[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 39 (Tuesday, February 28, 2006)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 9978]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-2773]


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 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
 the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
 notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
 the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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  Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 39 / Tuesday, February 28, 2006 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 9978]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

7 CFR Parts 319, 330, and 340

[Docket No. 03-002-2]


Importation of Nursery Stock

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Proposed rule; reopening of comment period.

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SUMMARY: We are reopening the comment period for our proposed rule that 
would make several changes to the nursery stock regulations. This 
action will allow interested persons additional time to prepare and 
submit comments.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before March 
31, 2006.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and, in the ``Search for Open Regulations'' box, 
select ``Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service'' from the agency 
drop-down menu, then click on ``Submit.'' In the Docket ID column, 
select APHIS-2005-0081 to submit or view public comments and to view 
supporting and related materials available electronically. After the 
close of the comment period, the docket can be viewed using the 
``Advanced Search'' function in Regulations.gov.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send four copies 
of your comment (an original and three copies) to Docket No. 03-002-1, 
Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 
River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state that your 
comment refers to Docket No. 03-002-1.
    Reading Room: You may read any comments that we receive on Docket 
No. 03-002-1 in our reading room. The reading room is located in room 
1141 of the USDA South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue, 
SW., 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.
    Other Information: Additional information about APHIS and its 
programs is available on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Arnold T. Tschanz, Senior Import 
Specialist, Commodity Import Analysis and Operations, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 
River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 734-5306.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 15, 2005, we published in the 
Federal Register (70 FR 74215-74235, Docket No. 03-002-1) a proposed 
rule that would make several amendments to the nursery stock 
regulations, including changes to eliminate various restrictions on the 
importation of plants in vitro and kenaf seed; to establish programs 
for the importation of approved plants from the Canary Islands and from 
Israel; to require an additional declaration on the phytosanitary 
certificate accompanying blueberry plants imported from Canada; to 
require that phytosanitary certificates include the genus and species 
names of the restricted articles they accompany; to change the 
phytosanitary certificate requirements for several restricted articles; 
to reduce the postentry quarantine growing period for Hydrangea spp. 
and for certain chrysanthemums; and to update the list of ports of 
entry and Federal plant inspection stations. We also proposed several 
other changes to update and clarify the regulations and improve their 
effectiveness.
    Comments on the proposed rule were required to be received on or 
before February 13, 2006. We are reopening the comment period on Docket 
No. 03-002-1 until March 31, 2006. This action will allow interested 
persons additional time to prepare and submit comments. We will also 
consider all comments received between February 14, 2006, and the date 
of this notice.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 450, 7701-7772, and 7781-7786; 21 U.S.C. 136 
and 136a; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.3.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 22nd day of February 2006.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E6-2773 Filed 2-27-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P