Notice of Determination of the Classical Swine Fever, Foot-and-Mouth Disease, Rinderpest, and Swine Vesicular Disease Status of Cyprus, 26657-26658 [2017-11889]

Download as PDF 26657 Notices Federal Register Vol. 82, No. 109 Thursday, June 8, 2017 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency statements of organization and functions are examples of documents appearing in this section. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service [Docket No. APHIS–2016–0044] Notice of Determination of the Classical Swine Fever, Foot-and-Mouth Disease, Rinderpest, and Swine Vesicular Disease Status of Cyprus Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: We are advising the public of our determination to recognize Cyprus as being free of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), rinderpest, and swine vesicular disease (SVD), and as low risk for classical swine fever (CSF). Based on the findings of a risk assessment, which we made available to the public for review and comment through a previous notice, we have determined that the surveillance, prevention, and control measures implemented by the European Union (EU) and Cyprus, an EU Member State, are sufficient to minimize the likelihood of introducing CSF, FMD, SVD, and rinderpest into the United States via imports of species susceptible to these diseases or products of those species. DATES: Effective June 8, 2017. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Ingrid Kotowski, Regionalization Evaluation Services, National Import Export Services, Veterinary Services, APHIS, 920 Main Campus Drive, Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27606; (919) 855–7732; Ingrid.Kotowski@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 classical swine fever (CSF), foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), swine vesicular disease asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:24 Jun 07, 2017 Jkt 241001 (SVD), and rinderpest.1 The regulations prohibit or restrict the importation of live ruminants and swine, and products from these animals, from regions where these diseases are considered to exist. Within part 94, § 94.1 contains requirements governing the importation of ruminants and swine from regions where rinderpest or FMD exists and the importation of the meat of any ruminants or swine from regions where rinderpest or FMD exists to prevent the introduction of either disease into the United States. We consider rinderpest and FMD to exist in all regions except those listed in accordance with paragraph (a) of that section as free of rinderpest and FMD. Section 94.9 contains requirements governing the importation of pork and pork products from regions where CSF exists. Section 94.10 contains importation requirements for swine from regions where CSF is considered to exist and designates the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)-defined European CSF region as a single region of low risk for CSF. Section 94.31 contains requirements governing the importation of pork, pork products, and swine from the APHISdefined European CSF region. We consider CSF to exist in all regions of the world except those listed in accordance with paragraph (a) of § 94.9 as free of the disease. Section 94.11 of the regulations contains requirements governing the importation of meat of any ruminants or swine from regions that have been determined to be free of rinderpest and FMD, but that are subject to certain restrictions because of their proximity to or trading relationships with rinderpestor FMD-affected regions. Such regions are listed in accordance with paragraph (a) of that section. Section 94.12 of the regulations contains requirements governing the importation of pork or pork products from regions where SVD exists. We consider SVD to exist in all regions of the world except those listed in 1 The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) recognizes rinderpest as having been globally eradicated, and recommends that countries not impose any rinderpest-related conditions on import or transit of livestock and livestock products. In addition, the OIE recently delisted SVD as a disease of concern for international trade. However, APHIS continues to regulate for rinderpest and SVD through its import regulations for animals and animal products. PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 accordance with paragraph (a) of that section as free of SVD. Section 94.13 contains importation requirements governing the importation of pork or pork products from regions that have been declared free of SVD as provided in § 94.12(a) but supplement their national pork supply by the importation of fresh (chilled or frozen) meat of animals from regions where SVD is considered to exist, or have a common border with such regions, or have trade practices that are less restrictive than are acceptable to the United States. Such regions are listed in accordance with paragraph (a) of § 94.13. Section 94.14 states that no swine which are moved from or transit any region in which SVD is known to exist may be imported into the United States except wild swine imported in accordance with § 94.14(b). The regulations in 9 CFR part 92, § 92.2, contain requirements for requesting the recognition of the animal health status of a region (as well as for the approval of the export of a particular type of animal or animal product to the United States from a foreign region). If, after review and evaluation of the information submitted in support of the request, APHIS believes the request can be safely granted, APHIS will make its evaluation available for public comment through a document published in the Federal Register. Following the close of the comment period, APHIS will review all comments received and will make a final determination regarding the request that will be detailed in another document published in the Federal Register. Accordingly, we published a notice 2 in the Federal Register on January 23, 2017 (82 FR 7790–7791, Docket No. APHIS–2016–0044), in which we announced the availability, for review and comment, of a risk assessment that evaluated the risk of introduction of CSF, FMD, SVD, and rinderpest into the United States through the importation of animals and animal products from Cyprus.3 The notice also made available 2 To view the notice and supporting documents, go to https://www.regulations.gov/ #!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2016-0044. 3 The geographic scope of the action is limited to the Republic of Cyprus, excluding those areas of the Republic of Cyprus in which the Government of the Republic of Cyprus does not exercise effective control. E:\FR\FM\08JNN1.SGM 08JNN1 26658 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 109 / Thursday, June 8, 2017 / Notices a finding of no significant impact statement, which incorporates by reference four environmental assessments (EAs) prepared for Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, and Hungary, that addresses the potential environmental impacts of CSF, FMD, SVD, and rinderpest for EU Member States. The EAs were also made available for the public to review. We solicited comments on the notice for 60 days ending March 24, 2017. We did not receive any comments. Therefore, in accordance with the regulations, we are announcing our decision to recognize Cyprus as free of FMD, rinderpest, and SVD, and as low risk for CSF. As such, Cyprus will be added to the Web-based list of regions comprising the APHIS-defined European CSF region, which APHIS considers to be low risk for CSF, and to the respective Web-based lists of regions APHIS considers free of FMD, SVD, and rinderpest. The lists of regions recognized as free of or at low risk for these diseases can be found by visiting the APHIS Web site at https:// www.aphis.usda.gov/wps/portal/aphis/ ourfocus/importexport and following the link to ‘‘Animal or Animal Product.’’ Copies of the lists are also available via postal mail, fax, or email upon request to Regionalization Evaluation Services, National Import Export Services, Veterinary Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, 4700 River Road Unit 39, Riverdale, Maryland 20737. 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 2nd day of June 2017. Michael C. Gregoire, Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. [FR Doc. 2017–11889 Filed 6–7–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–34–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE asabaliauskas on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with NOTICES Rural Business-Cooperative Service Notice of Solicitation of Applications (NOSA) Inviting Applications for the Rural Business Development Grant Program To Provide Technical Assistance for Rural Transportation Systems Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice; reissue. AGENCY: This Notice is a reissuance of the notice published on November 18, SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:24 Jun 07, 2017 Jkt 241001 2016, at 81 FR 81726, announcing the acceptance of applications for Rural Transportation (RT) systems under the Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) program for fiscal year (FY) 2017, subject to the availability of funding to provide Technical Assistance for RT systems and for RT systems to Federally Recognized Native American Tribes’ (FRNAT) (collectively ‘‘Programs’’) and the terms provided in such funding. The Agency is reissuing the November 18, 2016, notice primarily to reopen the application period and to expand the types of entities eligible to apply for the grants. The remainder of the November 18, 2016, notice remains in effect and entities are encouraged to consult that notice if they wish to apply. Successful applications will be selected by the Agency for funding and subsequently awarded to the extent that funding may ultimately be made available to the Agency through appropriations. Awards under both grant Programs will be competitively awarded to eligible applicant(s). It is expected that one grant will be for the provision of Technical Assistance to RT Projects and that the other grant will be for the provision of Technical Assistance to RT Projects operated by FRNATs only. All applicants are responsible for any expenses incurred in developing their applications. All initially capitalized terms in this Notice, other than proper names, are defined in 7 CFR 4280.403. DATES: Completed applications must be received in the USDA Rural Development State Office no later than 4:30 p.m. (local time) on September 6, 2017. Applications received at a USDA Rural Development State Office after this date will not be considered for FY 2017 funding. ADDRESSES: Submit applications in paper format to the USDA Rural Development State Office for the State where the Project is located. A list of the USDA Rural Development State Office contacts can be found at: https:// www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/stateoffices. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Specialty Programs Division, Business Programs, Rural Business-Cooperative Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., MS 3226, Room 4204–South, Washington, DC 20250–3226, or call 202–720–1400. For further information on this Notice, please contact the USDA Rural Development State Office in the State in which the applicant’s headquarters is located. PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background As noted earlier, the Agency is reissuing the November 18, 2016, notice primarily to expand the types of entities eligible to apply for the grants and to reopen the application period to allow such entities sufficient time to submit their applications. As published, the November 18, 2016, notice limited eligible entities to ‘‘qualified national Nonprofit organizations.’’ It is the Agency’s intent that otherwise qualified national organizations that are not nonprofits also be eligible. Therefore, in the reissuance of the Notice, the Agency is removing ‘‘nonprofit’’ as a condition for eligibility to apply and removing any additional references to ‘‘nonprofit’’ found in the November 18, 2016, notice. Because removing reference to ‘‘nonprofits’’ as a condition of eligibility increases the number of potential applicants, the Agency is reopening the application period for a period of 90 days from the date the reissued notice is published in the Federal Register to allow entities sufficient time to apply for the grants. The Agency is uncertain, however, whether extending the application period will provide sufficient time for the Agency to evaluate applications and to make awards. Therefore, the Agency is removing in the reissued notice reference to the award date of September 30, 2017, which was found in the November 18, 2016, notice. The Agency is also removing the reissued notice reference to the historic awards previously made under the programs in the first paragraph of the SUMMARY section of the November 18, 2106, notice because such reference is unnecessary especially in light of now opening applications to entities that are not nonprofit organizations. No other substantive changes have been made to the November 18, 2016, notice via this reissuance. Overview Solicitation Opportunity Title: Rural Business Development Grants. Announcement Type: Initial Solicitation Announcement. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 10.351. Dates: Completed applications must be received in the USDA Rural Development State Office no later than 4:30 p.m. (local time) on September 6, 2017, to be eligible for FY 2017 grant funding. Applications received after this date will not be eligible for FY 2017 grant funding. E:\FR\FM\08JNN1.SGM 08JNN1

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[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 109 (Thursday, June 8, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26657-26658]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-11889]


========================================================================
Notices
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
appearing in this section.

========================================================================


Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 109 / Thursday, June 8, 2017 / 
Notices

[[Page 26657]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2016-0044]


Notice of Determination of the Classical Swine Fever, Foot-and-
Mouth Disease, Rinderpest, and Swine Vesicular Disease Status of Cyprus

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: We are advising the public of our determination to recognize 
Cyprus as being free of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), rinderpest, and 
swine vesicular disease (SVD), and as low risk for classical swine 
fever (CSF). Based on the findings of a risk assessment, which we made 
available to the public for review and comment through a previous 
notice, we have determined that the surveillance, prevention, and 
control measures implemented by the European Union (EU) and Cyprus, an 
EU Member State, are sufficient to minimize the likelihood of 
introducing CSF, FMD, SVD, and rinderpest into the United States via 
imports of species susceptible to these diseases or products of those 
species.

DATES: Effective June 8, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Ingrid Kotowski, Regionalization 
Evaluation Services, National Import Export Services, Veterinary 
Services, APHIS, 920 Main Campus Drive, Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27606; 
(919) 855-7732; Ingrid.Kotowski@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 classical swine fever (CSF), 
foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), swine vesicular disease (SVD), and 
rinderpest.\1\ The regulations prohibit or restrict the importation of 
live ruminants and swine, and products from these animals, from regions 
where these diseases are considered to exist.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) recognizes 
rinderpest as having been globally eradicated, and recommends that 
countries not impose any rinderpest-related conditions on import or 
transit of livestock and livestock products. In addition, the OIE 
recently delisted SVD as a disease of concern for international 
trade. However, APHIS continues to regulate for rinderpest and SVD 
through its import regulations for animals and animal products.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Within part 94, Sec.  94.1 contains requirements governing the 
importation of ruminants and swine from regions where rinderpest or FMD 
exists and the importation of the meat of any ruminants or swine from 
regions where rinderpest or FMD exists to prevent the introduction of 
either disease into the United States. We consider rinderpest and FMD 
to exist in all regions except those listed in accordance with 
paragraph (a) of that section as free of rinderpest and FMD.
    Section 94.9 contains requirements governing the importation of 
pork and pork products from regions where CSF exists. Section 94.10 
contains importation requirements for swine from regions where CSF is 
considered to exist and designates the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service (APHIS)-defined European CSF region as a single 
region of low risk for CSF. Section 94.31 contains requirements 
governing the importation of pork, pork products, and swine from the 
APHIS-defined European CSF region. We consider CSF to exist in all 
regions of the world except those listed in accordance with paragraph 
(a) of Sec.  94.9 as free of the disease.
    Section 94.11 of the regulations contains requirements governing 
the importation of meat of any ruminants or swine from regions that 
have been determined to be free of rinderpest and FMD, but that are 
subject to certain restrictions because of their proximity to or 
trading relationships with rinderpest- or FMD-affected regions. Such 
regions are listed in accordance with paragraph (a) of that section.
    Section 94.12 of the regulations contains requirements governing 
the importation of pork or pork products from regions where SVD exists. 
We consider SVD to exist in all regions of the world except those 
listed in accordance with paragraph (a) of that section as free of SVD.
    Section 94.13 contains importation requirements governing the 
importation of pork or pork products from regions that have been 
declared free of SVD as provided in Sec.  94.12(a) but supplement their 
national pork supply by the importation of fresh (chilled or frozen) 
meat of animals from regions where SVD is considered to exist, or have 
a common border with such regions, or have trade practices that are 
less restrictive than are acceptable to the United States. Such regions 
are listed in accordance with paragraph (a) of Sec.  94.13.
    Section 94.14 states that no swine which are moved from or transit 
any region in which SVD is known to exist may be imported into the 
United States except wild swine imported in accordance with Sec.  
94.14(b).
    The regulations in 9 CFR part 92, Sec.  92.2, contain requirements 
for requesting the recognition of the animal health status of a region 
(as well as for the approval of the export of a particular type of 
animal or animal product to the United States from a foreign region). 
If, after review and evaluation of the information submitted in support 
of the request, APHIS believes the request can be safely granted, APHIS 
will make its evaluation available for public comment through a 
document published in the Federal Register. Following the close of the 
comment period, APHIS will review all comments received and will make a 
final determination regarding the request that will be detailed in 
another document published in the Federal Register.
    Accordingly, we published a notice \2\ in the Federal Register on 
January 23, 2017 (82 FR 7790-7791, Docket No. APHIS-2016-0044), in 
which we announced the availability, for review and comment, of a risk 
assessment that evaluated the risk of introduction of CSF, FMD, SVD, 
and rinderpest into the United States through the importation of 
animals and animal products from Cyprus.\3\ The notice also made 
available

[[Page 26658]]

a finding of no significant impact statement, which incorporates by 
reference four environmental assessments (EAs) prepared for Slovakia, 
Slovenia, Estonia, and Hungary, that addresses the potential 
environmental impacts of CSF, FMD, SVD, and rinderpest for EU Member 
States. The EAs were also made available for the public to review.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ To view the notice and supporting documents, go to https://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2016-0044.
    \3\ The geographic scope of the action is limited to the 
Republic of Cyprus, excluding those areas of the Republic of Cyprus 
in which the Government of the Republic of Cyprus does not exercise 
effective control.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We solicited comments on the notice for 60 days ending March 24, 
2017. We did not receive any comments. Therefore, in accordance with 
the regulations, we are announcing our decision to recognize Cyprus as 
free of FMD, rinderpest, and SVD, and as low risk for CSF. As such, 
Cyprus will be added to the Web-based list of regions comprising the 
APHIS-defined European CSF region, which APHIS considers to be low risk 
for CSF, and to the respective Web-based lists of regions APHIS 
considers free of FMD, SVD, and rinderpest. The lists of regions 
recognized as free of or at low risk for these diseases can be found by 
visiting the APHIS Web site at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/wps/portal/aphis/ourfocus/importexport and following the link to ``Animal or 
Animal Product.'' Copies of the lists are also available via postal 
mail, fax, or email upon request to Regionalization Evaluation 
Services, National Import Export Services, Veterinary Services, Animal 
and Plant Health Inspection Service, 4700 River Road Unit 39, 
Riverdale, Maryland 20737.

    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 2nd day of June 2017.
Michael C. Gregoire,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-11889 Filed 6-7-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-34-P

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