Plants for Planting Whose Importation Is Not Authorized Pending Pest Risk Analysis; Notice of Availability of Data Sheets for Taxa of Plants for Planting That are Quarantine Pests or Hosts of Quarantine Pests, 64825-64826 [2019-25439]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 227 / Monday, November 25, 2019 / Notices 13. Update Pest List for RSPM 3: Movement of Potatoes into a NAPPO Member Country. 14. Electronic phytosanitary certification (ePhyto): Provide assistance and technical support to the IPPC ePhyto Steering Group. 15. Stakeholder Engagement: Plan, coordinate and execute activities for the October 2019 NAPPO Annual Meeting in Montreal, Canada, and publish the quarterly newsletter. 16. Regional Collaboration: Collaboration, focused on information exchange, with the Inter-American Coordinating Group in Plant Protection, via Technical Working Groups on ePhyto, citrus greening (Huanglongbing), fruit flies, and Tuta absoluta. The PPQ Assistant Deputy Administrator, as the official U.S. delegate to NAPPO, intends to participate in the adoption of these regional plant health standards and projects, including the work described above, once they are completed and ready for such consideration. The information in this notice contains all the information available to us on NAPPO standards or projects under development or consideration. For updates on meeting times and for information on the expert groups that may become available following publication of this notice, visit the NAPPO website or contact Ms. Patricia Abad (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT above). PPQ actively works to achieve broad participation by States, industry, and other stakeholders in the development and use of international and regional plant health standards, including through the use of APHIS Stakeholder Registry notices and the APHIS public website. Plant health stakeholders are strongly encouraged to comment on draft standards, documents, and specifications during consultation periods. APHIS posts links to draft standards on the internet as they become available and provides information on the due dates for comments.6 Additional information on NAPPO standards (including the NAPPO Work Program, standard setting process, and adopted standards) is available on the NAPPO website.7 Information on official U.S. participation in NAPPO activities, including U.S. positions on standards being considered, may also be obtained from Ms. Abad. Those wishing to 6 For more information on the NAPPO draft RSPM consultation: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/ aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/international/sa_ phytostandards/ct_draft_standards. 7 NAPPO website: https://nappo.org/. VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:31 Nov 22, 2019 Jkt 250001 provide comments on any of the topics being addressed in the NAPPO work program may do so at any time by responding to this notice (see ADDRESSES above) or by transmitting comments through Ms. Abad. Done in Washington, DC, this 18th day of November 2019. Kevin Shea, Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. [FR Doc. 2019–25443 Filed 11–22–19; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–34–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service [Docket No. APHIS–2018–0066] Plants for Planting Whose Importation Is Not Authorized Pending Pest Risk Analysis; Notice of Availability of Data Sheets for Taxa of Plants for Planting That are Quarantine Pests or Hosts of Quarantine Pests Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of availability. AGENCY: We are advising the public that we have determined that 26 taxa of plants for planting are quarantine pests, and that all Myrtaceae taxa (when destined to Hawaii), all subfamily Bambusoideae taxa, and 43 other taxa of plants for planting are hosts of 18 quarantine pests, and therefore should be added to our lists of taxa of plants for planting whose importation is not authorized pending pest risk analysis. We have prepared data sheets that detail the scientific evidence we evaluated in making the determination that the taxa are quarantine pests or hosts of quarantine pests. We are making these data sheets available to the public for review and comment. DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before January 24, 2020. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods: • Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov/ #!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2018-0066. • Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS–2018–0066, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A–03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737–1238. The data sheets and any comments we receive may be viewed at https:// www.regulations.gov/ #!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2018-0066 or SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 64825 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. Indira Singh, Botanist, Plants for Planting Policy, IRM, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737–1236; (301) 851–2020. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background Under the regulations in ‘‘Subpart H—Plants for Planting’’ (7 CFR 319.37– 1 through 319.37–23, referred to below as the regulations), the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture prohibits or restricts the importation of plants for planting (including living plants, plant parts, seeds, and plant cuttings) to prevent the introduction of quarantine pests into the United States. Quarantine pest is defined in § 319.37– 2 as a plant pest or noxious weed that is of potential economic importance to the United States and not yet present in the United States, or present but not widely distributed and being officially controlled. Section 319.37–4 of the regulations provides that certain plants for planting are not authorized importation into the United States pending pest risk analysis (NAPPRA) in order to prevent the introduction of quarantine pests into the United States. There are two lists of taxa whose importation is NAPPRA: A list of taxa of plants for planting that are quarantine pests themselves, and a list of taxa of plants for planting that are hosts of quarantine pests. For taxa of plants for planting that have been determined to be quarantine pests, the list includes the names of the taxa. For taxa of plants for planting that are hosts of quarantine pests, the list includes the names of the taxa, the foreign countries from which the taxa’s importation is not authorized, and the quarantine pests of concern. Paragraph (b) of § 319.37–4 describes the process for adding taxa to the NAPPRA lists. In accordance with that process, this notice announces our determination that 26 taxa of plants for planting are quarantine pests, and that all Myrtaceae taxa (when destined to Hawaii), all subfamily Bambusoideae taxa, and 43 other taxa of plants for planting are hosts of 18 quarantine pests. This notice also makes available data sheets that detail the scientific evidence E:\FR\FM\25NON1.SGM 25NON1 64826 Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 227 / Monday, November 25, 2019 / Notices we evaluated in making the determination that the taxa are quarantine pests or hosts of a quarantine pest. The data sheets include references to the scientific evidence we used in making these determinations. A complete list of the taxa of plants for planting that we have determined to be quarantine pests or hosts of quarantine pests, along with the data sheets supporting those determinations, may be viewed on the internet 1 or in our reading room (see ADDRESSES above for information on the location and hours of the reading room). You may request paper copies of the list and data sheets by calling or writing to the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. For taxa of plants for planting that are hosts of quarantine pests, the data sheets specify the countries from which the taxa’s importation would not be authorized pending pest risk analysis. Proposed Revision to Criteria for ‘‘Significant Trade’’ In a notice published in the Federal Register on May 6, 2013 (78 FR 26316– 26317, Docket No. APHIS–2012–0076), we proposed to exempt taxa from NAPPRA requirements if there was ‘‘significant trade’’ between an exporting country and the United States in the taxon and if the imported plants had generally been determined to be pest free based on inspection at ports of entry. We stated that, generally, we would consider the importation from a country of 10 or more plants in each of last 3 fiscal years to constitute ‘‘significant trade.’’ We affirmed this as our criterion for an exemption from NAPPRA requirements in a notice published in the Federal Register on June 19, 2017 (82 FR 27786–27792, Docket No. APHIS–2012–0076). In this notice, we are proposing to add Jasminum spp. plants for planting from South Africa to NAPPRA, and Catharanthus spp. plants for planting from Canada to NAPPRA, even though, in both instances, import history of the taxa slightly exceeds the ‘‘significant trade’’ threshold articulated in the 2013 and 2017 notices. This is because we consider the plant pest associated with Jasminum spp. and Catharanthus spp. plants for planting, Brevipalpus chilensis, to be high risk. Because of the possibility of significant adverse impacts on U.S. agriculture if B. chilensis were to become established within the United States, we decided that imports of at least 10 plants for each of the last 3 fiscal years would not be sufficient in order for us to have assurances that the importation of the taxa does not present a risk of introducing B. chilensis. For those two taxa, we decided that imports would also have to exceed 100 or more plants at least once in the previous 3 fiscal years for this to constitute ‘‘significant trade’’ in the taxa. For other taxa that we are proposing to list on NAPPRA, the ‘‘significant trade’’ criterion articulated in the 2013 and 2017 notices still apply. Zea spp. From Guatemala and Pennisetum glaucum From Chile On a related matter, in the 2017 final notice, we added corn (Zea spp.) seed imports from Guatemala and Pennisetum glaucum (Cenchrus americanus) seed imports from Chile to NAPPRA due to an apparent lack of ‘‘significant trade.’’ Since then, U.S. importers have provided import data, which we have corroborated, indicating that corn seed imports from Guatemala and P. glaucum seed imports from Chile met the threshold for ‘‘significant trade’’ set forth in that notice and should not have been added to NAPPRA. We are therefore proposing to remove corn seed imports from Guatemala and P. glaucum seed imports from Chile from NAPPRA. After reviewing any comments we receive, we will announce our decision regarding the addition of the taxa described in the data sheets to the NAPPRA lists, our proposed revision to the ‘‘significant trade’’ criterion, and our proposed removal of Zea spp. from Guatemala and P. glaucum from Chile from NAPPRA, in a subsequent notice. If the Administrator’s determination that the taxa are quarantine pests or hosts of quarantine pests remains unchanged following our consideration of the comments, then we will add the taxa described in the data sheets to the appropriate NAPPRA list. Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1633 and 7701–7772 and 7781–7786; 21 U.S.C. 136 and 136a; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.3. Done in Washington, DC, this 18th day of November 2019. Kevin Shea, Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. [FR Doc. 2019–25439 Filed 11–22–19; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 1 See https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ ourfocus/planthealth/import-information/permits/ plants-and-plant-products-permits/plants-forplanting/ct_nappra. VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:31 Nov 22, 2019 Jkt 250001 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Proposed New Recreation Fees: George Washington and Jefferson National Forests; Correction Forest Service, USDA. Notice of proposed new recreation fees; Correction. AGENCY: ACTION: The Forest Service published a document in the Federal Register on September 30, 2019, requesting for comments on proposed new recreation fees for three recreation sites on the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. The document contained incorrect information on the type of fee and features of recreation sites required in order to charge that fee type. The Forest Service is reopening the comment period. The previous comment period ended on October 15, 2019. In addition to comments received under this notice, comments previously submitted in response to the notice published during the comment period announced September 30, 2019, will be considered. DATES: Comments on the fee changes will be accepted through December 10, 2019. The fees will become available pending a recommendation from the Southern Region Recreation Resource Advisory Committee. If approved by the Regional Forester, implementation of new fees will occur no sooner than 180 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register. ADDRESSES: Written comments concerning this notice should be addressed to the Supervisor’s Office at: Joby P. Timm, Forest Supervisor, George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, 5162 Valleypointe Parkway, Roanoke, VA 24019, Attention Recreation Fee Coordinator. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ginny Williams, Recreation Fee Coordinator, 540–265–5166. Information about proposed fee changes can also be found on the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests website: https:// www.fs.usda.gov/gwj. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Correction: In the Federal Register of September 30, 2019, in FR Doc. 2019– 21164, on page 51510, in the first column, correct the fifth paragraph to read: Once public involvement is complete, these new fees will be reviewed by the Southern Region Recreation Resource Advisory Committee prior to a final decision and implementation. These sites have all the required features to SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\25NON1.SGM 25NON1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 227 (Monday, November 25, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64825-64826]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-25439]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2018-0066]


Plants for Planting Whose Importation Is Not Authorized Pending 
Pest Risk Analysis; Notice of Availability of Data Sheets for Taxa of 
Plants for Planting That are Quarantine Pests or Hosts of Quarantine 
Pests

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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

SUMMARY: We are advising the public that we have determined that 26 
taxa of plants for planting are quarantine pests, and that all 
Myrtaceae taxa (when destined to Hawaii), all subfamily Bambusoideae 
taxa, and 43 other taxa of plants for planting are hosts of 18 
quarantine pests, and therefore should be added to our lists of taxa of 
plants for planting whose importation is not authorized pending pest 
risk analysis. We have prepared data sheets that detail the scientific 
evidence we evaluated in making the determination that the taxa are 
quarantine pests or hosts of quarantine pests. We are making these data 
sheets available to the public for review and comment.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
January 24, 2020.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2018-0066.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2018-0066, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, 
APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1238.
    The data sheets and any comments we receive may be viewed at https://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2018-0066 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. Indira Singh, Botanist, Plants for 
Planting Policy, IRM, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 133, Riverdale, 
MD 20737-1236; (301) 851-2020.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Under the regulations in ``Subpart H--Plants for Planting'' (7 CFR 
319.37-1 through 319.37-23, referred to below as the regulations), the 
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture prohibits or restricts the importation of 
plants for planting (including living plants, plant parts, seeds, and 
plant cuttings) to prevent the introduction of quarantine pests into 
the United States. Quarantine pest is defined in Sec.  319.37-2 as a 
plant pest or noxious weed that is of potential economic importance to 
the United States and not yet present in the United States, or present 
but not widely distributed and being officially controlled.
    Section 319.37-4 of the regulations provides that certain plants 
for planting are not authorized importation into the United States 
pending pest risk analysis (NAPPRA) in order to prevent the 
introduction of quarantine pests into the United States. There are two 
lists of taxa whose importation is NAPPRA: A list of taxa of plants for 
planting that are quarantine pests themselves, and a list of taxa of 
plants for planting that are hosts of quarantine pests. For taxa of 
plants for planting that have been determined to be quarantine pests, 
the list includes the names of the taxa. For taxa of plants for 
planting that are hosts of quarantine pests, the list includes the 
names of the taxa, the foreign countries from which the taxa's 
importation is not authorized, and the quarantine pests of concern.
    Paragraph (b) of Sec.  319.37-4 describes the process for adding 
taxa to the NAPPRA lists. In accordance with that process, this notice 
announces our determination that 26 taxa of plants for planting are 
quarantine pests, and that all Myrtaceae taxa (when destined to 
Hawaii), all subfamily Bambusoideae taxa, and 43 other taxa of plants 
for planting are hosts of 18 quarantine pests.
    This notice also makes available data sheets that detail the 
scientific evidence

[[Page 64826]]

we evaluated in making the determination that the taxa are quarantine 
pests or hosts of a quarantine pest. The data sheets include references 
to the scientific evidence we used in making these determinations.
    A complete list of the taxa of plants for planting that we have 
determined to be quarantine pests or hosts of quarantine pests, along 
with the data sheets supporting those determinations, may be viewed on 
the internet \1\ or in our reading room (see ADDRESSES above for 
information on the location and hours of the reading room). You may 
request paper copies of the list and data sheets by calling or writing 
to the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. For taxa of 
plants for planting that are hosts of quarantine pests, the data sheets 
specify the countries from which the taxa's importation would not be 
authorized pending pest risk analysis.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ See https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/import-information/permits/plants-and-plant-products-permits/plants-for-planting/ct_nappra.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Proposed Revision to Criteria for ``Significant Trade''

    In a notice published in the Federal Register on May 6, 2013 (78 FR 
26316-26317, Docket No. APHIS-2012-0076), we proposed to exempt taxa 
from NAPPRA requirements if there was ``significant trade'' between an 
exporting country and the United States in the taxon and if the 
imported plants had generally been determined to be pest free based on 
inspection at ports of entry. We stated that, generally, we would 
consider the importation from a country of 10 or more plants in each of 
last 3 fiscal years to constitute ``significant trade.'' We affirmed 
this as our criterion for an exemption from NAPPRA requirements in a 
notice published in the Federal Register on June 19, 2017 (82 FR 27786-
27792, Docket No. APHIS-2012-0076).
    In this notice, we are proposing to add Jasminum spp. plants for 
planting from South Africa to NAPPRA, and Catharanthus spp. plants for 
planting from Canada to NAPPRA, even though, in both instances, import 
history of the taxa slightly exceeds the ``significant trade'' 
threshold articulated in the 2013 and 2017 notices. This is because we 
consider the plant pest associated with Jasminum spp. and Catharanthus 
spp. plants for planting, Brevipalpus chilensis, to be high risk. 
Because of the possibility of significant adverse impacts on U.S. 
agriculture if B. chilensis were to become established within the 
United States, we decided that imports of at least 10 plants for each 
of the last 3 fiscal years would not be sufficient in order for us to 
have assurances that the importation of the taxa does not present a 
risk of introducing B. chilensis. For those two taxa, we decided that 
imports would also have to exceed 100 or more plants at least once in 
the previous 3 fiscal years for this to constitute ``significant 
trade'' in the taxa. For other taxa that we are proposing to list on 
NAPPRA, the ``significant trade'' criterion articulated in the 2013 and 
2017 notices still apply.

Zea spp. From Guatemala and Pennisetum glaucum From Chile

    On a related matter, in the 2017 final notice, we added corn (Zea 
spp.) seed imports from Guatemala and Pennisetum glaucum (Cenchrus 
americanus) seed imports from Chile to NAPPRA due to an apparent lack 
of ``significant trade.'' Since then, U.S. importers have provided 
import data, which we have corroborated, indicating that corn seed 
imports from Guatemala and P. glaucum seed imports from Chile met the 
threshold for ``significant trade'' set forth in that notice and should 
not have been added to NAPPRA. We are therefore proposing to remove 
corn seed imports from Guatemala and P. glaucum seed imports from Chile 
from NAPPRA.
    After reviewing any comments we receive, we will announce our 
decision regarding the addition of the taxa described in the data 
sheets to the NAPPRA lists, our proposed revision to the ``significant 
trade'' criterion, and our proposed removal of Zea spp. from Guatemala 
and P. glaucum from Chile from NAPPRA, in a subsequent notice. If the 
Administrator's determination that the taxa are quarantine pests or 
hosts of quarantine pests remains unchanged following our consideration 
of the comments, then we will add the taxa described in the data sheets 
to the appropriate NAPPRA list.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1633 and 7701-7772 and 7781-7786; 21 U.S.C. 
136 and 136a; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.3.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 18th day of November 2019.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-25439 Filed 11-22-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
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