[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 154 (Thursday, August 11, 1994)] [Unknown Section] [Page 0] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 94-19632] Federal Register / Vol. 59, No. 154 / Thursday, August 11, 1994 / [[Page Unknown]] [Federal Register: August 11, 1994] VOL. 59, NO. 154 Thursday, August 11, 1994 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 7 CFR Part 301 [Docket No. 93-138-4] Imported Fire Ant Quarantined Areas AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: Affirmation of interim rules as final rules. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: We are adopting as final rules, without change, two interim rules that amended the imported fire ant regulations. The first interim rule designated all or portions of the following as quarantined areas: 5 counties in Arkansas, 6 counties in Georgia, 6 counties in Mississippi, 17 counties in North Carolina, 4 counties in Oklahoma, 4 counties in South Carolina, and 5 counties in Tennessee. The second interim rule added Laurens County, SC, as a quarantined area and corrected the description of the quarantined area in York County, SC. The interim rules were necessary to prevent the artificial spread of the imported fire ant to noninfested areas of the United States. EFFECTIVE DATE: September 12, 1994. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert L. Brittingham, Operations Officer, Plant Protection and Quarantine, APHIS, USDA, room 640, Federal Building, 6505 Belcrest Road, Hyattsville, MD 20782, (301) 436-8247. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background In an interim rule effective and published in the Federal Register on January 21, 1994 (59 FR 3313-3316, Docket No. 93-138-1), we amended the imported fire ant regulations by designating all or portions of the following counties as quarantined areas: Desha, Grant, Hempstead, Hot Springs, and Howard Counties in Arkansas; Franklin, Gilmer, Pickens, Stephens, Fannin, and Lumpkin Counties in Georgia; Bolivar, DeSoto, Marshall, Panola, Quitman, and Tate Counties in Mississippi; Anson, Cumberland, Dare, Duplin, Hoke, Lenoir, Martin, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Pitt, Richmond, Robeson, Sampson, Scotland, Tyrrell, Union, and Washington Counties in North Carolina; Carter, Bryan, Marshall, and McCurtain Counties in Oklahoma; Abbeville, Anderson, Greenville, and York Counties in South Carolina; and Fayette, Hardeman, Hardin, McNairy, and Wayne Counties in Tennessee. Comments on the interim rule were required to be received on or before March 22, 1994. We received one comment, which was in favor of the interim rule. In a document effective on January 21, 1994, and published in the Federal Register on February 11, 1994 (59 FR 6531, Docket No. 93-138- 2), we corrected two editorial errors in Docket No. 93-138-1. In an interim rule effective and published in the Federal Register on May 2, 1994 (59 FR 22491-22492, Docket No. 93-138-3), we amended the imported fire ant regulations by adding Laurens County, SC, as a quarantined area and by correcting the description of the quarantined area in York County, SC. Comments on this interim rule were required to be received on or before July 1, 1994. We received one comment, which was in favor of the interim rule. The facts presented in these interim rules still provide a basis for the rules. This action also affirms the information contained in the interim rules concerning Executive Order 12866 and the Regulatory Flexibility Act, Executive Orders 12372 and 12778, the National Environmental Policy Act, and the Paperwork Reduction Act. Further, for this action, the Office of Management and Budget has waived the review process required by Executive Order 12866. List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 301 Agricultural commodities, Plant diseases and pests, Quarantine, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Transportation. PART 301--DOMESTIC QUARANTINE NOTICES Accordingly, we are adopting as final rules, without change, the interim rules that amended 7 CFR 301.81-3 and that were published at 59 FR 3313-3316 on January 21, 1994 (as corrected at 59 FR 6531 on February 11, 1994), and 59 FR 22491-22492 on May 2, 1994. Authority: 7 U.S.C. 150bb, 150dd, 150ee, 150ff, 161, 162, and 164-167; 7 CFR 2.17, 2.51, and 371.2(c). Done in Washington, DC, this 5th day of August, 1994. Lonnie J. King, Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. [FR Doc. 94-19632 Filed 8-10-94; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-34-P