[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 26 (Thursday, February 7, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7248-7249]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-2263]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2008-0025]
Notice of Availability of a Pest Risk Analysis for Importation of
Blueberries From Guatemala Into the Continental United States
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: 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 blueberries from Guatemala. 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 blueberries from Guatemala. We are making the pest
risk analysis available to the public for review and comment.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before April
7, 2008.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS2008-0025 to submit or view comments and
to view supporting and related materials available electronically.
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send two copies of
your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2008-0025, Regulatory Analysis and
Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118,
Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state that your comment refers to
Docket No. APHIS-2008-0025.
Reading Room: You may read any comments that we receive on the
environmental assessment in our reading room. The reading room is
located in room 1141 of the USDA South Building, 14th Street and
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC. Normal reading room hours are
8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. To be sure
someone is there to help you, please call (202) 690-2817 before coming.
Other Information: Additional information about APHIS and its
programs is available on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Tony Rom[aacute]n, Import
Specialist, Commodity Import Analysis and Operation Staff, PPQ, APHIS,
4700 River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-8758.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Under the regulations in ``Subpart--Fruits and Vegetables'' (7 CFR
319.56 through 319.56-47, referred to below as the regulations), the
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the U.S.
Department of Agriculture prohibits or restricts the importation of
fruits and vegetables into the United States from certain parts of the
world to prevent plant pests from being introduced into and spread
within the United States.
Section 319.56-4 contains a performance-based process for approving
the importation of commodities that, based on the findings of a pest
risk analysis, can be safely imported subject to one or more of the
designated phytosanitary measures listed in paragraph (b) of that
section. These measures are:
The fruits or vegetables are subject to inspection upon
arrival in the United States and comply with all applicable provisions
of Sec. 319.56-3;
The fruits or vegetables are imported from a pest-free
area in the country of origin that meets the requirements of Sec.
319.56-5 for freedom from that pest and are accompanied by a
phytosanitary certificate stating that the fruits or vegetables
originated in a pest-free area in the country of origin;
The fruits or vegetables are treated in accordance with 7
CFR part 305;
The fruits or vegetables are inspected in the country of
origin by an inspector or an official of the national plant protection
organization of the exporting country, and have been found free of one
or more specific quarantine pests identified by the risk analysis as
likely to follow the import pathway; and/or
The fruits or vegetables are a commercial consignment.
APHIS received a request from the Government of Guatemala to allow
the importation of blueberries from Guatemala into the continental
United States. We have completed a pest risk assessment to identify
pests of quarantine significance that could follow the pathway of
importation into the United States and, based on that pest risk
assessment, have prepared a risk management analysis to identify
phytosanitary measures that could be applied to the commodity to
mitigate the pest risk. We have concluded that
[[Page 7249]]
blueberries can be safely imported into the continental United States
from Guatemala using one or more of the five designated phytosanitary
measures listed in Sec. 319.56-4(b). Therefore, in accordance with
Sec. 319.56-4(c), we are announcing the availability of our pest risk
analysis for public review and comment. The pest risk analysis may be
viewed on the Regulations.gov Web site or in our reading room (see
ADDRESSES above for instructions for accessing Regulations.gov and
information on the location and hours of the reading room). You may
request paper copies of the pest risk analysis by calling or writing to
the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Please refer
to the subject of the pest risk analysis when requesting copies.
After reviewing the comments we receive, we will announce our
decision regarding the import status of blueberries from Guatemala in a
subsequent notice. If the overall conclusions of the analysis and the
Administrator's determination of risk remain unchanged following our
consideration of the comments, then we will begin issuing permits for
importation of blueberries from Guatemala into the continental United
States subject to the requirements specified in the risk management
analysis.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 450, 7701-7772, and 7781-7786; 21 U.S.C. 136
and 136a; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.3.
Done in Washington, DC, this 31st day of January 2008.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E8-2263 Filed 2-6-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P