Concurrence With OIE Risk Designations for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, 61005 [2019-24455]
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61005
Notices
Federal Register
Vol. 84, No. 218
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
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–2018–0087]
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 decision to concur with the World
Organization for Animal Health’s (OIE)
bovine spongiform encephalopathy
(BSE) risk designations for Nicaragua.
The OIE recognizes this region 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 this region.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.
Kari Coulson, Senior Staff Veterinarian,
Strategy and Policy, VS, APHIS, 920
Main Campus Drive, Suite 200, Raleigh,
NC 27606; (919) 855–7741; email:
kari.f.coulson@usda.gov.
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 § 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
SUMMARY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
17:47 Nov 08, 2019
Jkt 250001
of those regions classified by APHIS as
having either negligible risk or
controlled risk can be accessed on the
APHIS website at https://
www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/
animalhealth/animal-and-animalproduct-import-information/animalhealth-status-of-regions. The list can
also be obtained by writing to APHIS at
Regionalization Evaluation 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 regions 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 or region by the OIE.
If the OIE has recognized a country as
either BSE negligible risk or BSE
controlled risk, APHIS will seek
information to support our 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 that process, we
published a notice1 in the Federal
Register on June 17, 2019 (84 FR 28001,
Docket No. APHIS–2018–0087), in
which we announced our intent to
concur with the OIE recognition of
Nicaragua as being a region of negligible
risk for BSE. We solicited comments on
the notice for 60 days ending on August
16, 2019. We received one comment by
that date, from a private citizen.
The commenter voiced doubts about
the efficacy of the BSE minimal risk
region policy, concerns about other
prion diseases such as chronic wasting
disease circulating in the United States
and the world, and skepticism that the
ruminant-to-ruminant feed ban has been
effectively enforced. The commenter did
not, however, address our preliminary
concurrence with the OIE’s risk
designation for Nicaragua or the
documentation made available to
support that action.
Therefore, in accordance with the
regulations in § 92.5, we are announcing
our decision to concur with the OIE risk
1 To view the comment we received, go to https://
www.regulations.gov/docket?D=APHIS-2018-0087.
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
classification of Nicaragua as a region of
negligible risk for BSE.
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 4th day of
November 2019.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2019–24455 Filed 11–8–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service
[Docket No. APHIS–2019–0062]
Notice of Availability of a Pest Risk
Analysis for the Importation of Fresh
Carrots From the Republic of Korea
Into the United States
Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
AGENCY:
We are advising the public
that we have prepared a pest risk
analysis that evaluates the risks
associated with importation of fresh
carrots from the Republic of Korea into
the United States. Based on the analysis,
we have determined that the application
of one or more phytosanitary measures
will be sufficient to mitigate the risks of
introducing or disseminating plant pests
or noxious weeds via the importation of
fresh carrots from the Republic of Korea.
We are making the pest risk analysis
available to the public for review and
comment.
DATES: We will consider all comments
that we receive on or before January 13,
2020.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments
by either of the following methods:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov/
#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2019-0062.
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery:
Send your comment to Docket No.
APHIS–2019–0062, 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/
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\12NON1.SGM
12NON1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 218 (Tuesday, November 12, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 61005]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-24455]
========================================================================
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. 84, No. 218 / Tuesday, November 12, 2019 /
Notices
[[Page 61005]]
=======================================================================
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2018-0087]
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 decision to concur with the
World Organization for Animal Health's (OIE) bovine spongiform
encephalopathy (BSE) risk designations for Nicaragua. The OIE
recognizes this region 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 this region.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Kari Coulson, Senior Staff
Veterinarian, Strategy and Policy, VS, APHIS, 920 Main Campus Drive,
Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27606; (919) 855-7741; email:
[email protected].
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 website at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-and-animal-product-import-information/animal-health-status-of-regions. The list can also be
obtained by writing to APHIS at Regionalization Evaluation 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 regions 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 or region by the OIE.
If the OIE has recognized a country as either BSE negligible risk
or BSE controlled risk, APHIS will seek information to support our
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 that process, we published a notice\1\ in the
Federal Register on June 17, 2019 (84 FR 28001, Docket No. APHIS-2018-
0087), in which we announced our intent to concur with the OIE
recognition of Nicaragua as being a region of negligible risk for BSE.
We solicited comments on the notice for 60 days ending on August 16,
2019. We received one comment by that date, from a private citizen.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ To view the comment we received, go to https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=APHIS-2018-0087.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The commenter voiced doubts about the efficacy of the BSE minimal
risk region policy, concerns about other prion diseases such as chronic
wasting disease circulating in the United States and the world, and
skepticism that the ruminant-to-ruminant feed ban has been effectively
enforced. The commenter did not, however, address our preliminary
concurrence with the OIE's risk designation for Nicaragua or the
documentation made available to support that action.
Therefore, in accordance with the regulations in Sec. 92.5, we are
announcing our decision to concur with the OIE risk classification of
Nicaragua as a region of negligible risk for BSE.
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 4th day of November 2019.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-24455 Filed 11-8-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
