Federal agriculture officials have announced plans to conduct a comprehensive environmental review of a program aimed at controlling grasshopper and Mormon cricket populations on rangeland across the western United States.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), an agency within the U.S. Department of Agriculture, issued a Notice of Intent stating it will prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement — a broad analysis of how the suppression program affects the surrounding environment.
The review will cover the program’s operations across 17 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
As part of the process, APHIS is asking for public input to help shape the scope of the review. Officials want feedback on possible alternatives to the current approach, potential effects on people and the environment, and any relevant research or data the public believes should be considered.
The new environmental impact statement will replace a previous version that was published in 2019. APHIS expects to have the final document completed and published by August 2027.
