[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 136 (Monday, July 15, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 36811-36812]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-17994]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

7 CFR Part 301

[Docket 96-016-9]


Karnal Bunt; Public Forum

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of public forum.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service is hosting a public forum in Washington, DC, on the 
Agency's program to control and eradicate Karnal bunt. The forum will 
provide an additional opportunity for the public to comment on the 
regulations established and amended by a series of interim rules 
published in the Federal Register since March, 1996. The regulations 
quarantine portions of Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas 
because of infestations of Karnal bunt, restrict the movement of 
regulated articles from the quarantined areas, and provide compensation 
for certain individuals in order to mitigate losses and expenses 
incurred because of Karnal bunt. Comments will also be accepted 
addressing any aspect of the Karnal bunt program not included in the 
regulations, including control and survey activities conducted in the 
quarantined areas, the national Karnal bunt survey program, and the 
certification of wheat for export. Information gathered at the public 
forum will be considered by the Department in developing guidelines and 
procedures for conducting the Karnal bunt program for the 1996-97 wheat 
growing season. USDA intends to schedule additional public forums on 
the Karnal bunt program, to be held in Arizona, California, and Kansas 
over the next 2 months. We will give notice of these additional forums 
in the Federal Register.

DATES: The public forum will be held in Washington, DC, on Wednesday, 
July 17, 1996, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.
    Consideration will be given only to comments received on or before 
September 3, 1996.

ADDRESSES: The public forum will be held in room 107A, Jamie L. Whitten 
Federal Building, United States Department of Agriculture, 14th Street 
and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC. Persons attending the 
forum should use the entrance to the building facing the Mall, and will 
be required to show picture identification at the Guard Desk. Any 
persons who are unable to attend the forum, but who wish to comment on 
any aspect of the Karnal bunt program, may send written comments.
    Please send an original and three copies of written comments to 
Docket No. 96-016-9, 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. 96-106-9. Comments 
received, including a transcript from the public forum, 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: Mr. Stephen Poe, Operations Officer, 
Domestic and Emergency Operations, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 
134, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236, (301) 734-8247.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This public forum is being held concerning 
the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's (APHIS) program to 
control and eradicate Karnal bunt. Comments will be accepted on the 
regulations established and amended by a series of interim rules 
published by APHIS in the Federal Register since March, 1996. These 
interim rules were published on March 28, 1996 (61 FR 13649-13655, 
Docket No. 96-016-3), April 25, 1996 (61 FR 18233-18235, Docket No. 96-
016-5), and July 5, 1996 (61 FR 35107-35109, Docket No. 96-016-6 and 61 
FR 35102-35107, Docket No. 96-016-7). The public forum in Washington, 
DC, will be held on Wednesday, July 17, 1996, in room 107A, Jamie L. 
Whitten Federal Building, United States Department of Agriculture, 14th 
Street

[[Page 36812]]

and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC.
    Comments were required to be received on Docket No. 96-016-3 on or 
before May 28, 1996, and on Docket No. 96-016-5 on or before June 24, 
1996. We are reopening and extending the comment periods for both of 
these interim rules until September 3, 1996, in order to receive 
additional public comments at this forum, and at forums in Arizona, 
California, and Kansas to be scheduled over the next 2 months. We will 
give notice of these additional forums in the Federal Register. The 
comment periods for Docket No. 96-016-6 and Docket No. 96-016-7 are 
already scheduled to close on September 3, 1996.
    A representative of the United States Department of Agriculture 
(USDA) will preside at the public forum. Any interested person may 
appear and be heard in person, or through an attorney or other 
representative. Persons who wish to speak at the public forum will be 
asked to provide their names and affiliations. Parties wishing to make 
oral presentations may register in advance by calling the Legislative 
and Public Affairs staff of APHIS, USDA, at (202) 720-2511 before close 
of business on July 15, 1996. Registration will also be held at the 
hearing site on July 17, 1996, from 8 a.m. until 8:45 a.m. Speakers 
will be scheduled in the order their registration is received.
    The public forum will begin at 9 a.m. and is scheduled to end at 5 
p.m. local time. However, the forum may be terminated at any time after 
it begins if all persons desiring to speak have been heard. The 
presiding officer may limit the time for each presentation so that all 
interested persons have an opportunity to participate. Attendees who 
wish to speak but who did not register will be provided time to speak 
only after all registered speakers have been heard.
    The purpose of the forum is to give interested persons an 
opportunity for oral presentation of data, views, and information to 
the Department concerning APHIS' program to control and eradicate 
Karnal bunt. Questions about the content of the interim rules 
concerning Karnal bunt may be part of the commenters' oral 
presentations. However, neither the presiding officer nor any other 
representative of the Department will respond to the comments on the 
interim rules at the forum, except to clarify or explain provisions of 
the interim rules.
    We ask that anyone who reads a statement provide two copies to the 
presiding officer at the forum. A transcript will be made of the public 
forum and the transcript will be placed in the rulemaking record and 
will be available for public inspection.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 10th day of July 1996.
Terry L. Medley,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 96-17994 Filed 7-11-96; 10:25 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P