[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 151 (Tuesday, August 8, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37042-37043]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-16676]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2016-0035]


Notice of Availability of Treatment Evaluation Document for 
Aircraft Treatments for Certain Hitchhiking Pests

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that we have determined that it is 
necessary to immediately add to the Plant Protection and Quarantine 
Treatment Manual two new chemical treatments for targeting regulated 
pests in the cargo holds of aircraft. We have prepared a treatment 
evaluation document that describes the new treatment schedules and 
explains why we have determined that they are effective at neutralizing 
certain target pests. We are making the treatment evaluation document 
available to the public for review and comment.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
October 10, 2017.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2016-0035.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2016-0035, 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-2016-
0035 or in our reading room, which is located in Room 1141 of the USDA 
South Building, 14th Street and Independence

[[Page 37043]]

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. George Balady, Senior Regulatory 
Policy Specialist, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 
20737-1231; (301) 851-2240.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations in 7 CFR chapter III are 
intended, among other things, to prevent the introduction or 
dissemination of plant pests and noxious weeds into or within the 
United States. Under the regulations, certain plants, fruits, 
vegetables, and other articles must be treated before they may be moved 
into the United States or interstate. The phytosanitary treatments 
regulations contained in part 305 of 7 CFR chapter III (referred to 
below as the regulations) 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 the processes for adding, 
revising, or removing treatment schedules in the PPQ Treatment Manual. 
In that section, paragraph (b) sets out the process for adding, 
revising, or removing treatment schedules when there is an immediate 
need to make a change. The circumstances in which an immediate need 
exists are described in Sec.  305.3(b)(1). They are:
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    \1\ The Treatment Manual is available at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/manuals/index.shtml 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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     PPQ has determined that an approved treatment schedule is 
ineffective at neutralizing the targeted plant pest(s).
     PPQ has determined that, in order to neutralize the 
targeted plant pest(s), the treatment schedule must be administered 
using a different process than was previously used.
     PPQ has determined that a new treatment schedule is 
effective, based on efficacy data, and that ongoing trade in a 
commodity or commodities may be adversely impacted unless the new 
treatment schedule is approved for use.
     The use of a treatment schedule is no longer authorized by 
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or by any other Federal 
entity.
    In accordance with Sec.  305.3(b)(1), we are providing notice that 
we have determined that it is necessary to add two new treatments to 
the PPQ Treatment Manual: T409-a, a surface spray with deltamethrin 
4.75 percent active ingredient to mitigate the risk of Khapra beetle on 
aircraft; and T409-b-3, an aerosol spray with `1-Shot' treatment 
containing 2 percent d-phenothrin and 2 percent permethrin to mitigate 
the risk of Japanese beetle and other hitchhiking pests, except Khapra 
beetle, on aircraft.
    To accommodate the addition of treatment T409-b-3, we have 
redesignated treatment schedule T409-b as T409-b-1.
    The reasons for these additions to the treatment manual are 
described in detail in the 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 (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 TED by calling or writing to the person listed under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Please refer to the subject of the TED 
when requesting copies.
    After reviewing the comments we receive, we will announce our 
decision regarding the new treatment schedules described in the TED in 
a subsequent notice. If we do not receive any comments, or the comments 
we receive do not change our determination that the proposed changes 
are effective, we will affirm these changes to the PPQ Treatment Manual 
and make available a new version of the PPQ Treatment Manual reflecting 
these changes. If we receive comments that cause us to determine that 
additional changes need to be made to one or more of the treatment 
schedules discussed above, we will make available a new version of the 
PPQ Treatment Manual that reflects the changes.

    Authority:  7 U.S.C. 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 2nd day of August 2017.
Michael C. Gregoire,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-16676 Filed 8-7-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-10-P