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

We are advising the public that we have added Hong Kong to the list of regions that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services considers to be affected with African swine fever (ASF). We have taken this action because of confirmation of ASF in Hong Kong.

We are advising the public that we have added the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to the list of regions that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service considers to be affected with African swine fever (ASF). We have taken this action because of the confirmation of ASF in the DPRK.

We are advising the public of our decision to authorize the importation into the continental United States of fresh cape gooseberry fruit from Ecuador. Based on the findings of a pest risk analysis, which we made available to the public for review and comment, 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 Ecuador.

We are advising the public that we are proposing to recognize Romania as being free of highly pathogenic avian influenza and Newcastle disease. 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.

This notice advises the public of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's record of decision for the final environmental impact statement titled ``Regulation of the Importation, Interstate Movement, and Intrastate Movement of Plant Pests.''

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has prepared an environmental assessment relative to permitting the release of Sericothrips staphylinus for the biological control of gorse, a spiny shrub, within the contiguous United States. Based on the environmental assessment and other relevant data, we have reached a preliminary determination that the release of this control agent will not have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment. We are making the environmental assessment available to the public for review and comment.

We are advising the public that we have added Cambodia to the list of regions that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service considers to be affected with African swine fever (ASF). We are taking this action because of the confirmation of ASF in Cambodia.

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service proposes to add a system of records to its inventory of records systems subject to the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended. The system of records being proposed is the Agricultural Quarantine Activity System, USDA/APHIS-20. This notice is necessary to meet the requirements of the Privacy Act to publish in the Federal Register notice of the existence and character of record systems maintained by the agency. Although the Privacy Act requires only that the portion of the system which describes the ``routine uses'' of the system be published for comment, we invite comment on all portions of this notice.

We are advising the public of our determination that the new plant variety HB4 soybean designated as event IND-00410-5, which has been genetically engineered for increased yield and resistance to the herbicide glufosinate, is no longer considered a regulated article under our regulations governing the introduction of certain genetically engineered organisms. Our determination is based on our evaluation of data submitted by Verdeca LLC in its petition for a determination of nonregulated status, our analysis of available scientific data, and comments received from the public in response to our previous notices announcing the availability of the petition for nonregulated status and its associated environmental assessment and plant pest risk assessment. This notice also announces the availability of our written determination and finding of no significant impact.

We are giving notice of a meeting of the National Wildlife Services Advisory Committee.

We are reopening the comment period for an environmental assessment relative to permitting the release of Aphalara itadori for the biological control of Japanese, Giant, and Bohemian knotweeds (Fallopia japonica, F. sachalinensis, and F. x bohemica), significant invasive weeds, within the contiguous United States. This action will allow interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments.

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has prepared an environmental assessment concerning authorization to ship for the purpose of field testing, and then to field test, an unlicensed Pseudogymnoascus destructans Vaccine, Live Raccoon Poxvirus Vector (RCN-CAL/SP/ASPF2/PD-ENG2). The environmental assessment, which is based on a risk analysis prepared to assess the risks associated with the field testing of this vaccine, examines the potential effects that field testing this veterinary vaccine could have on the quality of the human environment. Based on the risk analysis, we have reached a preliminary determination that field testing this veterinary vaccine will not have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment, and that an environmental impact statement need not be prepared. We intend to authorize shipment of this vaccine for field testing following the close of the comment period for this notice unless new substantial issues bearing on the effects of this action are brought to our attention. We also intend to issue a U.S. Veterinary Biological Product license for this vaccine, provided the field test data support the conclusions of the environmental assessment and the issuance of a finding of no significant impact and the product meets all other requirements for licensing.

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has received a petition from Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. (Pioneer) seeking a determination of nonregulated status of a maize event designated as DP202216, which has been genetically engineered for enhanced grain yield potential and glufosinate-ammonium resistance. The petition has been submitted in accordance with our regulations concerning the introduction of certain genetically engineered organisms and products. We are making the Pioneer petition available for review and comment to help us identify potential environmental and interrelated economic issues and impacts that APHIS may determine should be considered in our evaluation of the petition.

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 associated with regulations for the importation of live poultry, poultry meat, and other poultry products from specified regions.

This notice advises the public of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's record of decision for the final programmatic environmental impact statement titled ``Fruit Fly Cooperative Control Program.''

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) relative to an oral rabies vaccination (ORV) program in Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia. The EA analyzes the proposed expanded use of ONRAB vaccine-baits throughout the ORV distribution zone in those States in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service. The proposed expanded ONRAB vaccine distribution is necessary as a higher level of population immunity in raccoons is desired in order to maximize the effectiveness of ORV programs. We are making the EA available to the public for review and comment.

We are advising the public that we have prepared a final environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact relative to the release of Calophya latiforceps and Pseudophilothrips ichini for the biological control of Brazilian peppertree, a significant invasive weed, within the contiguous United States. Based on our finding of no significant impact, we have determined that an environmental impact statement need not be prepared.

We are revising our regulations regarding the movement of plant pests. We are also adding criteria to the regulations for the importation, interstate movement, and release of biological control organisms. This final rule also establishes regulations to allow the interstate movement of certain plant pests and biological control organisms without restriction by granting exceptions from permit requirements for those pests and organisms. Finally, we are revising our regulations regarding the importation and interstate movement of soil. This rule clarifies the points that we will consider when assessing the risks associated with the movement and release of certain organisms and facilitates the movement of regulated organisms and articles in a manner that protects U.S. agriculture.

We are proposing to amend the Swine Health Protection Act regulations by removing the State status lists from the regulations in order to maintain these lists on the Agency's website. These changes would allow us to use a notice-based, streamlined approach to update the lists while continuing to protect swine health in the United States.

We are advising the public of our preliminary concurrence with the World Organization for Animal Health's (OIE) bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) risk designation for Nicaragua. The OIE recognizes this region as being of negligible risk for BSE. We are taking this action based on our review of information supporting the OIE's risk designation for this region.

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service plans to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) analyzing alternatives for predator damage management in Idaho. This notice proposes issues and alternatives for consideration in the EIS and requests public comments to further delineate the scope of the alternatives, the environmental issues, and other issues of public concern to be considered.

We are proposing to revise our regulations regarding the movement (importation, interstate movement, and environmental release) of certain genetically engineered organisms in response to advances in genetic engineering and our understanding of the plant pest risk posed by them, thereby reducing regulatory burden for developers of organisms that are unlikely to pose plant pest risks. This proposed rule, which would mark the first comprehensive revision of the regulations since they were established in 1987, would provide a clear, predictable, and efficient regulatory pathway for innovators, facilitating the development of new and novel genetically engineered organisms that are unlikely to pose plant pest risks.

We are reopening the comment period for our proposed rule that would amend the licensing requirements under the Animal Welfare Act regulations to promote compliance, reduce licensing fees, and strengthen existing safeguards that prevent individuals and businesses who have a history of noncompliance from obtaining a license or working with regulated animals. This action will allow interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments.

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has prepared an environmental assessment relative to permitting the release of Aphalara itadori for the biological control of Japanese, Giant, and Bohemian knotweeds (Fallopia japonica, F. sachalinensis, and F. x bohemica), significant invasive weeds, within the contiguous United States. Based on the environmental assessment and other relevant data, we have reached a preliminary determination that the release of this biological control organism will not have a significant impact on the quality of the human environment. We are making the environmental assessment available to the public for review and comment.

We are advising the public that we have prepared a pest risk analysis that evaluates the risks associated with importation of fresh pepper fruit from Colombia into the continental 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 pepper fruit from Colombia. We are making the pest risk analysis available to the public for review and comment.