[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 23 (Thursday, February 3, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5303-5305]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-2383]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 99-069-1]


Public Meeting; Animal Care

AGENCY:  Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION:  Notice of public meeting.

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SUMMARY:  The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service plans to hold 
a public meeting to discuss issues related to the humane care and 
treatment of exhibition animals regulated under the Animal Welfare Act.

DATES:  The public meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 7, 2000, 
beginning at 8:30 a.m. and ending at 5p.m. On-site registration and 
sign-in for preregistered participants will take place from 7 a.m. to 
8:30 a.m.

ADDRESSES:  The public meeting will be held at the USDA Conference 
Center, 4700 River Road, Riverdale, MD.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Animal Care, APHIS, 4700 River Road 
Unit 84, Riverdale, MD 20737-1234; (301) 734-7833.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:  The Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service (APHIS) will hold a public meeting in Riverdale, MD, on March 
7, 2000, to exchange information with the public about the humane care 
and treatment of exhibition animals regulated under the Animal Welfare 
Act. The meeting will include a general session followed by four 
workshops to run concurrently. The workshops will be offered twice, 
based on the public's response, to allow for increased participation. 
The tentative agenda for the public meeting is as follows:

8:30 a.m.-10 a.m.--General Session
10 a.m.-10:30 a.m.--Break
10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.--Workshops Session I

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12:30 p.m.-1:30 p.m.--Lunch Break
1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.--Workshops Session II
3:30 p.m.-4 p.m.--Break
4 p.m.-5 p.m.--General Session/Wrap-up

The morning general session will include updates by U.S. Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) officials on current Animal Welfare Act issues and 
program initiatives focusing on, but not limited to, exhibition animal 
issues. Time will be allotted during the morning general session for 
open dialogue between USDA and the public. We are tentatively 
scheduling the following workshop topics:
1. Zoos
2. Circuses
3. Dealers, Research, and Transportation
4. Training and Handling of Potentially Dangerous Animals

Animal Care personnel will present information on issues related to the 
workshop topics and allow for discussion with the public led by an 
APHIS facilitator.

Workshop Issues

    You may submit issues that you want presented by Animal Care during 
the workshops. Please specify the issue and the related workshop topic 
and submit no later than February 15, 2000, to Animal Care, Attention: 
Public Meeting, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 84, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1234; or by fax at either (301) 734-4978 or (301) 734-4993.

Advance Registration

    Advance registration is requested by February 29, 2000. Although 
advance registration is not required, attendance may be limited based 
on public response and conference center accommodations. There is no 
registration fee.
    An advance registration form is printed below. Alternatively, an 
advance registration form is available via the Internet on Animal 
Care's home page at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ac. Please fill out the 
form completely and submit it either by mail to Animal Care, Attention: 
Public Meeting, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 84, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1234; or by fax at either (301) 734-4978 or (301) 734-4993.
    If you have any questions about registration, contact Sue 
Gallagher, Program Specialist, Animal Care, on (301) 734-8877.

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Advance Registration Form

Animal Care Public Meeting

March 7, 2000; 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m., 4700 River Road, Riverdale, MD 
20737

    Advance registration requested by February 29, 2000 (no fee 
required)

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    Please indicate the workshop you plan to attend during each 
workshops session (topics are subject to change):

10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

--Zoos
--Circuses
--Dealers, Research, and Transportation
--Training and Handling of Potentially Dangerous Animals

1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.

--Zoos
--Circuses
--Dealers, Research, and Transportation
--Training and Handling of Potentially Dangerous Animals

    Please either:
     Fax completed registration form to (301) 734-4978 or 
(301) 734-4993, or
     Mail completed registration form to Animal Care, Attn: 
Public Meeting, 4700 River Road Unit 84, Riverdale, MD 20737-1234.
    For questions concerning registration, contact Sue Gallagher at 
(301) 734-8877.

    If you require special accommodations, such as a sign language 
interpreter, for the meeting, please indicate below:
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Travel Information

    If traveling to the metro area by air, Baltimore-Washington 
International (BWI) and Ronald Reagan National Airports are each 
located within a 1-hour drive from the USDA Center. Dulles 
International Airport is located within a 1\1/2\-hour drive from the 
USDA Center. Airport shuttle services are available via independent 
contracted service fleets. Check with your hotel desk for additional 
shuttle or taxi information, or phone Super Shuttle (servicing BWI, 
Ronald Reagan National, and Dulles International Airports) at (800) 
258-3826 or (410) 859-0803, or Airport Connection (servicing BWI 
Airport) at (800) 284-6066 or (301) 352-2400.
    The USDA Center is located less than 1 mile from the College Park-
University of Maryland metro rail station (Green Line toward 
Greenbelt). Bus service is provided between the College Park-University 
of Maryland station and the USDA Center by both metro bus (F6 and R12 
bus lines) and certain University of Maryland shuttle buses. The fee 
for the metro bus is $1.10. The University of Maryland shuttle bus is 
free.
    If traveling by car, please note that a fee of $2 is required to 
enter the parking lot at the USDA Center. The machine takes $1 bills or 
quarters.
    Travel directions and information are available via the Internet at 
Animal Care's homepage at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ac.

Security Procedures

    Upon entering the building, visitors should inform security 
personnel that they are attending the Animal Care public meeting. 
Identification is required. Security personnel will direct visitors to 
the registration tables located outside the conference center on the 
first floor. Registration is necessary for all participants, including 
those registered in advance. Visitor badges must be worn throughout the 
day.

Lodging Information

    We encourage out-of-town participants to make reservations as soon 
as possible due to potential peak volumes at local hotels at the time 
of the meeting. Rooms at all hotels are on a space available basis. The 
following hotels are located in the Riverdale area: Greenbelt Holiday 
Inn, 7200 Hanover Drive, Greenbelt, MD 20770, (800) 280-4188, (301) 
982-7000.
    A limited number of rooms have been reserved until February 21, 
2000, at a rate of $84 plus tax at the Greenbelt Holiday Inn. You must 
identify yourself as a ``USDA Animal Care'' attendee when making 
reservations. Hotel shuttle service is available to and from the USDA 
Center. Make arrangements with the Holiday Inn front desk: College Park 
Holiday Inn, 10000 Baltimore Boulevard, College Park, MD 20740, (800) 
465-4329, (301) 345-6700.
    A limited number of rooms have been reserved until February 21, 
2000, at a rate of $89 plus tax at the College Park Holiday Inn. You 
must identify yourself as an ``Animal Care Public Meeting'' or ``ACP'' 
attendee when making reservations. Hotel shuttle service is available 
to and from the USDA Center. Make arrangements with the Holiday Inn 
front desk: Greenbelt Courtyard-Marriott, 6301 Golden Triangle Drive, 
Greenbelt, MD 20770, (800) 321-2211, (301) 441-3311.
    There are no special lodging rates offered at the Greenbelt 
Courtyard-Marriott, and no shuttle service is available to the USDA 
Center.
    Please check with your travel agent for other hotel availability.

    Authority:  7 U.S.C. 2131 et seq.


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    Done in Washington, DC, this 28th day of January 2000.
Bobby R. Acord,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 00-2383 Filed 2-2-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-U