[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 75 (Thursday, April 18, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23208-23209]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-09146]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2012-0053]
Importation of Fresh Oranges and Tangerines From Egypt Into the
United States
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that we have prepared a pest list
associated with oranges and tangerines from Egypt that identifies pests
of concern. Subsequently, we prepared a commodity import evaluation
document to determine the risk posed by peach fruit fly in oranges and
tangerines from Egypt. Based on that evaluation, we have concluded that
the application of one or more designated phytosanitary measures will
be sufficient to mitigate the pest risk. In addition, we are advising
the public that we have prepared a treatment evaluation document that
describes a new treatment schedule that can be used to neutralize peach
fruit fly and Mediterranean fruit fly in oranges and tangerines. We are
making the pest list, commodity import evaluation document, and
treatment evaluation document available to the public for review and
comment.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before June
17, 2013.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2012-0053-0001.
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to
Docket No. APHIS-2012-0053, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD,
APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1238.
Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may
be viewed at http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2012-
0053 or in our reading room, which 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) 799-7039 before coming.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Tony Rom[agrave]n, Import
Specialist, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 156, Riverdale, MD 20737;
(301) 851-2242.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Under the regulations in ``Subpart-Fruits and Vegetables'' (7 CFR
319.56-1 through 319.56-58), the Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service (APHIS) prohibits or restricts the importation of fruits and
vegetables into the United States from certain parts of the world to
prevent the introduction and dissemination of plant pests that are new
to or not widely distributed 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.
Oranges (Citrus sinensis) from Egypt were approved to be imported
into the United States in 1969, subject to cold treatment for
Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata); however, imports of
oranges from Egypt were suspended in July 2002 due to the establishment
of peach fruit fly (Bactrocera zonata), which is also a pest of citrus
in Egypt. Currently, the importation of fresh oranges and tangerines
(Citris reticulata) from Egypt is not authorized. We received a request
from the national plant protection organization (NPPO) of Egypt to
consider the use of cold treatment to mitigate for peach fruit fly in
oranges and tangerines (including mandarins and clementines) based on
new treatment data the NPPO developed. We determined that cold
treatment can be effective for this pest.
Because of the time that had passed since importation of oranges
from Egypt was suspended, APHIS prepared a pest list to identify pests
of quarantine significance that could follow the pathway of importation
of oranges and tangerines from Egypt. Based on the pest list, we then
completed a commodity import evaluation document (CIED) to identify
phytosanitary measures that could be applied to mitigate the risks of
introducing or disseminating the identified pests via the importation
of
[[Page 23209]]
oranges and tangerines from Egypt. We have concluded that fresh oranges
and tangerines can safely be imported into the United States from Egypt
using one or more of the five designated phytosanitary measures listed
in Sec. 319.56-4(b). These measures are:
The oranges and tangerines must be treated in accordance
with 7 CFR part 305 for C. capitata and B. zonata; and
The oranges and tangerines must be accompanied by a
phytosanitary certificate issued by the NPPO of Egypt stating that the
consignment has begun or has undergone treatment for C. capitata and B.
zonata in accordance with 7 CFR part 305, with an additional
declaration stating that the fruit in the consignment was inspected and
found free of B. zonata.
Therefore, in accordance with Sec. 319.56-4(c), we are announcing
the availability of our pest list and CIED for public review and
comment. The pest list and 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 also request paper copies of the pest
list and CIED by calling or writing to the person listed under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
After reviewing any comments we receive, we will announce our
decision regarding the import status of fresh oranges and tangerines
from Egypt in a subsequent notice. 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 oranges and tangerines from Egypt into the United
States subject to the requirements specified in the CIED.
New Treatment
The phytosanitary treatments regulations contained in part 305 of 7
CFR chapter III set out standards for treatments required in parts 301,
318, and 319 of 7 CFR chapter III for fruits, vegetables, and other
articles.
In Sec. 305.2, paragraph (b) states that approved treatment
schedules are set out in the Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ)
Treatment Manual.\1\ 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.
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\1\ The Treatment Manual is available on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/manuals/ports/downloads/treatment.pdf 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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The PPQ Treatment Manual does not currently provide a treatment
schedule for B. zonata in oranges and tangerines. In accordance with
Sec. 305.3(a)(1), we are providing notice of a new cold treatment
schedule T107-l that we have determined is effective against B. zonata
in oranges and tangerines.
In addition to B. zonata, C. capitata (Medfly) is another pest of
concern in oranges originating from Egypt. The new cold treatment
schedule T107-l is more stringent than the old treatment schedule
approved for C. capitata in oranges and tangerines, T107-a, and
therefore we have determined that the new cold treatment schedule is
also adequate to mitigate risks from C. capitata.
The reasons for these determinations are described in a treatment
evaluation document (TED) we have prepared to support this action. The
TED may be viewed on the Regulations.gov Web site or in our reading
room. You may also request paper copies of the TED by calling or
writing to the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
After reviewing the comments we receive, we will announce our
decision regarding the changes to the PPQ Treatment Manual that are
described in the TED in a subsequent notice. If our determination that
it is necessary to add new treatment schedule T107-1 remains unchanged
following our consideration of the comments, then we will make
available a new version of the PPQ Treatment Manual that reflects the
addition of T107-l.
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 15th day of April 2013.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-09146 Filed 4-17-13; 8:45 am]
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