Notice of Availability of an Evaluation of the Classical Swine Fever Disease Status of Costa Rica, 64401-64402 [2024-17428]

Download as PDF 64401 Notices Federal Register Vol. 89, No. 152 Wednesday, August 7, 2024 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–2023–0048] Notice of Availability of an Evaluation of the Classical Swine Fever Disease Status of Costa Rica Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of availability. AGENCY: We are advising the public that we are proposing to recognize Costa Rica as being free of classical swine fever. This proposed recognition is based on a risk evaluation we have prepared in connection with this action, which we are making available for review and comment. DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before September 6, 2024. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods: • Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov. Enter APHIS– 2023–0048 in the Search field. Select the Documents tab, then select the Comment button in the list of documents. • Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS–2023–0048, 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 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. khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:07 Aug 06, 2024 Jkt 262001 Dr. Rebecca Gordon, Senior Staff Officer, Regionalization Evaluation Services, Veterinary Services, APHIS, USDA, 920 Main Campus Drive, Venture II, 3rd Floor, Raleigh, NC 27606; email: AskRegionalization@usda.gov; (919) 855–7741. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations in 9 CFR part 94 (referred to below as the regulations) govern the importation of certain animals and animal products into the United States in order to prevent the introduction of various animal diseases, including classical swine fever (CSF), a dangerous and communicable disease of swine. In part 94, § 94.9 contains requirements governing the importation of pork or pork products from regions where CSF exists. Section 94.10 contains importation requirements for swine from regions where CSF is considered to exist. In accordance with §§ 94.9(a)(1) and 94.10(a)(1), the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) maintains a web-based list of regions that the Agency considers free of CSF. Sections 94.9(a)(2) and 94.10(a)(2) state that APHIS will add a region to this list after it conducts an evaluation of the region and finds that CSF is not present. Finally, under § 94.32, the importation into the United States of swine, pork, and pork products from certain regions that are considered free of CSF in accordance with §§ 94.9 and 94.10 is still subject to mitigations for CSF, because the exporting region either supplements their pork supplies with fresh (chilled or frozen) pork imported from regions considered to be affected by CSF, or supplements their pork supplies with pork from CSF-affected regions that is not processed in accordance with the regulations, or shares a common land border with CSFaffected regions, or imports live swine from CSF-affected regions under conditions less restrictive than would be acceptable for importation into the United States. The section specifies that there is a web-based list of such regions. In the regulations in 9 CFR part 92, § 92.2 contains requirements for requesting the recognition of the animal health status of a region (as well as for the approval of the export of a particular type of animal or animal product to the United States from a foreign region). If, after review and evaluation of the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 information submitted in support of the request, APHIS believes the request can be safely granted, APHIS will make its evaluation available for public comment through a document published in the Federal Register. 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 September 2020, the Government of the Republic of Costa Rica requested that APHIS evaluate the CSF disease status of the country. In response to Costa Rica’s request, APHIS prepared an evaluation, titled ‘‘APHIS Evaluation of the Classical Swine Fever Status of the Republic of Costa Rica’’ (May 2023). Based on the evaluation, APHIS has determined that CSF is not known to exist in Costa Rica. APHIS has also determined that the surveillance, prevention, and control measures implemented by Costa Rica are sufficient to minimize the likelihood of introducing CSF into the United States via imports of species or products susceptible to this disease. However, because Costa Rica shares a common land border with regions in which CSF exists, we have also determined that requirements of § 94.32 should be operative, if Costa Rica is considered free of CSF. Our determination supports adding Costa Rica to the web-based list of regions that APHIS considers free of CSF. Therefore, in accordance with the regulations in § 92.2, we are announcing the availability of our evaluation of the CSF status of Costa Rica for public review and comment. We are also announcing the availability of an environmental assessment (EA), which has been prepared in accordance with: (1) The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), (2) regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality for implementing the procedural provision 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). The evaluation and EA may be viewed on the Regulations.gov website or in our reading room. (Instructions for accessing Regulations.gov and information on the location and hours of the reading room E:\FR\FM\07AUN1.SGM 07AUN1 64402 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 152 / Wednesday, August 7, 2024 / Notices are provided under the heading ADDRESSES at the beginning of this notice.) The documents are also available by contacting the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Information submitted in support of Costa Rica’s request is available by contacting the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. After reviewing any comments we receive, we will announce our decision regarding the disease status of Costa Rica with respect to CSF in a subsequent notice. 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 1st day of August 2024. Michael Watson, Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. [FR Doc. 2024–17428 Filed 8–6–24; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–34–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Background Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 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 (NPPO) of Peru to allow the importation of fresh cape gooseberry fruit (Physalis peruviana L.) from Peru into the United States. As part of our evaluation of Peru’s request, we have prepared a pest risk assessment to identify the pests of quarantine significance that could follow the pathway of the importation of fresh cape gooseberry fruit into the United States from Peru. Based on the pest risk assessment, a risk management document (RMD) was prepared to identify phytosanitary measures that could be applied to the fresh cape gooseberry fruit to mitigate the pest risk. Therefore, in accordance with § 319.56–4(c), we are announcing the availability of our pest risk assessment [Docket No. APHIS–2023–0066] Notice of Availability of a Pest Risk Analysis for the Importation of Fresh Cape Gooseberry Fruit From Peru 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 the importation of fresh cape gooseberry fruit from Peru into the United States. Based on the analysis, 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 cape gooseberry fruit from Peru. 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 October 7, 2024. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods: • Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov. Enter APHIS– 2023–0066 in the Search field. Select the Documents tab, then select the Comment button in the list of documents. SUMMARY: khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES • Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS–2023–0066, 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 atwww.regulations.govor in our reading room, whichis located inroom 1620of 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: Ms. Claudia Ferguson, Senior Regulatory Policy Specialist, Regulatory Coordination and Compliance, Imports, Regulations, and Manuals PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737–1231; (301) 851–2352; email Claudia.Ferguson@usda.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:07 Aug 06, 2024 Jkt 262001 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 and RMD for public review and comment. Those documents, as well as a description of the economic considerations associated with the importation of fresh cape gooseberry fruit from Peru, may be viewed on 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 pest risk assessment 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 cape gooseberry fruit from Peru 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 cape gooseberry fruit from Peru 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 22nd day of July 2024. Michael Watson, Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. [FR Doc. 2024–17432 Filed 8–6–24; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410–34–P DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service Proposed New Recreation Fee Sites Forest Service, USDA. Notice. AGENCY: ACTION: The Huron-Manistee National Forests are proposing to establish several new recreation fee sites. Proposed recreation fees collected at the proposed recreation fee sites would be used for operation, maintenance, and improvement of the sites. An analysis of nearby recreation fee sites with similar amenities shows the proposed recreation fees that would be charged at the proposed recreation fee sites are reasonable and typical of similar recreation fee sites in the area. DATES: If approved, the proposed recreation fees would be implemented no earlier than six months following the publication of this notice in the Federal Register. SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\07AUN1.SGM 07AUN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 152 (Wednesday, August 7, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64401-64402]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-17428]


========================================================================
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. 89 , No. 152 / Wednesday, August 7, 2024 / 
Notices

[[Page 64401]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2023-0048]


Notice of Availability of an Evaluation of the Classical Swine 
Fever Disease Status of Costa Rica

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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

SUMMARY: We are advising the public that we are proposing to recognize 
Costa Rica as being free of classical swine fever. This proposed 
recognition is based on a risk evaluation we have prepared in 
connection with this action, which we are making available for review 
and comment.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
September 6, 2024.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov. 
Enter APHIS-2023-0048 in the Search field. Select the Documents tab, 
then select the Comment button in the list of documents.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2023-0048, 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 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. Rebecca Gordon, Senior Staff 
Officer, Regionalization Evaluation Services, Veterinary Services, 
APHIS, USDA, 920 Main Campus Drive, Venture II, 3rd Floor, Raleigh, NC 
27606; email: [email protected]; (919) 855-7741.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations in 9 CFR part 94 (referred 
to below as the regulations) govern the importation of certain animals 
and animal products into the United States in order to prevent the 
introduction of various animal diseases, including classical swine 
fever (CSF), a dangerous and communicable disease of swine. In part 94, 
Sec.  94.9 contains requirements governing the importation of pork or 
pork products from regions where CSF exists. Section 94.10 contains 
importation requirements for swine from regions where CSF is considered 
to exist.
    In accordance with Sec. Sec.  94.9(a)(1) and 94.10(a)(1), the 
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) maintains a web-
based list of regions that the Agency considers free of CSF. Sections 
94.9(a)(2) and 94.10(a)(2) state that APHIS will add a region to this 
list after it conducts an evaluation of the region and finds that CSF 
is not present.
    Finally, under Sec.  94.32, the importation into the United States 
of swine, pork, and pork products from certain regions that are 
considered free of CSF in accordance with Sec. Sec.  94.9 and 94.10 is 
still subject to mitigations for CSF, because the exporting region 
either supplements their pork supplies with fresh (chilled or frozen) 
pork imported from regions considered to be affected by CSF, or 
supplements their pork supplies with pork from CSF-affected regions 
that is not processed in accordance with the regulations, or shares a 
common land border with CSF-affected regions, or imports live swine 
from CSF-affected regions under conditions less restrictive than would 
be acceptable for importation into the United States. The section 
specifies that there is a web-based list of such regions.
    In the regulations in 9 CFR part 92, Sec.  92.2 contains 
requirements for requesting the recognition of the animal health status 
of a region (as well as for the approval of the export of a particular 
type of animal or animal product to the United States from a foreign 
region). If, after review and evaluation of the information submitted 
in support of the request, APHIS believes the request can be safely 
granted, APHIS will make its evaluation available for public comment 
through a document published in the Federal Register. 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 September 2020, the Government of the Republic of Costa Rica 
requested that APHIS evaluate the CSF disease status of the country. In 
response to Costa Rica's request, APHIS prepared an evaluation, titled 
``APHIS Evaluation of the Classical Swine Fever Status of the Republic 
of Costa Rica'' (May 2023). Based on the evaluation, APHIS has 
determined that CSF is not known to exist in Costa Rica. APHIS has also 
determined that the surveillance, prevention, and control measures 
implemented by Costa Rica are sufficient to minimize the likelihood of 
introducing CSF into the United States via imports of species or 
products susceptible to this disease. However, because Costa Rica 
shares a common land border with regions in which CSF exists, we have 
also determined that requirements of Sec.  94.32 should be operative, 
if Costa Rica is considered free of CSF. Our determination supports 
adding Costa Rica to the web-based list of regions that APHIS considers 
free of CSF.
    Therefore, in accordance with the regulations in Sec.  92.2, we are 
announcing the availability of our evaluation of the CSF status of 
Costa Rica for public review and comment. We are also announcing the 
availability of an environmental assessment (EA), which has been 
prepared in accordance with: (1) The National Environmental Policy Act 
of 1969 (NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), (2) regulations of 
the Council on Environmental Quality for implementing the procedural 
provision 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). The evaluation and EA may be viewed on the 
Regulations.gov website or in our reading room. (Instructions for 
accessing Regulations.gov and information on the location and hours of 
the reading room

[[Page 64402]]

are provided under the heading ADDRESSES at the beginning of this 
notice.) The documents are also available by contacting the person 
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
    Information submitted in support of Costa Rica's request is 
available by contacting the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT.
    After reviewing any comments we receive, we will announce our 
decision regarding the disease status of Costa Rica with respect to CSF 
in a subsequent notice.
    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 1st day of August 2024.
Michael Watson,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-17428 Filed 8-6-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P

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