[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 164 (Wednesday, August 25, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52305-52306]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-21131]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2010-0059]


Notice of Availability of a Treatment Evaluation Document

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that we have determined that it is 
necessary to revise a treatment schedule in the Plant Protection and 
Quarantine Treatment Manual and to retain the current treatment 
schedule with a different treatment number. We have prepared a 
treatment evaluation document that discusses the existing treatment 
schedule, describes the new treatment schedule, and explains why these 
change are necessary. We are making the treatment evaluation document 
available to the public for review and comment.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
October 25, 2010.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to (http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2010-0059) to submit or view comments 
and to view supporting and related materials available electronically.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send one copy of 
your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2010-0059, 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-2010-0059.
    Reading Room: You may read any comments that we receive on this 
docket 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,

[[Page 52306]]

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: Dr. Inder P. S. Gadh, Senior Risk 
Manager-Treatments, Regulations, Permits, and Manuals, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 
River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 734-8758.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The regulations in 7 CFR chapter III are intended, among other 
things, to prevent the introduction or dissemination of plant pests and 
noxious weeds into or within the United States. Under the regulations, 
certain plants, fruits, vegetables, and other articles must be treated 
before they may be moved into the United States or interstate. The 
phytosanitary treatments regulations contained in part 305 of 7 CFR 
chapter III (referred to below as the regulations) set out standards 
for treatments required in parts 301, 318, and 319 of 7 CFR chapter III 
for fruits, vegetables, and other articles.
    In Sec.  305.2, paragraph (b) states that approved treatment 
schedules are set out in the Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) 
Treatment Manual.\a\ Section 305.3 sets out a process for adding, 
revising, or removing treatment schedules in the PPQ Treatment Manual. 
In that section, paragraph (a) sets out the process for adding, 
revising, or removing treatment schedules when there is no immediate 
need to make a change. The circumstances in which an immediate need 
exists are described in Sec.  305.3(b)(1).
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    \a\ The Treatment Manual is available on the Internet at (http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/manuals/index.shtml) or by 
contacting the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant 
Protection and Quarantine, Manuals Unit, 92 Thomas Johnson Drive, 
Suite 200, Frederick, MD 21702.
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    In accordance with Sec.  305.3(a)(1), we are providing notice that 
we have determined that it is necessary to revise treatment schedule 
T314-a, which provides a heat treatment schedule for ash logs, 
including firewood, and all hardwood firewood that are moved from 
emerald ash borer quarantined areas. We have also determined that it is 
necessary to retain the current T314-a as a general treatment for 
various wood pests (rather than just emerald ash borer); we would 
redesignate this treatment schedule as T314-c in the Treatment Manual.
    The reasons for these changes are described in a treatment 
evaluation document we have prepared to support this action. The 
treatment evaluation document may be viewed on the Regulations.gov Web 
site or in our reading room (see ADDRESSES above for instructions for 
accessing Regulations.gov and information on the location and hours of 
the reading room). You may request paper copies of the treatment 
evaluation document by calling or writing to the person listed under 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Please refer to the subject of the 
treatment evaluation document when requesting copies.
    After reviewing the comments we receive, we will announce our 
decision regarding the changes to the Treatment Manual that are 
described in the treatment evaluation document in a subsequent notice. 
If our determination that it is necessary to revise T314-a and add a 
new T314-c remains unchanged following our consideration of the 
comments, then we will make available a new version of the PPQ 
Treatment Manual that reflects the revision of T314-a and the addition 
of T314-c.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 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 18\th\ day of August 2010.

Kevin Shea
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-21131 Filed 8-24-10; 8:45 am]
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