[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 170 (Tuesday, September 5, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 41909]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-18703]


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 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
 and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
 statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 82 , No. 170 / Tuesday, September 5, 2017 / 
Notices  

[[Page 41909]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2016-0049]


Notice of Decision; Cold Treatment of Grapefruit From Australia

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public of our decision to amend cold 
treatment schedule T107-d-3 in the Plant Protection and Quarantine 
Treatment Manual to include grapefruit from Australia. In a previous 
notice, we made available to the public for review and comment a 
treatment evaluation document that described the treatment schedule and 
explained why we have determined that it is effective at neutralizing 
certain target pests on grapefruit from Australia.

DATES: The cold treatment schedule T107-d-3 will be authorized for use 
on grapefruit from Australia beginning September 5, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Dorothy C. Wayson, Senior 
Regulatory Policy Specialist, Imports, Regulations and Manuals, PPQ, 
APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 851-
2036.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations in 7 CFR chapter III are 
intended 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 7 CFR 
part 305 (referred to below as the regulations) set out standards for 
treatments required in 7 CFR parts 301, 318, and 319 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 (a) sets out the normal process for adding, 
revising, or removing treatment schedules.
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    \1\ The PPQ 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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    In accordance with Sec.  305.3(a)(1), we published a notice \2\ in 
the Federal Register on September 16, 2016 (81 FR 63735-63736, Docket 
No. APHIS-2016-0049), in which we announced the availability of a 
treatment evaluation document (TED). The TED recommended amending 
treatment schedule T107-d-3 to extend its applicability to grapefruit 
from Australia. The treatment would effectively mitigate the pest risk 
from Queensland fruit fly (Bactrocera tryoni (Froggatt)) and provide 
exporters with the option to have grapefruit from Australia cold-
treated at 3 [deg]C or below for 14 days to meet U.S. entry 
requirements.
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    \2\ To view the notice, the treatment evaluation document, and 
the comments we received, go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2016-0049.
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    We solicited comments on the notice for 60 days ending on November 
15, 2016. We received two comments by that date. They were from a State 
plant protection agency and a foreign agriculture department.
    Both commenters were in favor of amending treatment schedule T107-
d-3 to include grapefruit from Australia. One commenter stated that it 
should be emphasized that the treatment is applicable only to fruit 
coming from areas free of Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly, Ceratitis 
capitata (Weidemann)).
    We agree with the commenter and note that treatment schedule T107-
d-3 is approved for mitigation of Queensland fruit fly only. As 
treatment for Medfly requires a longer cold treatment to ensure 
mortality of all immature stages, T107-d-3 will apply only to fruit 
coming from Medfly-free areas of Australia.
    Therefore, in accordance with the regulations in Sec.  305.3(a)(2), 
we are amending the PPQ Treatment Manual and making available a new 
version of the manual that reflects this addition to T107-d-3.

    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 30th day of August 2017.
Michael C. Gregoire,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-18703 Filed 9-1-17; 8:45 am]
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