[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 77 (Friday, April 20, 2001)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 20186]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-9793]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

7 CFR Part 301

[Docket No. 00-076-2]


Imported Fire Ant; Addition to Quarantined Areas

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Affirmation of interim rule as final rule.

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SUMMARY: We are adopting as a final rule, without change, an interim 
rule that amended the imported fire ant regulations by adding 
additional areas in Tennessee to the list of quarantined areas. As a 
result of that action, the interstate movement of regulated articles 
from those areas is restricted. The interim rule was necessary to 
prevent the artificial spread of the imported fire ant to noninfested 
areas of the United States. In the interim rule, we also made 
nonsubstantive changes to the descriptions of some of the quarantined 
areas in Tennessee to make them easier to understand.

EFFECTIVE DATE: The interim rule became effective on November 6, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Ronald Milberg, Operations 
Officer, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 36, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; 
(301) 734-5255.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    In an interim rule effective and published in the Federal Register 
on November 6, 2000 (65 FR 66487-66489, Docket No. 00-076-1), we 
amended the imported fire ant regulations in 7 CFR 301.81-3(e) by 
adding portions of Maury and Sequatchie Counties, TN, to the list of 
quarantined areas; changing the status of Lewis County, TN, from 
partially to completely infested; and by revising the quarantine 
boundaries in Giles, Lincoln, and Monroe Counties, TN, to incorporate 
additional infested areas. In the interim rule, we also made 
nonsubstantive changes to the descriptions of some of the quarantined 
areas in Tennessee to make them easier to understand.
    Comments on the interim rule were required to be received on or 
before January 5, 2001. We did not receive any comments. Therefore, for 
the reasons given in the interim rule, we are adopting the interim rule 
as a final rule.
    This action also affirms the information contained in the interim 
rule concerning Executive Order 12866 and the Regulatory Flexibility 
Act, Executive Orders 12372 and 12988, and the Paperwork Reduction Act.
    Further, for this action, the Office of Management and Budget has 
waived the review process required by Executive Order 12866.

List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 301

    Agricultural commodities, Plant diseases and pests, Quarantine, 
Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Transportation.

PART 301--DOMESTIC QUARANTINE NOTICES

    Accordingly, we are adopting as a final rule, without change, the 
interim rule that amended 7 CFR part 301 and that was published at 65 
FR 66487-66489 on November 6, 2000.

    Authority: Title IV, Pub. L. 106-224, 114 Stat. 438, 7 U.S.C. 
7701-7772; 7 U.S.C. 166; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.3.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 16th day of April 2001.
Bobby R. Acord,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 01-9793 Filed 4-19-01; 8:45 am]
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