[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 190 (Wednesday, October 1, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59209-59210]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-23418]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2014-0014]


Notice of Decision To Allow Interstate Movement of Allium spp. 
Leaves From Hawaii Into the Continental United States

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public of our decision to allow the 
interstate movement of Allium spp. leaves from Hawaii into the 
continental United States. Based on the findings of a pest risk 
analysis, which we made available to the public to review and comment 
through a previous notice, we believe that the application of one or 
more phytosanitary measures will be sufficient to mitigate the risks of 
introducing or disseminating plant pests or noxious weeds via the 
interstate movement of Allium spp. leaves from Hawaii to the 
continental United States.

DATES: Effective Date: October 1, 2014.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. David Lamb, Senior Regulatory 
Policy Specialist, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 
20737-1231; (301) 851-2103.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the regulations in ``Subpart--
Regulated Articles From Hawaii and the Territories'' (7 CFR 318.13-1 
through 318.13-26, 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 interstate movement of fruits 
and vegetables from Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, 
and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to the continental 
United States to prevent the spread of plant pests and noxious weeds 
that occur in Hawaii and the territories.
    Section 318.13-4 contains a performance-based process for approving 
the interstate movement of commodities that, based on the findings of a 
pest risk analysis, can be safely moved subject to one or more of the 
designated phytosanitary measures listed in paragraph (b) of that 
section. Under that process, APHIS publishes a notice in the Federal 
Register announcing the availability of the pest risk analysis that 
evaluates the risks associated with the interstate movement of a 
particular fruit or vegetable. Following the close of the 60-day 
comment period, APHIS may begin allowing the interstate movement of the 
fruit or vegetable subject to the identified designated measures if: 
(1) No comments were received on the pest risk analysis; (2) the 
comments on the pest risk analysis revealed that no changes to the pest 
risk analysis were necessary; or (3) changes to the pest risk analysis 
were made in response to public comments, but the changes did not 
affect the overall conclusions of the analysis and the Administrator's 
determination of risk.
    In accordance with that process, we published a notice \1\ in the 
Federal Register on May 2, 2014 (79 FR 25095-25096, Docket No. APHIS-
2014-0014), in which we announced the availability, for review and 
comment, of a pest risk analysis (PRA) that evaluates the risks 
associated with the interstate movement of Allium spp. from Hawaii into 
the continental United States. Based on the PRA, we prepared a risk 
management document (RMD) to identify phytosanitary measures that could 
be applied to the commodity to mitigate the pest risk.
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    \1\ To view the notice, PRA, RMD, and comments we received, go 
to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2014-0014.
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    We solicited comments on the notice, PRA and RMD for 60 days ending 
on July 1, 2014. We received three comments by that date from a private 
citizen, a State department of agriculture, and an organization of 
State plant protection agencies.
    Two commenters raised concerns that no production, harvest, or 
post-harvest procedures were specified in the RMD for the two 
lepidopteran pests (Acrolepiopsis sapponensis and

[[Page 59210]]

Spodoptera litura) and one thrips (Scirtothrips dorsalis) identified in 
the PRA.
    We acknowledge that there are no specific harvest or post-harvest 
mitigation measures detailed in the RMD for those pests; however, 
evidence of these three insect pests can easily be detected during the 
required inspection process. In addition, the RMD states that standard 
commercial practices related to field sanitation must be used to 
discard infested leaves. If a thrip, identified as S. dorsalis, is 
found by an inspector during the required biometric sampling, then the 
entire consignment would be prohibited from being moved into the 
continental United States unless it is treated with an APHIS-approved 
treatment in Hawaii.
    One commenter raised concerns about a nematode, Ditylenchus 
dipsaci, that was not identified as a plant pest in the PRA.
    The nematode was analyzed and included within the appendix of the 
PRA, but no action is required against the nematode because the 
nematode is associated with the roots of the plant and is not expected 
to follow the pathway and become established via non-propagative 
material.
    Therefore, in accordance with Sec.  318.13-4, we are announcing our 
decision to begin allowing the interstate movement of Allium spp. 
leaves from Hawaii into the continental United States subject to the 
following phytosanitary measures:
     Allium spp. leaves are moved as commercial consignments 
only.
     A biometric sample of leaves of Allium spp. must be 
inspected for quarantine pests following any post-harvest processing. 
If quarantine pests are found, the entire consignment will be 
prohibited from movement into the continental United States unless it 
is treated with an approved quarantine treatment monitored by APHIS.
    These conditions will be listed in the Hawaii Fruits and Vegetables 
Manual (available at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/manuals/ports/downloads/hawaii.pdf). In addition to those 
specific measures, Allium spp. from Hawaii will be subject to the 
general requirements listed in Sec.  318.13-3 that are applicable to 
the interstate movement of all fruits and vegetables from Hawaii.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 7701-7772 and 7781-7786; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, 
and 371.3.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 26th day of September 2014.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-23418 Filed 9-30-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P