[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 88 (Monday, May 6, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 20189-20190]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-11212]



-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

9 CFR Part 92

[Docket No. 95-084-2]


Permanent Private Quarantine Facilities for Horses

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting; reopening and extension of comment 
period.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: On February 26, 1996, we published an advance notice of 
proposed rulemaking requesting public comment on the need for and 
appropriate standards for the establishment of permanent, private 
quarantine facilities for horses imported into the United States. To 
provide additional opportunity for public comment, this notice 
announces our intention to hold a public meeting, and to reopen and 
extend the comment period on the advance notice. We are also announcing 
the availability of a risk assessment related to the establishment of 
permanent, private quarantine

[[Page 20190]]

facilities for horses imported into the United States.

DATES: Consideration will be given only to comments received on or 
before June 5, 1996. We will also consider comments made at a public 
meeting to be held in Riverdale, MD, on Friday, May 17, 1996, from 8 
a.m. to 4 p.m.

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 95-095-1. 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. The public meeting will be held at 
the USDA Center, 4700 River Road, Riverdale, MD.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Joyce Bowling, Staff Veterinarian, 
National Center for Import and Export, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 
39, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231, (301) 734-6479; or e-mail: 
J[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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.
    In an advance notice of proposed rulemaking published in the 
Federal Register on February 26, 1996 (61 FR 7079, Docket No. 95-084-
1), we requested public comment on the need for and appropriate 
standards for the establishment of permanent private quarantine 
facilities for horses imported into the United States.
    To provide additional opportunity for public comment, we will hold 
a public meeting on Friday, May 17, 1996. The meeting will be held from 
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the offices of the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service (APHIS), 4700 River Road, Riverdale, MD. We are 
seeking recommendations concerning the need for permanent, private 
quarantine facilities, locations where such additional facilities may 
be needed, potential standards for building the facilities, and 
regulatory oversight. Copies of a risk assessment related to the 
establishment of permanent, private horse quarantine facilities will be 
available at the meeting, or may be obtained from Dr. Joyce Bowling 
(see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
    The meeting will be divided into three sessions dealing with the 
following issues:
    1. Equine diseases of concern to the U.S. Department of Agriculture 
(USDA).
    2. Requirements for building USDA owned and operated facilities and 
the costs involved.
    3. The risk assessment.
    Each session will start with a short presentation by an APHIS 
representative. Afterward, members of the public will be provided an 
opportunity to ask questions and make comments concerning that session. 
It is anticipated that 90 minutes will be alotted for each session.
    A representative of APHIS will preside at the public meeting. The 
presiding officer may limit the time for each presentation so that 
everyone is accommodated and all interested persons have an opportunity 
to participate. Any written statements submitted will be made part of 
the record. A transcript will be made of the public meeting and will be 
placed in the rulemaking record and will be available for public 
inspection.
    Any persons wishing to make presentations longer than 5 minutes, or 
presentations that will require audiovisual equipment, should contact 
Dr. Bowling in advance of the meeting.
    APHIS will consider the comments and recommendations from the 
meeting in making a decision about whether to propose approval of 
permanent, private horse quarantine facilities and, if so, the 
standards to be proposed. Any such proposal would be published in the 
Federal Register for public comment.

    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, 371.2(d).

    Done in Washington, DC, this 1st day of May 1996.
Terry L. Medley,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 96-11212 Filed 5-3-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P