[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 105 (Wednesday, June 1, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31577-31578]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-13503]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2011-0039]


Notice of Availability of a Pest Risk Analysis for the 
Importation of Fresh Apricot, Sweet Cherry, and Plumcot Fruit From 
South Africa 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 that we have prepared a pest risk 
analysis that evaluates the risks associated with the importation into 
the continental United States of fresh apricot, sweet cherry, and 
plumcot fruit from South Africa. Based on our analysis, we have 
concluded that the application of one or more designated phytosanitary 
measures will be sufficient to mitigate the risks of introducing or 
disseminating plant pests via the importation of those commodities from 
South Africa. We are making the pest risk analysis available to the 
public for review and comment. Based on the results of our analysis, we 
also determined that it is necessary to revise a treatment schedule in 
the Plant Protection and Quarantine Treatment Manual.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
August 1, 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-2011-0039 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-2011-0039, 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-2011-0039.
    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, 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: Ms. Dorothy C. Wayson, Senior 
Regulatory Coordination Specialist, Regulations, Permits, and Manuals, 
PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 141, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 734-
0772.

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.
    APHIS received a request from the Government of South Africa to 
allow the importation of fresh apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.), sweet 
cherry (Prunus avium (L.) L., and plumcot (Prunus domestica x Prunus 
armeniaca) fruit from South Africa into the continental United States. 
APHIS completed a risk assessment to identify pests of quarantine 
significance that could follow the pathway of importation of those 
stone fruits. Based on that risk assessment, APHIS completed a risk 
management document identifying phytosanitary measures that could be 
applied to mitigate the possible pest risks. We have concluded that 
fresh apricot, sweet cherry, and plumcot fruit can be imported safely 
into the continental United States from South

[[Page 31578]]

Africa using one or more of the five designated phytosanitary measures 
listed in Sec.  319.56-4(b). The specific measures that we would 
require for apricot, sweet cherry, and plumcot fruit imported from 
South Africa are as follows:
     The fruit must be imported as a commercial consignment, as 
defined in Sec.  319.56-2.
     Each consignment of fruit must be accompanied by a 
phytosanitary certificate issued by the national plant protection 
organization of South Africa. For apricots and plumcots only, the 
phytosanitary certificate must include an additional declaration 
stating that the fruit was inspected and found free of cinch bug 
(Macchiademus diplopterus).
     Apricots and plumcots must be cold treated for fruit flies 
(Ceratitis spp.) and false codling moth (Thaumatotibia leucotreta) in 
accordance with 7 CFR part 305.
     Sweet cherries must be cold treated for the Mediterranean 
fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) in accordance with 7 CFR part 305.
     Each consignment of fruit is subject to inspection upon 
arrival in the United States.
    Therefore, in accordance with Sec.  319.56-4(c), we are announcing 
the availability of our pest risk analysis for public review and 
comment.
    Based on the findings detailed in our risk management document, we 
are also updating the Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) Treatment 
Manual.\1\ As noted above, apricots, sweet cherries, and plumcots 
imported into the continental United States from South Africa would be 
required to undergo cold treatment in accordance with 7 CFR part 305. 
In Sec.  305.2, paragraph (b) states that approved treatment schedules 
are set out in the PPQ Treatment Manual. 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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    \1\ 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 
T107-e, which provides a cold treatment schedule intended to prevent 
the spread of false codling moth and Natal fruit fly (Ceratitis rosa) 
via the interstate movement or importation of apricot, grape, 
nectarine, peach, and plum fruit. Our risk management document states 
that apricots and plumcots must be treated for false codling moth and 
Natal fruit fly, as well as the Mediterranean fruit fly and the Bezzi 
fruit fly (Ceratitis quinaria), using treatment schedule T107-e. The 
risk management document further states that although T107-e is not 
specifically approved for the Mediterranean or the Bezzi fruit fly, 
APHIS considers it to be an adequate treatment for both because it is 
more stringent than any other cold treatment approved for fruit flies. 
Moreover, although the hybrid plumcot is not listed among commodities 
that this treatment is approved for, its parent fruits, plum and 
apricot, are. APHIS has concluded, therefore, that plumcots can be 
effectively treated in accordance with T107-e to protect against the 
spread of false codling moth and of other species of fruit fly in 
addition to Natal fruit fly. Therefore, we have determined that 
treatment schedule T107-e can include plumcots among the commodities to 
which the treatment may be applied and the Mediterranean and the Bezzi 
fruit fly among the pests it is intended to eliminate.
    The pest risk analysis 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 analysis 
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 apricot, sweet cherry, 
and plumcot fruit from South Africa and the change to the PPQ Treatment 
Manual. 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 authorize the importation 
of fresh apricot, sweet cherry, and plumcot fruit from South Africa 
into the continental United States, subject to the requirements 
specified in the risk management document. We will also issue a new 
version of the PPQ Treatment Manual incorporating the changes to 
treatment schedule T107-e discussed above.

    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 25th day of May 2011.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-13503 Filed 5-31-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P