[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 60 (Thursday, March 27, 2008)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 16179]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-6242]



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  Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 60 / Thursday, March 27, 2008 / Rules 
and Regulations  

[[Page 16179]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

9 CFR Part 94

[Docket No. APHIS-2007-0142]


Addition of Armenia to the List of Regions Where African Swine 
Fever Exists

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Affirmation of interim rule as final rule.

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SUMMARY: We are adopting as a final rule, without change, an interim 
rule that amended the regulations concerning the importation of animals 
and animal products by adding Armenia to the list of regions where 
African swine fever exists. We took that action because outbreaks of 
African swine fever had been confirmed in various locations in the 
northern portion of Armenia. The interim rule was necessary to prevent 
the introduction of African swine fever into the United States.

DATES: Effective on March 27, 2008, we are adopting as a final rule the 
interim rule published at 73 FR 1043-1044 on January 7, 2008.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Javier Vargas, Animal Scientist, 
Regionalization Evaluation Services Staff, National Center for Import 
and Export, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 38, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1231; (301) 734-0756.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The regulations in 9 CFR part 94 (referred to below as the 
regulations) govern the importation of specified animals and animal 
products to prevent the introduction into the United States of various 
animal diseases, including rinderpest, foot-and-mouth disease, bovine 
spongiform encephalopathy, swine vesicular disease, classical swine 
fever, and African swine fever (ASF). These are dangerous and 
destructive diseases of ruminants and swine.
    Section 94.8 of the regulations lists regions of the world where 
ASF exists or is reasonably believed to exist and imposes restrictions 
on the importation of pork and pork products into the United States 
from those regions.
    In an interim rule \1\ effective and published in the Federal 
Register on January 7, 2008 (73 FR 1043-1044, Docket No. APHIS-2007-
0142), we amended the regulations by adding Armenia to the list in 
Sec.  94.8 of regions where ASF exists or is reasonably believed to 
exist. As a result of that action, the importation into the United 
States of pork and pork products from Armenia is restricted.
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    \1\ To view the interim rule, go to http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2007-0142.
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    Comments on the interim rule were required to be received on or 
before March 7, 2008. We did not receive any comments. Therefore, for 
the reasons given in the interim rule, we are adopting the interim rule 
as a final rule without change.
    This action also affirms the information contained in the interim 
rule concerning Executive Order 12866 and the Regulatory Flexibility 
Act, Executive Order 12988, and the Paperwork Reduction Act. Further, 
for this action, the Office of Management and Budget has waived its 
review under Executive Order 12866.

List of Subjects in 9 CFR Part 94

    Animal diseases, Imports, Livestock, Meat and meat products, Milk, 
Poultry and poultry products, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

PART 94--RINDERPEST, FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE, FOWL PEST (FOWL 
PLAGUE), EXOTIC NEWCASTLE DISEASE, AFRICAN SWINE FEVER, CLASSICAL 
SWINE FEVER, AND BOVINE SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHY: PROHIBITED AND 
RESTRICTED IMPORTATIONS

0
Accordingly, we are adopting as a final rule, without change, the 
interim rule that amended 9 CFR part 94 and that was published at 73 FR 
1043-1044 on January 7, 2008.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 21st day of March 2008.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
 [FR Doc. E8-6242 Filed 3-26-08; 8:45 am]
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