[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 122 (Monday, June 25, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33708-33709]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-15825]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


Modification of United States Ports at Which Rodent Infestation 
Inspections Will Be Conducted and Deratting and Deratting Exemption 
Certificates Issued

AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of 
Health and Human Services.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: On September 13, 2000, CDC published a notice soliciting 
proposals to add additional ports to, or otherwise modify the list of 
those at which it will conduct rodent infestation inspection of ships, 
and issue Deratting and Deratting Exemption Certificates. While the 
United States does not require these certificates for ships to enter 
its seaports, Article 17 of the International Health Regulations 
requires that the United States provide these services, and 42 CFR 
71.46 authorizes their performance by CDC through the Public Health 
Service (PHS). CDC is expanding the coverage area of some of the 
current 11 ports and adding 23 additional ports for a total of 34 
ports.

DATES: Rodent infestation inspection of ships, and issuance of 
Deratting and Deratting Exemption Certificates will begin at the 
additional ports on July 1, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James E. Barrow, Chief, Program 
Operations Branch, Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, 
National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control 
and Prevention (CDC), Mailstop E03, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, telephone 
(404) 639-8107, Facsimile (404) 639-2599, E-mail [email protected].

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 264-271, 42 CFR 71.46, IHR Articles 17 and 
53.

[[Page 33709]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Purpose and Background

    The purpose of this announcement is to add 23 additional ports to 
the list of United States ports at which CDC will conduct rodent 
infestation inspections of ships, and issue Deratting and Deratting 
Exemption Certificates. While the United States does not require these 
certificates for ships to enter its seaports, CDC currently provides 
rodent infestation inspections and issues Deratting and Deratting 
Exemption Certificates for ships at 11 major ports upon request. These 
ports include: Baltimore, MD; Honolulu, HI; Houston, TX; Jacksonville, 
FL; Los Angeles, CA; Miami, FL; New Orleans, LA; New York, NY; San 
Francisco, CA; Savannah, GA; and Seattle, WA. Article 17 of the 
International Health Regulations, published by the World Health 
Organization, Geneva, Switzerland, requires that each Health 
Administration provide these services, and Article 82 outlines the 
criteria for charging fees. 42 CFR 71.46 authorizes the performance of 
these services by PHS as carried out by CDC. For many years, CDC 
provided these services at no cost to the owners or agents of ships 
requesting them. Consistent with the practice of most foreign countries 
and to reduce the cost of the inspection program, beginning on October 
1, 1997, CDC consolidated its inspection activities to include only the 
ports listed above [63 FR 17427]. Further, beginning on June 6, 1999, 
CDC imposed user fees for inspections conducted at the above listed 
ports [64 FR 24658]. Now that the cost of providing these services is 
being passed along as a charge to those receiving them, and in the 
interest of facilitating the expeditious and economical movement of 
ships between the United States and countries that require a Deratting 
or Deratting Exemption Certificate for entry into their ports, CDC 
published a Federal Register notice on September 13, 2000 [65 FR 
55253], soliciting requests to add additional ports to the list at 
which services will be provided.

Comments Received

    A small number of comments were received during the comment period. 
Most of the comments included a request that CDC return to the past 
practice of conducting rodent infestation inspections and issuing 
deratting exemption certificates at virtually all U.S. seaports and/or 
a list of ports where inspection services would be most beneficial to 
them. Convenience and economy were cited as reasons for the addition of 
ports. One municipality cited a potential economic benefit to the 
community if inspections were available and additional traffic 
attracted because of their availability. None of the comments included 
the estimated number of inspections for the ports requested, and few 
provided an estimate of cost savings to the shipping industry. This 
supporting information was requested in the Federal Register notice.

Conclusion

    In deciding where to expand these services, CDC considered the 
information submitted by respondents, the estimated demand for 
services, and the availability and suitability of potential vendors.
    Effective July 1, 2001, rodent infestation inspections of ships 
will be conducted, and Deratting and Deratting Exemption Certificates 
issued at the following U.S. seaports. Inspections will be conducted 
upon request, subject to the availability of a CDC-designated 
inspector. A user fee of $150 will continue to be applicable to all 
rodent infestation inspections conducted by CDC or its vendors.

Boston, MA
New York, NY/Northern NJ
Philadelphia, PA
Norfolk/Hampton Roads Area, VA
Charleston, SC
Savannah, GA
Brunswick, GA
Jacksonville, FL
Cape Canaveral, FL
Port Everglades, FL
Miami, FL
Tampa, FL
Panama City, FL
Pensacola, FL
Mobile, AL
Pascagoula/Gulfport, MS
New Orleans/Metarie, LA
Beaumont/Port Arthur/Orange, TX
Houston/Galveston/Texas City, TX
Corpus Christi, TX
Brownsville/Port Isabel, TX
Chicago, IL
Toledo, OH
Detroit, MI
Cleveland, OH
San Diego/Pt. Hueneme, CA
Los Angeles/Long Beach/El Segundo, CA
San Francisco Bay Area, CA
Portland, OR
Seattle, WA
Tacoma, WA
Kalama, WA
Honolulu, HI
San Juan, PR

    Dated: June 19, 2001.
Thena M. Durham,
Director, Executive Secretariat, Office of the Director, Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
[FR Doc. 01-15825 Filed 6-22-01; 8:45 am]
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