Addition of the Philippines to the List of Regions Affected With African Swine Fever, 5611-5612 [2020-01836]

Download as PDF 5611 Notices Federal Register Vol. 85, No. 21 Friday, January 31, 2020 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–2016–0045] Environmental Impact Statement; Rangeland Grasshopper and Mormon Cricket Suppression Program: Record of Decision Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: This notice advises the public of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s record of decision for the final environmental impact statement titled Record of Decision for the Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for the Rangeland Grasshopper and Mormon Cricket Suppression Program. DATES: An official of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service-Plant Protection and Quarantine signed the record of decision on December 2, 2019. ADDRESSES: You may read the final environmental impact statement and record of decision in our reading room. The reading room 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. The record of decision, final environmental impact statement, and supporting information may also be viewed at https://www.regulations.gov/ #!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2016-0045. To obtain copies of the documents, contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions related to the Grasshopper and Mormon Cricket Suppression Program, contact Mr. William D. jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:16 Jan 30, 2020 Jkt 250001 Wesela, APHIS National Grasshopper and Mormon Cricket Program Manager, PPQ, APHIS, USDA, 4700 River Road Unit 26, Riverdale, MD 20737; William.D.Wesela@usda.gov, (301) 851– 2229. For questions related to the environmental impact statement, contact Dr. Jim Warren, Environmental Protection Specialist, Environmental and Risk Analysis Services, PPD, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 149, Riverdale, MD 20737; Jim.E.Warren@ usda.gov; (202) 316–3216. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 1, 2016, we published in the Federal Register (81 FR 60338–60339) a notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) 1 to analyze the effects of a program to suppress populations of grasshoppers and Mormon cricket from 17 States in the western United States. That notice identified three alternatives for examination in the EIS and requested public comments to help delineate the scope of the issues and alternatives to be analyzed. The public comment period for scoping ended on October 17, 2016. We received 12 comments during the 45-day scoping period and considered these comments in the drafting of the EIS. On January 30, 2019, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) made the draft EIS available and invited public comment on it through March 18, 2019. We received 19 comments. Our responses to the comments are contained in an appendix to the final EIS. On November 1, 2019, the Environmental Protection Agency published a notice of availability of the final EIS in the Federal Register (84 FR 58713). The review period for the final EIS ended on December 2, 2019. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.)) implementing regulations in 40 CFR 1506.10 require a minimum 30-day waiting period between the time a final EIS is published and the time an agency makes a decision on an action covered by the EIS. We did not receive any comments during the 30-day waiting period. APHIS has reviewed the final EIS and concluded that it fully analyzes the issues covered by the draft EIS and addresses the comments and 1 The notices, comments, draft and final EIS, record of decision, and supporting documents can be viewed at https://www.regulations.gov/ #!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2016-0045. PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 suggestions submitted by commenters. This notice advises the public that the waiting period has elapsed, and APHIS has issued a record of decision (ROD) to implement the preferred alternative described in the final EIS. The ROD has been prepared in accordance with: (1) NEPA; (2) regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality for implementing the procedural provisions of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500–1508); (3) USDA regulations implementing NEPA (7 CFR part 1b); and (4) APHIS’ NEPA Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part 372). Done in Washington, DC, this 24th day of January 2020. Kevin Shea, Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. [FR Doc. 2020–01835 Filed 1–30–20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–34–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service [Docket No. APHIS–2019–0067] Addition of the Philippines to the List of Regions Affected With African Swine Fever Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: We are advising the public that we have added the Philippines to the list of regions that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service considers to be affected with African swine fever (ASF). We have taken this action because of confirmation of ASF in the Philippines. DATES: The Philippines was added to the APHIS list of regions considered affected with ASF on September 17, 2019. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Ingrid Kotowski, Regionalization Evaluation Services, Veterinary Services, APHIS, 920 Main Campus Drive, Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27606; Phone: (919) 855–7732; email: Ingrid.kotowski@usda.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations in 9 CFR part 94 (referred to below as the regulations) govern the importation of specified animals and SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\31JAN1.SGM 31JAN1 jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with NOTICES 5612 Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 21 / Friday, January 31, 2020 / Notices animal products to prevent the introduction into the United States of various animal diseases, including African swine fever (ASF). ASF is a highly contagious disease of wild and domestic swine that can spread rapidly in swine populations with extremely high rates of morbidity and mortality. A list of regions where ASF exists or is reasonably believed to exist is maintained on the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) website at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/ aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animaland-animal-product-importinformation/animal-health-status-ofregions/. This list is referenced in § 94.8(a)(2) of the regulations. Section 94.8(a)(3) of the regulations states that APHIS will add a region to the list referenced in § 94.8(a)(2) upon determining ASF exists in the region, based on reports APHIS receives of outbreaks of the disease 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, or upon determining that there is reason to believe the disease exists in the region. Section 94.8(a)(1) of the regulations specifies the criteria on which the Administrator bases the reason to believe ASF exists in a region. Section 94.8(b) prohibits the importation of pork and pork products from regions listed in accordance with § 94.8 except if processed and treated in accordance with the provisions specified in that section or consigned to an APHIS-approved establishment for further processing. Section 96.2 restricts the importation of swine casings that originated in or were processed in a region where ASF exists, as listed under § 94.8(a). On September 9, 2019, the veterinary authorities of the Philippines reported to the OIE the occurrence of ASF in that country. Therefore, in response to this outbreak, on September 17, 2019, APHIS added the Philippines to the list of regions where ASF exists or is reasonably believed to exist. This notice serves as an official record and public notification of that action. As a result, pork and pork products from the Philippines, including casings, are subject to APHIS import restrictions designed to mitigate the risk of ASF introduction into the United States. Pursuant to the Congressional Review Act (5 U.S.C. 801 et seq.), the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs designated this action as not a major rule, as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2). Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1633, 7701–7772, 7781–7786, and 8301–8317; 21 U.S.C. 136 VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:16 Jan 30, 2020 Jkt 250001 and 136a; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.4. Done in Washington, DC, this 24th day of January 2020. Kevin Shea, Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. [FR Doc. 2020–01836 Filed 1–30–20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–34–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service [Docket No. APHIS–2019–0054] Import Requirements for the Importation of Unshu Oranges From Japan Into the United States Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: We are advising the public of our decision to revise the import requirements for the importation of fresh Unshu oranges from Japan into the United States and to allow Unshu oranges from the island of Kyushu to be imported into any port of entry in the United States, excluding territories. We are also removing the fumigation requirement for Unshu oranges from the islands of Honshu and Shikoku. Based on the findings of our commodity import evaluations, which we made available to the public to review and comment through a previous notice, we have concluded that the application of one or more designated phytosanitary measures will be sufficient to mitigate the risks of introducing or disseminating plant pests or noxious weeds via the importation of fresh Unshu oranges into the United States from Japan, including the island of Kyushu. DATES: The articles covered by this notice may be authorized for importation after January 31, 2020. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Tony Roman, Senior Regulatory Policy Specialist, RCC, IRM, PHP, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737–1236; (301) 851–2242. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the regulations in ‘‘Subpart L—Fruits and Vegetables’’ (7 CFR 319.56–1 through 319.56–12, referred to below as the regulations), the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) prohibits or restricts the importation of fruits and vegetables into the United States from certain parts of the world to prevent plant pests from being introduced into and spread within the United States. SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Section 319.56–4 of the regulations contains a notice-based process based on established performance standards for authorizing the importation of fruits and vegetables. Paragraph (c) of that section provides that the name and origin of all fruits and vegetables authorized importation into the United States, as well as the requirements for their importation, are listed on the internet in APHIS’ Fruits and Vegetables Import Requirements database, or FAVIR (https://epermits.aphis.usda.gov/ manual). It also provides that, if the Administrator of APHIS determines that any of the phytosanitary measures required for the importation of a particular fruit or vegetable are no longer necessary to reasonably mitigate the plant pest risk posed by the fruit or vegetable, APHIS will publish a notice in the Federal Register making its pest risk analysis and determination available for public comment. In accordance with that process, we published a notice 1 in the Federal Register on September 23, 2019 (84 FR 49707–49708, Docket No. APHIS–2019– 0054) announcing the availability, for review and comment, of commodity import evaluation documents (CIEDs) prepared relative to revising the conditions for the importation of fresh Unshu oranges from Japan into the United States and allowing Unshu oranges from Kyushu to be imported into any port of entry in the United States (excluding territories). The notice proposed to remove the fumigation requirement for the importation of Unshu oranges to the United States from areas of production on the islands of Honshu and Shikoku in Japan and to expand the number of ports of entry authorized for importation of Unshu oranges from the island of Kyushu. We solicited comments on the CIEDs for 60 days ending on November 22, 2019. We received six comments by that date. Two of these comments were sent by representatives of State government agricultural agencies, with the remainder submitted by the public. The comments are discussed below. General Comments A commenter stated that the United States should focus more on addressing domestic citrus challenges, particularly with respect to Asian citrus psyllid. Under its obligations as a cosignatory to the International Plant Protection Convention, APHIS is required to base its import requirements on an 1 To view the notice, supporting documents, and the comments that we received, go to https:// www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS2019-0054. E:\FR\FM\31JAN1.SGM 31JAN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 21 (Friday, January 31, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5611-5612]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-01836]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2019-0067]


Addition of the Philippines to the List of Regions Affected With 
African Swine Fever

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: We are advising the public that we have added the Philippines 
to the list of regions that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service considers to be affected with African swine fever (ASF). We 
have taken this action because of confirmation of ASF in the 
Philippines.

DATES: The Philippines was added to the APHIS list of regions 
considered affected with ASF on September 17, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Ingrid Kotowski, Regionalization 
Evaluation Services, Veterinary Services, APHIS, 920 Main Campus Drive, 
Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27606; Phone: (919) 855-7732; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations in 9 CFR part 94 (referred 
to below as the regulations) govern the importation of specified 
animals and

[[Page 5612]]

animal products to prevent the introduction into the United States of 
various animal diseases, including African swine fever (ASF). ASF is a 
highly contagious disease of wild and domestic swine that can spread 
rapidly in swine populations with extremely high rates of morbidity and 
mortality. A list of regions where ASF exists or is reasonably believed 
to exist is maintained on the Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service (APHIS) website at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-and-animal-product-import-information/animal-health-status-of-regions/. This list is referenced in Sec.  94.8(a)(2) 
of the regulations.
    Section 94.8(a)(3) of the regulations states that APHIS will add a 
region to the list referenced in Sec.  94.8(a)(2) upon determining ASF 
exists in the region, based on reports APHIS receives of outbreaks of 
the disease 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, or upon determining that 
there is reason to believe the disease exists in the region. Section 
94.8(a)(1) of the regulations specifies the criteria on which the 
Administrator bases the reason to believe ASF exists in a region. 
Section 94.8(b) prohibits the importation of pork and pork products 
from regions listed in accordance with Sec.  94.8 except if processed 
and treated in accordance with the provisions specified in that section 
or consigned to an APHIS-approved establishment for further processing. 
Section 96.2 restricts the importation of swine casings that originated 
in or were processed in a region where ASF exists, as listed under 
Sec.  94.8(a).
    On September 9, 2019, the veterinary authorities of the Philippines 
reported to the OIE the occurrence of ASF in that country. Therefore, 
in response to this outbreak, on September 17, 2019, APHIS added the 
Philippines to the list of regions where ASF exists or is reasonably 
believed to exist. This notice serves as an official record and public 
notification of that action.
    As a result, pork and pork products from the Philippines, including 
casings, are subject to APHIS import restrictions designed to mitigate 
the risk of ASF introduction into the United States.
    Pursuant to the Congressional Review Act (5 U.S.C. 801 et seq.), 
the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs designated this action 
as not a major rule, as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2).

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1633, 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 24th day of January 2020.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-01836 Filed 1-30-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
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