[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 122 (Friday, June 25, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36347-36348]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-15455]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2010-0032]
Determination of Pest-Free Areas in Mendoza Province, Argentina;
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 Argentina to recognize additional areas as pest-
free areas for Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) in
Argentina. 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 that we receive on or before
August 24, 2010.
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
-2010-0032) to submit or view comments and to view supporting and
related materials available electronically.
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send one copy of
your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2010-0032, Regulatory Analysis and
Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118,
Riverdale, MD
[[Page 36348]]
20737-1238. Please state that your comment refers to Docket No. APHIS-
2010-0032.
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: Ms. Meredith C. Jones, Regulatory
Coordination Specialist, Regulatory Coordination and Compliance, APHIS,
4700 River Road Unit 156, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 734-7467.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Under the regulations in ``Subpart-Fruits and Vegetables'' (7 CFR
319.56-1 through 319.56-50, 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.
APHIS has received a request from the Government of Argentina to
recognize an additional area of that country as being free of Ceratitis
capitata, Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly).\1\ Specifically, the
Government of Argentina asked that we recognize the Southern and
Central Oases in the southern half of Mendoza Province as an area that
is free of Medfly.
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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/plants/manuals/ports/downloads/DesignatedPestFreeAreas.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 Argentina 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
Argentina from which fruits and vegetables are authorized for
importation into the United States, our review of the information
presented by Argentina in support of its request is examined in a
commodity import evaluation document (CIED) titled ``Recognition of
additional Provinces as Medfly Pest-Free Areas (PFA) for Argentina.''
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 Southern and Central Oases
in the southern half of Mendoza Province meet the criteria of Sec.
319.56-5(a) and (b) with respect to freedom from Medfly. After
reviewing the comments we receive on this notice, we will announce our
decision regarding the status of this area with respect to their
freedom from Medfly. If the Administrator's determination remains
unchanged, we will amend the list of pest-free areas to list Southern
and Central Oases of the Mendoza Province of Argentina as free of
Medfly.
Done in Washington, DC, this 21\st\ day of June 2010.
Kevin Shea
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-15455 Filed 6-24-10; 8:45 pm]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-S