[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 157 (Thursday, August 14, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48595-48596]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-20732]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 03-022-2]


Availability of a Draft Pest Risk Analysis for the Importation of 
Hass Avocados from Mexico

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: We are extending the comment period for a draft pest risk 
analysis prepared by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
relative to a proposed rule currently under consideration that would 
allow the importation of Hass avocados from Mexico into the entire 
United States and during all months of the year. This action will allow 
interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments.

DATES: We will consider all comments on the draft pest risk analysis 
that we receive on or before September 15, 2003.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by postal mail/commercial delivery 
or by e-mail. If you use postal mail/commercial delivery, please send 
four copies of your comment (an original and three copies) to: Docket 
No. 03-022-1, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 
3C71, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state 
that your comment refers to Docket No. 03-022-1. If you use e-mail, 
address your comment to [email protected]. Your comment must 
be contained in the body of your message; do not send attached files. 
Please include your name and address in your message and ``Docket No. 
03-022-1'' on the subject line.
    You may read any comments that we receive on the draft pest risk 
analysis in our reading room. The reading room is located in room 1141 
of the USDA South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW.,

[[Page 48596]]

Washington, DC. Normal reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except holidays. To be sure someone is there to 
help you, please call (202) 690-2817 before coming.
    APHIS documents published in the Federal Register, and related 
information, including the names of organizations and individuals who 
have commented on APHIS dockets, are available on the Internet at 
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Ron A. Sequeira, Center for Plant 
Health Science and Technology, PPQ, APHIS, 1017 Main Campus Drive, 
Suite 2500, Raleigh, NC 27606-5202; (919) 513-2663.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On June 16, 2003, we published in the Federal Register (68 FR 
35619, Docket No. 03-022-1) a notice advising the public that a draft 
pest risk analysis has been prepared by the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service relative to a proposed rule currently under 
consideration that would allow the importation of Hass avocados from 
Mexico into the entire United States and during all months of the year. 
In that notice, we stated that we were making the draft pest risk 
analysis available to the public for review and comment.
    Comments on the draft pest risk analysis were required to be 
received on or before August 15, 2003. We are extending the comment 
period until September 15, 2003. This action will allow interested 
persons additional time to prepare and submit comments.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 450 and 7701-7772; 21 U.S.C. 136 and 136a; 7 
CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.3.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 11th day of August 2003.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 03-20732 Filed 8-13-03; 8:45 am]
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