Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We are advising the public that we have prepared a pest risk analysis that evaluates the risks associated with the importation into the continental United States of fresh false coriander from Panama. Based on that analysis, we believe 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 false coriander from Panama. We are making the pest risk analysis available to the public for review and comment.

We are amending the phytosanitary treatment regulations in 7 CFR part 305 by removing the lists of approved treatments and treatment schedules from the regulations, while retaining the general requirements for performing treatments and certifying or approving treatment facilities. We are removing treatment schedules from other places where they are currently found in 7 CFR chapter III as well. Approved treatment schedules will instead be found in the Plant Protection and Quarantine Treatment Manual, which is available on the Internet. We are also establishing a new process to provide the public with notice and the opportunity to comment on changes to treatment schedules. Finally, we are harmonizing and combining the requirements for performing irradiation treatment for imported articles, articles moved interstate from Hawaii and U.S. territories, and articles moved interstate from an area quarantined for fruit flies. These changes will simplify and expedite our processes for adding, changing, and removing treatment schedules while continuing to provide for public participation in the process. These changes will also simplify our presentation of treatments to the public by consolidating all treatments into one document and eliminating redundant text from the regulations.

We are reopening the comment period for an environmental assessment for a proposed controlled field release of a genetically engineered clone of a Eucalyptus hybrid. This action will allow interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments on the revised environmental assessment.

On December 28, 2009, we published a final rule in the Federal Register to add the Republic of Korea to the list of regions that are considered free of rinderpest and foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and the list of regions that are subject to certain import restrictions on meat and meat products because of their proximity to or trading relationships with rinderpest- or FMD-affected countries. The final rule was scheduled to become effective on January 12, 2010. However, due to an outbreak of FMD reported by the Republic of Korea on January 6, 2010, we are delaying indefinitely the effective date of the final rule. This delay will allow the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to consider the issues raised by this development and decide what subsequent actions to take.

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has prepared a draft environmental impact statement in connection with making a determination on the status of the Monsanto Company and Forage Genetics International alfalfa lines designated as events J101 and J163 as regulated articles. This notice also provides notice of public meetings.