[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 118 (Tuesday, June 21, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-15037]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: June 21, 1994]


                                                   VOL. 59, NO. 118

                                             Tuesday, June 21, 1994

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

9 CFR Part 91

[Docket No. 93-122-1]

 

Animal Export Inspection Facilities

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: We are proposing to amend the ``Inspection and Handling of 
Livestock for Exportation'' regulations by establishing additional 
standards for export inspection facilities. This action would ensure 
that all export inspection facilities have running water and water 
drainage systems, storage areas, and telephone. This action would also 
require facilities where horses are inspected to have walkways in front 
of stalls and ceiling height adequate for horses.
    We are also proposing to require that animals intended for export 
be inspected within 24 hours of embarkation and to make a minor 
language change to the regulations for the sake of clarity.

DATES: Consideration will be given only to comments received on or 
before August 22, 1994.

ADDRESSES: Please send an original and three copies of your comments to 
Chief, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, USDA, room 804, 
Federal Building, 6505 Belcrest Road, Hyattsville, MD 20782. Please 
state that your comments refer to Docket No. 93-122-1. Comments 
received may be inspected at USDA, room 1141, South Building, 14th 
Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC, between 8 a.m. and 
4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. Persons wishing to 
inspect comments are requested to call ahead on (202) 690-2817 to 
facilitate entry into the comment reading room.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Najam Faizi, Senior Staff 
Veterinarian, Import-Export Animals Staff, National Center for Import-
Export, Veterinary Services, APHIS, USDA, room 762, Federal Building, 
6505 Belcrest Road, Hyattsville, MD 20782, (301) 436-8383.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The regulations in 9 CFR part 91, ``Inspection and Handling of 
Livestock for Exportation'' (referred to below as the regulations), 
prescribe conditions for exporting animals from the United States. The 
regulations state, among other things, that all animals, except animals 
being exported to Canada or Mexico, must be exported through designated 
ports of embarkation.
    To receive designation as a port of embarkation, a port must have 
export inspection facilities available for the inspection, holding, 
feeding, and watering of animals prior to exportation to ensure that 
the animals meet certain requirements specified in the regulations. To 
receive approval as an export inspection facility, the regulations 
provide that a facility must meet the specified standards in 
Sec. 91.14(c) concerning materials, size, inspection implements, 
cleaning and disinfection, feed and water, access, testing and 
treatment, location, disposal of animal wastes, lighting, and office 
and rest room facilities.
    We are proposing to establish additional standards in Sec. 91.14(c) 
for export inspection facilities. We propose to require the following:
    1. Export inspection facilities that examine horses must have 
ceilings at least 12 feet high in any areas where horses will be. This 
is the minimum height necessary to accommodate horses, which may rear 
up.
    2. Every export inspection facility must have running water and a 
water drainage system. The drainage system must be able to control 
surface drainage into or from the facility in a manner that prevents 
any significant risk of livestock diseases being spread into or from 
the facility. While current regulations in Sec. 91.14(c)(5) require 
that facilities have only ``an ample supply of potable water,'' we 
believe that running water and a drainage system are necessary to 
adequately water the animals, to clean and disinfect the facility, and 
to prevent the spread of disease.
    We have determined that not all currently approved export 
inspection facilities have water drainage systems and that these 
proposed requirements could thus compel these facilities to make 
structural changes. Therefore, we would allow these facilities 2 years 
from the effective date of the final version of this rule to install a 
water drainage system that prevents any significant risk of livestock 
diseases being spread into or from the facility. However, all 
facilities would be required to have running water upon the effective 
date of the final version of this rule.
    3. Every export inspection facility must have a storage area for 
equipment that may accompany horses and other export animals. The area 
must be able to protect equipment from weather conditions.
    4. Every export inspection facility must have a telephone. A 
telephone is necessary to notify an Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service (APHIS) representative, an accredited veterinarian, or the 
exporter in the event of an emergency, such as sudden onset of illness 
among animals to be exported. A telephone is also necessary to make 
reservations, cancellations, or changes regarding the arrival time of 
animals.
    5. Export inspection facilities for examining horses must have 
walkways in front of the animal stalls. Walkways must be wide enough 
that APHIS personnel can monitor and inspect animals without having to 
enter animal stalls. This requirement is essential for safety reasons, 
as horses may kick while being inspected.

Miscellaneous

    The regulations in Sec. 91.3(a) require that certain animals 
intended for export to Mexico or Canada be accompanied from the State 
of origin to the United States border by an origin health certificate. 
In addition to other requirements, this certificate must certify that 
the animals were inspected within the 30 days prior to their movement 
for export and that they ``were found to be sound, healthy, and free 
from evidence of communicable disease and exposure thereto.'' We are 
proposing to remove the word ``sound'' from this section, as it is too 
vague to be enforceable.
    We are also proposing to amend the regulations in Sec. 91.15(a). 
The regulations in 91.15(a) require that animals be inspected by an 
APHIS veterinarian prior to export, but do not specify a time frame 
prior to export during which animals must be inspected. We are 
proposing to require that all animals intended for export be inspected 
by an APHIS veterinarian within 24 hours of embarkation. Because 
animals may become ill shortly before embarkation, and because we do 
not want sick or diseased animals to be exported from the United 
States, we believe it is imperative that animals be inspected by an 
APHIS veterinarian within 24 hours of embarkation.

Executive Order 12866 and Regulatory Flexibility Act

    This proposed rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12866. 
The rule has been determined to be not significant for purposes of 
Executive Order 12866, and, therefore, has not been reviewed by the 
Office of Management and Budget.
    This proposed rule, if adopted, would establish additional 
standards for animal export inspection facilities by requiring all 
facilities to have adequate running water and water drainage systems, 
storage areas, and a telephone. This action would also require 
facilities where horses are inspected to have walkways in front of 
stalls and ceiling height adequate for horses.
    Though a small number of facilities do not have water drainage 
systems, all of the facilities currently approved for export inspection 
already meet all of the other additional standards proposed here. We 
are proposing, therefore, only to codify existing industry practices. 
We anticipate that this proposal will have an economic impact on the 
few existing export inspection facilities without drainage systems.
    Information was not available to us for determining the economic 
impact of requiring that water drainage systems be installed in 
facilities not already so equipped. However, we have tried to minimize 
any economic impact by proposing to allow these facilities 2 years from 
the effective date of the final version of this rule to install water 
drainage systems. Allowing these facilities 2 years to install the 
water drainage systems would ease the economic impact of this new 
standard, as affected facilities would have additional time to shop for 
different drainage system options and would be able to spread out the 
costs of installation.
    Under these circumstances, the Administrator of the Animal and 
Plant Health Inspection Service has determined that this action would 
not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities.

Executive Order 12372

    This program/activity is listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic 
Assistance under No. 10.025 and is subject to Executive Order 12372, 
which requires intergovernmental consultation with State and local 
officials. (See 7 CFR part 3015, subpart V.)

Executive Order 12778

    This proposed rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12778, 
Civil Justice Reform. If this proposed rule is adopted: (1) All State 
and local laws and regulations that are inconsistent with this rule 
will be preempted; (2) no retroactive effect will be given to this 
rule; and (3) administrative proceedings will not be required before 
parties may file suit in court challenging this rule.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    This document contains no information collection or recordkeeping 
requirements under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.).

List of Subjects in 9 CFR Part 91

    Animal diseases, Animal welfare, Exports, Livestock, Reporting and 
recordkeeping requirements, Transportation.

    Accordingly, 9 CFR part 91 would be amended as follows:

PART 91--INSPECTION AND HANDLING OF LIVESTOCK FOR EXPORTATION

    1. The authority citation for part 91 would be revised to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 21 U.S.C. 105, 112, 113, 114a, 120, 121, 134b, 134f, 
136, 136a, 612, 613, 614, 618; 46 U.S.C. 466a, 466b; 49 U.S.C. 
1509(d); 7 CFR 2.17, 2.51, and 371.2(d).


Sec. 91.3  [Amended]

    2. In Sec. 91.3, paragraph (a), the third sentence would be amended 
by removing the phrase ``sound, healthy,'' and adding the word 
``healthy'' in its place.
    3. Section 91.14 would be amended as follows:
    a. Paragraph (c)(2) would be amended by adding a new sentence at 
the end of the paragraph to read as set forth below.
    b. Paragraph (c)(4) would be amended by adding two new sentences at 
the end of the paragraph to read as set forth below.
    c. Paragraph (c)(5) would be amended by adding the word 
``running,'' immediately following the phrase ``An ample supply of'' in 
the first sentence.
    d. Paragraph (c)(11) would be amended by adding a new sentence at 
the end of the paragraph to read as set forth below.
    e. New paragraphs (c)(12) and (c)(13) would be added to read as set 
forth below.


Sec. 91.14  [Amended]

* * * * *
    (c) * * *
    (2) * * * Facilities that inspect horses must have ceilings at 
least 12 feet high in any areas where horses will be kept.
* * * * *
    (4) * * * All facilities must have running water available to wash 
and disinfect the facilities. On and after [Insert effective date of 
final rule], facilities to be approved must have a drainage system; 
and, on and after [Insert date 2 years after effective date of final 
rule], every facility approved before [Insert effective date of final 
rule] must have a drainage system. The drainage system must control 
surface drainage into or from the facility in a manner that prevents 
any significant risk of livestock diseases being spread into or from 
the facility.
* * * * *
    (11) * * * The facility must have a working telephone.
    (12) Storage areas. Facilities must have storage areas adequate to 
store any equipment accompanying the animals and to protect equipment 
from weather conditions.
    (13) Walkways. Facilities where horses are inspected must have 
walkways in front of horse stalls wide enough to allow APHIS personnel 
to monitor and inspect horses without entering individual stalls.


Sec. 91.15  [Amended]

    8. In Sec. 91.15, paragraph (a), the phrase ``within 24 hours of 
embarkation'' would be added immediately following the phrase ``shall 
be inspected''.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 15th day of June 1994.
Lonnie J. King,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 94-15037 Filed 6-20-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P