[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 111 (Monday, June 9, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32548-32549]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-12855]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2008-0013]
Notice of Determination of Pest-Free Areas Within the States of
Cear[aacute] and Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that we are recognizing 7
municipalities in the State of Cear[aacute] and 13 municipalities in
the State of Rio Grande do Norte as pest-free areas for the South
American cucurbit fly. Based on our review of the documentation
submitted by Brazil's national plant protection organization, which we
made available to the public for review and comment through a previous
notice, the Administrator has determined that those municipalities meet
the criteria in our regulations for recognition as pest-free areas.
DATES: Effective Date: June 9, 2008.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Juan A. Rom[aacute]n, Import
Specialist, Commodity Import Analysis and Operations, Plant Health
Programs, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1231; (301) 734-8758.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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 of the regulations 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. One of the designated phytosanitary measures is
that 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.
Under the regulations in Sec. 319.56-5, APHIS requires that
determinations of pest-free areas be made in accordance with the
criteria for establishing freedom from pests found in International
Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) No. 4, ``Requirements for
the Establishment of Pest-Free Areas.'' The international standard was
established by the International Plant Protection Convention of the
United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization and is incorporated
by reference in our regulations in 7 CFR 300.5. In addition, APHIS must
also approve the survey protocol used to determine and maintain pest-
free status, as well as protocols for actions to be performed upon
detection of a pest. Pest-free areas are subject to audit by APHIS to
verify their status.
In accordance with that process, we published a notice \1\ in the
Federal Register on March 3, 2008 (73 FR 11382-11383, Docket No. APHIS-
2008-0013), in which we announced the availability, for review and
comment, of a commodity import evaluation document in which we examined
the
[[Page 32549]]
survey protocols and other information provided by Brazil relative to
its system to establish freedom, phytosanitary measures to maintain
freedom, and system for the verification of the maintenance of freedom.
We solicited comments on the notice for 60 days ending on May 2, 2008.
We received five comments by that date, from a produce wholesaler, a
fresh fruit importer, two melon producers/exporters, and the director
of a Brazilian fruit fly rearing facility. All of the commenters
supported the recognition of the 7 municipalities in the State of
Cear[aacute] and 13 municipalities in the State of Rio Grande do Norte
as pest-free areas for the South American cucurbit fly (Anastrepha
grandis).
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\1\ To view the notice, the pest risk analysis, and the comments
we received, go to http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/
main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2008-0013.
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In accordance with Sec. 319.56-5(c), we are announcing the
Administrator's determination that the municipalities of Aracati,
Icapu[iacute], Itai[ccedil]aba, Jaguaruana, Limoeiro do Norte,
Quixer[eacute], and Russas in the State of Cear[aacute] and the
municipalities of A[ccedil]u, Afonso Bezerra, Alto do Rodrigues, Areia
Branca, Bara[uacute]na, Camaubais, Grossos, Ipangua[ccedil]u,
Mossor[oacute], Porto do Mangue, Serra do Mel, Tibau, and Upanema in
the State of Rio Grande do Norte meet the criteria of Sec. 319.56-5(a)
and (b) with respect to freedom from A. grandis. Accordingly, we are
recognizing those municipalities as pest-free areas for A. grandis and
have added them to the list of pest-free areas. You may view the list
of pest-free areas on the Internet by going to http://
www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/manuals/ports/index.shtml and
selecting the link for designated pest-free areas under the heading
``Plant Importation Manuals.''
Done in Washington, DC, this 3rd day of June 2008.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E8-12855 Filed 6-6-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P