Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service August 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request an extension of approval of an information collection associated with regulations to prevent the introduction or spread of foreign plant pests into or within the United States.

We are giving notice that the Secretary of Agriculture intends to renew the Secretary's Advisory Committee on Animal Health (Committee). The Secretary has determined that the Committee is necessary and in the public interest. We are also giving notice that the Secretary is soliciting nominations for membership for this Committee.

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 an extension of approval of an information collection associated with qualitative customer and stakeholder feedback on service delivery by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request an extension of approval of an information collection associated with the Horse Protection Program.

We are advising the public that a draft environmental assessment has been prepared by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service relative to the proposed release of Aphelinus glycinis for the biological control of the soybean aphid, Aphis glycines, in the continental United States. We are making this environmental assessment available to the public for review and comment.

We are soliciting public comment on whether and how we should amend our process for responding to domestic chrysanthemum white rust (CWR) outbreaks and the importation of plant material that is a host of CWR. Domestically, CWR host plants must be surveyed and, if found to be infected with CWR, must undergo quarantine, destruction, treatment, or other sanitation measures called for in our National Management Plan. The importation of CWR host plants for planting from a number of countries and localities is currently prohibited to prevent the introduction of CWR into the United States. In addition, importation of cut flowers of CWR host plants from countries where CWR is known to occur is currently restricted. We are reevaluating our current regulatory strategy in order to improve the effectiveness and economic efficiency of our programs. After evaluating public comment on the issues presented in this document, we will determine whether to propose changes to our existing regulations.