[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 99 (Wednesday, May 23, 2007)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 28827]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-9898]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

7 CFR Part 301

[Docket No. APHIS-2007-0032]


Citrus Canker; Interstate Movement of Regulated Nursery Stock 
From Quarantined Areas

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Interim rule; extension of comment period.

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

SUMMARY: We are extending the comment period for our interim rule that 
amended the citrus canker quarantine regulations to explicitly 
prohibit, with limited exceptions, the interstate movement of regulated 
nursery stock from a quarantined area. 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 June 
11, 2007.

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-2007-0032 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-
2007-0032, 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-2007-0032.
    Reading Room: You may read any comments that we receive on Docket 
No. APHIS-2007-0032 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: Mr. Stephen Poe, Senior Operations 
Officer, Emergency Domestic Programs, Plant Protection and Quarantine, 
APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 137, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-
4387.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 22, 2007, we published in the 
Federal Register (72 FR13423-13428, Docket No. APHIS-2007-0032) an 
interim rule that amended the citrus canker quarantine regulations to 
explicitly prohibit, with limited exceptions, the interstate movement 
of regulated nursery stock from a quarantined area. The interim rule 
was effective on March 16, 2007. We took this action because the 
interstate movement of regulated nursery stock from an area quarantined 
for citrus canker poses a high risk of spreading citrus canker outside 
the quarantined area. The interim rule included two exceptions to the 
prohibition. We allowed calamondin and kumquat plants, two types of 
citrus plants that are highly resistant to citrus canker, to move 
interstate from a quarantined area under a protocol designed to ensure 
that they are free of citrus canker prior to movement. We also 
continued to allow the interstate movement of regulated nursery stock 
for immediate export, under certain conditions. This action was 
necessary to clarify our regulations and to address the risk associated 
with the interstate movement of regulated nursery stock from areas 
quarantined for citrus canker.
    In an order dated April 26, 2007, the United States District Court 
of the Middle District of Florida, Ocala Division, instructed the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture to begin a new round of notice-and-comment 
rulemaking on the issue of the interstate movement of regulated nursery 
stock from areas quarantined for citrus canker.
    We solicited comments on the interim rule for 60 days after its 
publication. Comments on the interim rule were required to be received 
on or before May 21, 2007. We are extending the comment period on 
Docket No. APHIS-2007-0032 for an additional 21 days, until June 11, 
2007. This action will allow interested persons additional time to 
prepare and submit comments.
    We encourage members of the public, including regulated industry, 
to submit comments regarding the interim rule, including the scientific 
and regulatory basis of the rule. We will carefully consider all the 
comments we receive. If our review of the comments indicates that 
changes to the regulations promulgated in the interim rule are 
warranted, we will amend the regulations accordingly.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 7701-7772 and 7781-7786; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, 
and 371.3.
    Section 301.75-15 issued under Sec. 204, Title II, Pub. L. 106-
113, 113 Stat. 1501A-293; sections 301.75-15 and 301.75-16 issued 
under Sec. 203, Title II, Pub. L. 106-224, 114 Stat. 400 (7 U.S.C. 
1421 note).

    Done in Washington, DC, this 17th day of May 2007.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
 [FR Doc. E7-9898 Filed 5-22-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P