[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 179 (Friday, September 15, 2006)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 54438]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-15328]


 ========================================================================
 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. 179 / Friday, September 15, 2006 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 54438]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

9 CFR Part 3

[Docket No. APHIS-2006-0044]


Animal Welfare; Elephants

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of petition and request for comments; extension of 
comment period.

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SUMMARY: We are extending the comment period for our notice of petition 
and request for comments concerning the handling, care, treatment, and 
transport of elephants covered by the Animal Welfare Act. 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 
November 9, 2006.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov, select ``Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service'' from the agency drop-down menu, then click ``Submit.'' In the 
Docket ID column, select APHIS-2006-0044 to submit or view public 
comments and to view supporting and related materials available 
electronically. Information on using Regulations.gov, including 
instructions for accessing documents, submitting comments, and viewing 
the docket after the close of the comment period, is available through 
the site's ``User Tips'' link.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send four copies 
of your comment (an original and three copies) to Docket No. APHIS-
2006-0044, 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. APHIS-2006-0044.
    Reading Room: You may read any comments that we receive on Docket 
No. APHIS-2006-0044 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. Barbara Kohn, Senior Staff 
Veterinarian, Animal Care, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 84, Riverdale, 
MD 20737-1234; (301) 734-7833.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 9, 2006, we published in the 
Federal Register (71 FR 45438-45439, Docket No. APHIS-2006-0044) a 
notice of petition and request for comments. That document notified the 
public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service had received 
a petition from In Defense of Animals requesting that we issue an 
interpretive rule or policy to clarify the space and living conditions 
required for captive elephants, and that we enforce the Animal Welfare 
Act and its implementing regulations by requiring that exhibitors fully 
comply with the regulations. We solicited comments from the public 
regarding the petition, and whether we should continue to regulate the 
handling, care, treatment, and transport of elephants covered by the 
Animal Welfare Act under the general standards in the regulations or 
promulgate specific standards for elephants. We also requested comments 
regarding what should be included in such standards.
    Comments on the notice were required to be received on or before 
October 10, 2006. We are extending the comment period on Docket No. 
APHIS-2006-0044 for an additional 30 days. This action will allow 
interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 2131-2159; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.7.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 12th day of September 2006.
Nick Gutierrez,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E6-15328 Filed 9-14-06; 8:45 am]
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