[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 157 (Monday, August 17, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41368-41369]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-19643]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2009-0066]
Wood Packaging Material Used in Domestic Commerce; Pest
Mitigation Relating to Firewood Movement; Public Meetings
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of public meetings.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This is a notice to inform the public of four upcoming
meetings to discuss mitigation measures that could be applied to wood
packaging material (e.g., crates, dunnage, wooden spools, pallets,
packing blocks) used in domestic commerce to decrease the risk of the
artificial spread of plant pests such as the emerald ash borer and the
Asian longhorned beetle. These and other plant pests that could be
transported interstate by wood packaging material pose a serious threat
to U.S. agriculture and to natural, cultivated, and urban forests. We
will also be holding a meeting in order to solicit public comments and
ideas concerning potential strategies for mitigating the risk of
artificial spread of plant pests via the movement of firewood.
DATES: The meetings concerning wood packaging material will be held on
August 27, 2009, in Washington, DC; on September 2, 2009, in Portland,
OR; on September 15, 2009, in Houston, TX; and on September 29, 2009,
in Grand Rapids, MI. The meetings in each location will be held from 9
a.m. to noon. Registration will be from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. for each
meeting.
The meeting concerning the creation of a Federal firewood strategy
will be held on August 27, 2009, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in Washington,
DC. Registration will be from 12 noon to 1 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The public meetings regarding wood packaging material and
the creation of a Federal firewood strategy will be held in Washington,
DC. in the Jefferson Auditorium at the USDA South Building, 1400
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC. The remaining meetings
regarding wood packaging material will be held at the following
locations:
Portland, OR. The Embassy Suites Hotel, 319 SW Pine
Street, Portland, OR.
Houston, TX. The Crowne Plaza Houston I-10 West, 14703
Park Row, Houston, TX.
Grand Rapids, MI. The Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, 187 Monroe
Avenue, NW., Grand Rapids, MI.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Paul Chaloux, National Emerald Ash
Borer Program Manager, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 137, Riverdale,
MD 20737-1236; (301) 734-0917.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Domestic Wood Packaging Material Public Meetings
As part of its ongoing efforts to safeguard plant health, the U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA) is considering options for
strengthening our response to the risks of the artificial spread of
plant pests such as the pine shoot beetle Tomicus piniperda
(Scolytidae) and the Asian longhorned beetle Anaplophora glabripennis
(Cerambycidae) that are associated with the interstate movement of wood
packaging material (WPM).
In order to provide individuals and organizations an opportunity to
discuss options for strengthening our response to the risks associated
with the interstate movement of WPM, the potential impacts of increased
use of alternative packaging materials, the environmental issues
relating to these options, and any other topics of concern, we plan to
hold several public meetings. Our goal is to gather feedback and input
from a wide range of stakeholders to assist us in making an informed
decision regarding our objectives and direction in relation to the
interstate movement of WPM. Topics for discussion at each meeting will
include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following:
Pest risks. What is the magnitude of the pest risks
associated with WPM moving interstate? What treatments or other
measures would be effective in reducing pest risks associated with WPM
moving interstate and to what degree would these risks be reduced by
these approaches?
Compliance. Would responsibility lie with the
manufacturer, end user, shipper, or elsewhere for ensuring that WPM
meets any standards that might be developed? How could APHIS best
monitor compliance with any such standards? If treatment of some kind
were required for all WPM moving interstate, would a phase-in period be
required, and if so, how long should this period last?
Alternative materials. To what extent could alternative
packing materials (processed wood packaging materials, plastic packing
materials, or other alternatives) be substituted for WPM in interstate
commerce? What would the environmental, economic, and other impacts be
of any such substitution?
Environmental impacts. What would the environmental
impacts be if treatment or other measures were required for WPM moving
interstate?
Cost. What would the economic impacts be if treatment or
other measures were required for WPM moving interstate?
Federal Firewood Strategy Public Meeting
In addition, we are seeking suggestions from the public regarding
the creation of a Federal firewood strategy in order to better mitigate
the pest risks associated with the movement of firewood within the
United States. Specifically, we are seeking any potential strategies
that may be used to
[[Page 41369]]
control the movement of invasive plant pests via the movement of
firewood. There are many potential approaches to addressing this issue,
including voluntary, regulatory, and outreach-based programs.
On-site registration will begin at 8 a.m. on the day of each
meeting concerning wood packaging material and at noon for the meeting
concerning Federal firewood strategy. All participants must register on
the day of the meeting. If you require special accommodations, such as
a sign language interpreter, or if you have any questions regarding the
meetings, please call or write the person listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT.
Persons attending the August 27, 2009, meetings in Washington, DC,
will be required to sign in at the entrance to the USDA South Building
located at 14th Street and Independence Avenue, entering through Wing
7. Photo identification is required to gain access to the building. The
nearest Metro station is the Smithsonian station on the Blue/Orange
Lines, which is within walking distance.
Done in Washington, DC, this 11th day of August 2009.
William H. Clay,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E9-19643 Filed 8-14-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P