[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 100 (Tuesday, May 25, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29309-29310]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-12532]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2010-0003]


Notice of Decision to Issue Permits for the Importation of Fresh 
Male Summer Squash Flowers From Israel 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 into the continental United States of fresh 
male summer squash flowers from Israel. 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 fresh male summer squash flowers 
from Israel.

EFFECTIVE DATE: May 25, 2010.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Donna L. West, Senior Import 
Specialist, Regulatory Coordination and Compliance, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 
River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 734-0627.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Under the regulations in ``Subpart--Fruits and Vegetables'' (7 CFR 
319.56-1 through 319.56-50, 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 spreading 
within the United States. Under that process, APHIS may publish a 
notice in the Federal Register announcing the availability of a 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 risk-mitigation measures identified 
in the pest risk analysis 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 February 9, 2010 (75 FR 6346, Docket No. APHIS-
2010-0003) in which we announced the availability, for review and 
comment, of a pest risk analysis evaluating the risks associated with 
the importation into the continental United States of fresh male summer 
squash flowers from Israel. We solicited comments on the notice for 60 
days ending on April 12, 2010. We received one comment during that 
time. The commenter wrote in support of allowing the importation of 
fresh male summer squash flowers from Israel into the continental 
United States.
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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-2010-0003).
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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 into the continental United States of fresh male 
summer squash flowers from Israel provided that each commercial 
consignment of the squash flowers is accompanied by a phytosanitary 
certificate stating that the consignment has been inspected and found 
free of

[[Page 29310]]

Helicoverpa armigera and Scirtothrips dorsalis and that each 
consignment is subject to inspection at the port of entry.
    These conditions will be listed in the Fruits and Vegetables Import 
Requirements database (available at (http://www.aphis.usda.gov/favir)) 
. In addition to these specific measures, fresh male summer squash 
flowers from Israel will be subject to the general requirements listed 
in Sec.  319.56-3 that are applicable to the importation of all fruits 
and vegetables.
    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 450, 7701-7772, and 7781-7786; 21 U.S.C. 136 
and 136a; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.3.
    Done in Washington, DC, this 19\th\ day of May 2010.

Kevin Shea
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-12532 Filed 5-24-10; 10:03 am]
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