[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 62 (Friday, April 1, 2005)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 16691-16693]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-6458]



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 Rules and Regulations
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  Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 62 / Friday, April 1, 2005 / Rules 
and Regulations  

[[Page 16691]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

7 CFR Part 354

9 CFR Part 97

[Docket No. 04-108-1]


Commuted Traveltime

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: We are amending the regulations concerning overtime services 
provided by employees of the Agency's Plant Protection and Quarantine 
(PPQ) and Veterinary Services (VS) programs by adding or amending 
commuted traveltime allowances for travel between certain locations in 
Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico. Commuted traveltime allowances are the 
periods of time required for PPQ or VS employees to travel from their 
dispatch points and return there from the places where they perform 
Sunday, holiday, or other overtime duty. The Government charges a fee 
for certain overtime services provided by PPQ and VS employees and, 
under certain circumstances, the fee may include the cost of commuted 
traveltime. This action is necessary to inform the public of commuted 
traveltime for these locations.

DATES: Effective April 1, 2005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information regarding Plant 
Protection and Quarantine programs, contact Mr. Michael J. Caporaletti, 
Program Analyst, Quarantine Policy, Analysis and Support, PPQ, APHIS, 
4700 River Road Unit 120, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238; (301) 734-5781. For 
information regarding Veterinary Services programs, contact Ms. Inez D. 
Hockaday, Director, Management Support Staff, VS, APHIS, 4700 River 
Road Unit 44, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-7517.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The regulations in 7 CFR, chapter III, and 9 CFR, chapter I, 
subchapter D, require inspection, laboratory testing, certification, or 
quarantine of certain plants, plant products, animals, animal products, 
or other commodities intended for importation into, or exportation 
from, the United States.
    When these services must be provided by an employee of the Animal 
and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) on a Sunday or holiday, or 
at any other time outside the employee's regular duty hours, the 
Government charges a fee for the services in accordance with 7 CFR part 
354 (for services provided by an employee of APHIS' Plant Protection 
and Quarantine [PPQ] program) and 9 CFR part 97 (for services provided 
by an employee of APHIS' Veterinary Services [VS] program). Under 
circumstances described in 7 CFR 354.1(a)(2) and 9 CFR 97.1(a), this 
fee may include the cost of commuted traveltime. The regulations in 7 
CFR 354.2 and 9 CFR 97.2 contain administrative instructions 
prescribing commuted traveltime allowances, which reflect, as nearly as 
practicable, the periods of time required for PPQ and VS employees to 
travel from their dispatch points and return there from the places 
where they perform Sunday, holiday, or other overtime duty.
    We are amending 7 CFR 354.2 and 9 CFR 97.2 by adding commuted 
traveltime allowances for travel between certain locations in Texas, 
New Mexico, and Mexico. The new allowances are set forth in the rule 
portion of this document. In 9 CFR 97.2, we are also increasing the 
commuted traveltime allowance from 1 to 2 hours for Dallas-Fort Worth 
International Airport served from Fort Worth or Dallas, TX, within the 
metro area, and removing the commuted traveltime allowance for Dallas-
Fort Worth International Airport served from Fort Worth or Dallas 
outside the metro area. This action is necessary to inform the public 
of the commuted traveltime between the dispatch and service locations.
    We are also amending the table in 7 CFR 354.2 to change the entry 
for ``Dallas-Fort Worth Regional Airport'' to ``Dallas-Fort Worth 
International Airport.'' The corresponding entry in 9 CFR 97.2 has 
already been updated to reflect the change in the airport's name.

Effective Date

    The commuted traveltime allowances appropriate for employees 
performing services at ports of entry, and the features of the 
reimbursement plan for recovering the cost of furnishing port of entry 
services, depend upon facts within the knowledge of the Department of 
Agriculture. It does not appear that public participation in this 
rulemaking would make additional relevant information available to the 
Department.
    Accordingly, pursuant to the administrative procedure provisions in 
5 U.S.C. 553, we find upon good cause that prior notice and other 
public procedure with respect to this rule are impracticable and 
unnecessary; we also find good cause for making this rule effective 
less than 30 days after publication of this document in the Federal 
Register.

Executive Order 12866 and Regulatory Flexibility Act

    This rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12866. For this 
action, the Office of Management and Budget has waived its review under 
Executive Order 12866.
    The number of requests for overtime services of a PPQ or VS 
employee at the locations affected by this rule represents an 
insignificant portion of the total number of requests for these 
services in the United States.
    Under these circumstances, the Administrator of the Animal and 
Plant Health Inspection Service has determined that this action will 
not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities.

Executive Order 12988

    This final rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12988, 
Civil Justice Reform. This rule is intended to have preemptive effect 
with respect to any State or local laws, regulations, or policies that 
conflict with its provisions or that would otherwise impede its full 
implementation. This rule is not intended to have retroactive effect. 
There are no administrative procedures that must be exhausted prior to 
any judicial challenge to the provisions of this rule or the 
application of its provisions.

[[Page 16692]]

Paperwork Reduction Act

    This final rule contains no new information collection or 
recordkeeping requirements under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

List of Subjects

7 CFR Part 354

    Exports, Government employees, Imports, Plant diseases and pests, 
Quarantine, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Travel and 
transportation expenses.

9 CFR Part 97

    Exports, Government employees, Imports, Livestock, Poultry and 
poultry products, Travel and transportation expenses.

0
Accordingly, we are amending 7 CFR part 354 and 9 CFR part 97 as 
follows:

Title 7--(Amended)

PART 354--OVERTIME SERVICES RELATING TO IMPORTS AND EXPORTS; AND 
USER FEES

0
1. The authority citation for part 354 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 7701-7772 and 8301-8317; 21 U.S.C. 136 and 
136a; 49 U.S.C. 80503; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.3.
0
2. In Sec.  354.2, the table is amended as follows:
0
a. Under Mexico, by adding, in alphabetical order, the entries set 
forth below.
0
b. Under Texas, by removing the word ``Regional'' each time it appears 
and adding the word ``International'' in its place, and by adding, in 
alphabetical order, the entries set forth below.


354.2  Administrative instructions prescribing commuted traveltime.

* * * * *

                     Commuted Traveltime Allowances
                               [In hours]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      Metropolitan area
        Location covered            Served from--  ---------------------
                                                      Within    Outside
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                              * * * * * * *
Mexico:
 
                              * * * * * * *
    Ciudad Acuna...............  Eagle Pass, TX...  .........          3
    Ciudad Acuna...............  Laredo, TX.......  .........          6
    Ciudad Acuna...............  Pleasanton, TX...  .........          6
 
                              * * * * * * *
    Nuevo Laredo...............  Del Rio, TX......  .........          4
    Nuevo Laredo...............  Eagle Pass, TX...  .........          5
 
                              * * * * * * *
    Nuevo Laredo...............  Pharr, TX........  .........          6
    Nuevo Laredo...............  Pleasanton, TX...  .........          5
 
                              * * * * * * *
    Ojinaga....................  El Paso, TX......  .........          6
 
                              * * * * * * *
    Piedras Negras.............  Laredo, TX.......  .........          5
    Piedras Negras.............  Pharr, TX........  .........         10
    Piedras Niegros............  Pleasanton, TX...  .........          5
    Reynosa Eagle..............  Pass, TX.........  .........         12
 
                              * * * * * * *
    Reynosa....................  Laredo, TX.......  .........          5
    Reynosa....................  Mission, TX......  .........          1
    Reynosa....................  Pharr, TX........  .........          1
    San Jeronimo...............  Presidio, TX.....  .........          6
    San Jeronimo...............  Santa Theresa, NM  .........          1
 
                              * * * * * * *
Texas:
 
                              * * * * * * *
    Dallas-Fort Worth            Decatur..........  .........          2
     International Airport.
 
                              * * * * * * *
    Houston (including Houston   Bellville........  .........          4
     Intercontinental Airport).
    Houston (including Houston   Bryan............  .........          4
     Intercontinental Airport).
    Houston (including Houston   Georgetown.......  .........          8
     Intercontinental Airport).
    Houston (including Houston   Pleasanton.......  .........          8
     Intercontinental Airport).
 
                              * * * * * * *
------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 16693]]

Title 9--(Amended)

PART 97--OVERTIME SERVICES RELATING TO IMPORTS AND EXPORTS

0
3. The authority citation for part 97 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 8301-8317; 49 U.S.C. 80503; 7 CFR 2.22, 280, 
and 371.4.

0
4. In Sec.  97.2, the table is amended as follows:
0
a. Under Mexico, by revising the entries for Ciudad Acuna, Nuevo 
Laredo, Ojinaga, Piedras Negras, Reynosa (Pharr International Bridge), 
and San Jeronimo to read as set forth below.
0
b. Under Texas, by revising the entries for Dallas-Forth Worth 
International Airport and Houston (including Houston Intercontinental 
Airport) to read as set forth below.


Sec.  97.2  Administrative instructions prescribing commuted 
traveltime.

* * * * *

                     Communted Traveltime Allowances
                               [In hours]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      Metropolitan area
        Location covered           Served from--   ---------------------
                                                      Within    Outside
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                              * * * * * * *
Mexico:
    Ciudad Acuna...............  Del Rio, TX......  .........     1\1/2\
        Do.....................  Eagle Pass, TX...  .........          3
        Do.....................  Laredo, TX.......  .........          6
        Do.....................  Pleasanton, TX...  .........          6
 
                              * * * * * * *
    Nuevo Laredo...............  Del Rio, TX......  .........          4
        Do.....................  Eagle Pass, TX...  .........          5
        Do.....................  Laredo, TX.......  .........     1\1/2\
        Do.....................  Pharr, TX........  .........          6
        Do.....................  Pleasanton, TX...  .........          5
    Ojinaga....................  El Paso, TX......  .........          6
        Do.....................  Presidio, TX.....  .........          1
    Piedras Negras.............  Eagle Pass, TX...  .........          1
        Do.....................  Laredo, TX.......  .........          5
        Do.....................  Pharr, TX........  .........         10
        Do.....................  Pleasanton, TX...  .........          5
    Reynosa (Pharr               Eagle Pass, TX...  .........         12
     International Bridge).
        Do.....................  Hidalgo, TX......  .........          1
        Do.....................  Laredo, TX.......  .........          5
        Do.....................  Mission, TX......  .........          1
        Do.....................  Pharr, TX........  .........          1
    San Jeronimo...............  El Paso, TX......  .........          2
        Do.....................  Presidio, TX.....  .........          6
        Do.....................  Santa Theresa, NM  .........          1
 
                              * * * * * * *
Texas:
    Dallas-Forth Worth           Decatur..........  .........          2
     International Airport.
        Do.....................  Ft. Worth or       .........          2
                                  Dallas.
 
                              * * * * * * *
    Houston (including Houston   .................  .........          2
     Intercontinental Airport).
        Do.....................  Bellville, TX....  .........          4
        Do.....................  Bryan, TX........  .........          4
        Do.....................  Georgetown, TX...  .........          8
        Do.....................  Pleasanton, TX...  .........          8
 
                              * * * * * * *
------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Done in Washington, DC, this 28th day of March, 2005.
Elizabeth E. Gaston,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 05-6458 Filed 3-31-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P