[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 142 (Monday, July 27, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36999-37000]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-17794]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2009-0037]
Determination of Pest-Free Areas in the Republic of South Africa;
Request for Comments
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that we have received a request
from the Government of the Republic of South Africa to recognize 16
additional magisterial districts in 3 provinces as pest-free areas for
citrus black spot. After reviewing the documentation submitted in
support of this request, the Administrator of the Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service has determined that these areas meet the
criteria in our regulations for recognition as pest-free areas. We are
making that determination, as well as an evaluation document we have
prepared in connection with this action, available for review and
comment.
DATES: We will consider all comments we receive on or before September
25, 2009.
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=APHIS-2009-0037 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-2009-0037, Regulatory Analysis and
Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3C71, 4700 River Road Unit 118,
Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state that your comment refers to
Docket No. APHIS-2009-0037.
Reading Room: You may read any comments that we receive on this
docket 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. Phillip B. Grove, Regulatory
Coordination Specialist, Regulatory Coordination and Compliance, APHIS,
4700 River Road Unit 156, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 734-6280.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the regulations in ``Subpart-Fruits
and Vegetables'' (7 CFR 319.56 through 319.56-49, 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
Standard 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.
APHIS has received a request from the Government of the Republic of
South Africa to recognize additional areas of that country as being
free of Guignardia citricarpa, citrus black spot.\1\ Currently, we only
allow importation of citrus fruit from the Republic of South Africa
when it is grown in the Western Cape Province and the magisterial
districts of Hartswater and Warrenton of the Northern Cape Province,
which are areas that APHIS has determined to be free of citrus black
spot.\2\ Specifically, the Government of the Republic of South Africa
asked that we recognize the magisterial districts of Boshof,
Fauresmith, Jacobsdal, Koffiefontein, and Philippolis in the Free State
Province; Christiania and Taung in the North West Province; and Barkly-
wes/west, Gordonia, Hay, Herbert, Hopetown, Kenhardt, Kimberely,
Namakwaland, and Prieska in the Northern Cape Province as areas that
are free of citrus black spot.
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\1\ A list of pest-free-areas currently recognized by APHIS can
be found at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plant/manuals/ports/downloads/DesignatedPestFreeAeas.pdf.
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In accordance with our regulations and the criteria set out in ISPM
No. 4, we have reviewed and approved the survey protocols and other
information provided by the Republic of South Africa relative to its
system to establish freedom, phytosanitary measures to maintain
freedom, and system for the verification of the maintenance of freedom.
Because this action concerns the expansion of a currently recognized
pest-free area in the Republic of South
[[Page 37000]]
Africa from which citrus fruit is authorized for importation into the
United States, our review of the information presented by the Republic
of South Africa in support of its request is examined in a commodity
import evaluation document (CIED) titled ``Recognition of Additional
Magisterial Districts as Citrus Black Spot Pest-Free Areas for the
Republic of South Africa.''
The CIED 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 CIED by calling or
writing to the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Therefore, in accordance with Sec. 319.56-5(c), we are announcing
the Administrator's determination that the magisterial districts of
Boshof, Fauresmith, Jacobsdal, Koffiefontein, and Philippolis in the
Free State Province; Christiania and Taung in the North West Province;
and Barkly-wes/west, Gordonia, Hay, Herbert, Hopetown, Kenhardt,
Kimberely, Namakwaland, and Prieska in the Northern Cape Province meet
the criteria of Sec. 319.56-5(a) and (b) with respect to freedom from
citrus black spot. After reviewing the comments we receive on this
notice, we will announce our decision regarding the status of these
areas with respect to their freedom from citrus black spot. If the
Administrator's determination remains unchanged, we will add these
areas in the Republic of South Africa to the list of pest-free areas.
Done in Washington, DC, this 21st day of July 2009.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E9-17794 Filed 7-24-09; 8:45 am]
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