[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 155 (Thursday, August 11, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49725-49726]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-20411]
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Notices
Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 155 / Thursday, August 11, 2011 /
Notices
[[Page 49725]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2011-0013]
Notice of Decision To Authorize the Importation of Fresh Papaya
Fruit From Malaysia 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 authorize the
importation into the continental United States of fresh papaya fruit
from Malaysia. 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 fresh papaya fruit from Malaysia.
DATES: Effective Date: August 11, 2011.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Phillip B. Grove, Regulatory
Coordinator, Regulatory Coordination and Compliance, PPQ, APHIS, 4700
River Road Unit 156, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 734-6280.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Under the regulations in ``Subpart--Fruits and Vegetables'' (7 CFR
319.56-1 through 319.56-51, 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 spreading
within the United States. Under that process, APHIS may publish a
notice in the Federal Register announcing the availability of a 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 authorize the importation of the fruit or
vegetable subject to the risk-mitigation measures identified in the
pest risk analysis 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 March 15, 2011 (76 FR 13972, Docket No. APHIS-2011-
0013), in which we announced the availability, for review and comment,
of a pest risk analysis evaluating the risks associated with the
importation into the continental United States of fresh papaya fruit
(Carica papaya) from Malaysia. The pest risk analysis consisted of a
pest list identifying pests of quarantine significance that are present
in Malaysia and could follow the pathway of importation of papaya into
the United States and a risk management document (RMD) identifying
phytosanitary measures to be applied to Malaysian papaya to mitigate
the pest risk. We solicited comments on the notice for 60 days ending
on May 16, 2011. We received one comment by that date, from a State
Department of Agriculture. The commenter requested that shipments of
papaya not be allowed entry into the commenter's State until the
effectiveness of the phytosanitary measures listed in the pest risk
analysis had been demonstrated through use on products imported into
lower-risk States.
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\1\ To view the notice and the pest risk analysis, go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2011-0013.
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We have determined, for the reasons described in the RMD that
accompanied the March 2011 notice, that the measures specified in the
RMD will effectively mitigate the risk associated with the importation
of fresh papaya fruit from Malaysia. The commenter did not provide any
evidence suggesting that the mitigations are not effective. Therefore,
we are not taking the action requested by the commenter.
Therefore, in accordance with the regulations in Sec. 319.56-
4(c)(2)(ii), we are announcing our decision to authorize the
importation into the continental United States of fresh papaya fruit
from Malaysia subject to the following phytosanitary measures:
The fruit must be imported into the United States as a
commercial consignment.
The fruit must be irradiated in accordance with the
requirements of 7 CFR part 305 with a minimum absorbed dose of 400 Gy.
If irradiation is applied outside the United States, each
consignment of fruit must be precleared by APHIS inspectors in
Malaysia. Each shipment must be inspected jointly by APHIS and
Malaysian inspectors and accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate
issued by the national plant protection organization (NPPO) of Malaysia
certifying that the fruit received the required irradiation treatment.
If irradiation is to be applied upon arrival in the United
States, each consignment of fruit must be inspected by Malaysian
inspectors prior to departure and accompanied by a phytosanitary
certificate issued by the NPPO of Malaysia.
Each consignment is subject to inspection at the U.S. port
of entry.
These conditions will be listed in the Fruits and Vegetables Import
Requirements database (available at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/favir).
In addition to these specific measures, fresh papaya fruit from
Malaysia will be subject to the general requirements listed in Sec.
319.56-3 that are applicable to the importation of all fruits and
vegetables. Further, for fruits and vegetables requiring treatment as a
condition of entry, the phytosanitary treatment regulations in 7 CFR
part 305 contain administrative and procedural requirements that must
be observed in connection with the application and certification of
specific treatments.
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.
[[Page 49726]]
Done in Washington, DC, this 5th day of August 2011.
Gregory L. Parham,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-20411 Filed 8-10-11; 8:45 am]
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