Classify Canada as Level I for Bovine Tuberculosis and Brucellosis, 73238-73239 [2021-28057]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
73238
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 245 / Monday, December 27, 2021 / Notices
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 www.regulations.gov
or in our reading room, which is located
in room 1620 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.
Sam Johnson, Senior Regulatory Policy
Specialist, Regulatory Coordination and
Compliance, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River
Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737–
1231; (301) 442–6583.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Background
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 or disseminated within
the United States.
Section 319.56–4 contains a
performance-based process for
approving the importation of fruits and
vegetables that, based on the findings of
a pest risk analysis, can be safely
imported subject to one or more of the
five designated phytosanitary measures
listed in paragraph (b) of that section.
APHIS received a request from the
national plant protection organization of
Vietnam to allow the importation of
fresh pummelo fruit (Citrus maxima
Merrill) from Vietnam into the United
States. As part of our evaluation of
Vietnam’s request, we have prepared a
pest risk assessment (PRA) to identify
the pests of quarantine significance that
could follow the pathway of the
importation of fresh pummelo fruit into
the United States from Vietnam. Based
on the PRA, a risk management
document (RMD) was prepared to
identify phytosanitary measures that
could be applied to the fresh pummelo
fruit to mitigate the pest risk.
Therefore, in accordance with
§ 319.56–4(c), we are announcing the
availability of our PRA and RMD for
public review and comment. Those
documents, as well as a description of
the economic considerations associated
with the importation of fresh pummelo
fruit from Vietnam, may be viewed on
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:11 Dec 23, 2021
Jkt 256001
the Regulations.gov website or in our
reading room (see ADDRESSES above for
a link to Regulations.gov and
information on the location and hours of
the reading room). You may request
paper copies of the PRA and RMD by
calling or writing to the person listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT. Please refer to the subject of
the analysis you wish to review when
requesting copies.
After reviewing any comments we
receive, we will announce our decision
regarding the import status of fresh
pummelo fruit from Vietnam in a
subsequent notice. If the overall
conclusions of our analysis and the
Administrator’s determination of risk
remain unchanged following our
consideration of the comments, then we
will authorize the importation of fresh
pummelo fruit from Vietnam into the
United States subject to the
requirements specified in the RMD.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1633, 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 20th day of
December 2021.
Mark Davidson,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2021–27928 Filed 12–23–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service
[Docket No. APHIS–2020–0071]
Classify Canada as Level I for Bovine
Tuberculosis and Brucellosis
Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
We are advising the public of
our decision to classify Canada as Level
I for both bovine tuberculosis and
brucellosis. This recognition is based on
evaluations we prepared in connection
with this action, which we made
available to the public for review and
comment through a previous notice.
DATES: Imports under this classification
may be authorized beginning December
27, 2021.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.
Kelly Rhodes, Senior Staff Veterinarian,
Regionalization Evaluation Services,
Strategy and Policy, VS, APHIS, USDA,
4700 River Road Unit 38, Riverdale, MD
20737–1231; Ask.Regionalization@
usda.gov; (301) 851–3315.
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
The
regulations in 9 CFR part 93, subpart D
(§§ 93.400 through 93.442, referred to
below as part 93 or the subpart), contain
requirements for the importation of
ruminants into the United States to
address the risk of introducing or
disseminating diseases of livestock
within the United States. Part 93
currently contains provisions that
address the risk that imported bovines
(cattle or bison) may introduce or
disseminate bovine tuberculosis or
brucellosis within the United States.
Within part 93, § 93.437 contains the
requirements for classification of foreign
regions for bovine tuberculosis and
§ 93.438 contains the process for
requesting regional classification for
bovine tuberculosis. In accordance with
§ 93.437(f), the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (APHIS) maintains
lists of all Level I, Level II, Level III,
Level IV, and Level V regions for bovine
tuberculosis and adds foreign regions
classified in accordance with § 93.438 to
these lists.
Section 93.440 contains the
requirements for classification of foreign
regions for brucellosis and § 93.441
contains the process for requesting
regional classification for brucellosis. In
accordance with § 93.440(d), APHIS
maintains lists of all Level I, Level II,
and Level III regions for brucellosis and
adds regions classified in accordance
with § 93.441 to these lists.
Paragraph (a) of § 93.438 provides that
a representative of a national
government with authority to make such
a request may request that APHIS
classify a region for bovine tuberculosis;
paragraph (a) of § 93.441 has a similar
provision with respect to requests for
brucellosis classification. Within those
same sections, paragraph (b) provides
that if, after reviewing and evaluating
the request for bovine tuberculosis or
brucellosis classification, respectively,
APHIS believes the region can be
accurately classified, APHIS will
publish a notice in the Federal Register
with the proposed classification and
make its evaluation available for public
comment. 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.
In accordance with that process, we
published a notice 1 in the Federal
Register on February 24, 2021 (86 FR
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
1 To view the notice, evaluations, environmental
assessment, and comment we received, go to
www.regulations.gov and enter APHIS–2020–0071
in the Search field.
E:\FR\FM\27DEN1.SGM
27DEN1
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 245 / Monday, December 27, 2021 / Notices
11218–11219, Docket No. APHIS–2020–
0071), in which we announced the
availability, for review and comment, of
evaluations of Canada for bovine
tuberculosis and brucellosis
classification, as well as an
environmental assessment (EA). The
notice proposed to classify Canada as
Level I for both bovine tuberculosis and
brucellosis.
We solicited comments on the notice
for 60 days ending April 26, 2021. We
received one comment by that date. The
comment was from a private citizen.
The commenter stated that it was
difficult to know what the different
classification levels for disease status
meant and asked that we explain what
they meant.
As we explained in the notice,
§ 93.437 of the regulations contains the
requirements for classification of foreign
regions for bovine tuberculosis and
§ 93.438 contains the process for
requesting regional classification for
bovine tuberculosis. As part of the
process for requesting regional
classification, the national government
of the region must submit an application
to APHIS that defines the boundaries of
the region, specifies the prevalence level
for bovine tuberculosis within the
region, and demonstrates that, among
other things:
• There is effective veterinary control
and oversight within the region;
• Bovine tuberculosis is a notifiable
disease within the region; and
• The region has a program for bovine
tuberculosis in place that includes
epidemiological investigations,
management of affected herds,
diagnostic testing, and disease
surveillance.
The specific requirements for
classification as a Level I region for
bovine tuberculosis are set out in
paragraph (a) of § 93.437. To receive
Level I classification for bovine
tuberculosis, a region must meet APHIS
requirements for bovine tuberculosis
classification in accordance with
§ 93.438, and a prevalence of
tuberculosis in their domestic bovine
herds of less than 0.001 percent over at
least the previous 2 years (24
consecutive months).
In the evaluation titled ‘‘APHIS
Evaluation of Canada for Bovine
Tuberculosis (Mycobacterium bovis)
Classification’’ (April 2020) that
accompanied our February 24, 2021
notice,2 we set forth the results of our
evaluation of Canada for bovine
tuberculosis. APHIS found that Canada
fully meets APHIS requirements for
classification and that the prevalence of
2 See
footnote 1.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
19:11 Dec 23, 2021
bovine tuberculosis in Canada appears
to be well below 0.001 percent, meaning
that Canada qualifies for classification
as Level I. The evaluation also noted
that such classification effectively
exempts all Canadian cattle and bison
exported to the United States from
bovine tuberculosis testing prior to
export.
Similarly, as we explained in the
notice, § 93.440 of the regulations
contains the requirements for
classification of foreign regions for
brucellosis and § 93.441 contains the
process for requesting regional
classification for brucellosis. The
process for requesting regional
brucellosis classification is similar to
the process for requesting regional
bovine tuberculosis classification
summarized above.
The specific requirements for
classification as a Level I region for
brucellosis are set out in paragraph (a)
of § 93.440. To receive Level I
classification for brucellosis, a region
must meet APHIS requirements for
brucellosis classification in accordance
with § 93.441, and also have a
prevalence of brucellosis in their
domestic bovine herds of less than 0.001
percent over at least the previous 2
years (24 consecutive months).
In the evaluation titled ‘‘APHIS
Evaluation of Canada for Bovine
Brucellosis (Brucella abortus)
Classification’’ (May 2020) that
accompanied our February 24, 2021
notice,3 we set forth the results of our
evaluation of Canada for bovine
brucellosis. APHIS found that Canada
fully meets the APHIS requirements for
classification and that brucellosis has
not been confirmed in a bovine animal
in that country since 1989, qualifying
Canada for Level I classification for
brucellosis. The evaluation also noted
that such classification effectively
exempts all Canadian cattle and bison
exported to the United States from
brucellosis testing.
Therefore, in accordance with the
regulations in §§ 93.437 and 93.440, we
are announcing our decision to classify
Canada as Level I for both bovine
tuberculosis and brucellosis, and to add
Canada to the web-based list of Level I
regions for bovine tuberculosis and the
web-based list of Level I regions for
brucellosis. Bovines from Canada may
be imported under the conditions listed
in §§ 93.439 and 93.442 for the
appropriate classification level.
National Environmental Policy Act
After reviewing and evaluating the
comment received during the comment
3 See
Jkt 256001
PO 00000
footnote 1.
Frm 00003
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
73239
period on the draft EA, evaluations, and
other information, APHIS has prepared
a final EA, which provides the public
with documentation of APHIS’ review
and analysis of any potential
environmental impacts associated with
the classification of Canada as Level I
for bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis.
The EA was prepared in accordance
with: (1) The National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA), as amended (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), (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). Based on
our EA, the response to public
comment, and other pertinent
information, APHIS has reached a
finding of no significant impact (FONSI)
with regard to the classification of
Canada as Level I for bovine
tuberculosis and brucellosis.
Congressional Review Act
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. 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 21st day of
December 2021.
Mark Davidson,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2021–28057 Filed 12–23–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service
[Docket No. APHIS–2021–0073]
Notice of Request for Revision to and
Extension of Approval of an
Information Collection; Cooperative
State-Federal Brucellosis Eradication
Program
Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Revision to and extension of
approval 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 revision to and extension of
approval of an information collection
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\27DEN1.SGM
27DEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 245 (Monday, December 27, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73238-73239]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-28057]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2020-0071]
Classify Canada as Level I for Bovine Tuberculosis and
Brucellosis
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We are advising the public of our decision to classify Canada
as Level I for both bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis. This
recognition is based on evaluations we prepared in connection with this
action, which we made available to the public for review and comment
through a previous notice.
DATES: Imports under this classification may be authorized beginning
December 27, 2021.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Kelly Rhodes, Senior Staff
Veterinarian, Regionalization Evaluation Services, Strategy and Policy,
VS, APHIS, USDA, 4700 River Road Unit 38, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231;
[email protected]; (301) 851-3315.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations in 9 CFR part 93, subpart D
(Sec. Sec. 93.400 through 93.442, referred to below as part 93 or the
subpart), contain requirements for the importation of ruminants into
the United States to address the risk of introducing or disseminating
diseases of livestock within the United States. Part 93 currently
contains provisions that address the risk that imported bovines (cattle
or bison) may introduce or disseminate bovine tuberculosis or
brucellosis within the United States. Within part 93, Sec. 93.437
contains the requirements for classification of foreign regions for
bovine tuberculosis and Sec. 93.438 contains the process for
requesting regional classification for bovine tuberculosis. In
accordance with Sec. 93.437(f), the Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service (APHIS) maintains lists of all Level I, Level II, Level III,
Level IV, and Level V regions for bovine tuberculosis and adds foreign
regions classified in accordance with Sec. 93.438 to these lists.
Section 93.440 contains the requirements for classification of
foreign regions for brucellosis and Sec. 93.441 contains the process
for requesting regional classification for brucellosis. In accordance
with Sec. 93.440(d), APHIS maintains lists of all Level I, Level II,
and Level III regions for brucellosis and adds regions classified in
accordance with Sec. 93.441 to these lists.
Paragraph (a) of Sec. 93.438 provides that a representative of a
national government with authority to make such a request may request
that APHIS classify a region for bovine tuberculosis; paragraph (a) of
Sec. 93.441 has a similar provision with respect to requests for
brucellosis classification. Within those same sections, paragraph (b)
provides that if, after reviewing and evaluating the request for bovine
tuberculosis or brucellosis classification, respectively, APHIS
believes the region can be accurately classified, APHIS will publish a
notice in the Federal Register with the proposed classification and
make its evaluation available for public comment. 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.
In accordance with that process, we published a notice \1\ in the
Federal Register on February 24, 2021 (86 FR
[[Page 73239]]
11218-11219, Docket No. APHIS-2020-0071), in which we announced the
availability, for review and comment, of evaluations of Canada for
bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis classification, as well as an
environmental assessment (EA). The notice proposed to classify Canada
as Level I for both bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ To view the notice, evaluations, environmental assessment,
and comment we received, go to www.regulations.gov and enter APHIS-
2020-0071 in the Search field.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
We solicited comments on the notice for 60 days ending April 26,
2021. We received one comment by that date. The comment was from a
private citizen.
The commenter stated that it was difficult to know what the
different classification levels for disease status meant and asked that
we explain what they meant.
As we explained in the notice, Sec. 93.437 of the regulations
contains the requirements for classification of foreign regions for
bovine tuberculosis and Sec. 93.438 contains the process for
requesting regional classification for bovine tuberculosis. As part of
the process for requesting regional classification, the national
government of the region must submit an application to APHIS that
defines the boundaries of the region, specifies the prevalence level
for bovine tuberculosis within the region, and demonstrates that, among
other things:
There is effective veterinary control and oversight within
the region;
Bovine tuberculosis is a notifiable disease within the
region; and
The region has a program for bovine tuberculosis in place
that includes epidemiological investigations, management of affected
herds, diagnostic testing, and disease surveillance.
The specific requirements for classification as a Level I region
for bovine tuberculosis are set out in paragraph (a) of Sec. 93.437.
To receive Level I classification for bovine tuberculosis, a region
must meet APHIS requirements for bovine tuberculosis classification in
accordance with Sec. 93.438, and a prevalence of tuberculosis in their
domestic bovine herds of less than 0.001 percent over at least the
previous 2 years (24 consecutive months).
In the evaluation titled ``APHIS Evaluation of Canada for Bovine
Tuberculosis (Mycobacterium bovis) Classification'' (April 2020) that
accompanied our February 24, 2021 notice,\2\ we set forth the results
of our evaluation of Canada for bovine tuberculosis. APHIS found that
Canada fully meets APHIS requirements for classification and that the
prevalence of bovine tuberculosis in Canada appears to be well below
0.001 percent, meaning that Canada qualifies for classification as
Level I. The evaluation also noted that such classification effectively
exempts all Canadian cattle and bison exported to the United States
from bovine tuberculosis testing prior to export.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ See footnote 1.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Similarly, as we explained in the notice, Sec. 93.440 of the
regulations contains the requirements for classification of foreign
regions for brucellosis and Sec. 93.441 contains the process for
requesting regional classification for brucellosis. The process for
requesting regional brucellosis classification is similar to the
process for requesting regional bovine tuberculosis classification
summarized above.
The specific requirements for classification as a Level I region
for brucellosis are set out in paragraph (a) of Sec. 93.440. To
receive Level I classification for brucellosis, a region must meet
APHIS requirements for brucellosis classification in accordance with
Sec. 93.441, and also have a prevalence of brucellosis in their
domestic bovine herds of less than 0.001 percent over at least the
previous 2 years (24 consecutive months).
In the evaluation titled ``APHIS Evaluation of Canada for Bovine
Brucellosis (Brucella abortus) Classification'' (May 2020) that
accompanied our February 24, 2021 notice,\3\ we set forth the results
of our evaluation of Canada for bovine brucellosis. APHIS found that
Canada fully meets the APHIS requirements for classification and that
brucellosis has not been confirmed in a bovine animal in that country
since 1989, qualifying Canada for Level I classification for
brucellosis. The evaluation also noted that such classification
effectively exempts all Canadian cattle and bison exported to the
United States from brucellosis testing.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ See footnote 1.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Therefore, in accordance with the regulations in Sec. Sec. 93.437
and 93.440, we are announcing our decision to classify Canada as Level
I for both bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis, and to add Canada to
the web-based list of Level I regions for bovine tuberculosis and the
web-based list of Level I regions for brucellosis. Bovines from Canada
may be imported under the conditions listed in Sec. Sec. 93.439 and
93.442 for the appropriate classification level.
National Environmental Policy Act
After reviewing and evaluating the comment received during the
comment period on the draft EA, evaluations, and other information,
APHIS has prepared a final EA, which provides the public with
documentation of APHIS' review and analysis of any potential
environmental impacts associated with the classification of Canada as
Level I for bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis. The EA was prepared in
accordance with: (1) The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as
amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), (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). Based on our EA, the response to public comment, and other
pertinent information, APHIS has reached a finding of no significant
impact (FONSI) with regard to the classification of Canada as Level I
for bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis.
Congressional Review Act
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. 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 21st day of December 2021.
Mark Davidson,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-28057 Filed 12-23-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
