[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 233 (Friday, December 4, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 67011]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-32228]


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 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.
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  Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 233 / Friday, December 4, 1998 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 67011]]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

7 CFR Parts 300 and 319

[Docket No. 97-110-3]
RIN 0579-AA92


Importation of Grapefruit, Lemons, and Oranges From Argentina

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Proposed rule; change in date and location of public hearing.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that we have changed the date and 
location of the public hearing that we will hold to give interested 
persons an opportunity for the oral presentation of data, views, and 
arguments regarding our proposed rule regarding the importation of 
grapefruit, lemons, and oranges from Argentina.

DATES: Consideration will be given only to comments on Docket No. 97-
110-1 that are received on or before February 11, 1999. We will also 
consider comments made at a public hearing that will be held in 
Thousand Oaks, CA, on February 8, 1999, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

ADDRESSES: Please send an original and three copies of your comments to 
Docket No. 97-110-1, 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. 97-110-1. 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 hearing will 
be held at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, Fred Kavli Theatre, 2100 
Thousand Oaks Boulevard, Thousand Oaks, CA.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Ron Campbell, Import Specialist, 
Phytosanitary Issues Management Team, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 
140, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 734-6799; e-mail: 
Ronald.C.C[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On August 12, 1998, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
(APHIS) published a proposed rule in the Federal Register (63 FR 43117-
43125, Docket No. 97-110-1) to amend the citrus fruit regulations by 
recognizing a citrus-growing area within Argentina as being free from 
citrus canker. In that document, we also proposed to amend the fruits 
and vegetables regulations to allow the importation of grapefruit, 
lemons, and oranges from the citrus canker-free area of Argentina under 
conditions designed to prevent the introduction into the United States 
of two other diseases of citrus, sweet orange scab and citrus black 
spot, and other plant pests. These proposed changes would allow 
grapefruit, lemons, and oranges to be imported into the United States 
from Argentina subject to certain conditions.
    On October 16, 1998, we published in the Federal Register (63 FR 
55559, Docket No. 97-110-2) a notice advising the public that we were 
extending the comment period for the proposed rule by 120 days and that 
we had scheduled a public hearing to give interested persons the 
opportunity for the oral presentation of data, views, and arguments 
regarding the proposed rule.
    In our October 16, 1998, notice, we announced that the public 
hearing would be held on December 17, 1998, at the Scherr Forum in the 
Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, Thousand Oaks, CA. However, we have 
been asked to reschedule the public hearing to a later date to give 
interested persons more time to review the proposed rule and its 
supporting information prior to the hearing. We have also been informed 
that the number of attendees at the public hearing may exceed the 
capacity of the Scherr Forum Theatre.
    Therefore, the public hearing that had been scheduled for December 
17, 1998, at the Scherr Forum in the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, 
Thousand Oaks, CA, has been canceled. The public hearing is now 
scheduled for February 8, 1999, at the Fred Kavli Theatre in the 
Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, Thousand Oaks, CA.
    The purpose of this hearing is to give interested persons an 
opportunity for the oral presentation of data, views, and arguments. 
Questions about the content of the proposed rule may be part of the 
commenters' oral presentations. However, neither the presiding officer 
nor any other representative of APHIS will respond to the comments at 
the hearing, except to clarify or explain provisions of the proposed 
rule.
    A representative of APHIS will preside at the public hearing. Any 
interested person may appear and be heard in person, by attorney, or by 
other representative. Written statements may be submitted and will be 
made part of the hearing record. Persons who wish to speak at a public 
hearing will be asked to provide their name and organization. We ask 
that anyone who reads a statement or submits a written statement 
provide two copies to the presiding officer at the hearing.
    The public hearing will begin at 9 a.m. and is scheduled to end at 
5 p.m., local time. However, the hearing may be terminated at any time 
after it begins if all persons desiring to speak have been heard. If 
the number of speakers at the hearing warrants it, the presiding 
officer may limit the time for each presentation so that everyone 
wishing to speak has the opportunity.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 25th day of November 1998.
Craig A. Reed,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 98-32228 Filed 12-3-98; 8:45 am]
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