2) the fact that soybean has no weedy relatives with which it<br> can interbreed in the United States and its territories; and (3) the fact that this<br> modification will not increase the weediness potential of the soybeans or negatively<br> affect any nontarget organisms, including beneficials.  In conjunction with the FONSI,<br> APHIS has made the determination that GRS lines and their progeny have no potential<br> to pose a plant pest risk and are, therefore, determined to be no longer regulated articles<br> according to 7CFR 340.