[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 250 (Monday, December 31, 2012)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 76815-76824]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-31422]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

9 CFR Parts 2 and 3

[Docket No. APHIS-2006-0159]
RIN 0579-AC69


Handling of Animals; Contingency Plans

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: We are amending the Animal Welfare Act regulations to add 
requirements for contingency planning and training of personnel by 
research facilities and by dealers, exhibitors, intermediate handlers, 
and carriers. We are taking this action because we believe all 
licensees and registrants should develop a contingency plan for all 
animals regulated under the Animal Welfare Act in an effort to better 
prepare for potential disasters. This action will heighten the 
awareness of licensees and registrants regarding their responsibilities 
and help ensure a timely and appropriate response should an emergency 
or disaster occur.

DATES: Effective Date: January 30, 2013.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Jeanie Lin, Eastern Region 
Emergency Programs Manager, Animal Care, APHIS, 920 Main Campus Drive, 
Raleigh NC 27606; (919) 855-7100.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    Under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) (7 U.S.C. 2131 et seq.), the 
Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to promulgate standards and 
other requirements governing the humane handling, care, treatment, and 
transportation of certain animals by dealers, research facilities, 
exhibitors, carriers, and intermediate handlers. Regulations 
established under the AWA are contained in the Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR) in 9 CFR parts 1 and 2, and 9 CFR part 3 contains 
standards for the humane handling, care, treatment, and transportation 
of animals covered by the AWA. Currently, part 3 consists of subparts A 
through E, which contain specific standards for dogs and cats, guinea 
pigs and hamsters, rabbits, nonhuman primates, and marine mammals, 
respectively, and subpart F, which sets forth general standards for 
warmblooded animals not otherwise specified.
    The only requirement for contingency planning by licensees and 
registrants in the regulations has been in Sec.  3.101(b), which covers 
water and power supply requirements at facilities housing marine 
mammals. Specifically, this section requires such facilities to submit 
written contingency plans to the Deputy Administrator of Animal Care 
(AC) regarding emergency sources of water and electric power should 
primary sources fail. Among other things, the plans must include 
evacuation plans in the event of a disaster and a description of backup 
systems and/or arrangements for relocating marine mammals requiring 
artificially cooled or heated water.
    Following the events experienced during the 2005 hurricane season, 
a Federal document, ``The Federal Response to Katrina: Lessons 
Learned,'' which can be found on the Internet at http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/reports/katrina-lessons-learned/, was published 
that highlighted the need for planning to minimize the impact of 
disasters. AC's experience indicates that, although contingency 
planning would benefit the health and welfare of animals covered by the 
AWA, at least some entities responsible for regulated animals have not 
undertaken such planning. We believe all licensees and registrants 
should be required to develop a contingency plan for all animals 
regulated under the AWA in an effort to better prepare for potential 
disasters. Therefore, on October 23, 2008, we published in the Federal 
Register (73 FR 63085-63090, Docket No. APHIS-2006-0159) a proposal \1\ 
to amend the AWA regulations to add requirements for contingency 
planning and training of personnel by research facilities and by 
dealers, exhibitors, intermediate handlers, and carriers.
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    \1\ To view the proposed rule and the comments we received, go 
to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2006-0159.
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    We solicited comments concerning our proposal for 60 days ending on 
December 22, 2008. On December 19, 2008, we published a notice in the 
Federal Register (73 FR 77554) that extended the comment period an 
additional 60 days until February 20, 2009. We received 997 comments by 
that date. They were from private citizens, breeders, dealers, animal 
welfare organizations, research facilities, Government agencies, 
pharmaceutical companies, universities and colleges, research 
associations, exhibitors, carriers, kennels, and medical associations. 
Fifty commenters supported the rule as it was proposed. The issues 
raised by the remaining commenters are discussed below by topic.
    Many commenters had comments or questions that were not germane to 
the proposed rule, such as asking the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service (APHIS) to end the trade of exotic animals. We are 
not addressing those comments in this final rule because they are 
outside of its scope.

Objections to Mandating Contingency Plans

    Many commenters objected to APHIS mandating contingency plans. One 
commenter stated that, since no plan can be 100 percent successful, it 
does not make sense to mandate plans. One commenter stated that the AWA 
has language prohibiting prescribing methods of research and that the 
proposed rule violates this by prescribing emergency planning methods.
    As stated in the proposed rule, the events experienced during the 
2005 hurricane season highlighted the need for planning to minimize the 
impact of disasters on the health and welfare of all animals covered by 
the AWA. The intent of the proposed rule was to safeguard the health 
and welfare of animals in emergency situations. We understand that 
contingency plans may not be 100 percent successful. However, we do not 
agree that plans should not be mandated because, to promote animal 
welfare, entities should be able to demonstrate a reasonable effort to 
address emergency situations. The rule does not prescribe emergency 
planning methods. In addition, we do not consider a contingency plan to 
be a research method.
    One commenter suggested that instead of mandated plans, APHIS 
should provide guidance materials, training videos, or classes, as it 
would be cheaper for both APHIS and the regulated entities.
    APHIS plans to provide guidance materials, which may include videos 
and classes. However, this does not replace a need for contingency 
plans as contingency plans are more adaptable to the unique 
circumstances of each licensee and registrant and will determine what 
training is needed. In addition, as facilities have widely varying 
needs, allowing licensees and registrants to determine and implement 
their own unique training allows

[[Page 76816]]

flexibility and will potentially keep training costs down. We have 
prepared guidance materials that are being made available concurrently 
with this final rule on our Web site \2\ and will provide additional 
guidance to licensees and registrants for drafting appropriate 
contingency plans upon request.
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    \2\ http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_welfare/awa_contingency_plan.shtml.
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    Several commenters stated that they already had contingency plans 
in place or followed other accreditation standards (e.g., Association 
of Zoos and Aquariums standards), which they stated were sufficient to 
address the contingency plan components we proposed to require. Some of 
these commenters asked that they be exempt from the requirements of the 
rule because they already had plans in place or that APHIS work with 
other organizations that have accreditation standards to draft a 
standard document so that the regulations are not redundant. One 
commenter stated that APHIS should have done a better job of talking to 
facilities that already have contingency plans in place.
    We recognize that many AWA licensees and registrants may already 
have contingency plans in place. Although many of these plans may be 
sufficient to satisfy the new contingency plan requirements in this 
final rule, exemption is not practical as those nongovernmental 
accreditation standards are not mandatory, nor are they linked by 
regulatory processes to the AWA. However, before developing the 
proposed rule, we gathered information on regulated entities that 
currently have contingency plans in place. This information was used as 
a basis for the proposed criteria for developing contingency plans.

Submission of Contingency Plans

    Many commenters asked how APHIS will review the contingency plans, 
and in particular whether we will require submission of contingency 
plans to APHIS. Many commenters objected to submitting contingency 
plans because they were concerned that the plans would be subject to 
the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and that disclosure of 
contingency plans would put at risk the safety and security of 
facilities, employees, and animals by giving animal rights extremists 
important information. Many other commenters supported submitting 
contingency plans to APHIS or other agencies or making them available 
to the public or making relevant portions of plans available to local 
services identified by facilities as potentially important to the 
execution of their contingency plan. One commenter suggested posting 
contingency plans online while another suggested electronic submission. 
Several commenters stated that licenses should be revoked or not 
renewed if contingency plans are not submitted to APHIS or that plans 
that have been modified due to personnel changes or updates should be 
submitted to APHIS.
    We do not intend to require submission of contingency plans. As 
stated in the analysis of significant alternatives to the rule in the 
proposed rule, there are over 10,000 licensees and registrants and 
requiring each of them to submit plans to APHIS for review would take 
an enormous amount of resources for the Agency to process, review, and 
store. Therefore, we proposed that each research facility, dealer, 
exhibitor, intermediate handler, or carrier will be required to review 
their contingency plan on at least an annual basis. We would expect 
that each licensee and registrant would maintain documentation of their 
annual reviews, including documenting any amendments or changes made to 
their plan since the previous year's review, such as changes made as a 
result of recently predicted, but historically unforeseen, 
circumstances (e.g., weather extremes). We are making this 
clarification in Sec.  2.38(l)(2) and Sec.  2.134(b). We are also 
clarifying that APHIS will have the opportunity to review annual review 
documentation and training records, as well as contingency plans, as a 
part of our routine inspection process. It is the regulated facility's 
decision whether or not to share its plan with outside entities. The 
AWA does not require licensees and registrants to disclose 
documentation to outside entities. However, if a contingency plan 
details coordination with other government entities, an inspector may 
check for evidence supporting this coordination.

Expertise

    Several commenters stated that there is no evidence that APHIS has 
more expertise in contingency planning than other organizations, such 
as universities. One commenter stated that APHIS should consult with 
other agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 
in the development of requirements for contingency plans or in the 
implementation of contingency plans.
    APHIS already has the technical expertise to ensure that regulated 
entities protect the health and well-being of animals in accordance 
with the AWA. Further, in 2008, APHIS launched an Animal Care Emergency 
Programs unit, which is a full-time unit dedicated to collaborating 
with other organizations to support the safety and well-being of 
animals during emergencies and disasters. As required by the AWA, APHIS 
consults and cooperates with other Federal agencies concerned with the 
welfare of animals used for research, experimentation, or exhibition. 
APHIS also routinely works closely with FEMA and other organizations on 
animal welfare issues prior to and during disasters and emergencies.
    Several commenters stated that the facility and not the Government 
should decide what should be in contingency plans.
    As stated in the proposed rule, because we recognize that 
individual circumstances for regulated entities may be different, it is 
difficult to go into specific detail as to what elements must be 
included in all contingency plans. Therefore, we have not sought to 
develop a one-size-fits-all plan but have instead provided a framework 
of four criteria, in Sec.  2.38(l)(1) for research facilities and Sec.  
2.134 for dealers, exhibitors, intermediate handlers, and carriers, 
that we believe are the minimum criteria necessary to ensure a 
successful contingency plan. We have largely left to the discretion of 
each regulated entity how best to develop contingency plans that:
     Identify common emergencies such as electrical outages, 
faulty HVAC systems, fires, animal escapes, and natural disasters the 
facility is most likely to experience.
     Outline specific tasks required to be carried out in 
response to the identified emergencies including, but not limited to, 
specific animal evacuation plans or shelter-in-place plans and 
provisions for providing backup sources of food and water as well as 
sanitation, ventilation, bedding, veterinary care, etc.
     Identify a chain of command and who (by name or by 
position title) will be responsible for fulfilling these tasks.
     Address how response and recovery will be handled in terms 
of materials, resources, and training needed.
    We believe that fulfilling these criteria is essential to the 
success of a contingency plan. In addition, we believe that these 
criteria provide an adequate degree of flexibility to allow all 
regulated entities to comply with the provisions of this final rule. 
These criteria are essential because they form a framework of what 
potential events to address, who has responsibility, and how to 
mitigate the potential events. These criteria form the basis of FEMA's 
``Ready Business'' campaign, which

[[Page 76817]]

provides information to businesses on how to plan for emergencies. We 
have modified that information to address animal welfare concerns.

Specific Criteria

    One commenter stated that the contingency plan should identify and 
evaluate the location of the facility and the probable specific 
emergency situations that location is likely to experience. The 
commenter further stated that any facility-specific vulnerability 
should be identified and addressed. One commenter stated that facility 
grounds should be in areas not prone to flooding or earthquakes and 
that it is preferable to provide onsite care during an emergency.
    One of the proposed criteria for development of contingency plans 
is that the plan identify situations, such as emergencies and natural 
disasters, that a regulated entity is most likely to experience that 
would trigger the need for the measures identified in a contingency 
plan to be put into action. We expect that, if a facility-specific 
vulnerability would impact the humane handling and care of AWA-
regulated animals during an emergency, the vulnerability would be 
addressed within the regulated entity's contingency plan. While we 
agree that ideally a regulated entity would not be located in an area 
prone to flooding or earthquakes, we realize that is not always 
feasible to ensure. As stated in the proposed rule, such disasters, if 
likely to be encountered by a particular regulated entity, would be 
expected to be addressed in that regulated entity's contingency plan.
    Several commenters stated that euthanasia should be considered a 
viable option in the event of a disaster. Several commenters stated 
that marine mammals should be microchipped to facilitate recovery in 
the event they are released into the wild. One commenter stated that 
all tasks necessary for ensuring the welfare of animals should be 
itemized and the time required for each task estimated. Several 
commenters recommended providing criteria for development of 
contingency plans by animal group or by species and, for marine 
mammals, criteria by geographic location. Several commenters stated 
that agreements with alternative facilities for evacuation should be 
part of the contingency plan.
    Since each regulated entity has different needs, we have largely 
left to the discretion of each regulated entity how best to fulfill the 
criteria of this final rule. Details about elements to include in a 
contingency plan, such as whether to use microchip identification 
methods or euthanasia or whether to itemize and time tasks, are to be 
decided upon by the regulated entity. In addition, as long as a 
regulated entity addresses each of the elements required for 
contingency plans, it may divide its plan according to criteria such as 
animal group, species, or geographic location. While we encourage 
regulated entities to explore cost-efficient options such as entering 
into mutual aid agreements with nearby similar entities, we are not 
requiring them to do so, as long as their contingency plans are 
adequate to protect the animals' welfare.
    As noted previously, the only contingency planning currently 
required for licensees and registrants are those requirements in Sec.  
3.101(b) which cover water and power supply requirements for facilities 
housing marine mammals. One commenter suggested that the requirements 
in Sec.  3.101(b) be revised to require that contingency plans 
submitted for marine mammals include the proposed criteria for 
contingency plans included in Sec.  2.134.
    The regulations added in this final rule in Sec.  2.134 for 
developing contingency plans apply to all dealers, exhibitors, 
intermediate handlers, and carriers, including those that handle marine 
mammals. We are amending Sec.  3.101(b) in this final rule to make it 
clear that facilities housing marine mammals must comply with the 
contingency planning requirements in Sec.  2.134.

Transportation

    Several commenters stated that carriers and intermediate handlers 
should not have to develop contingency plans because it would be costly 
for them, because the number of animals lost or harmed in transit is 
miniscule, or because they have limited resources to respond to 
emergency situations. Given this, several commenters expressed concern 
that, if forced to comply with the proposed rule, carriers may not want 
to do business with research facilities.
    We believe that all research facilities, dealers, exhibitors, 
intermediate handlers, and carriers should be required to develop a 
contingency plan for all animals regulated under the AWA. Although 
there may be costs associated with developing contingency plans, we 
expect such costs to be reasonable given that we have largely left it 
up to the discretion of regulated entities to determine the best way to 
fulfill the contingency plan criteria provided in this final rule for 
their own unique circumstances (i.e., size, type of entity, location, 
etc.). Therefore, we do not expect that developing contingency plans 
will cause a significant financial burden on carriers and intermediate 
handlers. At a minimum, we would expect that carriers, intermediate 
handlers, and traveling exhibitors would have provisions in place to 
respond to weather-related problems and animal escapes, as well as 
other problems, such as mechanical failures, most likely to be 
experienced during transit. We do not necessarily expect carriers and 
intermediate handlers to have backup sources of food and water on hand 
when traveling, but we would expect that their contingency plan would 
document how and where to get them if needed. In addition, we are 
clarifying in Sec.  2.134(b) that all traveling entities must carry a 
copy of their contingency plan with them at all times and make it 
available for inspection while in travel status. Having a copy of their 
contingency plan on hand will allow regulated entities to refer 
directly to their plan in the event of an emergency while traveling. We 
believe this will result in preventing the loss or harm of regulated 
animals.
    Several commenters stated that facilities should have backup 
carriers if their plans require evacuation. Also, the commenters stated 
that carriers should include in their plans which facility to service 
first in the event that a major disaster happens and multiple 
facilities are impacted.
    While we do not require regulated entities to employ backup 
carriers, if a regulated entity's contingency plan includes a backup 
carrier, we expect that the regulated entity will ensure that the 
carrier is compliant with the elements of the contingency plan. In 
addition, we believe that carriers should coordinate with the 
facilities they serve.
    Because we realize that some dealers, exhibitors, intermediate 
handlers, and carriers do not have stationary facilities, we are making 
a change to the requirements in Sec.  2.134(a)(1) by removing the word 
``facility'' and replacing it with the more inclusive words ``licensees 
and registrants.'' In addition, we are adding ``mechanical breakdowns'' 
to the list of likely emergencies that may be addressed in a 
contingency plan.
    Several commenters stated that licensees who travel with animals 
should be required to submit contingency plans both for at home and on 
the road. Several commenters stated that travel as part of contingency 
plans for dangerous animals or for marine mammals should be prohibited 
unless necessary for the welfare of the animals because of the risks to 
public safety and animal welfare, particularly in emergency situations. 
One commenter asked how animals that cannot be

[[Page 76818]]

evacuated will be cared for and stated that there needs to be a 
requirement for securing a facility in the event animals cannot be 
evacuated. One commenter stated that the contingency plan must document 
how and by whom animals would be moved and what efforts will be made to 
ensure the relocation of animals is done in the most humane or least 
stressful manner possible.
    The intent of the proposed rule was to safeguard the welfare of 
animals in emergency situations. There is no requirement to travel with 
animals unless it is part of a facility's contingency plan. As stated 
in the proposed rule, the contingency plan would have to provide 
detailed instructions for evacuation or shelter-in-place. Therefore, if 
a contingency plan includes provisions for evacuation, we expect that 
the plan will also include details on how and by whom the animals would 
be moved in a way that would be as humane as possible given the 
disaster circumstances a facility may be facing.
    One commenter asked whether an outside carrier's equipment, if 
called upon, would have to comply with AWA requirements.
    Regulated entities are expected to ensure that their routine and 
back-up carriers are compliant with all AWA requirements.

Disasters

    Several commenters stated that detailed evacuation or shelter-in-
place plans may be possible for emergencies, but are impractical for 
natural disasters because regulated entities rarely have advance notice 
of disasters and because there are so many variations in facilities and 
disasters that it does not make sense to have a one-size-fits-all plan. 
The commenters further stated that the rule should acknowledge this and 
allow for a ``best efforts'' approach when making contingency plans for 
unpredictable natural disasters. Several commenters expressed concern 
that the proposal seemed to require that all potential disasters be 
addressed no matter how likely they are to occur. However, one 
commenter stated that all potential disasters that might occur should 
be addressed in the contingency plan.
    We recognize that it is not practical to prescribe detailed 
contingency plans for all situations. Therefore, we have not sought to 
develop a one-size-fits-all plan, but have largely left to the 
discretion of each regulated entity how best to fulfill the criteria 
described in the proposed rule. This rule intends to set the minimum 
criteria necessary to ensure a successful contingency plan. We believe 
this provides an adequate degree of flexibility to allow all regulated 
entities to comply with the provisions of the rule. As stated in the 
proposal, we would require that regulated entities address those 
emergencies and disasters most likely to occur, rather than requiring 
them to address all possible disasters and emergencies regardless of 
likelihood. We encourage regulated entities to consider all scales of 
emergencies, but recognize that highly localized events such as power 
disruptions and road closures (e.g., from a vehicular accident) are 
most likely. APHIS encourages the regulated communities to address 
these more routine events in their contingency plans, and to work with 
their local emergency management organization. APHIS understands that 
disaster and emergency events may be unpredictable and that it is 
impossible for every possible event to be addressed in a contingency 
plan.
    One commenter stated that the contingency planning requirements are 
inconsistent with Homeland Security Presidential Directive 8: National 
Preparedness (HSPD-8) because terms used in the rule, such as ``major 
disaster'' and ``emergency,'' are not consistent with those used in the 
directive.
    HSPD-8 establishes policy for dealing with terrorist attacks, major 
disasters, and other events of national scope. Section 2(e) of the 
directive states that the terms ``major disaster'' and ``emergency'' 
are defined in section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
and Emergency Assistance Act. Under that Act, ``emergency'' is defined 
as any occasion or instance, as determined by the President, where 
Federal assistance is needed to save lives, protect property and public 
health and safety, or to lessen or avert a catastrophe. A ``major 
disaster'' is defined as any natural catastrophe, as determined by the 
President, which causes damage of sufficient severity and magnitude to 
warrant major disaster assistance in order to supplement the efforts 
and available resources of States, local governments, and disaster 
relief organizations in alleviating the damage, loss, hardship, or 
suffering caused by the catastrophe. The Stafford Act is largely a 
framework for Federal assistance to State and local governments for 
disaster relief, and these terms require Presidential involvement. The 
scope of this rule is broader, and thus we use the terms ``disaster'' 
and ``emergency'' in more general terms. This rule considers 
``disaster'' and ``emergency'' to mean those events which disrupt the 
ability of a licensee or registrant to continue with normal business 
routine and which are expected to be detrimental to the good health and 
well-being of the animals in the licensee's or registrant's care. A 
core concept of emergency management is that emergencies are managed at 
the most local level possible. The National Incident Management System, 
December 2008, supports this in stating that ``incidents typically 
begin and end locally, and are managed on a daily basis at the lowest 
possible geographical, organizational, and jurisdictional level.'' The 
document is available from the FEMA Web site at http://www.fema.gov/pdf/emergency/nims/NIMS_core.pdf. While emergencies and disasters may 
be Statewide or even national in scope, we expect that most often they 
will be events that do not generally involve disaster declarations and 
that remain localized, such as power outages, facility fires, or ice 
storms.
    One commenter stated that contingency plans should be integrated 
into the overall hazard response plan for facilities.
    Although we do not require regulated entities to integrate animal 
contingency plans into their business continuity plans, we encourage 
them to do so. APHIS believes that having a business continuity plan 
supports animal health and welfare as well as overall good business 
practices.

Backups

    The proposed requirements in Sec. Sec.  2.38(l)(1)(ii) and 
2.134(a)(2) stated that regulated entities must include in their 
contingency plans provisions for providing backup sources of food and 
water as well as sanitation, ventilation, bedding, veterinary care, 
etc. Several commenters recommended that we remove the words ``backup 
sources of'' from this provision and insert the words ``as described in 
the contingency plan'' after the phrase ``as well as sanitation, 
ventilation, bedding, veterinary care, etc.'' These commenters stated 
that it may not be possible to maintain all of the veterinary care 
provisions listed in Sec.  2.33(b) during a disaster.
    While it may not be possible to provide the same level of 
veterinary care during an emergency or disaster as during normal 
business operations, APHIS believes that the veterinary care 
requirements in Sec.  2.33(b) are the minimum requirements necessary to 
ensure the health and welfare of regulated animals. As with the 
contingency plan criteria, these veterinary care requirements are 
general rather than specific to allow regulated entities the discretion 
to determine how best to fulfill the requirements based on

[[Page 76819]]

their own unique situations. In addition, as backup veterinary care is 
an element that must be addressed within the contingency plan, APHIS 
will be able to assess the adequacy of the backup veterinary care as it 
assesses the adequacy of veterinary care overall during routine 
inspections.

Review and Enforcement

    Several commenters expressed concern regarding APHIS' ability to 
provide adequate inspection and review of plans, stating that the 
review of plans would present an excessive burden to APHIS. One 
commenter suggested that APHIS could reduce the inspection burden by 
reviewing a random sampling of plans. Two commenters suggested that, at 
a minimum, APHIS should review the contingency plans of facilities with 
dangerous animals such as elephants, nonhuman primates, or large 
carnivores. One commenter asked who APHIS would pay to obtain the extra 
staff to enforce the rule. One commenter suggested that licensing fees 
be increased to fund additional inspectors or that APHIS stop issuing 
licenses until numbers of facilities drop to a manageable level.
    We do not believe that our review of contingency plans would 
present an excessive burden on APHIS. As noted above, we would review 
contingency plans as a part of the routine inspection process, similar 
to the process for our review of dog exercise and nonhuman primate 
environment enhancement plans. We believe in this way we will be able 
to provide adequate review of the contingency plans for all regulated 
entities. We do not anticipate that additional APHIS staff will need to 
be hired as a result of this rule. Neither do we anticipate needing to 
contract out to other organizations to obtain additional staff.
    Many commenters were concerned that there were not enough specifics 
about what would make a contingency plan acceptable and that facilities 
could be cited for failing to include certain items in their plans or 
for not following their plans exactly. Several commenters suggested 
punishments for facilities that either do not submit their plans or 
whose plans are inadequate. One commenter asked whether the judgment of 
noncompliance will be affected by whether animals were harmed in any 
way.
    We have issued a guidance document along with this final rule that 
will assist licensees and registrants in determining what elements to 
include in their contingency plans. The guidance document is intended 
only to provide suggestions for how regulated entities may satisfy the 
criteria in the regulations rather than to prescribe specific measures 
that must be undertaken or equipment that must be purchased. For 
example, a regulated entity has multiple options to mitigate the 
potential failure of an HVAC system besides purchasing a backup 
generator, some of which are no-cost solutions. These no-cost solutions 
might include the use of a borrowed generator, opening windows, using 
existing fans, and/or moving the animals to a cooler location. Any of 
these actions could be considered adequate ways of responding to the 
potential failure of an HVAC system and could therefore be included in 
a contingency plan as long as the action listed is actually feasible. 
For instance, if a regulated entity's contingency plan calls for 
opening windows, but the facility's windows are incapable of opening, 
opening windows would not be a valid mitigation measure. We wish to 
emphasize that compliance with this final rule will be achieved through 
the development of an appropriate contingency plan and the training of 
facility personnel with respect to that plan. Nothing in this rule 
should be construed as requiring affected entities to make capital 
expenditures--for example, purchasing backup generators or making 
structural changes to a facility--in order to comply with the rule. As 
we do currently when enforcing the regulations, APHIS will assess the 
adequacy of a regulated entity's contingency plan using the Animal 
Welfare Act and Animal Welfare Regulations. This may be demonstrated by 
the plan itself, training records, the presence of materials and 
resources mentioned in the plan, or a documented history of responses 
to similar situations. An adequate contingency plan is one in which the 
minimum criteria considered necessary for a successful contingency plan 
have been addressed. Enforcement action may be taken on a case-by-case 
basis.
    One commenter asked if missing the training deadline by a few days 
would result in noncompliance with the training requirements in the 
regulations regarding the contingency plan.
    All noncompliant items, including failure to train employees on the 
components of the contingency plan, found during inspection would be 
documented on the inspection report and may be subject to enforcement 
action on a case-by-case basis. Enforcement actions may include 
issuance of official warnings, civil monetary penalties, license 
suspension, or license revocation. Licensees and registrants are 
expected to comply with all requirements of the regulations and 
standards, including training deadlines.
    Several commenters asked who would be determining the adequacy of 
plans and what training they would have.
    APHIS inspectors will review and determine the adequacy of 
contingency plans. We will provide training to the inspection personnel 
on evaluating contingency plans pursuant to the criteria set forth in 
this rule.
    One commenter asked on what basis regulated entities would be 
expected to determine what natural disasters they may face and whether 
and how this determination will be evaluated by inspectors.
    In the proposed rule we provided links to the U.S. Geological 
Survey ``Hazards'' Web site and the Weather Channel ``WeatherREADY'' 
Web site. These Web sites are good resources for determining the 
natural disasters facilities are most likely to encounter in their 
location. We would largely leave it up to the regulated entity to 
determine which natural disasters they may face. However, if it is 
apparent the regulated entity is likely to encounter a disaster that 
the contingency plan does not address (e.g., a facility in Florida that 
has experienced hurricanes in the past), APHIS inspectors will notify 
the entity and give the entity time to add provisions for responding to 
the disaster in the contingency plan. We anticipate that inspectors, 
who are typically stationed in the local area surrounding the facility, 
will be able to provide further guidance on potential natural 
disasters.
    One commenter stated that the rule should be revised to include 
language relieving a regulated facility of responsibility if a higher 
emergency response authority steps in.
    We expect that most emergencies will be of a local nature, such as 
facility fires or water main breaks. For emergencies or disasters of a 
larger scale, APHIS will consider the roles of jurisdictional emergency 
response authorities with respect to contingency plan implementation. 
It is not the intent of the rule to interfere with local, State, or 
Federal jurisdictional emergency response activities.

Training

    As stated in the proposed rule, training of personnel could be 
developed and offered by the research facility, dealer, exhibitor, 
intermediate handler, or carrier or provided by an outside entity. 
Several commenters stated that training requirements should be 
identified, including how facilities will document training. One 
commenter stated that a checklist should be

[[Page 76820]]

implemented with staff signing off that they have read the standard 
operating procedures and completed training. Two commenters stated that 
there should be requirements for training and availability of backup 
personnel or for ensuring intermediate personnel replacement and 
training. Several commenters stated that trial runs of the contingency 
plan must be carried out.
    As stated previously, because we recognize that individual 
circumstances for regulated entities may be different, it is difficult 
to go into specific detail as to what elements must be included in all 
contingency plans. Therefore, we do not believe it appropriate to 
provide technical and tactical requirements, such as protocols for 
personnel replacement and training, in the regulations. We anticipate 
that inspectors may confirm that contingency plan training is delivered 
in a similar manner to their current process for confirming that other 
required training has been delivered (e.g., for husbandry practices and 
veterinary care protocols). Such confirmation may include reviewing 
training documentation maintained by the regulated entity or asking 
involved employees questions about facility practices. While we have 
not specifically mandated trial runs of contingency plans, training may 
include trial runs in order to prepare licensees and registrants 
adequately in the event of a disaster or emergency.
    One commenter stated that both position title and name of employees 
who play a part in implementing the contingency plan should be included 
in the contingency plan.
    As stated in the proposed rule, regulated entities would need to 
identify a chain of command and who (by name or position title) will be 
responsible for fulfilling required tasks. We would leave it up to the 
regulated entity whether to include both position title and name or 
whether to include one or the other.
    Several commenters stated that training should only apply to 
individuals who have a role to play within the contingency plan.
    We believe the decision of which individuals should be trained is a 
decision best left up to the discretion of the regulated entity. 
However, we would expect all personnel who may be involved in or 
impacted by an emergency or disaster to be trained at an appropriate 
level.

Dates

    In the proposed rule, we proposed to require that contingency plans 
be in place 180 days after the effective date of this final rule. In 
addition, we proposed that training of personnel would have to take 
place within 60 days following the adoption of a contingency plan by 
the research facility, dealer, exhibitor, intermediate handler, or 
carrier. Employees hired within 30 days or less after adoption of the 
contingency plan would have to be trained in that 60-day period while 
employees hired more than 30 days after adoption of the contingency 
plan would have to be trained within 30 days of their start date.
    Several commenters asked that we further push back the effective 
date of the regulations to allow time to finalize contingency plans. 
One commenter stated that it was unclear whether the adoption date 
mentioned in the proposed rule is the date the rule is adopted or the 
date plans must be in place and that, if it is the former, the rule 
needs to be revised since this would require training to be completed 
before the contingency plan, which will guide the training, is in 
place. The commenter further stated that the 180-day period for having 
plans in place should begin at the later of either the effective date 
of the final rule or the date of issuance of guidance documents by 
APHIS. Two commenters asked whether the 180-day timeframe for having 
contingency plans in place includes procuring all necessary materials 
and resources for implementing the contingency plan. The commenters 
stated that if such is the case, it is too short of a timeframe to 
gather materials and resources that are not currently available within 
a facility.
    As stated in the proposed rule, the adoption date is the date the 
contingency plan must be in place. For current licensees and 
registrants, this date is 180 days after the effective date of this 
final rule. For future licensees and registrants, we expect the 
licensee or registrant to have a contingency plan in place prior to 
conducting regulated activities. We are making changes to paragraphs 
(l)(2) and (l)(3) in Sec.  2.38 and paragraphs (b) and (c) in Sec.  
2.134(b) in order to make it clearer that the adoption date is the date 
the contingency plans must be finalized. Training of personnel must 
take place within 60 days after the adoption date. We believe 180 days 
is a sufficient length of time to ensure that contingency plans are in 
place and to procure any necessary materials and resources for 
implementing contingency plans.
    Several commenters stated that the 30-day training requirement for 
newly hired personnel is unnecessary and not in keeping with the lack 
of specificity for the rest of the plan.
    We believe that it is important to ensure that employees of a 
regulated entity are familiar with the regulated entity's contingency 
plan. Therefore, it is appropriate to require that training occur 
within 30 days.

Guidance

    One commenter stated that guidance documents for developing 
contingency plans should be developed by a lead organization with 
expertise in collaboration with outside organizations. One commenter 
stated that guidance documents should not be developed by entities 
outside of APHIS but that stakeholders/licensees should have input. 
Several commenters objected to guidance documents or other means for 
providing criteria outside of the regulations at all. Several 
commenters stated that the guidance document should be made available 
via the Internet, and released with the final rule.
    APHIS has expertise in collaborating with outside organizations and 
is also responsible for enforcing the AWA. Therefore, it is appropriate 
for us to take the lead role in developing guidance documents to 
support contingency planning. As stated previously, we are providing a 
guidance document with this final rule. During the comment period for 
the proposed rule, we asked for public comment, including comment from 
stakeholders and licensees, on what elements should be included in the 
guidance document. To reiterate, APHIS will assess the adequacy of a 
regulated entity's contingency plan using the Animal Welfare Act and 
Animal Welfare Regulations. The guidance document provides suggestions 
for how regulated entities may satisfy the criteria in the regulations.
    One commenter said that USDA should provide guidance on how 
contingency plans might address elements unique to each facility. One 
commenter suggested that APHIS create a Web site with more information 
that includes guidelines, checklists, and templates. Several commenters 
supplied examples of contingency plans, links to contingency plans, or 
resources for drafting contingency plans.
    We are issuing a guidance document that may assist regulated 
entities in addressing the circumstances unique to their location or 
facility. We also reviewed the information provided by the commenters 
and will make a list of helpful resources available on our Web site 
(see footnote 2). The guidance document is intended to be only a tool

[[Page 76821]]

when considering how a facility might meet the regulatory requirements, 
and does not provide a new set of criteria.

Economic and Paperwork Concerns

    Many commenters stated that the proposed rule will cause a serious 
financial impact, especially on small businesses, which make up the 
majority of those affected. Several commenters stated that a cost-
benefit study has not been conducted and asked that APHIS withdraw the 
rule until one has been conducted or until APHIS has evaluated whether 
the rule is truly necessary.
    A preliminary regulatory impact analysis was conducted for the 
proposed rule and a final regulatory impact analysis has been conducted 
for this rule. A summary of the final regulatory impact analysis 
appears in this document under the heading ``Executive Orders 12866 and 
13563 and Regulatory Flexibility Act.'' The full analysis may be viewed 
on the Regulations.gov Web site (see footnote 1) or obtained by 
contacting the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. One 
of the components of the preliminary regulatory impact analysis is a 
cost-benefit analysis. APHIS has estimated that about 5 hours, on 
average, will be required by a facility to develop a contingency plan, 
using guides provided and recommended by APHIS. Depending on the size 
and type of regulated entity and its circumstances, this cost, in terms 
of the time needed to develop a contingency plan, will vary; some 
facilities will require less than 5 hours to develop their plans and 
other entities will require more time. APHIS estimates that it will 
take 4 to 6 hours to develop and document a contingency plan. We note 
that many large regulated entities, in particular, already have 
contingency plans. In addition to the costs associated with the 
development of a contingency plan, there may also be certain 
expenditures necessitated by the regulated entity's plan itself. As an 
example, a particular regulated entity's plan may call for a backup 
generator to supply electricity in case of a power outage. We expect 
such costs to total within a reasonable range given that we have 
largely left it up to the discretion of facilities to determine the 
best way to fulfill the contingency plan criteria provided in the 
proposed rule for their own unique circumstances (i.e., size, type of 
entity, location, etc.). The costs of developing a plan and related 
equipment purchases should be viewed in terms of the benefits of 
reduced risk of harm to the animals under a regulated entity's care 
when there is an emergency or disaster. A reasonably scaled contingency 
plan that has identified potential emergencies and natural disasters 
therefore contributes to a regulated entity's long-term operational 
strength and financial security. To the extent to which the animals 
held by a licensee or registrant represent a capital asset or business 
investment, we do not believe it is unreasonable to expect that 
entities will have already put in place measures to ensure the 
continued well-being of those animals. Thus, the actual amount of new 
costs incurred by regulated entities due solely to the identification 
of a need during the development of a contingency plan should not be 
significant.
    One commenter stated that the rule does not comply with the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act because it shifts the burden of 
investigating what would be required for a contingency plan to 
businesses. One commenter expressed concern that the Small Business 
Administration was not consulted when developing the proposed rule.
    The Regulatory Flexibility Act requires that Federal agencies 
endeavor to fit regulatory and informational requirements to the scale 
of the businesses, organizations, and governmental jurisdictions 
subject to regulation. To achieve this principle, agencies are required 
to solicit and consider flexible regulatory proposals and to explain 
the rationale for their actions to assure that such proposals are given 
serious consideration. APHIS recognizes that each regulated entity is 
the best judge of the particular measures that should be included in 
its contingency plan. APHIS is minimizing the burden of the rule for 
small entities by allowing each one to determine for itself how best to 
meet the requirements in accordance with the general criteria and 
guidance documents. APHIS also consulted with the Small Business 
Administration in the preparation of the proposed rule and this final 
rule.
    One commenter stated that since the rule is significant and an 
Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis was prepared that APHIS is 
required to publish a compliance guide which will help regulated 
industries comply with the regulation.
    The guidance document that we are making available concurrently 
with this rule will assist licensees and registrants in complying with 
the regulation. Any additional compliance guides will be posted on the 
APHIS Web site (see footnote 2) and made available to the public to 
further assist small entities in complying with this rule.
    Two commenters asked whether they would have to build additional 
alternative facilities, or, if not, what shelter would be acceptable on 
a temporary basis, and whether USDA is ready to help shoulder some of 
the costs until a facility can be repaired. One commenter expressed 
concern that they would need to purchase disaster insurance.
    We do not intend to require the building of alternative facilities. 
While the costs for development and execution of the plan are expected 
to be borne by the regulated entity, they will be determined based on 
the emergencies and potential natural disasters most likely to be 
experienced by the regulated entity. As stated previously, we expect 
that these costs will be reasonable. The purpose of a contingency plan 
is to help ensure that licensees and registrants are able to respond in 
a timely and appropriate manner should an emergency or disaster occur. 
Disaster insurance is not required by this rule, and promoting the 
purchase of disaster insurance is not an objective of this rule.
    Three commenters expressed concern that the number of animals lost 
during Hurricane Katrina as stated in the economic analysis of the 
proposed rule is greater than the total number of regulated animals in 
Louisiana.
    In the preliminary regulatory impact analysis, APHIS may have 
inadvertently implied that the number of animals covered under the 
Animal Welfare Act that were harmed or killed as a result of Hurricane 
Katrina was comparable to the 50,000 pets that reportedly were 
negatively impacted by the disaster. This is incorrect. There is a 
difference in scale between the number of animals for which pet owners 
are responsible versus the number of animals for which research 
facilities and other licensed and registered facilities are 
responsible. Therefore, AWA licensees and registrants caring for large 
numbers of animals who did not have contingency plans in place likely 
found it difficult to evacuate or otherwise ensure the animals' safety 
during Hurricane Katrina. Our intent in the proposed rule was to 
illustrate this fact rather than to compare the number of regulated 
animals negatively impacted to the number of pets that were negatively 
impacted. We have reexamined the available data and we present our 
findings in the full final regulatory flexibility analysis, which can 
be viewed on the Regulations.gov Web site (see the address listed in 
footnote 1).
    One commenter suggested that a tiered contingency plan system be 
implemented to accommodate small businesses.
    As a practical matter, one would expect that the smaller the 
business, the smaller the scale of the contingency

[[Page 76822]]

plan that the business would be expected to prepare, just as a large 
entity with numerous animals would require a larger scale, more complex 
contingency plan. Because we recognize that individual circumstances 
may be different between research facilities, dealers, exhibitors, 
carriers, and intermediate handlers, we have provided general 
contingency plan criteria and largely left it up to the discretion of 
regulated facilities to determine how best to fulfill the criteria. 
Because the response to each criterion will be appropriate to the size 
of each individual entity, it is reasonable to describe the contingency 
plan system provided for by this rule as tiered.
    Several commenters expressed concern regarding the costs of and 
time for drafting a contingency plan. One commenter stated that the 
rule may be imposing redundant paperwork requirements because of 
similar requirements at the State and local levels.
    Many regulated facilities are currently required to have 
contingency plans by other organizations (e.g., accrediting 
institutions, State and local regulators). Many of these plans will 
meet the proposed contingency plan requirements, and paperwork 
redundancies for entities with such plans should be minimal. Those 
regulated facilities that do not already have plans in place may incur 
an additional burden to develop contingency plans. However, we believe 
that having an established contingency plan promotes animal welfare and 
will aid in business continuity, therefore reducing the burden on 
facilities and regulated animals in the event of a natural disaster or 
emergency.
    Therefore, for the reasons given in the proposed rule and in this 
document, we are adopting the proposed rule as a final rule, with the 
changes discussed in this document.

Executive Orders 12866 and 13563 and Regulatory Flexibility Act

    This proposed rule has been determined to be significant/
economically significant for the purposes of Executive Order 12866 and, 
therefore, has been reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget.
    We have prepared an economic analysis for this rule. The economic 
analysis provides a cost-benefit analysis, as required by Executive 
Orders 12866 and 13563, which direct agencies to assess all costs and 
benefits of available regulatory alternatives and, if regulation is 
necessary, to select regulatory approaches that maximize net benefits 
(including potential economic, environmental, public health and safety 
effects, and equity). Executive Order 13563 emphasizes the importance 
of quantifying both costs and benefits, of reducing costs, of 
harmonizing rules, and of promoting flexibility. The economic analysis 
also examines the potential economic effects of this rule on small 
entities, as required by the Regulatory Flexibility Act. The economic 
analysis is summarized below. Copies of the full analysis are available 
on the Regulations.gov Web site (see footnote 1 in this document for a 
link to Regulations.gov) or by contacting the person listed under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
    Preparedness for emergencies and disasters can reduce the harm to 
animals and their loss of life. The devastating impact of the 2005 
hurricane season underscores the need for contingency planning for all 
animals covered under the Animal Welfare Act. Currently, only 
facilities that house marine mammals are required under 9 CFR 3.101 to 
develop contingency plans. The final rule requires that all of the more 
than 10,000 licensees and registrants develop and document contingency 
plans for all other animals covered under the Act. In addition, 
training to carry out contingency plans will be required of a regulated 
entity's employees. The majority of establishments that will be 
affected by this rule are small, based on industry estimates obtained 
from the Economic Census and the Census of Agriculture.
    The full final regulatory flexibility analysis identifies breeders, 
wholesale dealers, licensed and registered exhibitors, registered 
research facilities, and registered transport carriers and handlers as 
those entities most likely to be impacted by the requirement for the 
development of contingency plans. While no economic data are available 
on business size for the specific entities, we may assume the majority 
of the potentially impacted establishments are small, based on the 
industry estimates obtained from the Economic Census and the Census of 
Agriculture.
    The final rule will impose certain costs to develop and document 
the contingency plans and provide employee training, but these costs 
are not expected to be excessive. The cost of training personnel will 
vary depending on the type and size of business. However, many 
organizations offer training courses on general disaster planning 
specific to the type of animals at the particular facility or 
operation. FEMA offers free training, while some organizations offer 
courses with prices ranging from $50 to $300. These courses cover the 
development and implementation of contingency plans. In addition, many 
of the larger facilities, in particular, already have contingency plans 
in place. APHIS recognizes that each entity is the best judge of the 
particular measures that should be included in its contingency plan, 
and will provide general criteria and guidance documents to minimize 
compliance costs. Each entity will determine for itself how best to 
meet the rule's requirements.

Executive Order 12372

    This program/activity is listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic 
Assistance under No. 10.025 and is subject to Executive Order 12372, 
which requires intergovernmental consultation with State and local 
officials. (See 7 CFR part 3015, subpart V.)

Executive Order 12988

    This final rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12988, 
Civil Justice Reform. It is not intended to have retroactive effect. 
The Act does not provide administrative procedures which must be 
exhausted prior to a judicial challenge to the provisions of this rule.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
3501 et seq.), the information collection or recordkeeping requirements 
included in this rule have been approved by the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) under OMB control number 0579-0352.

E-Government Act Compliance

    The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is committed to 
compliance with the E-Government Act to promote the use of the Internet 
and other information technologies, to provide increased opportunities 
for citizen access to Government information and services, and for 
other purposes. For information pertinent to E-Government Act 
compliance related to this rule, please contact Mrs. Celeste Sickles, 
APHIS' Information Collection Coordinator, at (301) 851-2908.

List of Subjects

9 CFR Part 2

    Animal welfare, Pets, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, 
Research.

9 CFR Part 3

    Animal welfare, Marine mammals, Pets, Reporting and recordkeeping 
requirements, Research, Transportation.

    Accordingly, we are amending 9 CFR chapter I, subchapter A, as 
follows:

[[Page 76823]]

PART 2--REGULATIONS

0
1. The authority citation for part 2 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  7 U.S.C. 2131-2159; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.7.

0
2. Section 2.38 is amended by adding new paragraphs (i)(4) and (l) to 
read as follows:


Sec.  2.38  Miscellaneous.

* * * * *
    (i) * * *
    (4) The other person or premises must either be directly included 
in the research facility's contingency plan required under paragraph 
(l) of this section or must develop its own contingency plan in 
accordance with paragraph (l) of this section.
* * * * *
    (l) Contingency planning. (1) Research facilities must develop, 
document, and follow an appropriate plan to provide for the humane 
handling, treatment, transportation, housing, and care of their animals 
in the event of an emergency or disaster (one which could reasonably be 
anticipated and expected to be detrimental to the good health and well-
being of the animals in their possession). Such contingency plans must:
    (i) Identify situations the facility might experience that would 
trigger the need for the measures identified in a contingency plan to 
be put into action including, but not limited to, emergencies such as 
electrical outages, faulty HVAC systems, fires, and animal escapes, as 
well as natural disasters the facility is most likely to experience.
    (ii) Outline specific tasks required to be carried out in response 
to the identified emergencies or disasters including, but not limited 
to, detailed animal evacuation instructions or shelter-in-place 
instructions and provisions for providing backup sources of food and 
water as well as sanitation, ventilation, bedding, veterinary care, 
etc.;
    (iii) Identify a chain of command and who (by name or by position 
title) will be responsible for fulfilling these tasks; and
    (iv) Address how response and recovery will be handled in terms of 
materials, resources, and training needed.
    (2) For current registrants, the contingency plan must be in place 
by July 29, 2013. For research facilities registered after this date, 
the contingency plan must be in place prior to conducting regulated 
activities. The plan must be reviewed by the research facility on at 
least an annual basis to ensure that it adequately addresses the 
criteria listed in paragraph (l)(1) of this section. Each registrant 
must maintain documentation of their annual reviews, including 
documenting any amendments or changes made to their plan since the 
previous year's review, such as changes made as a result of recently 
predicted, but historically unforeseen, circumstances (e.g., weather 
extremes). Contingency plans, as well as all annual review 
documentation and training records, must be made available to APHIS and 
any funding Federal agency representatives upon request. Facilities 
maintaining or otherwise handling marine mammals in captivity must also 
comply with the requirements of Sec.  3.101(b) of this subchapter.
    (3) The facility must provide and document participation in and 
successful completion of training for its personnel regarding their 
roles and responsibilities as outlined in the plan. For current 
registrants, training of facility personnel must be completed by 
September 27, 2013; for research facilities registered after July 29, 
2013, training of facility personnel must be completed within 60 days 
of the facility putting its contingency plan in place. Employees hired 
30 days or more before the contingency plan is put in place must also 
be trained by that date. For employees hired less than 30 days before 
that date or after that date, training must be conducted within 30 days 
of their start date. Any changes to the plan as a result of the annual 
review must be communicated to employees through training which must be 
conducted within 30 days of making the changes.

0
3. Section 2.102 is amended by adding new paragraphs (a)(4) and (b)(3) 
to read as follows:


Sec.  2.102  Holding facility.

    (a) * * *
    (4) The other person or premises must either be directly included 
in the dealer's or exhibitor's contingency plan required under Sec.  
2.134 or must develop its own contingency plan in accordance with Sec.  
2.134.
    (b) * * *
    (3) The other person or premises must either be directly included 
in the intermediate handler's contingency plan required under Sec.  
2.134 or must develop its own contingency plan in accordance with Sec.  
2.134.

0
4. A new section Sec.  2.134 is added to read as follows:


Sec.  2.134  Contingency planning.

    (a) Dealers, exhibitors, intermediate handlers, and carriers must 
develop, document, and follow an appropriate plan to provide for the 
humane handling, treatment, transportation, housing, and care of their 
animals in the event of an emergency or disaster (one which could 
reasonably be anticipated and expected to be detrimental to the good 
health and well-being of the animals in their possession). Such 
contingency plans must:
    (1) Identify situations the licensee or registrant might experience 
that would trigger the need for the measures identified in a 
contingency plan to be put into action including, but not limited to, 
emergencies such as electrical outages, faulty HVAC systems, fires, 
mechanical breakdowns, and animal escapes, as well as natural disasters 
most likely to be experienced;
    (2) Outline specific tasks required to be carried out in response 
to the identified emergencies or disasters including, but not limited 
to, detailed animal evacuation instructions or shelter-in-place 
instructions and provisions for providing backup sources of food and 
water as well as sanitation, ventilation, bedding, veterinary care, 
etc.;
    (3) Identify a chain of command and who (by name or by position 
title) will be responsible for fulfilling these tasks; and
    (4) Address how response and recovery will be handled in terms of 
materials, resources, and training needed.
    (b) For current licensees and registrants, the contingency plan 
must be in place by July 29, 2013. For new dealers, exhibitors, 
intermediate handlers, and carriers licensed or registered after this 
date, the contingency plan must be in place prior to conducting 
regulated activities. The plan must be reviewed by the dealer, 
exhibitor, intermediate handler, or carrier on at least an annual basis 
to ensure that it adequately addresses the criteria listed in paragraph 
(a) of this section. Each licensee and registrant must maintain 
documentation of their annual reviews, including documenting any 
amendments or changes made to their plan since the previous year's 
review, such as changes made as a result of recently predicted, but 
historically unforeseen, circumstances (e.g., weather extremes). 
Contingency plans, as well as all annual review documentation and 
training records, must be made available to APHIS upon request. 
Traveling entities must carry a copy of their contingency plan with 
them at all times and make it available for APHIS inspection while in 
travel status. Dealers, exhibitors, intermediate handlers, and carriers 
maintaining or otherwise handling marine mammals in

[[Page 76824]]

captivity must also comply with the requirements of Sec.  3.101(b) of 
this subchapter.
    (c) Dealers, exhibitors, intermediate handlers, and carriers must 
provide and document participation in and successful completion of 
training for personnel regarding their roles and responsibilities as 
outlined in the plan. For current licensees and registrants, training 
of dealer, exhibitor, intermediate handler, and carrier personnel must 
be completed by September 27, 2013. For new dealers, exhibitors, 
intermediate handlers, or carriers licensed or registered after July 
29, 2013, training of personnel must be completed within 60 days of the 
dealer, exhibitor, intermediate handler, or carrier putting their 
contingency plan in place. Employees hired 30 days or more before their 
contingency plan is put in place must also be trained by that date. For 
employees hired less than 30 days before that date or after that date, 
training must be conducted within 30 days of their start date. Any 
changes to the plan as a result of the annual review must be 
communicated to employees through training which must be conducted 
within 30 days of making the changes.

PART 3--STANDARDS

0
5. The authority citation for part 3 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  7 U.S.C. 2131-2159; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.7.

0
6. In Sec.  3.101, paragraph (b) is amended by adding a new sentence at 
the end of the paragraph to read as follows:


Sec.  3.101  Facilities, general.

* * * * *
    (b) * * * Facilities handling marine mammals must also comply with 
the requirements of Sec.  2.134 of this subchapter.
* * * * *

    Done in Washington, DC, this 20th day of December 2012.
Rebecca Blue,
 Deputy Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs.
[FR Doc. 2012-31422 Filed 12-28-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P