[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 44 (Tuesday, March 6, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13260-13261]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-5365]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2012-0005]


Notice of Availability of a Pest Risk Analysis for the 
Importation of Litchi, Longan, and Rambutan From the Philippines 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 a pest risk 
analysis that evaluates the risks associated with the importation into 
the continental United States of fresh litchi, longan, and rambutan 
fruit from the Philippines. Based on that 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 fruit of litchi, 
longan, and rambutan from the Philippines. 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 May 
7, 2012.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2012-0005-0001.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2012-0005, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, 
APHIS, Station

[[Page 13261]]

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-2012-
0005 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: Ms. Claudia Ferguson, Regulatory 
Policy Coordinator, Regulations, Permits, and Manuals, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 
River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 851-2352.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Under the regulations in ``Subpart--Fruits and Vegetables'' (7 CFR 
319.56-1 through 319.56-54, 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 the Philippines to 
allow the importation of fresh fruit of litchi (Litchi chinensis), 
longan (Dimocarpus longan), and rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum) from the 
Philippines into the continental United States. Currently, fresh fruits 
of litchi, longan, and rambutan are not authorized for entry from the 
Philippines. We have completed a pest risk analysis for the purpose of 
evaluating the pest risks associated with the importation of fresh 
fruit of litchi, longan, and rambutan into the continental United 
States. The analysis consists of a pest list identifying pests of 
quarantine significance that are present in the Philippines 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 commodities to mitigate the pest risk.
    We have concluded that fresh fruit of litchi, longan, and rambutan 
can be safely imported into the continental United States from the 
Philippines using one or more of the five designated phytosanitary 
measures listed in Sec.  319.56-4(b). The requirements for shipments of 
fresh fruit of litchi, longan, and rambutan from the Philippines would 
be as follows:
     The fresh fruit of litchi, longan, and rambutan may be 
imported into the continental United States in commercial consignments 
only;
     The fresh fruit of litchi, longan, and rambutan must be 
irradiated in accordance with 7 CFR part 305 with a minimum absorbed 
dose of 400 Gy;
     If the irradiation treatment is applied outside the United 
States, each consignment of fresh fruit of litchi, longan, and rambutan 
must be jointly inspected by APHIS and the national plant protection 
organization (NPPO) of the Philippines and accompanied by a 
phytosanitary certificate attesting that the fruit received the 
required irradiation treatment. In the case of fresh rambutan fruit, 
the phytosanitary certificate must also include an additional 
declaration stating that the consignment was inspected and found free 
of the powdery mildew Oidium nephelii;
     If irradiation is applied upon arrival in the United 
States, each consignment of fresh fruit of litchi, longan, and rambutan 
must be inspected by the NPPO of the Philippines prior to departure. In 
the case of fresh rambutan fruit, the phytosanitary certificate must 
also include an additional declaration stating that the consignment was 
inspected and found free of the powdery mildew Oidium nephelii; and
     The fresh fruit of litchi, longan, and rambutan are 
subject to inspection upon arrival at the U.S. port of entry.
    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 fruit of litchi, longan, 
and rambutan from the Philippines 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 authorize the importation of fresh fruit of 
litchi, longan, and rambutan from the Phillipines 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.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 29th day of February 2012.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-5365 Filed 3-5-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P