Addition of the Kingdom of Thailand and the Republic of North Macedonia to the List of Regions Affected With African Swine Fever, 9853-9854 [2023-03134]
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ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 31 / Wednesday, February 15, 2023 / Notices
Many countries that import animal
products from the United States require
a certification from APHIS that the
United States is free of certain diseases.
They may also require that our
certification statement contain
additional declarations regarding the
U.S. animal products being exported.
This certification must carry the USDA
seal and be endorsed by an APHIS
representative (e.g., a Veterinary
Medical Officer). The certification
process involves the use of information
collection activities including an animal
products export certificate and request
for a hearing. An exporter may request
a hearing to appeal an APHIS Veterinary
Services (VS) decision not to grant a
certificate because an exporter is not
meeting certain requirements in part
156 of the regulations or if a certificate
is denied or withdrawn by VS if it is
determined that an issued certificate has
been altered or parts imitated.
We are asking the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) to
approve our use of these information
collection activities for an additional 3
years.
The purpose of this notice is to solicit
comments from the public (as well as
affected agencies) concerning our
information collection. These comments
will help us:
(1) Evaluate whether the collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
Agency, including whether the
information will have practical utility;
(2) Evaluate the accuracy of our
estimate of the burden of the collection
of information, including the validity of
the methodology and assumptions used;
(3) Enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and
(4) Minimize the burden of the
collection of information on those who
are to respond, through use, as
appropriate, of automated, electronic,
mechanical, and other collection
technologies; e.g., permitting electronic
submission of responses.
Estimate of burden: The public
burden for this collection of information
is estimated to average 0.32 hours per
response.
Respondents: Exporters of U.S. animal
products.
Estimated annual number of
respondents: 32,687.
Estimated annual number of
responses per respondent: 5.5.
Estimated annual number of
responses: 179,318.
Estimated total annual burden on
respondents: 58,165 hours. (Due to
averaging, the total annual burden hours
may not equal the product of the annual
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21:16 Feb 14, 2023
Jkt 259001
number of responses multiplied by the
reporting burden per response.)
All responses to this notice will be
summarized and included in the request
for OMB approval. All comments will
also become a matter of public record.
Done in Washington, DC, this 9th day of
February 2023.
Anthony Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2023–03137 Filed 2–14–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service
[Docket No. APHIS–2022–0028]
Addition of the Kingdom of Thailand
and the Republic of North Macedonia
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 added the Kingdom of Thailand
and the Republic of North Macedonia to
the list of regions that the Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service
considers to be affected by African
swine fever (ASF). We have taken these
actions because of confirmation of ASF
in the Kingdom of Thailand and the
Republic of North Macedonia.
DATES: The Kingdom of Thailand and
the Republic of North Macedonia were
added to the list of regions APHIS
considers to be affected with ASF,
effective respectively on January 20,
2022, and February 3, 2022.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
further information regarding ASF in
the Kingdom of Thailand and the
Republic of North Macedonia, contact
Dr. John Grabau, Regionalization
Evaluation Services, Strategy and
Policy, Veterinary Services, APHIS, 920
Main Campus Drive, Venture II, Raleigh,
NC 27606; phone: (919) 855–7225;
email: AskRegionalization@usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
regulations in 9 CFR part 94 (referred to
below as the regulations) govern the
importation of specified animals and
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.
SUMMARY:
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9853
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 (WOAH),1 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 January 14, 2022, the veterinary
authorities of the Kingdom of Thailand
reported to the WOAH an ASF
occurrence in that country. On January
20, 2022, in response to the outbreak,
APHIS added the Kingdom of Thailand
to the list of regions where ASF exists
or is reasonably believed to exist. As a
result, pork and pork products from the
Kingdom of Thailand, including
casings, are subject to APHIS import
restrictions designed to mitigate the risk
of ASF introduction into the United
States.
On January 10, 2022, the veterinary
authorities of the Republic of North
Macedonia reported to the WOAH an
ASF occurrence in that country. On
February 3, 2022, in response to the
outbreak, APHIS added the Republic of
North Macedonia to the list of regions
where ASF exists or is reasonably
believed to exist. As a result, pork and
pork products from the Republic of
North Macedonia, including casings, are
1 The World Organization for Animal Health
internationally follows a British English spelling of
‘‘organisation’’ in its name; it was formerly the
Office International des Epizooties, or OIE, but on
May 28, 2022, the Organization announced that the
acronym was changed from OIE to WOAH.
E:\FR\FM\15FEN1.SGM
15FEN1
9854
Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 31 / Wednesday, February 15, 2023 / Notices
subject to APHIS import restrictions
designed to mitigate the risk of ASF
introduction into the United States.
With the publication of this notice,
we are informing the public that we
added: The Kingdom of Thailand to the
list of regions APHIS considers to be
affected with ASF, effective January 20,
2022, and the Republic of North
Macedonia to the list of regions APHIS
considers to be affected with ASF,
effective February 3, 2022. This notice
serves as an official record and public
notification of these actions.
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. 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 9th day of
February 2023.
Anthony Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2023–03134 Filed 2–14–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–34–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service
[Docket No. APHIS–2021–0074]
Notice of Decision to Authorize the
Importation of Fresh Oha Leaves
(Pterocarpus mildbraedii) From Nigeria
Into the Continental United States
Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
We are advising the public of
our decision to authorize the
importation of fresh Oha leaves
(Pterocarpus mildbraedii) from Nigeria
into the continental United States.
Based on the findings of a pest risk
analysis, which we made available to
the public for review and comment
through a previous notice, we have
determined 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 Oha leaves from
Nigeria.
DATES: Imports may be authorized
beginning February 15, 2023.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Hesham Abuelnaga, Senior Regulatory
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES
SUMMARY:
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21:16 Feb 14, 2023
Jkt 259001
Policy Specialist, Regulatory
Coordination and Compliance, PPQ,
APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 133,
Riverdale, MD 20737–1231; (301) 851–
2010; email: Hesham.A.Abuelnaga@
usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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)
of the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) 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
designated phytosanitary measures
listed in paragraph (b) of that section.
Under that process, APHIS proposes to
authorize the importation of a fruit or
vegetable into the United States if, based
on findings of a pest risk analysis, we
determine that the measures can
mitigate the plant pest risk associated
with the importation of that fruit or
vegetable. APHIS then publishes a
notice in the Federal Register
announcing the availability of the pest
risk analysis that evaluates the risks
associated with the importation of a
particular fruit or vegetable. Following
the close of the 60-day comment period,
APHIS will issue a subsequent Federal
Register notice announcing whether or
not we will authorize the importation of
the fruit or vegetable subject to the
phytosanitary measures specified in the
notice.
In accordance with that process, we
published a notice 1 in the Federal
Register on June 7, 2022 (87 FR 34632–
34633, Docket No. APHIS–2021–0074),
in which we announced the availability,
for review and comment, of a pest risk
analysis that evaluated the risks
associated with the importation of fresh
Oha leaves (Pterocarpus mildbraedii)
from Nigeria into the continental United
States. The pest risk analysis consisted
of a risk assessment identifying pests of
quarantine significance that could
follow the pathway of the importation of
fresh Oha leaves from Nigeria into the
1 To view the notice, the pest risk analysis, and
other supporting documents, go to
www.regulations.gov. Enter APHIS–2021–0074 in
the Search field.
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continental United States and a risk
management document identifying
phytosanitary measures to be applied to
that commodity to mitigate the pest risk.
We solicited comments on the notice
for 60 days ending on August 8, 2022.
We received no comments by that date.
Therefore, in accordance with
§ 319.56–4(c)(3)(iii), we are announcing
our decision to authorize the
importation of fresh Oha leaves from
Nigeria into the continental United
States subject to the phytosanitary
measures identified in the risk
management document that
accompanied the initial notice.
These conditions will be listed in the
USDA, APHIS Agricultural Commodity
Import Requirements (ACIR) database
(https://acir.aphis.usda.gov/s/).2 In
addition to these specific measures,
each shipment must be subject to the
general requirements listed in § 319.56–
3 that are applicable to the importation
of all fruits and vegetables.
Paperwork Reduction Act
In accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501
et seq.), the recordkeeping and burden
requirements associated with this action
are included under the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) control
number 0579–0049.
E-Government Act Compliance
The Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service is committed to
compliance with the E- Government Act
to promote the use of the internet and
other information technologies, to
provide increased opportunities for
citizen access to Government
information and services, and for other
purposes. For information pertinent to
E-Government Act compliance related
to this notice, please contact Mr. Joseph
Moxey, APHIS’ Paperwork Reduction
Act Coordinator, at (301) 851–2483.
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. 1633, 7701–7772,
and 7781–7786; 21 U.S.C. 136 and 136a;
7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.3.
2 On September 30, 2022, the APHIS Fruits and
Vegetables Import Requirements (FAVIR) database
was replaced by the ACIR database.
E:\FR\FM\15FEN1.SGM
15FEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 31 (Wednesday, February 15, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9853-9854]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-03134]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2022-0028]
Addition of the Kingdom of Thailand and the Republic of North
Macedonia 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 added the Kingdom of
Thailand and the Republic of North Macedonia to the list of regions
that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service considers to be
affected by African swine fever (ASF). We have taken these actions
because of confirmation of ASF in the Kingdom of Thailand and the
Republic of North Macedonia.
DATES: The Kingdom of Thailand and the Republic of North Macedonia were
added to the list of regions APHIS considers to be affected with ASF,
effective respectively on January 20, 2022, and February 3, 2022.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information regarding ASF
in the Kingdom of Thailand and the Republic of North Macedonia, contact
Dr. John Grabau, Regionalization Evaluation Services, Strategy and
Policy, Veterinary Services, APHIS, 920 Main Campus Drive, Venture II,
Raleigh, NC 27606; phone: (919) 855-7225; 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 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 (WOAH),\1\ 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).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The World Organization for Animal Health internationally
follows a British English spelling of ``organisation'' in its name;
it was formerly the Office International des Epizooties, or OIE, but
on May 28, 2022, the Organization announced that the acronym was
changed from OIE to WOAH.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
On January 14, 2022, the veterinary authorities of the Kingdom of
Thailand reported to the WOAH an ASF occurrence in that country. On
January 20, 2022, in response to the outbreak, APHIS added the Kingdom
of Thailand to the list of regions where ASF exists or is reasonably
believed to exist. As a result, pork and pork products from the Kingdom
of Thailand, including casings, are subject to APHIS import
restrictions designed to mitigate the risk of ASF introduction into the
United States.
On January 10, 2022, the veterinary authorities of the Republic of
North Macedonia reported to the WOAH an ASF occurrence in that country.
On February 3, 2022, in response to the outbreak, APHIS added the
Republic of North Macedonia to the list of regions where ASF exists or
is reasonably believed to exist. As a result, pork and pork products
from the Republic of North Macedonia, including casings, are
[[Page 9854]]
subject to APHIS import restrictions designed to mitigate the risk of
ASF introduction into the United States.
With the publication of this notice, we are informing the public
that we added: The Kingdom of Thailand to the list of regions APHIS
considers to be affected with ASF, effective January 20, 2022, and the
Republic of North Macedonia to the list of regions APHIS considers to
be affected with ASF, effective February 3, 2022. This notice serves as
an official record and public notification of these actions.
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. 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 9th day of February 2023.
Anthony Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-03134 Filed 2-14-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
