[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 221 (Friday, November 17, 2017)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 54314]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-24951]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

42 CFR Part 71

RIN 0920-AA14


Foreign Quarantine Regulations, Proposed Revision of HHS/CDC 
Animal Importation Regulations

AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of 
Health and Human Services (HHS).

ACTION: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking; withdrawal.

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SUMMARY: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), located 
within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announces the 
withdrawal of its 2007 advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM). 
The 2007 ANPRM was issued to begin the process of revising the 
regulations concerning importation of animals and animal products.

DATES: As of November 17, 2017, the ANPRM published on July 31, 2007, 
at 72 FR 41676, is withdrawn.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anne E. O'Connor, M.S., MT(ASCP), 
Office of the Chief of Staff, Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road NE., MS-A14, Atlanta, GA 30329; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On July 31, 2007, HHS/CDC published an 
advance notice of proposed rulemaking (72 FR 41679) requesting input 
and background information from the public on revisions to HHS/CDC's 
animal importation regulations found at 42 CFR part 71. The ANPRM had a 
60-day comment period. On October 1, 2007, HHS/CDC published another 
notice (72 FR 55729) that extended the public comment period to 
December 1, 2007.
    In response to the ANPRM, HHS/CDC received 20 public comments 
including from individuals, organizations, three animal-rescue advocacy 
groups, one private pet business, and one state government entity. Some 
commenters asserted that the current regulations fail to take into 
account the increasing volume of animal imports and new threats to 
human health and safety posed by these imports. Other commenters 
asserted that the same rules and fees applicable to commercial 
importers should be extended to non-profit animal shelters, rescue 
groups, and animal sanctuaries that effectively function as pet stores. 
The topics that received the most comments were changing the rabies 
regimen and requiring health certificate and unique identifiers for 
dogs, cats, and ferrets; and other strategies for preventing the 
introduction, spread, and transmission of zoonotic disease in the 
United States.
    HHS/CDC believes the public interest is best served by withdrawing 
the ANPRM identified in this document from rulemaking. The withdrawal 
of the ANPRM identified in this document does not preclude HHS/CDC from 
initiating future rulemaking to prevent the introduction, transmission, 
or spread of communicable diseases from foreign countries into the 
United States and from one State or possession into another.
    The ANPRM published on July 31, 2007 (72 FR 41676), is hereby 
withdrawn.

    Dated: November 13, 2017.
Eric D. Hargan,
Acting Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services.
[FR Doc. 2017-24951 Filed 11-16-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4163-18-P