[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 173 (Wednesday, September 8, 2010)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 54461-54462]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-22363]
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Rules and Regulations
Federal Register
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 173 / Wednesday, September 8, 2010 /
Rules and Regulations
[[Page 54461]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
7 CFR Part 301
[Docket No. APHIS-2010-0088]
Black Stem Rust; Additions of Rust-Resistant Varieties
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Direct final rule.
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SUMMARY: We are amending the black stem rust quarantine and regulations
by adding four varieties to the list of rust-resistant Berberis species
or cultivars in the regulations. This action will allow for the
interstate movement of these newly developed varieties without
unnecessary restrictions.
DATES: This rule will be effective on November 8, 2010, unless we
receive written adverse comments or written notice of intent to submit
adverse comments on or before October 8, 2010. If we receive written
adverse comments or written notice of intent to submit adverse
comments, we will publish a document in the Federal Register
withdrawing this rule before the effective date.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments or written notice of intent to
submit adverse comments by either of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to (http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2010-0088) 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-2010-0088, 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-2010-0088.
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. Prakash K. Hebbar, National
Program Manager, Black Stem/Barberry Rust Program, PPQ, APHIS, 4700
River Road Unit 26, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-5717.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Black stem rust is one of the most destructive plant diseases of
small grains that is known to exist in the United States. The disease
is caused by a fungus that reduces the quality and yield of infected
wheat, oat, barley, and rye crops. In addition to infecting small
grains, the fungus lives on a variety of alternate host plants that are
species of the genera Berberis, Mahoberberis, and Mahonia. The fungus
is spread from host to host by windborne spores.
The black stem rust quarantine and regulations, which are contained
in 7 CFR 301.38 through 301.38-8 (referred to below as the
regulations), quarantine the conterminous 48 States and the District of
Columbia and govern the interstate movement of certain plants of the
genera Berberis, Mahoberberis, and Mahonia, known as barberry plants.
The species of these plants are categorized as either rust-resistant or
rust-susceptible. Rust-resistant plants do not pose a risk of spreading
black stem rust or of contributing to the development of new races of
the rust; rust-susceptible plants do pose such risks. Section 301.38-2
of the regulations includes a listing of regulated articles and
indicates those species and varieties of the genera Berberis,
Mahoberberis, and Mahonia that are known to be rust-resistant. Although
rust-resistant species are included as regulated articles, they may be
moved into or through protected areas if accompanied by a certificate.
In accordance with the procedures described below under ``Dates,'' this
direct final rule will add the B. thunbergii cultivars `Velglozam'
(Velvet Glow\TM\), `Grhozam' (Green Hornet\TM\), `Pyruzam' (Pygmy
Ruby\TM\), and `24kagozam' (24 Karat Gold\TM\) to the list of rust-
resistant Berberis species in Sec. 301.38-2(a)(1).
The addition of those species is based on recent testing to
determine rust resistance conducted by the Agricultural Research
Service of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) at its
Cereal Rust Laboratory in St. Paul, MN. The testing is performed in the
following manner: In a greenhouse, the suspect plant or test subject is
placed under a screen with a control plant--a known rust-susceptible
species of Berberis, Mahoberberis, or Mahonia. Infected wheat stems, a
primary host of black stem rust, are placed on top of the screen. The
plants are moistened and maintained in 100 percent humidity. This
causes the spores to swell and fall on the plants lying under the
screen. The plants are then observed for 7 days at 20-80 percent
relative humidity. If the rust-susceptible plant shows signs of
infection after 7 days and the test plants do not, the test results
indicate that the test plants are rust-resistant. This test must be
performed 12 times, and all 12 tests must yield the same result before
USDA can make a determination as to whether the test plants are rust-
resistant.
The test may be conducted on 12 individual plants, or it may be
performed multiple times on fewer plants (e.g., six plants tested twice
or three plants tested four times). The tests must be performed on new
growth, just as the leaves are unfolding. Therefore, the tests are
usually conducted in the spring or fall, during the growing season. All
12 tests generally cannot be conducted on the same day because of the
plants' different growth stages. Based on over 30 years of experience
with this test, we believe that 12 is the reliable test sample size on
which USDA can make its determination. We do not know of any plant that
was subsequently discovered to be rust-susceptible after undergoing the
test procedure 12 times and being
[[Page 54462]]
determined by USDA to be rust-resistant.
Dates
We are publishing this rule without a prior proposal because we
view this action as noncontroversial and anticipate no adverse public
comment. This rule will be effective, as published in this document, on
November 8, 2010, unless we receive written adverse comments or written
notice of intent to submit adverse comments on or before October 8,
2010.
Adverse comments are comments that suggest the rule should not be
adopted or that suggest the rule should be changed.
If we receive written adverse comments or written notice of intent
to submit adverse comments, we will publish a document in the Federal
Register withdrawing this rule before the effective date. We will then
publish a proposed rule for public comment.
As discussed above, if we receive no written adverse comments or
written notice of intent to submit adverse comments within 30 days of
publication of this direct final rule, this direct final rule will
become effective 60 days following its publication. We will publish a
document in the Federal Register, before the effective date of this
direct final rule, confirming that it is effective on the date
indicated in this document.
Executive Order 12866 and Regulatory Flexibility Act
This rule is subject to Executive Order 12866. However, for this
action, the Office of Management and Budget has waived its review under
Executive Order 12866.
This analysis provides the basis, as required by the Regulatory
Flexibility Act, for certification by the APHIS Administrator that the
rule will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial
number of small entities.
This direct final rule will amend 7 CFR 301.38-2 by adding four
varieties to the list of rust-resistant Berberis species or cultivars.
The nursery and floriculture industries that may be affected by this
rule are largely composed of small entities. We expect these entities
to benefit from the rule, by being able to market interstate barberry
species and cultivars that have been determined to be rust-resistant.
The introduction and spread of plant pests can result in damage to
crops and losses to the U.S. agricultural sector. For the purpose of
this analysis and following the Small Business Administration (SBA)
guidelines, we note that a major segment of entities potentially
affected by this rule are classified within the following industries:
Nursery and Tree Production (NAICS 111421), and Floriculture Production
(NAICS 111422). According to the Census of Agriculture, these two
categories included 52,845 farms in 2007, and represented 3 percent of
all farms in the United States. These entities are considered small by
SBA standards if their annual sales are $750,000 or less. Over 93
percent of the farms in these industries had annual sales of less than
$500,000. Barberry plants are not one of the crops tracked by the
Census and therefore data on production and number of producers are not
available. Nurseries producing barberry plant species and cultivars
will not be negatively affected. In fact, they will benefit from being
able to market the four varieties interstate. In addition, the rule
does not require any additional reporting, recordkeeping, or other
compliance measures beyond what is already in place.
Under these circumstances, the Administrator of the Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service has determined that this action will
not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small
entities.
Executive Order 12372
This program/activity is listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance under No. 10.025 and is subject to Executive Order 12372,
which requires intergovernmental consultation with State and local
officials. (See 7 CFR part 3015, subpart V.)
Executive Order 12988
This rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12988, Civil
Justice Reform. This rule: (1) Preempts all State and local laws and
regulations that are inconsistent with this rule; (2) has no
retroactive effect; and (3) does not require administrative proceedings
before parties may file suit in court challenging this rule.
Paperwork Reduction Act
This rule contains no information collection or recordkeeping
requirements under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501
et seq.).
List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 301
Agricultural commodities, Plant diseases and pests, Quarantine,
Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Transportation.
0
Accordingly, 7 CFR part 301 is amended as follows:
PART 301--DOMESTIC QUARANTINE NOTICES
0
1. The authority citation for part 301 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 7701-7772 and 7781-7786; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80,
and 371.3.
Section 301.75-15 issued under Sec. 204, Title II, Public Law 106-
113, 113 Stat. 1501A-293; sections 301.75-15 and 301.75-16 issued under
Sec. 203, Title II, Public Law 106-224, 114 Stat. 400 (7 U.S.C. 1421
note).
0
2. In Sec. 301.38-2, paragraph (a)(1) is amended by adding, in
alphabetical order, four rust-resistant Berberis species to read as
follows.
Sec. 301.38-2 Regulated articles.
(a) * * *
(1) * * *
B. thunbergii `24kagozam' (24 Karat Gold\TM\)
* * * * *
B. thunbergii `Grhozam' (Green Hornet\TM\)
* * * * *
B. thunbergii `Pyruzam' (Pygmy Ruby\TM\)
* * * * *
B. thunbergii `Velglozam' (Velvet Glow\TM\)
* * * * *
Done in Washington, DC, this 1\st\ day of September 2010.
Gregory Parham
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-22363 Filed 9-7-10; 8:45 am]
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