Tab A - Page 51 
will be unable to Ice nucleate. It will therefore be subject to the same 
environmental factors and the same population control mechanisms as the much 
more numerous wild bacteria. To the extent that the INA* characterl stlc plays 
a role in growth, survival or reproduction, the modified bacteria will be more 
vulnerable to environmental and other stresses than its wild counterparts . 
Therefore, any escape of modified bacteria from the test site would not cause 
any significant environmental Impacts. 
5.4 Effects of Alternatives 
5.4.1 Approval of Original Proposal Without Restriction 
As originally proposed in the application dated September 17, 1982, the 
field test would have been basically the same as the field test approved by NIH 
on June 1, 1983, except that it would be conducted at six sites instead of one, 
and antibiotics would be sprayed on the plants to kill the bacteria in the 
unlikely event the bacteria caused some harm to the plants. 
Conducting field tests at six locations Instead of one would increase the 
number of modified bacteria being tested and thus increase the probability that 
the IMA" bacteria might escape from one of the test sites. In addition, the 
logistics of monitoring experiments at six locations would be more difficult. 
The RAC recommended that in the unlikely event that an "emergency plan" is 
necessary, antibiotics should not be used, and that burning or burying were 
preferred. 
48 
[ 245 ] 
