[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 147 (Wednesday, July 30, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44216-44217]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-17476]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2008-0065]
Notice of Decision To Issue Permits for the Importation of Dragon
Fruit From Vietnam Into the Continental United States
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: We are advising the public of our decision to begin issuing
permits for the importation into the continental United States of
dragon fruit from 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 dragon fruit from Vietnam.
DATES: Effective Date: July 30, 2008.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Alex Belano, Import Specialist,
Commodity Import Analysis and Operation Staff, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River
Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-5333.
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.
[[Page 44217]]
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. Under that process, APHIS publishes a notice in
the Federal Register announcing the availability of the pest risk
analysis that evaluates the risks associated with the importation of a
particular fruit or vegetable. Following the close of the 60-day
comment period, APHIS may begin issuing permits for importation of the
fruit or vegetable subject to the identified designated measures if:
(1) No comments were received on the pest risk analysis; (2) the
comments on the pest risk analysis revealed that no changes to the pest
risk analysis were necessary; or (3) changes to the pest risk analysis
were made in response to public comments, but the changes did not
affect the overall conclusions of the analysis and the Administrator's
determination of risk.
In accordance with that process, we published a notice \1\ in the
Federal Register on May 9, 2008 (73 FR 26360-26361, Docket No. APHIS-
2008-0065), in which we announced the availability, for review and
comment, of a pest risk analysis that evaluates the risks associated
with the importation into the continental United States of dragon fruit
from Vietnam. We solicited comments on the notice for 60 days ending on
July 8, 2008. We received one comment by that date, from a private
citizen. The commenter did not provide any information regarding the
pest risk analysis. No changes to the pest risk analysis are necessary
based on that comment.
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\1\ To view the notice, the pest risk analysis, and the comment
we received, go to http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2008-0065.
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Therefore, in accordance with the regulations in Sec. 319.56-
4(c)(2)(ii), we are announcing our decision to begin issuing permits
for the importation into the continental United States of dragon fruit
from Vietnam subject to the following phytosanitary measures:
The dragon fruit must be irradiated with a minimum
absorbed dose of 400 gray.
Each consignment of dragon fruit must be accompanied by a
phytosanitary certificate issued by the national plant protection
organization (NPPO) of Vietnam. The phytosanitary certificate must
document that the dragon fruit has been inspected by the NPPO of
Vietnam and that the consignment received the required irradiation
treatment or that the consignment will receive the required treatment
upon arrival in the continental United States, should an APHIS-approved
facility exist.
The dragon fruit may be imported to the United States in
commercial consignments only.
These conditions will be listed in the fruits and vegetables manual
(available at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/manuals/ports/downloads/fv.pdf). In addition to those specific measures, dragon
fruit from Vietnam will be subject to the general requirements listed
in Sec. 319.56-3 that are applicable to the importation of all fruits
and vegetables.
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 24th day of July 2008.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E8-17476 Filed 7-29-08; 8:45 am]
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