[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 105 (Wednesday, June 1, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31577-31578]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-13503]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2011-0039]
Notice of Availability of a Pest Risk Analysis for the
Importation of Fresh Apricot, Sweet Cherry, and Plumcot Fruit From
South Africa 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 that we have prepared a pest risk
analysis that evaluates the risks associated with the importation into
the continental United States of fresh apricot, sweet cherry, and
plumcot fruit from South Africa. Based on our analysis, we have
concluded that the application of one or more designated phytosanitary
measures will be sufficient to mitigate the risks of introducing or
disseminating plant pests via the importation of those commodities from
South Africa. We are making the pest risk analysis available to the
public for review and comment. Based on the results of our analysis, we
also determined that it is necessary to revise a treatment schedule in
the Plant Protection and Quarantine Treatment Manual.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before
August 1, 2011.
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-2011-0039 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-2011-0039, 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-2011-0039.
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. Dorothy C. Wayson, Senior
Regulatory Coordination Specialist, Regulations, Permits, and Manuals,
PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 141, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 734-
0772.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
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 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.
APHIS received a request from the Government of South Africa to
allow the importation of fresh apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.), sweet
cherry (Prunus avium (L.) L., and plumcot (Prunus domestica x Prunus
armeniaca) fruit from South Africa into the continental United States.
APHIS completed a risk assessment to identify pests of quarantine
significance that could follow the pathway of importation of those
stone fruits. Based on that risk assessment, APHIS completed a risk
management document identifying phytosanitary measures that could be
applied to mitigate the possible pest risks. We have concluded that
fresh apricot, sweet cherry, and plumcot fruit can be imported safely
into the continental United States from South
[[Page 31578]]
Africa using one or more of the five designated phytosanitary measures
listed in Sec. 319.56-4(b). The specific measures that we would
require for apricot, sweet cherry, and plumcot fruit imported from
South Africa are as follows:
The fruit must be imported as a commercial consignment, as
defined in Sec. 319.56-2.
Each consignment of fruit must be accompanied by a
phytosanitary certificate issued by the national plant protection
organization of South Africa. For apricots and plumcots only, the
phytosanitary certificate must include an additional declaration
stating that the fruit was inspected and found free of cinch bug
(Macchiademus diplopterus).
Apricots and plumcots must be cold treated for fruit flies
(Ceratitis spp.) and false codling moth (Thaumatotibia leucotreta) in
accordance with 7 CFR part 305.
Sweet cherries must be cold treated for the Mediterranean
fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) in accordance with 7 CFR part 305.
Each consignment of fruit is subject to inspection upon
arrival in the United States.
Therefore, in accordance with Sec. 319.56-4(c), we are announcing
the availability of our pest risk analysis for public review and
comment.
Based on the findings detailed in our risk management document, we
are also updating the Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) Treatment
Manual.\1\ As noted above, apricots, sweet cherries, and plumcots
imported into the continental United States from South Africa would be
required to undergo cold treatment in accordance with 7 CFR part 305.
In Sec. 305.2, paragraph (b) states that approved treatment schedules
are set out in the PPQ Treatment Manual. Section 305.3 sets out a
process for adding, revising, or removing treatment schedules in the
PPQ Treatment Manual. In that section, paragraph (a) sets out the
process for adding, revising, or removing treatment schedules when
there is no immediate need to make a change. The circumstances in which
an immediate need exists are described in Sec. 305.3(b)(1).
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\1\ The Treatment Manual is available on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/manuals/index.shtml or by
contacting the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant
Protection and Quarantine, Manuals Unit, 92 Thomas Johnson Drive,
Suite 200, Frederick, MD 21702.
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In accordance with Sec. 305.3(a)(1), we are providing notice that
we have determined that it is necessary to revise treatment schedule
T107-e, which provides a cold treatment schedule intended to prevent
the spread of false codling moth and Natal fruit fly (Ceratitis rosa)
via the interstate movement or importation of apricot, grape,
nectarine, peach, and plum fruit. Our risk management document states
that apricots and plumcots must be treated for false codling moth and
Natal fruit fly, as well as the Mediterranean fruit fly and the Bezzi
fruit fly (Ceratitis quinaria), using treatment schedule T107-e. The
risk management document further states that although T107-e is not
specifically approved for the Mediterranean or the Bezzi fruit fly,
APHIS considers it to be an adequate treatment for both because it is
more stringent than any other cold treatment approved for fruit flies.
Moreover, although the hybrid plumcot is not listed among commodities
that this treatment is approved for, its parent fruits, plum and
apricot, are. APHIS has concluded, therefore, that plumcots can be
effectively treated in accordance with T107-e to protect against the
spread of false codling moth and of other species of fruit fly in
addition to Natal fruit fly. Therefore, we have determined that
treatment schedule T107-e can include plumcots among the commodities to
which the treatment may be applied and the Mediterranean and the Bezzi
fruit fly among the pests it is intended to eliminate.
The pest risk analysis may be viewed on the Regulations.gov Web
site or in our reading room (see ADDRESSES above for a link to
Regulations.gov and information on the location and hours of the
reading room). You may request paper copies of the pest risk analysis
by calling or writing to the person listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT. Please refer to the subject of the pest risk
analysis you wish to review when requesting copies.
After reviewing any comments we receive, we will announce our
decision regarding the import status of fresh apricot, sweet cherry,
and plumcot fruit from South Africa and the change to the PPQ Treatment
Manual. If the overall conclusions of the analysis and the
Administrator's determination of risk remain unchanged following our
consideration of the comments, then we will authorize the importation
of fresh apricot, sweet cherry, and plumcot fruit from South Africa
into the continental United States, subject to the requirements
specified in the risk management document. We will also issue a new
version of the PPQ Treatment Manual incorporating the changes to
treatment schedule T107-e discussed above.
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 25th day of May 2011.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-13503 Filed 5-31-11; 8:45 am]
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