[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 15 (Thursday, January 23, 2014)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 3741]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-01231]


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 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
 the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
 notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
 the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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  Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 15 / Thursday, January 23, 2014 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 3741]]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

9 CFR Part 94

[Docket No. APHIS-2005-0096]


Change in Disease Status of the Patagonia South Region of 
Argentina With Regard to Rinderpest and Foot-and-Mouth Disease

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Proposed rule; withdrawal.

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SUMMARY: We are withdrawing a proposed rule that would have added that 
portion of the Patagonia region of Argentina located south of latitude 
42[deg] south (Patagonia South) to the list of regions considered free 
of rinderpest and foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). The proposed rule would 
also have added that region to the list of regions that are subject to 
certain import restrictions on meat and meat products because of their 
proximity to or trading relationships with rinderpest- or FMD-affected 
regions. We are taking this action because we have prepared an updated 
risk analysis relative to Argentina that is being made available in 
accordance with a newer process for recognizing the animal health 
status of regions.

DATES: The proposed rule published on January 5, 2007 (72 FR 475) is 
withdrawn, effective January 23, 2014.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Silvia Kreindel, Senior Staff 
Veterinarian, Regionalization Evaluation Services, National Import 
Export Services, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 38, Riverdale, MD 
20737-1231; (301) 851-3308.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On January 5, 2007, we published in the Federal Register (72 FR 
475-480, Docket No. APHIS-2005-0096) a proposal \1\ to amend the 
regulations in Sec.  94.1 by adding that portion of the Patagonia 
region of Argentina located south of latitude 42[deg] south (referred 
to below as Patagonia South) to the list of regions that are considered 
free of both rinderpest and foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). We proposed 
this because there had been no outbreak of FMD in the Patagonia South 
region of Argentina since 1976 and there was no evidence that there 
were any species infected with FMD in Patagonia South at that time. In 
addition, because rinderpest has never been diagnosed in Argentina and 
is not endemic to that region of the world, we also proposed to 
recognize Patagonia South as free of rinderpest. Finally, we proposed 
to amend the regulations in Sec.  94.11 by adding Patagonia South to 
the list of regions that are subject to certain import restrictions on 
meat and other animal products because of their proximity to or trading 
relationships with rinderpest- or FMD-affected regions.
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    \1\ To view the proposed rule and the comments we received, go 
to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2005-0096.
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    We solicited comments concerning our proposal for 60 days ending 
March 6, 2007. We received 45 comments by that date. Based on the 
comments we received and other considerations, we concluded that it was 
necessary to reexamine the risk analysis. We have completed an updated 
risk analysis covering the Patagonia South region, as well as the 
Patagonia North B region, in Argentina that we will be making available 
for review and comment. However, as discussed in more detail below, 
since the publication of the proposed rule, we have changed the process 
by which we recognize the animal health status of regions. Therefore, 
we are withdrawing the January 5, 2007, proposed rule and will make the 
new risk analysis available in accordance with the current process.
    In a final rule \2\ published in the Federal Register on January 
10, 2012 (77 FR 1388-1396, Docket No. APHIS-2009-0035), we removed 
lists of regions classified with respect to certain animal diseases and 
pests from our animal and animal product import regulations in 9 CFR 
parts 92, 93, 94, 96, and 98. The lists are now posted on APHIS' Web 
site, rather than published in the Code of Federal Regulations. These 
lists are maintained on the APHIS Web site at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/animals/animal_disease_status.shtml. Copies of the lists are also available via postal mail, 
fax, or email upon request to National Import and Export Services, 
Veterinary Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, 4700 
River Road Unit 38, Riverdale, Maryland 20737.
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    \2\ See http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2009-
0035.
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    The regulations in 9 CFR 92.2 contain requirements for requesting 
the recognition of the animal health status of a foreign region or for 
the approval of the export of a particular type of animal or animal 
product to the United States from a foreign region. If, after review 
and evaluation of the information submitted in support of the request, 
the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) believes the 
request can be safely granted, APHIS will make the evaluation available 
for public comment through a notice published in the Federal Register. 
Following the close of the comment period, APHIS will review all 
comments received and will make a final determination regarding the 
request that will be detailed in another notice published in the 
Federal Register.
    In accordance with this process, we are announcing the availability 
of an evaluation of the FMD status of a region of Patagonia, Argentina, 
in a notice published today in the Federal Register (Docket No. APHIS-
2013-0105). The concerns and recommendations of all the commenters on 
the January 5, 2007, proposed rule have been considered in the 
development of the new evaluation.

    Authority:  7 U.S.C. 450, 7701-7772, 7781-7786, and 8301-8317; 
21 U.S.C. 136 and 136a; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.4.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 16th day of January 2014.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-01231 Filed 1-21-14; 4:15 pm]
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