[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 75 (Thursday, April 18, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23208-23209]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-09146]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2012-0053]


Importation of Fresh Oranges and Tangerines From Egypt Into the 
United States

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that we have prepared a pest list 
associated with oranges and tangerines from Egypt that identifies pests 
of concern. Subsequently, we prepared a commodity import evaluation 
document to determine the risk posed by peach fruit fly in oranges and 
tangerines from Egypt. Based on that evaluation, we have concluded that 
the application of one or more designated phytosanitary measures will 
be sufficient to mitigate the pest risk. In addition, we are advising 
the public that we have prepared a treatment evaluation document that 
describes a new treatment schedule that can be used to neutralize peach 
fruit fly and Mediterranean fruit fly in oranges and tangerines. We are 
making the pest list, commodity import evaluation document, and 
treatment evaluation document available to the public for review and 
comment.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before June 
17, 2013.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2012-0053-0001.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2012-0053, 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-
0053 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: Mr. Tony Rom[agrave]n, Import 
Specialist, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 156, Riverdale, MD 20737; 
(301) 851-2242.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    Under the regulations in ``Subpart-Fruits and Vegetables'' (7 CFR 
319.56-1 through 319.56-58), the Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service (APHIS) prohibits or restricts the importation of fruits and 
vegetables into the United States from certain parts of the world to 
prevent the introduction and dissemination of plant pests that are new 
to or not widely distributed 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.
    Oranges (Citrus sinensis) from Egypt were approved to be imported 
into the United States in 1969, subject to cold treatment for 
Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata); however, imports of 
oranges from Egypt were suspended in July 2002 due to the establishment 
of peach fruit fly (Bactrocera zonata), which is also a pest of citrus 
in Egypt. Currently, the importation of fresh oranges and tangerines 
(Citris reticulata) from Egypt is not authorized. We received a request 
from the national plant protection organization (NPPO) of Egypt to 
consider the use of cold treatment to mitigate for peach fruit fly in 
oranges and tangerines (including mandarins and clementines) based on 
new treatment data the NPPO developed. We determined that cold 
treatment can be effective for this pest.
    Because of the time that had passed since importation of oranges 
from Egypt was suspended, APHIS prepared a pest list to identify pests 
of quarantine significance that could follow the pathway of importation 
of oranges and tangerines from Egypt. Based on the pest list, we then 
completed a commodity import evaluation document (CIED) to identify 
phytosanitary measures that could be applied to mitigate the risks of 
introducing or disseminating the identified pests via the importation 
of

[[Page 23209]]

oranges and tangerines from Egypt. We have concluded that fresh oranges 
and tangerines can safely be imported into the United States from Egypt 
using one or more of the five designated phytosanitary measures listed 
in Sec.  319.56-4(b). These measures are:
     The oranges and tangerines must be treated in accordance 
with 7 CFR part 305 for C. capitata and B. zonata; and
     The oranges and tangerines must be accompanied by a 
phytosanitary certificate issued by the NPPO of Egypt stating that the 
consignment has begun or has undergone treatment for C. capitata and B. 
zonata in accordance with 7 CFR part 305, with an additional 
declaration stating that the fruit in the consignment was inspected and 
found free of B. zonata.
    Therefore, in accordance with Sec.  319.56-4(c), we are announcing 
the availability of our pest list and CIED for public review and 
comment. The pest list and CIED may be viewed on the Regulations.gov 
Web site or in our reading room (see ADDRESSES above for instructions 
for accessing Regulations.gov and information on the location and hours 
of the reading room). You may also request paper copies of the pest 
list and CIED by calling or writing to the person listed under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
    After reviewing any comments we receive, we will announce our 
decision regarding the import status of fresh oranges and tangerines 
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 oranges and tangerines from Egypt into the United 
States subject to the requirements specified in the CIED.

New Treatment

    The phytosanitary treatments regulations contained in part 305 of 7 
CFR chapter III set out standards for treatments required in parts 301, 
318, and 319 of 7 CFR chapter III for fruits, vegetables, and other 
articles.
    In Sec.  305.2, paragraph (b) states that approved treatment 
schedules are set out in the Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) 
Treatment Manual.\1\ 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.
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    \1\ The Treatment Manual is available on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/manuals/ports/downloads/treatment.pdf 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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    The PPQ Treatment Manual does not currently provide a treatment 
schedule for B. zonata in oranges and tangerines. In accordance with 
Sec.  305.3(a)(1), we are providing notice of a new cold treatment 
schedule T107-l that we have determined is effective against B. zonata 
in oranges and tangerines.
    In addition to B. zonata, C. capitata (Medfly) is another pest of 
concern in oranges originating from Egypt. The new cold treatment 
schedule T107-l is more stringent than the old treatment schedule 
approved for C. capitata in oranges and tangerines, T107-a, and 
therefore we have determined that the new cold treatment schedule is 
also adequate to mitigate risks from C. capitata.
    The reasons for these determinations are described in a treatment 
evaluation document (TED) we have prepared to support this action. The 
TED may be viewed on the Regulations.gov Web site or in our reading 
room. You may also request paper copies of the TED by calling or 
writing to the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
    After reviewing the comments we receive, we will announce our 
decision regarding the changes to the PPQ Treatment Manual that are 
described in the TED in a subsequent notice. If our determination that 
it is necessary to add new treatment schedule T107-1 remains unchanged 
following our consideration of the comments, then we will make 
available a new version of the PPQ Treatment Manual that reflects the 
addition of T107-l.

    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 15th day of April 2013.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-09146 Filed 4-17-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P