Concurrence With OIE Risk Designations for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, 7786-7787 [2017-01390]

Download as PDF 7786 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 13 / Monday, January 23, 2017 / Notices Effective Date: The addition of the Republic of Korea to the APHIS list of regions considered affected with CEM is effective retroactively to May 7, 2015. DATES: Mr. Javier Vargas, Import Risk Analyst, National Import Export Services, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 38, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 851–3300; Javier.Vargas@aphis.usda.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The regulations in 9 CFR part 93 (referred to below as the regulations) prohibit or restrict the importation of certain animals into the United States to prevent the introduction of communicable diseases of livestock. Subpart C—Horses, §§ 93.300 through 93.326, pertains to the importation of horses into the United States. Sections 93.301 and 93.304 of the regulations contain specific provisions for the importation of horses from regions affected with contagious equine metritis (CEM), which is a highly contagious venereal disease of horses and other equines caused by an infection with the bacterium Taylorella equigenitalis. A list of regions that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) considers to be affected with CEM or that trade horses freely with a region in which CEM exists without testing for CEM is maintained on the APHIS Web site at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/ aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animaland-animal-product-importinformation/ct_animal_disease_status. APHIS receives notice of CEM outbreaks from veterinary officials of the exporting country, from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), or from other sources the Administrator determines to be reliable. On June 19, 2015, the veterinary authorities of the Republic of Korea reported to the OIE that subclinical infections of T. equigenitalis had been confirmed in 17 horses held in 7 locations in Jejudo on May 7, 2015. In response to this outbreak, APHIS added the Republic of Korea to the list of regions where CEM exists or is reasonably believed to exist. As a result, horses and other equines from the Republic of Korea are subject to APHIS import restrictions designed to mitigate risk of CEM introduction into the United States. These restrictions are effective retroactively to May 7, 2015. mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1622 and 8301–8317; 21 U.S.C. 136 and 136a; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.4. VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:02 Jan 19, 2017 Jkt 241001 Done in Washington, DC, this 13th day of January 2017. Kevin Shea, Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. [FR Doc. 2017–01394 Filed 1–19–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–34–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service [Docket No. APHIS–2016–0092] Concurrence With OIE Risk Designations for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: We are advising the public of our preliminary concurrence with the World Organization for Animal Health’s (OIE) bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) risk designations for seven regions. The OIE recognizes these regions as being of negligible risk for BSE. We are taking this action based on our review of information supporting the OIE’s risk designations for these regions. DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before March 24, 2017. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods: • Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov/ #!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2016-0092. • Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS–2016–0092, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A–03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737–1238. Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may be viewed at https:// www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D= APHIS-2016-0092 or in our reading room, which is located in Room 1141 of the USDA South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC. Normal reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you, please call (202) 799–7039 before coming. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Roberta Morales, Senior Staff Veterinarian, Regionalization Evaluation Services, National Import Export Services, VS, APHIS, 920 Main Campus Drive, Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27606; (919) 855–7735. SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 The regulations in 9 CFR part 92 subpart B, ‘‘Importation of Animals and Animal Products; Procedures for Requesting BSE Risk Status Classification With Regard To Bovines’’ (referred to below as the regulations), set forth the process by which the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) classifies regions for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) risk. Section 92.5 of the regulations provides that all countries of the world are considered by APHIS to be in one of three BSE risk categories: Negligible risk, controlled risk, or undetermined risk. These risk categories are defined in § 92.1. Any region that is not classified by APHIS as presenting either negligible risk or controlled risk for BSE is considered to present an undetermined risk. The list of those regions classified by APHIS as having either negligible risk or controlled risk can be accessed on the APHIS Web site at https:// www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/ animalhealth/animal-and-animalproduct-import-information/import-liveanimals/ct_bovine_spongiform_ encephalopathy. The list can also be obtained by writing to APHIS at National Import Export Services, 4700 River Road, Unit 38, Riverdale, MD 20737. Under the regulations, APHIS may classify a region for BSE in one of two ways. One way is for countries that have not received a risk classification from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) to request classification by APHIS. The other way is for APHIS to concur with the classification given to a country by the OIE. If the OIE has classified a country as either BSE negligible risk or BSE controlled risk, APHIS will seek information to support concurrence with the OIE classification. This information may be publicly available information, or APHIS may request that countries supply the same information given to the OIE. APHIS will announce in the Federal Register, subject to public comment, its intent to concur with an OIE classification. In accordance with this process, we are giving notice in this document that APHIS intends to concur with the OIE risk classifications of the following countries: • Regions of negligible risk for BSE: Costa Rica, Germany, Lithuania, Mexico, Namibia, Romania, and Spain. The OIE recommendations regarding each of the above countries can be viewed at https://www.oie.int/animalhealth-in-the-world/official-diseasestatus/bse/list-of-bse-risk-status/. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: E:\FR\FM\23JAN1.SGM 23JAN1 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 13 / Monday, January 23, 2017 / Notices The conclusions of the OIE scientific commission for these countries can be viewed at: Costa Rica: https://www.oie.int/ fileadmin/Home/eng/Internationa_ Standard_Setting/docs/pdf/SCAD/A_ SCAD_Feb2016.pdf (page 92). Germany: https://www.oie.int/ fileadmin/Home/eng/Internationa_ Standard_Setting/docs/pdf/SCAD/A_ SCAD_Feb2016.pdf (page 93). Lithuania: https://www.oie.int/ fileadmin/Home/eng/Internationa_ Standard_Setting/docs/pdf/SCAD/A_ SCAD_Feb2016.pdf (page 95). Mexico: https://www.oie.int/fileadmin/ Home/eng/Internationa_Standard_ Setting/docs/pdf/SCAD/A_SCAD_ Feb2016.pdf (page 96). Namibia: https://www.oie.int/ fileadmin/Home/eng/Internationa_ Standard_Setting/docs/pdf/SCAD/A_ SCAD_Feb2016.pdf (page 98). Romania: https://www.oie.int/ fileadmin/Home/eng/Internationa_ Standard_Setting/docs/pdf/SCAD/A_ SCAD_Feb2016.pdf (page 101). Spain: https://www.oie.int/fileadmin/ Home/eng/Internationa_Standard_ Setting/docs/pdf/SCAD/A_SCAD_ Feb2016.pdf (page 99). After reviewing any comments we receive, we will announce our final determination regarding the BSE classification of these countries in the Federal Register, along with a discussion of and response to pertinent issues raised by commenters. If APHIS recognizes a country as either negligible risk or controlled risk for BSE, the Agency will include that country on the list of regions of negligible risk or controlled risk for BSE, as applicable, that is available to the public on the Agency’s Web site at https:// www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/ animalhealth/animal-and-animalproduct-import-information/import-liveanimals/ct_bovine_spongiform_ encephalopathy. mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1622 and 8301–8317; 21 U.S.C. 136 and 136a; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.4. Done in Washington, DC, this 13th day of January 2017. Kevin Shea, Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. [FR Doc. 2017–01390 Filed 1–19–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–34–P VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:02 Jan 19, 2017 Jkt 241001 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service [Docket No. APHIS–2016–0072] Addition of Lebanon to the List of Regions Affected by Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: We are advising the public that we added Lebanon to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) list maintained on the APHIS Web site of regions considered affected with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). We are taking this action because of the confirmation of HPAI detection in Lebanon. DATES: Effective Date: The addition of Lebanon to the APHIS list of regions considered affected with HPAI is effective retroactively to April 22, 2016. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Javier Vargas, Import Risk Analyst, National Import Export Services, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 38, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 851–3300; Javier.Vargas@aphis.usda.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations in 9 CFR part 94 (referred to below as the regulations) govern the importation of certain animals and animal products into the United States to prevent the introduction of various animal diseases, including Newcastle disease and highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The regulations prohibit or restrict the importation of live poultry, poultry meat, and other poultry products from regions where these diseases are considered to exist. Section 94.6 of part 94 of the regulations contain requirements governing the importation into the United States of carcasses, meat, parts or products of carcasses, and eggs (other than hatching eggs) of poultry, game birds, or other birds from regions of the world where HPAI exists or is reasonably believed to exist. HPAI is an extremely infectious and potentially fatal form of avian influenza in birds and poultry that, once established, can spread rapidly from flock to flock. A list of regions that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) considers affected with HPAI of any subtype is maintained on the APHIS Web site at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/ aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animaland-animal-product-importinformation/ct_animal_disease_status. APHIS receives notice of HPAI outbreaks from veterinary officials of the SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 7787 exporting country, from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), or from other sources the Administrator determines to be reliable. On April 23, 2016, the veterinary authorities of Lebanon reported to the OIE that an HPAI outbreak had been confirmed in the Bekaa region on April 22, 2016. The outbreak affected a farm of approximately 20,000 birds. In response to this outbreak, APHIS added Lebanon to the list of regions where HPAI exists or is reasonably believed to exist. As a result, live poultry, poultry meat, and other poultry products from Lebanon are subject to APHIS import restrictions designed to mitigate risk of HPAI introduction into the United States. These restrictions are effective retroactively to April 22, 2016. Authority: 7 U.S.C. 450, 7701–7772, 7781– 7786, and 8301–8317; 21 U.S.C. 136 and 136a; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.4. Done in Washington, DC, this 13th day of January 2017. Kevin Shea, Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. [FR Doc. 2017–01392 Filed 1–19–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–34–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service [Docket No. APHIS–2016–0101] Notice of Request for Reinstatement of an Information Collection; National Veterinary Accreditation Program Application Form Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: Reinstatement of an information collection; comment request. AGENCY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s intention to request a reinstatement of an information collection associated with the National Veterinary Accreditation Program application form. DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before March 24, 2017. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods: • Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov/ #!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2016-0101. • Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS–2016–0101, Regulatory Analysis SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\23JAN1.SGM 23JAN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 13 (Monday, January 23, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7786-7787]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-01390]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2016-0092]


Concurrence With OIE Risk Designations for Bovine Spongiform 
Encephalopathy

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: We are advising the public of our preliminary concurrence with 
the World Organization for Animal Health's (OIE) bovine spongiform 
encephalopathy (BSE) risk designations for seven regions. The OIE 
recognizes these regions as being of negligible risk for BSE. We are 
taking this action based on our review of information supporting the 
OIE's risk designations for these regions.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before March 
24, 2017.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2016-0092.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2016-0092, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, 
APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1238.
    Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may 
be viewed at https://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2016-
0092 or in our reading room, which is located in Room 1141 of the USDA 
South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, 
DC. Normal reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you, 
please call (202) 799-7039 before coming.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Roberta Morales, Senior Staff 
Veterinarian, Regionalization Evaluation Services, National Import 
Export Services, VS, APHIS, 920 Main Campus Drive, Suite 200, Raleigh, 
NC 27606; (919) 855-7735.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations in 9 CFR part 92 subpart B, 
``Importation of Animals and Animal Products; Procedures for Requesting 
BSE Risk Status Classification With Regard To Bovines'' (referred to 
below as the regulations), set forth the process by which the Animal 
and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) classifies regions for 
bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) risk. Section 92.5 of the 
regulations provides that all countries of the world are considered by 
APHIS to be in one of three BSE risk categories: Negligible risk, 
controlled risk, or undetermined risk. These risk categories are 
defined in Sec.  92.1. Any region that is not classified by APHIS as 
presenting either negligible risk or controlled risk for BSE is 
considered to present an undetermined risk. The list of those regions 
classified by APHIS as having either negligible risk or controlled risk 
can be accessed on the APHIS Web site at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-and-animal-product-import-information/import-live-animals/ct_bovine_spongiform_encephalopathy. 
The list can also be obtained by writing to APHIS at National Import 
Export Services, 4700 River Road, Unit 38, Riverdale, MD 20737.
    Under the regulations, APHIS may classify a region for BSE in one 
of two ways. One way is for countries that have not received a risk 
classification from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) to 
request classification by APHIS. The other way is for APHIS to concur 
with the classification given to a country by the OIE.
    If the OIE has classified a country as either BSE negligible risk 
or BSE controlled risk, APHIS will seek information to support 
concurrence with the OIE classification. This information may be 
publicly available information, or APHIS may request that countries 
supply the same information given to the OIE. APHIS will announce in 
the Federal Register, subject to public comment, its intent to concur 
with an OIE classification.
    In accordance with this process, we are giving notice in this 
document that APHIS intends to concur with the OIE risk classifications 
of the following countries:
     Regions of negligible risk for BSE: Costa Rica, Germany, 
Lithuania, Mexico, Namibia, Romania, and Spain.
    The OIE recommendations regarding each of the above countries can 
be viewed at https://www.oie.int/animal-health-in-the-world/official-disease-status/bse/list-of-bse-risk-status/.

[[Page 7787]]

    The conclusions of the OIE scientific commission for these 
countries can be viewed at:
    Costa Rica: https://www.oie.int/fileadmin/Home/eng/Internationa_Standard_Setting/docs/pdf/SCAD/A_SCAD_Feb2016.pdf (page 
92).
    Germany: https://www.oie.int/fileadmin/Home/eng/Internationa_Standard_Setting/docs/pdf/SCAD/A_SCAD_Feb2016.pdf (page 
93).
    Lithuania: https://www.oie.int/fileadmin/Home/eng/Internationa_Standard_Setting/docs/pdf/SCAD/A_SCAD_Feb2016.pdf (page 
95).
    Mexico: https://www.oie.int/fileadmin/Home/eng/Internationa_Standard_Setting/docs/pdf/SCAD/A_SCAD_Feb2016.pdf (page 
96).
    Namibia: https://www.oie.int/fileadmin/Home/eng/Internationa_Standard_Setting/docs/pdf/SCAD/A_SCAD_Feb2016.pdf (page 
98).
    Romania: https://www.oie.int/fileadmin/Home/eng/Internationa_Standard_Setting/docs/pdf/SCAD/A_SCAD_Feb2016.pdf (page 
101).
    Spain: https://www.oie.int/fileadmin/Home/eng/Internationa_Standard_Setting/docs/pdf/SCAD/A_SCAD_Feb2016.pdf (page 
99).
    After reviewing any comments we receive, we will announce our final 
determination regarding the BSE classification of these countries in 
the Federal Register, along with a discussion of and response to 
pertinent issues raised by commenters. If APHIS recognizes a country as 
either negligible risk or controlled risk for BSE, the Agency will 
include that country on the list of regions of negligible risk or 
controlled risk for BSE, as applicable, that is available to the public 
on the Agency's Web site at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-and-animal-product-import-information/import-live-animals/ct_bovine_spongiform_encephalopathy.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1622 and 8301-8317; 21 U.S.C. 136 and 136a; 
31 U.S.C. 9701; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.4.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 13th day of January 2017.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-01390 Filed 1-19-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
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