[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 16 (Tuesday, January 25, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4278-4279]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-1509]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2010-0114]
Notice of Availability of Pest Risk Analyses for the Importation
of Fresh Edible Flowers of Izote, Immature Inflorescences of Pacaya,
Immature Inflorescences of Chufle, and Fresh Leaves of Chipilin From El
Salvador Into the Continental United States
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that we have prepared pest risk
analyses that evaluate the risks associated with the importation into
the continental United States of fresh edible flowers of izote,
immature inflorescences of pacaya, immature inflorescences of chufle,
and fresh leaves of chipilin from El Salvador. Based on those analyses,
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
edible flowers of izote, immature inflorescences of pacaya, immature
inflorescences of chufle, and fresh leaves of chipilin from El
Salvador. We are making the pest risk analyses available to the public
for review and comment.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before March
28, 2011.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2010-0114 to submit or view comments and
to view supporting and related materials available electronically.
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send one copy of
your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2010-0114, Regulatory Analysis and
Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118,
Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state that your comment refers to
Docket No. APHIS-2010-0114.
Reading Room: You may read any comments that we receive on this
[[Page 4279]]
docket in our reading room. The reading room 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) 690-2817 before coming.
Other Information: Additional information about APHIS and its
programs is available on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Phillip B. Grove, Regulatory
Coordinator, Regulatory Coordination and Compliance, PPQ, APHIS, 4700
River Road Unit 156, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 734-6280.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Under the regulations in ``Subpart--Fruits and Vegetables'' (7 CFR
319.56-1 through 319.56-50, 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 spread
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. These measures are:
The fruits or vegetables are subject to inspection upon
arrival in the United States and comply with all applicable provisions
of Sec. 319.56-3;
The fruits or vegetables are imported from a pest-free
area in the country of origin that meets the requirements of Sec.
319.56-5 for freedom from that pest and are accompanied by a
phytosanitary certificate stating that the fruits or vegetables
originated in a pest-free area in the country of origin;
The fruits or vegetables are treated in accordance with 7
CFR part 305;
The fruits or vegetables are inspected in the country of
origin by an inspector or an official of the national plant protection
organization of the exporting country, and have been found free of one
or more specific quarantine pests identified by the risk assessment as
likely to follow the import pathway; and/or
The fruits or vegetables are a commercial consignment.
APHIS received a request from the Government of El Salvador to
allow the importation of edible fresh flowers of izote (Yucca
guatemalensis Baker), immature inflorescences of pacaya (Chamaedorea
tepejilote Liem.), immature inflorescences of chufle (Calathea
macrosepala K. Schumm), and fresh leaves of Chipilin (Crotalaria
longirostrata Hook and Arn.) from El Salvador into the continental
United States. We have completed four pest risk assessments to identify
pests of quarantine significance that could follow the pathway of
importation into the United States and, based on those pest risk
assessments, have prepared three risk management documents to identify
phytosanitary measures that could be applied to fresh edible flowers of
izote, immature inflorescences of pacaya, immature inflorescences of
chufle, and fresh leaves of chipilin to mitigate the pest risk. We have
concluded that fresh edible flowers of izote, immature inflorescences
of pacaya, immature inflorescences of chufle, and fresh leaves of
chipilin can be safely imported into the continental United States from
El Salvador using one or more of the five designated phytosanitary
measures listed in Sec. 319.56-4(b). Therefore, in accordance with
Sec. 319.56-4(c), we are announcing the availability of our pest risk
analyses for public review and comment. The pest risk analyses may be
viewed on the Regulations.gov Web site or in our reading room (see
ADDRESSES above for a link to Regulations.gov and information on the
location and hours of the reading room). You may request paper copies
of the pest risk analyses by calling or writing to the person listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Please refer to the subject of
the pest risk analysis you wish to review when requesting copies.
After reviewing any comments we receive, we will announce our
decision regarding the import status of fresh edible flowers of izote,
immature inflorescences of pacaya, immature inflorescences of chufle,
and fresh leaves of chipilin from El Salvador 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 begin issuing permits for importation of
fresh edible flowers of izote, immature inflorescences of pacaya,
immature inflorescences of chufle, and fresh leaves of chipilin from El
Salvador into the continental United States subject to the requirements
specified in the risk management documents.
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 19th day of January 2011.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-1509 Filed 1-24-11; 8:45 am]
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