[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 88 (Wednesday, May 7, 1997)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 24802]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-11887]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

9 CFR Part 94

[Docket No. 97-034-2]


Change in Disease Status of The Netherlands Because of BSE

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Interim rule; change in effective date.

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SUMMARY: We are changing the effective date of the interim rule that 
added The Netherlands to the list of countries where bovine spongiform 
encephalopathy exists. The interim rule first became effective on April 
10, 1997, and was published in the Federal Register on April 15, 1997 
(62 FR 18263).

DATES: The interim rule published in the Federal Register on April 15, 
1997 (62 FR 18263) is effective March 21, 1997. Consideration will be 
given only to comments received on or before June 16, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Please send an original and three copies of your comments to 
Docket No. 97-034-1, 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. 97-034-1. 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. John Cougill, Staff Veterinarian, 
Animal Products Program, National Center for Import and Export, VS, 
APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 40, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231, (301) 734-
3399; or e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April 15, 1997, we published in the 
Federal Register (62 FR 18263-18264, Docket No. 97-034-1) an interim 
rule that added The Netherlands to the list of countries where bovine 
spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) exists because the disease had been 
detected in a cow in that country on March 21, 1997. The interim rule 
prohibits or restricts the importation into the United States of 
certain fresh, chilled, and frozen meat, and certain other animal 
products and byproducts from ruminants that have been in The 
Netherlands. The effective date of that interim rule was April 10, 
1997. We are changing the effective date of that rule to March 21, 
1997. This action is necessary to ensure that the prohibitions and 
restrictions established by the interim rule apply to animal products 
and byproducts that were shipped to the United States from The 
Netherlands between March 21, 1997, when BSE was detected in The 
Netherlands, and April 10, 1997, when our interim rule was signed.

Executive Order 12988

    This rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12988, Civil 
Justice Reform. This rule: (1) Preempts all State and local laws and 
regulations that are inconsistent with this rule; (2) has retroactive 
effect to March 21, 1997; and (3) does not require administrative 
proceedings before parties may file suit in court challenging this 
rule.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 147a, 150ee, 161, 162, and 450; 19 U.S.C. 
1306, 21 U.S.C. 111, 114a, 134a, 134b, 134c, 134f, 136, and 136a; 31 
U.S.C. 9701; 42 U.S.C. 4331 and 4332; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 
371.2(d).

    Done in Washington, DC, this 30th day of April 1997.
Donald W. Luchsinger,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 97-11887 Filed 5-6-97; 8:45 am]
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