[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 174 (Friday, September 8, 2006)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 52983]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-14861]



[[Page 52983]]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

9 CFR Parts 55 and 81

[Docket No. 00-108-4]


Chronic Wasting Disease Herd Certification Program and Interstate 
Movement of Farmed or Captive Deer, Elk, and Moose; Delay of Effective 
Date

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Final rule; delay of effective date.

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SUMMARY: We recently amended the regulations to establish a herd 
certification program and interstate movement restrictions for cervids 
to control the spread of chronic wasting disease. That final rule had 
an effective date of October 19, 2006. We are delaying that effective 
date until further notice, to give the agency time to consider several 
petitions we recently received that asked for the rule not to take 
effect as scheduled. This delay is needed to allow the agency to 
consider the issues raised in the petitions and decide what action to 
take in response to them.

DATES: The effective date for the final rule amending 9 CFR part 55 and 
adding 9 CFR part 81, published at 71 FR 41682, July 21, 2006, is 
delayed until further notice. APHIS will publish a document in the 
Federal Register announcing any new effective date or other decision.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Dean E. Goeldner, Senior Staff 
Veterinarian, Ruminant Health Programs, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 
43, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-4916.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's (APHIS's) 
regulations in 9 CFR subchapter B govern cooperative programs to 
control and eradicate communicable diseases of livestock. In accordance 
with the Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8301 et seq.), the 
Secretary of Agriculture has the authority to issue orders and 
promulgate regulations to prevent the introduction into the United 
States and the dissemination within the United States of any pest or 
disease of livestock, and to pay claims growing out of the destruction 
of animals.
    On July 21, 2006, we published a final rule in the Federal Register 
(71 FR 41682-41707) amending 9 CFR subchapter B by establishing 
regulations in part 55 for a Chronic Wasting Disease Herd Certification 
Program to help eliminate chronic wasting disease from the farmed or 
captive cervid herds in the United States (the CWD rule). Under that 
rule, owners of deer, elk, and moose herds who choose to participate 
would have to follow program requirements for animal identification, 
testing, herd management, and movement of animals into and from herds. 
We also amended 9 CFR subchapter B by establishing a new part 81 
containing interstate movement requirements to prevent the spread of 
CWD.

Delay in Effective Date

    We recently received several petitions requesting a delay in the 
effective date of the CWD rule and reconsideration of several 
requirements of the rule. We are currently evaluating the merits of 
these petitions, and will publish a notice in the Federal Register in 
the near future making the contents of the petitions available to the 
public for comment. We are delaying the effective date of the CWD rule 
while this process is underway.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 8301-8317; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.4.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 30th day of August 2006.
W. Ron DeHaven,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
 [FR Doc. E6-14861 Filed 9-7-06; 8:45 am]
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