[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 190 (Friday, October 2, 2009)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 50915]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-23930]



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  Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 190 / Friday, October 2, 2009 / Rules 
and Regulations  

[[Page 50915]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

7 CFR Part 354

[Docket No. APHIS-2009-0048]
RIN 0579-AC99


User Fees for Agricultural Quarantine and Inspection Services

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Interim rule; delay of effective date.

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SUMMARY: On September 28, 2009, we published an interim rule in the 
Federal Register to adjust the fees charged for certain agricultural 
quarantine and inspection (AQI) services that are provided in 
connection with certain commercial vessels, commercial trucks, 
commercial railroad cars, commercial aircraft, and international 
airline passengers arriving at ports in the customs territory of the 
United States. That interim rule was scheduled to become effective on 
October 1, 2009. We are delaying the effective date of the interim rule 
until November 1, 2009. This delay will provide entities affected by 
the changes in AQI user fees additional time to make the necessary 
preparations to comply with the new fees.

DATES: The effective date for the interim rule amending 7 CFR part 354 
published at 74 FR 49311-49315 on September 28, 2009, is delayed until 
November 1, 2009.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information concerning program 
operations, contact Mr. William E. Thomas, Director, Quarantine Policy, 
Analysis, and Support, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 131, 
Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 734-5214. For information concerning rate 
development, contact Mrs. Kris Caraher, User Fee Section, Financial 
Services Branch, Financial Management Division, MRPBS, APHIS, 4700 
River Road Unit 55, Riverdale, MD 20737-1232; (301) 734-0882.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    In an interim rule published in the Federal Register on September 
28, 2009 (74 FR 49311-49315, Docket No. APHIS-2009-0048), we amended 
the user fee regulations in 7 CFR part 354 by adjusting the fees 
charged for certain agricultural quarantine and inspection (AQI) 
services that are provided in connection with certain commercial 
vessels, commercial trucks, commercial railroad cars, commercial 
aircraft, and international airline passengers arriving at ports in the 
customs territory of the United States. In the interim rule, we 
explained that the recent downturn in the U.S. economy has negatively 
impacted travel volumes, and, as a result, our user fee collections, 
which fund these services, have diminished. Although the volume of 
international travel and trade has decreased, inspection and related 
support services continue to be provided at their existing levels, so 
expenses have not decreased. As a result, our user fee collections have 
not been sufficient to enable us to provide those services and maintain 
a reasonable reserve balance. We therefore found it necessary to 
increase our AQI user fees in order to provide adequate funds for these 
purposes.
    The interim rule was scheduled to become effective on October 1, 
2009. We are delaying the effective date of the interim rule until 
November 1, 2009. This delay will provide entities affected by the 
changes in AQI user fees additional time to make the necessary 
preparations to comply with the new fees.
    Accordingly, the effective date for the interim rule amending 7 CFR 
part 354 published at 74 FR 49311-49315 on September 28, 2009, is 
delayed until November 1, 2009.

    Authority:  7 U.S.C. 7701-7772, 7781-7786, and 8301-8317; 21 
U.S.C. 136 and 136a; 49 U.S.C. 80503; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.3.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 30th day of September 2009.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E9-23930 Filed 9-30-09; 4:15 pm]
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