[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 189 (Thursday, September 29, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60449-60450]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-25087]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2011-0077]


Notice of Availability of a Pest Risk Analysis for the 
Importation of Fresh Tejocote Fruit From Mexico

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 tejocote fruit from Mexico. 
Based on this analysis, 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 tejocote fruit from Mexico. We are making the 
pest risk analysis available to the public for review and comment.

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

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2011-0077-0001.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2011-0077, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, 
APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1238.
    Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may 
be viewed at http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2011-
0077 or in our reading room, which 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. David B. Lamb, Import Specialist, 
RPM, PHP, 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 319.56-51, 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 national plant protection 
organization (NPPO) of Mexico to allow the importation of fresh 
tejocote fruit (Crataegus pubescens) from Mexico into the continental 
United States. Currently, fresh tejocote fruit is not authorized for 
entry from Mexico. We have completed a pest risk analysis for the 
purpose of evaluating the pest risks associated with the importation of 
fresh tejocote fruit into the continental United States. The analysis 
consists of a pest list identifying pests of quarantine significance 
that are present in Mexico and could follow the pathway of importation 
into the United States and a risk management document identifying 
phytosanitary measures that could be applied to the commodity to 
mitigate the pest risk.
    We have concluded that fresh tejocote fruit can be safely imported 
into the continental United States from Mexico using one or more of the 
five designated phytosanitary measures listed in Sec.  319.56-4(b). The 
measures we selected are:
     Fresh tejocote fruit may be imported into the continental 
United States in commercial consignments only.
     Each consignment of fresh tejocote fruit must be 
accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the NPPO of Mexico 
stating that the fresh tejocote fruit in the consignment has been 
inspected and is free of pests.
     Each shipment of fresh tejocote fruit is subject to 
inspection upon arrival at port of entry to 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. 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 tejocote fruit from 
Mexico 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 the importation of fresh tejocote fruit from Mexico into 
the continental United States subject to the requirements specified in 
the risk management document.

    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.


[[Page 60450]]


    Done in Washington, DC, this 23rd day of September 2011.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-25087 Filed 9-28-11; 8:45 am]
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