[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 183 (Thursday, September 22, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-23468]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: September 22, 1994]


      
  


  


  
  
  
  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
                                                   VOL. 59, NO. 183

                                       Thursday, September 22, 1994

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

9 CFR Part 92

[Docket No. 93-096-2]

 

Horses From Mexico; Quarantine Requirements

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: We are proposing to amend the regulations regarding the 
importation of horses from Mexico to remove the requirement that such 
horses be quarantined for not less than 7 days in vector-proof 
quarantine facilities before being imported into the United States. We 
believe this action is warranted because Mexico has reported no cases 
of Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (VEE) in over a year, and it 
appears that horses imported from Mexico without a 7-day quarantine 
would not pose a risk of transmitting VEE to horses in the United 
States.

DATES: Consideration will be given only to comments received on or 
before November 21, 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. 93-096-2. 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. Joyce Bowling, Staff Veterinarian, 
Import-Export Animals Staff, National Center for Import and Export, 
Veterinary Services, APHIS, USDA, room 764, Federal Building, 6505 
Belcrest Road, Hyattsville, MD 20782, (301) 436-8170.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The regulations in 9 CFR part 92, referred to below as the 
regulations, govern the importation into the United States of specified 
animals and animal products, including horses from Mexico, to prevent 
the introduction into the United States of various animal diseases.
    On August 27, 1993, we published an interim rule in the Federal 
Register (58 FR 45236-45238, Docket No. 93-096-1) in which we required 
that horses imported into the United States from Mexico be quarantined 
for not less than 7 days in a vector-free facility. Prior to our 
interim rule, horses intended for importation from Mexico were not 
required to be held in quarantine for any specified number of days, but 
were required, instead, to be quarantined only long enough to complete 
the testing required by the regulations.
    A 7-day quarantine became necessary when the government of Mexico 
reported that Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (VEE) had been 
detected in horses in that country. VEE is an equine viral disease, 
transmitted primarily by mosquitoes and other hematophagous (blood-
feeding) insects, particularly flying insects, that results in a high 
mortality rate in animals infected with the disease. Although tests 
exist for the presence of VEE in horses, the tests currently available 
may yield positive results for horses that have been vaccinated for VEE 
but that are not otherwise affected with the disease. The most 
efficient method for initial identification of horses that may be 
infected with VEE is observation of the horses for clinical signs of 
the disease. A horse will usually exhibit signs of VEE within 2-5 days 
after contracting the disease. Seven days is considered the length of 
time necessary to ensure that any clinical signs of VEE manifest 
themselves.
    In this document, we are proposing to remove the requirement that 
horses from Mexico be quarantined for not less than 7 days. We believe 
the removal of this requirement is warranted because Mexico appears to 
be free of VEE.
    The last case of VEE in Mexico was reported in July 1993. Following 
the initial outbreak of VEE in the Mexican State of Chiapas in June 
1993, the Government of Mexico instituted emergency measures to locate, 
contain, and eradicate the disease. These emergency measures included 
the following: Activation of the country's animal health emergency 
group; organization of groups such as regional livestock associations 
and State authorities; establishment of quarantines in areas in which 
the disease was known to exist; vaccination of horses in affected 
areas; traceback of horses that might have been moved from affected 
areas before quarantine measures were established; and increased 
surveillance in States surrounding the affected areas. Based on these 
considerations, the government of Mexico has requested that the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture consider Mexico to be free of VEE.
    Based on the documentation submitted by the government of Mexico, 
it appears that no horses in that country are affected with VEE. (This 
documentation is available, upon written request, from the person 
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.) Therefore, we are 
proposing to amend Sec. 92.324 of the regulations to remove the 
requirement that horses intended for importation from Mexico be 
quarantined for not less than 7 days before being imported into the 
United States.
    We are also proposing to remove the requirement in Sec. 92.324 that 
horses from Mexico intended for importation into the United States 
through land border ports be quarantined in Mexico at a facility 
approved by the Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service (APHIS) and constructed so as to prevent the entry of 
mosquitoes and other hematophagous insects. This requirement was 
necessary when VEE was known to exist in horses in Mexico, but we 
believe it is unnecessary now that Mexico appears to be free of VEE.

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.
    In accordance with the Regulatory Flexibility Act, we have prepared 
an Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis regarding the impact of this 
proposed rule on small entities. We do not currently have all the data 
necessary for a comprehensive analysis of the effects of this rule on 
small entities. Therefore, we are inviting comments concerning 
potential impacts. In particular, we are interested in determining the 
number and kind of small entities that may incur benefits or costs from 
implementation of this proposed rule.
    In accordance with 21 U.S.C. 111, the Secretary of Agriculture is 
authorized to promulgate regulations to prevent the introduction or 
dissemination of any contagious, infectious, or communicable disease of 
animals from a foreign country into the United States. In accordance 
with 21 U.S.C. 102, the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to 
quarantine livestock imported into the United States.
    This proposed rule would remove the requirement that horses 
imported from Mexico be quarantined for 7 days at vector-proof 
quarantine facilities. We believe this action is warranted because it 
appears that Mexico is free of Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis 
(VEE), and that horses imported from Mexico without a 7-day quarantine 
would not pose a risk of transmitting VEE to horses in the United 
States.
    Compared with the 5-month period from October 1992 through February 
1993 (pre-interim rule), there was a significant decline in the number 
of horses imported from Mexico during the period from October 1993 
through February 1994 (following publication of the interim rule). 
During the 1992/1993 5-month period, there were 3,772 horses imported 
from Mexico, compared with only 125 during the 1993/1994 5-month 
period. It is reasonable to assume that the additional costs associated 
with the quarantine were at least partially responsible for the 
reduction in the number of horses imported during the 1993/1994 period.
    There is a $50 hourly fee for inspection services conducted in 
Mexico by APHIS veterinary medical officers (in addition to an APHIS 
per horse charge of $28.50). Assuming that APHIS services would be 
rendered for 2 hours during each day of quarantine, and assuming an 
average quarantine period of 3 days prior to the VEE interim rule and 7 
days following the interim rule, the reduction in user fee costs from 
the lifting of the restrictions due to VEE would be about $400 per 
shipment ($700 minus $300). For an average shipment of 40 horses, the 
savings in fees would be about $10 per head.
    Other quarantine costs, such as for feed and handling, could also 
be expected to decrease by more than one-half if the 7-day quarantine 
is no longer required. Whereas quarantine costs prior to the interim 
rule averaged about $3 per head per day, we estimate that during the 
period following the interim rule, these charges increased to between 
$5 and $10 per day, due to additional precautionary measures. Again 
assuming a 3-day pre-interim rule quarantine, the savings in charges by 
removing the 7-day quarantine requirement would be between $26 and $61 
per head ($35 minus $9, and $70 minus $9).
    With the combined savings of reduced user fees and other quarantine 
charges, the removal of the VEE quarantine requirements would reduce 
importers' costs by an estimated $36 to $71 per head. Based on the 
average 1992 price of $310 per head for horses imported from Mexico, 
these reduced costs would represent a savings of between 11 and 23 
percent of the value of each horse.

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 92

    Animal disease, Imports, Livestock, Poultry and poultry products, 
Quarantine, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    Accordingly, 9 CFR part 92 would be amended as follows:

PART 92--IMPORTATION OF CERTAIN ANIMALS AND POULTRY AND CERTAIN 
ANIMAL AND POULTRY PRODUCTS; INSPECTION AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS FOR 
CERTAIN MEANS OF CONVEYANCE AND SHIPPING CONTAINERS THEREON

    1. The authority citation for part 92 would continue to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1622; 19 U.S.C. 1306; 21 U.S.C. 102-105, 
111, 114a, 134a, 134b, 134c, 134d, 134f, 135, 136, and 136a; 31 
U.S.C. 9701; 7 CFR 2.17, 2.51, 371.2(d).


Sec. 92.308  [Amended]

    2. In Sec. 92.308, paragraph (a)(1) would be amended by removing 
the reference ``Sec. 92.317'' and adding in its place the reference 
``Secs. 92.317 and 92.324''.


Sec. 92.324  [Amended]

    3. In Sec. 92.324, the first sentence would be amended by removing 
the words ``, for not less than 7 days and'' and by removing the words 
``approved by the Administrator and constructed so as to prevent the 
entry of mosquitoes and other hematophagous insects''.


Sec. 92.326  [Amended]

    4. In Sec. 92.326, the first sentence would be amended by removing 
the reference ``92.323, and 92.324'' and adding in its place the 
reference ``and 92.323''.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 15th day of September 1994.
Terry L. Medley,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 94-23468 Filed 9-21-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P