[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 16 (Tuesday, January 25, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4278-4279]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-1509]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2010-0114]


Notice of Availability of Pest Risk Analyses for the Importation 
of Fresh Edible Flowers of Izote, Immature Inflorescences of Pacaya, 
Immature Inflorescences of Chufle, and Fresh Leaves of Chipilin From El 
Salvador Into the Continental United States

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that we have prepared pest risk 
analyses that evaluate the risks associated with the importation into 
the continental United States of fresh edible flowers of izote, 
immature inflorescences of pacaya, immature inflorescences of chufle, 
and fresh leaves of chipilin from El Salvador. Based on those analyses, 
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 
edible flowers of izote, immature inflorescences of pacaya, immature 
inflorescences of chufle, and fresh leaves of chipilin from El 
Salvador. We are making the pest risk analyses available to the public 
for review and comment.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before March 
28, 2011.

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-2010-0114 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-2010-0114, 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-2010-0114.
    Reading Room: You may read any comments that we receive on this

[[Page 4279]]

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, 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: Mr. Phillip B. Grove, Regulatory 
Coordinator, Regulatory Coordination and Compliance, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 
River Road Unit 156, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 734-6280.

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 spread 
within the United States.
    Section 319.56-4 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. These measures are:
     The fruits or vegetables are subject to inspection upon 
arrival in the United States and comply with all applicable provisions 
of Sec.  319.56-3;
     The fruits or vegetables are imported from a pest-free 
area in the country of origin that meets the requirements of Sec.  
319.56-5 for freedom from that pest and are accompanied by a 
phytosanitary certificate stating that the fruits or vegetables 
originated in a pest-free area in the country of origin;
     The fruits or vegetables are treated in accordance with 7 
CFR part 305;
     The fruits or vegetables are inspected in the country of 
origin by an inspector or an official of the national plant protection 
organization of the exporting country, and have been found free of one 
or more specific quarantine pests identified by the risk assessment as 
likely to follow the import pathway; and/or
     The fruits or vegetables are a commercial consignment.
    APHIS received a request from the Government of El Salvador to 
allow the importation of edible fresh flowers of izote (Yucca 
guatemalensis Baker), immature inflorescences of pacaya (Chamaedorea 
tepejilote Liem.), immature inflorescences of chufle (Calathea 
macrosepala K. Schumm), and fresh leaves of Chipilin (Crotalaria 
longirostrata Hook and Arn.) from El Salvador into the continental 
United States. We have completed four pest risk assessments to identify 
pests of quarantine significance that could follow the pathway of 
importation into the United States and, based on those pest risk 
assessments, have prepared three risk management documents to identify 
phytosanitary measures that could be applied to fresh edible flowers of 
izote, immature inflorescences of pacaya, immature inflorescences of 
chufle, and fresh leaves of chipilin to mitigate the pest risk. We have 
concluded that fresh edible flowers of izote, immature inflorescences 
of pacaya, immature inflorescences of chufle, and fresh leaves of 
chipilin can be safely imported into the continental United States from 
El Salvador using one or more of the five designated phytosanitary 
measures listed in Sec.  319.56-4(b). Therefore, in accordance with 
Sec.  319.56-4(c), we are announcing the availability of our pest risk 
analyses for public review and comment. The pest risk analyses may be 
viewed on the Regulations.gov Web site or in our reading room (see 
ADDRESSES above for a link to Regulations.gov and information on the 
location and hours of the reading room). You may request paper copies 
of the pest risk analyses by calling or writing to the person listed 
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Please refer to the subject of 
the pest risk analysis you wish to review when requesting copies.
    After reviewing any comments we receive, we will announce our 
decision regarding the import status of fresh edible flowers of izote, 
immature inflorescences of pacaya, immature inflorescences of chufle, 
and fresh leaves of chipilin from El Salvador in a subsequent notice. 
If the overall conclusions of the analysis and the Administrator's 
determination of risk remain unchanged following our consideration of 
the comments, then we will begin issuing permits for importation of 
fresh edible flowers of izote, immature inflorescences of pacaya, 
immature inflorescences of chufle, and fresh leaves of chipilin from El 
Salvador into the continental United States subject to the requirements 
specified in the risk management documents.

    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 19th day of January 2011.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-1509 Filed 1-24-11; 8:45 am]
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