Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service April 2011 – 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 revise an information collection associated with the voluntary Trichinae Certification Program and to request extension of approval of the information collection to enhance the ability of U.S. pork producers to export pork and pork products to overseas markets.

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 for the importation of poultry meat and other poultry products from Sinaloa and Sonora, Mexico.

We are advising the public of our decision to authorize the importation into the continental United States of fresh rambutan fruit (Nephelium lappaceum) from Malaysia and Vietnam. Based on the findings of a pest risk analysis, which we made available to the public for review and comment through a previous notice, 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 rambutan fruit from Malaysia and Vietnam.

We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has received a petition from Florigene Pty., Ltd., seeking a determination of nonregulated status for roses designated as IFD-524[Oslash]1-4 and IFD-529[Oslash]1-9, which have been genetically engineered to produce novel flower color. The petition has been submitted in accordance with our regulations concerning the introduction of certain genetically engineered organisms and products. In accordance with those regulations, we are soliciting comments on whether these genetically engineered roses are likely to pose a plant pest risk. We are also making available for public comment an environmental assessment for the proposed determination of nonregulated status.

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is soliciting letters of interest from entities subject to the regulations governing the introduction of genetically engineered (GE) organisms in 7 CFR part 340 to participate in a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Pilot Project. The NEPA Pilot Project will test new approaches to developing environmental analyses and documents required under NEPA to determine the extent to which these approaches improve the quality, timeliness, and cost effectiveness of such analyses and documents. The pilot project will focus only on NEPA analyses and documents associated with petitions for nonregulated status for GE organisms.

We are advising the public of our decision to begin issuing permits for the importation into the continental United States of fresh figs from Chile. Based on the findings of a pest risk analysis, which we made available to the public for review and comment through a previous notice, 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 figs from Chile.

We are proposing to relieve certain restrictions regarding the movement of fresh Hass variety avocados. Specifically, we are proposing to amend our domestic regulations to provide for the interstate movement of Hass avocados from Mediterranean fruit fly quarantined areas in the United States with a certificate if the fruit is safeguarded after harvest in accordance with specific measures. We are also proposing to amend our foreign quarantine regulations to remove trapping requirements for Mediterranean fruit fly for Hass avocados imported from the State of Michoacan, Mexico, requirements for treatment or origin from an area free of Mediterranean fruit fly for Hass avocados imported from Peru, and requirements for trapping or origin from an area free of South American fruit fly for Hass avocados imported from Peru. These actions are warranted in light of research demonstrating the limited host status of Hass avocados to Mediterranean fruit fly and South American fruit fly. This action would make our domestic and foreign requirements for movement of Hass avocados consistent with each other and would relieve restrictions for Mexican and Peruvian Hass avocado producers. In addition, this action would provide a means for Hass avocados to be moved interstate if the avocados originate from a Mediterranean fruit fly quarantined area in the United States.