[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 38 (Monday, February 26, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 7079]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-4247]



 ========================================================================
 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
 ________________________________________________________________________
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
 the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
 notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
 the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
 
 ========================================================================
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 38 / Monday, February 26, 1996 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 7079]]


DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

9 CFR Part 92

[Docket No. 95-084-1]
RIN 0579-AA77


Permanent Private Quarantine Facilities for Horses

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking; withdrawal.

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SUMMARY: We are soliciting public comment on the need for and 
appropriate standards for the establishment of permanent private 
quarantine facilities for horses imported into the United States. We 
are also giving notice that we are withdrawing a previously published 
proposed rule that would have allowed the operation of permanent 
private quarantine facilities for horses, added new requirements for 
approval of temporary private quarantine facilities for horses, and 
required the government to collect payment from each privately operated 
quarantine facility for services provided by the government at the 
facility.

DATES: Consideration will be given only to comments received on or 
before April 26, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Please send an original and three copies of your comments to 
Docket No. 95-084-1, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, 
suite 3C03, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please 
state that your comments refer to Docket No. 95-084-1. 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. David Vogt, Senior Staff 
Veterinarian, Import/Export Animals, National Center for Import and 
Export, VS, APHIS, Unit 39, 4700 River Road, Riverdale, MD 20737, (301) 
734-8170.

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 in order to prevent the introduction into 
the United States of various communicable diseases. The regulations 
require that certain animals be quarantined upon arrival in the United 
States as a condition of importation. There are two types of quarantine 
facilities for animals being imported into the United States: 
Government operated facilities and privately operated facilities. The 
regulations contain requirements for the approval of temporary private 
quarantine facilities for horses; however, the regulations do not 
provide for the approval of permanent private quarantine facilities for 
horses.

Withdrawal of Previous Proposal

    On September 6, 1989, we published in the Federal Register (54 FR 
36986-36996, Docket No. 85-061) a proposed rule that would have allowed 
the operation of permanent private quarantine facilities for horses, 
added new requirements for approval of temporary private quarantine 
facilities for horses, and required the government to collect payment 
from each privately operated quarantine facility for services provided 
by the government at the facility. However, on August 2, 1990, we 
published in the Federal Register (55 FR 31484-31562, Docket No. 90-
023) a final rule that reorganized all of part 92, including those 
sections concerning quarantine facilities for horses, so that the 
proposed provisions are no longer consistent with the current part 92 
format. In addition, because of the amount of time that has elapsed 
since publication of the proposed rule, some of the proposed provisions 
may no longer be appropriate. For these reasons, we are withdrawing the 
proposed rule and reopening public discussion of the issues.

Comments Requested

    There appears to be occasional public demand for quarantine 
services for horses other than those available at existing federal 
facilities. It also appears that temporary private quarantine 
facilities may not be able to fill this demand because such facilities 
are established, approved, and operated by importers to handle horses 
imported for a particular event. We are requesting comments on the need 
for permanent private quarantine facilities for horses. We are also 
requesting comments on appropriate specific standards for the 
establishment of permanent private quarantine facilities for horses in 
order to meet any existing unfulfilled demand for quarantine services.

    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 2.22, 2.80, and 371.2(d).

    Done in Washington, DC, this 21st day of February 1996.
Terry L. Medley,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 96-4247 Filed 2-23-96; 8:45 am]
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