Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service November 2010 – 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 extension of approval of an information collection associated with regulations for the interstate movement of regulated articles to prevent the spread of South American cactus moth.

We are amending the regulations governing the importation of certain animals and animal products by adding the Brazilian State of Santa Catarina to the list of regions we recognize as free of foot-and- mouth disease (FMD), rinderpest, swine vesicular disease, classical swine fever, and African swine fever. We are also adding Santa Catarina to 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. These actions will update the disease status of Santa Catarina with regard to FMD, rinderpest, swine vesicular disease, classical swine fever, and African swine fever while continuing to protect the United States from an introduction of those diseases by providing additional requirements for live swine, pork meat, pork products, live ruminants, ruminant meat, and ruminant products imported into the United States from Santa Catarina.

We are advising the public of our determination regarding the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) subtype H5N1 status of the Czech Republic and Sweden, following outbreaks of HPAI in Sweden during 2006 and in the Czech Republic during 2007. Based on an evaluation of the animal health status of the Czech Republic and Sweden, which we made available to the public for review and comment through a previous notice, the Administrator has determined that the importation of live birds, poultry carcasses, parts or products of poultry carcasses, and eggs (other than hatching eggs) of poultry, game birds, and other birds from the Czech Republic and Sweden presents a low risk of introducing HPAI H5N1 into the United States.

We are amending the regulations governing the importation and interstate movement of noxious weeds by adding definitions of terms used in the regulations, adding details regarding the process of applying for the permits used to import or move noxious weeds, adding a requirement for the treatment of niger seed, and adding provisions for petitioning to add a taxon to or remove a taxon from the noxious weed lists. These changes will update the regulations to reflect current statutory authority and program operations and improve the effectiveness of the regulations. We are also adding seven taxa to the list of terrestrial noxious weeds and to the list of seeds with no tolerances applicable to their introduction. This action will prevent the introduction or dissemination of these noxious weeds into or within the United States.

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has prepared a draft environmental assessment as part of its decisionmaking process to address a supplemental request for partial deregulation of sugar beets genetically engineered (GE) for tolerance to the herbicide glyphosate, or for similar administrative action to authorize the continued cultivation of the GE sugar beets subject to carefully tailored interim measures proposed by APHIS. This environmental assessment will be available for public comment for 30 days. Comments received by the end of the 30-day period will be analyzed and used to inform APHIS' decision on whether to grant the supplemental request for ``partial deregulation'' of the GE sugar beets or to grant some similar administrative action to authorize the continued cultivation of the GE sugar beets subject to carefully tailored interim measures proposed by APHIS.