[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 73 (Monday, April 16, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22557-22558]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-9062]


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 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 73 / Monday, April 16, 2012 / 
Notices  

[[Page 22557]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2012-0009]


Notice of Availability of a Pest Risk Analysis for the 
Importation of Strawberry Fruit From Egypt Into the Continental United 
States

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

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 strawberry fruit from Egypt. 
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 strawberry fruit from Egypt. 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 June 
15, 2012.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2012-0009-0001.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2012-0009, 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-2012-
0009 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) 799-7039 before coming.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Charisse Cleare, Project 
Coordinator, Regulations, Permits, and Manuals, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River 
Road Unit 156, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 851-2037.

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 Egypt to allow the 
importation of fresh strawberry (Fragaria spp.) fruit with calyx and 
short stalk from Egypt into the continental United States. Currently, 
fresh strawberry fruit is not authorized for entry from Egypt. We have 
completed a pest risk analysis for the purpose of evaluating the pest 
risks associated with the importation of fresh strawberry fruit into 
the continental United States. The analysis consists of a pest list 
identifying pests of quarantine significance that are present in Egypt 
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 strawberry fruit can be safely 
imported into the continental United States from Egypt using one or 
more of the five designated phytosanitary measures listed in Sec.  
319.56-4(b). The requirements for shipments of fresh strawberry fruit 
from Egypt would be as follows:
     The fresh strawberry fruit may be imported into the 
continental United States in commercial consignments only;
     Each consignment of fresh strawberry fruit must be 
inspected by the national plant protection organization of Egypt and 
accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate that includes an additional 
declaration stating that the consignment was inspected and found free 
of Chrysodeixis chalcites, Eutetranychus orientalis, and Spodoptera 
littoralis; and
     The fresh strawberry fruit is 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 strawberry fruit from 
Egypt 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 strawberry fruit from Egypt 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 22558]]


    Done in Washington, DC, this 9th day of April 2012.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-9062 Filed 4-13-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P