[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 13 (Monday, January 23, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 7787]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-01392]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2016-0072]


Addition of Lebanon to the List of Regions Affected by Highly 
Pathogenic Avian Influenza

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that we added Lebanon to the Animal 
and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) list maintained on the 
APHIS Web site of regions considered affected with highly pathogenic 
avian influenza (HPAI). We are taking this action because of the 
confirmation of HPAI detection in Lebanon.

DATES: Effective Date: The addition of Lebanon to the APHIS list of 
regions considered affected with HPAI is effective retroactively to 
April 22, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Javier Vargas, Import Risk 
Analyst, National Import Export Services, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road, 
Unit 38, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 851-3300; 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations in 9 CFR part 94 (referred 
to below as the regulations) govern the importation of certain animals 
and animal products into the United States to prevent the introduction 
of various animal diseases, including Newcastle disease and highly 
pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The regulations prohibit or restrict 
the importation of live poultry, poultry meat, and other poultry 
products from regions where these diseases are considered to exist.
    Section 94.6 of part 94 of the regulations contain requirements 
governing the importation into the United States of carcasses, meat, 
parts or products of carcasses, and eggs (other than hatching eggs) of 
poultry, game birds, or other birds from regions of the world where 
HPAI exists or is reasonably believed to exist. HPAI is an extremely 
infectious and potentially fatal form of avian influenza in birds and 
poultry that, once established, can spread rapidly from flock to flock. 
A list of regions that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
(APHIS) considers affected with HPAI of any subtype is maintained on 
the APHIS Web site at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-and-animal-product-import-information/ct_animal_disease_status.
    APHIS receives notice of HPAI outbreaks from veterinary officials 
of the exporting country, from the World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), or from other sources the Administrator determines to be 
reliable. On April 23, 2016, the veterinary authorities of Lebanon 
reported to the OIE that an HPAI outbreak had been confirmed in the 
Bekaa region on April 22, 2016. The outbreak affected a farm of 
approximately 20,000 birds.
    In response to this outbreak, APHIS added Lebanon to the list of 
regions where HPAI exists or is reasonably believed to exist. As a 
result, live poultry, poultry meat, and other poultry products from 
Lebanon are subject to APHIS import restrictions designed to mitigate 
risk of HPAI introduction into the United States. These restrictions 
are effective retroactively to April 22, 2016.

    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 13th day of January 2017.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-01392 Filed 1-19-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-34-P