APHIS Seeks Comment On Draft Environmental Documents For Deregulation Of American Chestnut Developed Using Genetic Engineering

On June 6, 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced that it has prepared a revised draft environmental impact statement (EIS) and revised draft plant pest risk assessment (PPRA) evaluating the potential environmental impacts and plant pest risk that may result from the approval of a petition for nonregulated status for blight-tolerant American chestnut (Castanea dentata) from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF). 90 Fed. Reg. 24090. According to APHIS, the trees have been developed using genetic engineering to express an oxalate oxidase enzyme from wheat as a defense against the fungal pathogen Cryphonectria parasitica, making the American chestnut tolerant to chestnut blight. Based on a revised petition submitted by SUNY-ESF, APHIS has revised the draft EIS and draft PPRA. The revised petition, revised draft EIS, and revised draft PPRA are