[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 202 (Friday, October 19, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 59239]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-20674]


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 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
 ________________________________________________________________________
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
 statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 202 / Friday, October 19, 2007 / 
Notices  

[[Page 59239]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2007-0102]


Notice of Decision To Issue Permits for the Importation of 
Eggplant and Okra From Ghana Into All Areas of the United States and 
the Importation of Peppers From Ghana Into the Continental United 
States

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public of our decision to begin issuing 
permits for the importation of eggplant and okra from Ghana into all 
areas of the United States and the importation of peppers from Ghana 
into the continental United States. Based on the findings of a pest 
risk analysis, which we made available to the public for review and 
comment through a previous notice, we believe that the application of 
one or more designated phytosanitary measures will be sufficient to 
mitigate the risks of introducing or disseminating plant pests or 
noxious weeds via the importation of eggplant, okra, and peppers from 
Ghana.

DATES: Effective Date: October 19, 2007.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Sharon Porsche, Import Specialist, 
Commodity Import Analysis and Operations, Plant Health Programs, PPQ, 
APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-
8758.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the regulations in ``Subpart--Fruits 
and Vegetables'' (7 CFR 319.56 through 319.56-47, referred to below as 
the regulations), the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
(APHIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture prohibits or restricts 
the importation of fruits and vegetables into the United States from 
certain parts of the world to prevent plant pests from being introduced 
into and spread within the United States.
    Section 319.56-4 of the regulations contains a performance-based 
process for approving the importation of commodities that, based on the 
findings of a pest risk analysis, can be safely imported subject to one 
or more of the designated phytosanitary measures listed in paragraph 
(b) of that section. Under that process, APHIS publishes a notice in 
the Federal Register announcing the availability of the pest risk 
analysis that evaluates the risks associated with the importation of a 
particular fruit or vegetable. Following the close of the 60-day 
comment period, APHIS may begin issuing permits for importation of the 
fruit or vegetable subject to the identified designated measures if: 
(1) No comments were received on the pest risk analysis; (2) the 
comments on the pest risk analysis revealed that no changes to the pest 
risk analysis were necessary; or (3) changes to the pest risk analysis 
were made in response to public comments, but the changes did not 
affect the overall conclusions of the analysis and the Administrator's 
determination of risk.
    In accordance with that process, we published a notice \1\ in the 
Federal Register on July 18, 2007 (72 FR 39379-39380, Docket No. APHIS-
2007-0102), in which we announced the availability, for review and 
comment, of a pest risk analysis that evaluates the risks associated 
with the importation of eggplant and okra from Ghana into all areas of 
the United States and the importation of peppers from Ghana into the 
continental United States. We solicited comments on the notice for 60 
days ending on September 17, 2007. We did not receive any comments.
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    \1\ To view the notice and the pest risk analysis, go to http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2007-0102.
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    Therefore, in accordance with the regulations in Sec.  319.56-
4(c)(2)(ii), we are announcing our decision to begin issuing permits 
for the importation of eggplant and okra from Ghana into all areas of 
the United States and the importation of peppers from Ghana into the 
continental United States subject to the following phytosanitary 
measures:
     The eggplant, okra, and peppers must be treated, in Ghana, 
with irradiation using a minimum absorbed dose of 400 Gy and subject to 
other requirements of 7CFR part 305.
     Each consignment of eggplant, okra, and peppers must be 
accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by Ghana's national 
plant protection organization stating that the consignment received 
irradiation treatment with 400 Gy as the minimum absorbed dose. In the 
case of eggplant, the phytosanitary certificate must also include an 
additional declaration that reads ``The fruit in this consignment was 
inspected and found free of Eutetranychus orientalis.''
     The eggplant, okra, and peppers may be imported in 
commercial consignments only.
     The eggplant, okra, and peppers will be subject to 
standard port-of-entry inspection upon arrival in the United States and 
must be free of quarantine pests.
    These conditions will be listed in the fruits and vegetables manual 
(available at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/manuals/ports/downloads/fv.pdf). In addition to those specific measures, the 
eggplant, okra, and peppers will be subject to the general requirements 
listed in Sec.  319.56-3 that are applicable to the importation of all 
fruits and vegetables.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 15th day of October 2007.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
 [FR Doc. E7-20674 Filed 10-18-07; 8:45 am]
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