[Federal Register: November 22, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 225)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 67436]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22no06-3]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
7 CFR Parts 319 and 354
[Docket No. APHIS-2006-0096]
Agricultural Inspection and AQI User Fees Along the U.S./Canada
Border; Delay of Effective Date
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Interim rule; delay of effective date.
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SUMMARY: We recently published an interim rule amending the foreign
quarantine and user fee regulations by removing the exemptions from
inspection for imported fruits and vegetables grown in Canada and the
exemptions from user fees for commercial vessels, commercial trucks,
commercial railroad cars, commercial aircraft, and international air
passengers entering the United States from Canada. That interim rule
had an effective date of November 24, 2006. We are delaying the
effective date of the removal of the user fee exemption for
international air passengers until January 1, 2007, and the effective
date for the remaining provisions of the rule, including the removal of
the exemption from user fees for commercial vessels, commercial trucks,
commercial railroad cars, and commercial aircraft entering the United
States from Canada, until March 1, 2007. We are making these changes to
allow additional time for affected entities to make necessary
preparations to comply with the inspection and collection procedures
that we will be instituting as a result of the interim rule.
DATES: The effective date for the interim rule amending 7 CFR parts 319
and 354, published at 71 FR 50320, August 25, 2006, is delayed until
March 1, 2007, except for the rule's amendments to paragraphs (f)(2)
and (f)(3) of 7 CFR 354.3, which are delayed until January 1, 2007.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Alan S. Green, Executive Director,
Plant Health Programs, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 36, Riverdale,
MD 20737; (301) 734-8261.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The regulations in 7 CFR part 319 prohibit or restrict the
importation of certain plants and plant products into the United States
to prevent the introduction of plant pests. Similarly, the regulations
in 9 CFR subchapter D prohibit or restrict the importation of certain
animals and animal products into the United States to prevent the
introduction of pests or diseases of livestock. The regulations in 7
CFR part 354 provide rates and requirements for overtime services
relating to imports and exports and for user fees.
On August 25, 2006, we published an interim rule in the Federal
Register (71 FR 50320-50328) amending the regulations in 7 CFR parts
319 and 354 by removing the exemptions from inspection for imported
fruits and vegetables grown in Canada and the exemptions from user fees
for commercial vessels, commercial trucks, commercial railroad cars,
commercial aircraft, and international air passengers entering the
United States from Canada. As a result of this action, all agricultural
products imported from Canada were to be subject to inspection, and
commercial conveyances, as well as airline passengers arriving on
flights from Canada, were to be subject to inspection and user fees.
The interim rule had an effective date of November 24, 2006.
Delay in Effective Date
We recently received comments from industry representatives and the
Government of Canada expressing concern about the possible impact of
the rule on affected entities and questioning whether the November 2006
effective date allowed adequate time for those entities to prepare to
comply with the new inspection and collection procedures that we would
be instituting in order to enforce the interim rule. A delay of the
effective date was requested. After evaluating the comments, we have
elected to delay the effective date of the interim rule. We are
delaying the effective date of the removal of the user fee exemption
for international air passengers until January 1, 2007, and the
effective date for the remaining provisions of the rule, including the
removal of the exemption from user fees for commercial vessels,
commercial trucks, commercial railroad cars, and commercial aircraft
entering the United States from Canada, until March 1, 2007.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 450, 7701-7772, 7781-7786, and 8301-8317; 21
U.S.C. 136 and 136a; 49 U.S.C. 80503; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.3.
Done in Washington, DC, this 16th day of November 2006.
W. Ron DeHaven,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E6-19787 Filed 11-21-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P