[Federal Register: April 1, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 62)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 16691-16693]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr01ap05-1]
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Rules and Regulations
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
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to and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, which is published
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[[Page 16691]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
7 CFR Part 354
9 CFR Part 97
[Docket No. 04-108-1]
Commuted Traveltime
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: We are amending the regulations concerning overtime services
provided by employees of the Agency's Plant Protection and Quarantine
(PPQ) and Veterinary Services (VS) programs by adding or amending
commuted traveltime allowances for travel between certain locations in
Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico. Commuted traveltime allowances are the
periods of time required for PPQ or VS employees to travel from their
dispatch points and return there from the places where they perform
Sunday, holiday, or other overtime duty. The Government charges a fee
for certain overtime services provided by PPQ and VS employees and,
under certain circumstances, the fee may include the cost of commuted
traveltime. This action is necessary to inform the public of commuted
traveltime for these locations.
DATES: Effective April 1, 2005.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information regarding Plant
Protection and Quarantine programs, contact Mr. Michael J. Caporaletti,
Program Analyst, Quarantine Policy, Analysis and Support, PPQ, APHIS,
4700 River Road Unit 120, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238; (301) 734-5781. For
information regarding Veterinary Services programs, contact Ms. Inez D.
Hockaday, Director, Management Support Staff, VS, APHIS, 4700 River
Road Unit 44, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-7517.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The regulations in 7 CFR, chapter III, and 9 CFR, chapter I,
subchapter D, require inspection, laboratory testing, certification, or
quarantine of certain plants, plant products, animals, animal products,
or other commodities intended for importation into, or exportation
from, the United States.
When these services must be provided by an employee of the Animal
and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) on a Sunday or holiday, or
at any other time outside the employee's regular duty hours, the
Government charges a fee for the services in accordance with 7 CFR part
354 (for services provided by an employee of APHIS' Plant Protection
and Quarantine [PPQ] program) and 9 CFR part 97 (for services provided
by an employee of APHIS' Veterinary Services [VS] program). Under
circumstances described in 7 CFR 354.1(a)(2) and 9 CFR 97.1(a), this
fee may include the cost of commuted traveltime. The regulations in 7
CFR 354.2 and 9 CFR 97.2 contain administrative instructions
prescribing commuted traveltime allowances, which reflect, as nearly as
practicable, the periods of time required for PPQ and VS employees to
travel from their dispatch points and return there from the places
where they perform Sunday, holiday, or other overtime duty.
We are amending 7 CFR 354.2 and 9 CFR 97.2 by adding commuted
traveltime allowances for travel between certain locations in Texas,
New Mexico, and Mexico. The new allowances are set forth in the rule
portion of this document. In 9 CFR 97.2, we are also increasing the
commuted traveltime allowance from 1 to 2 hours for Dallas-Fort Worth
International Airport served from Fort Worth or Dallas, TX, within the
metro area, and removing the commuted traveltime allowance for Dallas-
Fort Worth International Airport served from Fort Worth or Dallas
outside the metro area. This action is necessary to inform the public
of the commuted traveltime between the dispatch and service locations.
We are also amending the table in 7 CFR 354.2 to change the entry
for ``Dallas-Fort Worth Regional Airport'' to ``Dallas-Fort Worth
International Airport.'' The corresponding entry in 9 CFR 97.2 has
already been updated to reflect the change in the airport's name.
Effective Date
The commuted traveltime allowances appropriate for employees
performing services at ports of entry, and the features of the
reimbursement plan for recovering the cost of furnishing port of entry
services, depend upon facts within the knowledge of the Department of
Agriculture. It does not appear that public participation in this
rulemaking would make additional relevant information available to the
Department.
Accordingly, pursuant to the administrative procedure provisions in
5 U.S.C. 553, we find upon good cause that prior notice and other
public procedure with respect to this rule are impracticable and
unnecessary; we also find good cause for making this rule effective
less than 30 days after publication of this document in the Federal
Register.
Executive Order 12866 and Regulatory Flexibility Act
This rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12866. For this
action, the Office of Management and Budget has waived its review under
Executive Order 12866.
The number of requests for overtime services of a PPQ or VS
employee at the locations affected by this rule represents an
insignificant portion of the total number of requests for these
services in the United States.
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 12988
This final rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12988,
Civil Justice Reform. This rule is intended to have preemptive effect
with respect to any State or local laws, regulations, or policies that
conflict with its provisions or that would otherwise impede its full
implementation. This rule is not intended to have retroactive effect.
There are no administrative procedures that must be exhausted prior to
any judicial challenge to the provisions of this rule or the
application of its provisions.
[[Page 16692]]
Paperwork Reduction Act
This final rule contains no new information collection or
recordkeeping requirements under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).
List of Subjects
7 CFR Part 354
Exports, Government employees, Imports, Plant diseases and pests,
Quarantine, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Travel and
transportation expenses.
9 CFR Part 97
Exports, Government employees, Imports, Livestock, Poultry and
poultry products, Travel and transportation expenses.
0
Accordingly, we are amending 7 CFR part 354 and 9 CFR part 97 as
follows:
Title 7--(Amended)
PART 354--OVERTIME SERVICES RELATING TO IMPORTS AND EXPORTS; AND
USER FEES
0
1. The authority citation for part 354 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 7701-7772 and 8301-8317; 21 U.S.C. 136 and
136a; 49 U.S.C. 80503; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.3.
0
2. In Sec. 354.2, the table is amended as follows:
0
a. Under Mexico, by adding, in alphabetical order, the entries set
forth below.
0
b. Under Texas, by removing the word ``Regional'' each time it appears
and adding the word ``International'' in its place, and by adding, in
alphabetical order, the entries set forth below.
354.2 Administrative instructions prescribing commuted traveltime.
* * * * *
Commuted Traveltime Allowances
[In hours]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Metropolitan area
Location covered Served from-- ---------------------
Within Outside
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* * * * * * *
Mexico:
* * * * * * *
Ciudad Acuna............... Eagle Pass, TX... ......... 3
Ciudad Acuna............... Laredo, TX....... ......... 6
Ciudad Acuna............... Pleasanton, TX... ......... 6
* * * * * * *
Nuevo Laredo............... Del Rio, TX...... ......... 4
Nuevo Laredo............... Eagle Pass, TX... ......... 5
* * * * * * *
Nuevo Laredo............... Pharr, TX........ ......... 6
Nuevo Laredo............... Pleasanton, TX... ......... 5
* * * * * * *
Ojinaga.................... El Paso, TX...... ......... 6
* * * * * * *
Piedras Negras............. Laredo, TX....... ......... 5
Piedras Negras............. Pharr, TX........ ......... 10
Piedras Niegros............ Pleasanton, TX... ......... 5
Reynosa Eagle.............. Pass, TX......... ......... 12
* * * * * * *
Reynosa.................... Laredo, TX....... ......... 5
Reynosa.................... Mission, TX...... ......... 1
Reynosa.................... Pharr, TX........ ......... 1
San Jeronimo............... Presidio, TX..... ......... 6
San Jeronimo............... Santa Theresa, NM ......... 1
* * * * * * *
Texas:
* * * * * * *
Dallas-Fort Worth Decatur.......... ......... 2
International Airport.
* * * * * * *
Houston (including Houston Bellville........ ......... 4
Intercontinental Airport).
Houston (including Houston Bryan............ ......... 4
Intercontinental Airport).
Houston (including Houston Georgetown....... ......... 8
Intercontinental Airport).
Houston (including Houston Pleasanton....... ......... 8
Intercontinental Airport).
* * * * * * *
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[[Page 16693]]
Title 9--(Amended)
PART 97--OVERTIME SERVICES RELATING TO IMPORTS AND EXPORTS
0
3. The authority citation for part 97 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 8301-8317; 49 U.S.C. 80503; 7 CFR 2.22, 280,
and 371.4.
0
4. In Sec. 97.2, the table is amended as follows:
0
a. Under Mexico, by revising the entries for Ciudad Acuna, Nuevo
Laredo, Ojinaga, Piedras Negras, Reynosa (Pharr International Bridge),
and San Jeronimo to read as set forth below.
0
b. Under Texas, by revising the entries for Dallas-Forth Worth
International Airport and Houston (including Houston Intercontinental
Airport) to read as set forth below.
Sec. 97.2 Administrative instructions prescribing commuted
traveltime.
* * * * *
Communted Traveltime Allowances
[In hours]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Metropolitan area
Location covered Served from-- ---------------------
Within Outside
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* * * * * * *
Mexico:
Ciudad Acuna............... Del Rio, TX...... ......... 1\1/2\
Do..................... Eagle Pass, TX... ......... 3
Do..................... Laredo, TX....... ......... 6
Do..................... Pleasanton, TX... ......... 6
* * * * * * *
Nuevo Laredo............... Del Rio, TX...... ......... 4
Do..................... Eagle Pass, TX... ......... 5
Do..................... Laredo, TX....... ......... 1\1/2\
Do..................... Pharr, TX........ ......... 6
Do..................... Pleasanton, TX... ......... 5
Ojinaga.................... El Paso, TX...... ......... 6
Do..................... Presidio, TX..... ......... 1
Piedras Negras............. Eagle Pass, TX... ......... 1
Do..................... Laredo, TX....... ......... 5
Do..................... Pharr, TX........ ......... 10
Do..................... Pleasanton, TX... ......... 5
Reynosa (Pharr Eagle Pass, TX... ......... 12
International Bridge).
Do..................... Hidalgo, TX...... ......... 1
Do..................... Laredo, TX....... ......... 5
Do..................... Mission, TX...... ......... 1
Do..................... Pharr, TX........ ......... 1
San Jeronimo............... El Paso, TX...... ......... 2
Do..................... Presidio, TX..... ......... 6
Do..................... Santa Theresa, NM ......... 1
* * * * * * *
Texas:
Dallas-Forth Worth Decatur.......... ......... 2
International Airport.
Do..................... Ft. Worth or ......... 2
Dallas.
* * * * * * *
Houston (including Houston ................. ......... 2
Intercontinental Airport).
Do..................... Bellville, TX.... ......... 4
Do..................... Bryan, TX........ ......... 4
Do..................... Georgetown, TX... ......... 8
Do..................... Pleasanton, TX... ......... 8
* * * * * * *
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Done in Washington, DC, this 28th day of March, 2005.
Elizabeth E. Gaston,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 05-6458 Filed 3-31-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P