[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 112 (Monday, June 14, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Page 31477]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-12419]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 112 / Monday, June 14, 2021 / 
Notices  

[[Page 31477]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2020-0082]


Addition of Thailand to the List of Regions Considered Affected 
With African Horse Sickness

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that we have added Thailand to the 
list of regions that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
considers to be affected with African horse sickness (AHS). We have 
taken this action because of confirmation of AHS in Thailand.

DATES: Thailand was added to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service list of regions considered affected with African horse sickness 
on March 31, 2020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Kari Coulson, Regionalization 
Evaluation Services, Veterinary Services, APHIS, 920 Main Campus Drive, 
Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27606; Phone: (919) 480-9876; email: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations in 9 CFR part 93 govern the 
importation of live animals into the United States. Within part 93, 
Sec.  93.308 (referred to below as the regulations) governs, among 
other things, the importation of horses, mules, zebras, and other 
equids from regions where African horse sickness (AHS) exists in order 
to prevent the introduction of AHS into the United States. AHS is a 
fatal viral equine disease that is not known to exist in the United 
States. A list of regions where AHS exists or is reasonably believed to 
exist is maintained on the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
(APHIS) website at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-and-animal-product-import-information/animal-health-status-of-regions/. This list is referenced in Sec.  93.308 of 
the regulations.
    Section 93.308(a)(2)(ii) of the regulations states that APHIS will 
add a region to the list referenced in Sec.  93.308(a)(2) upon 
determining AHS exists in the region, based on reports APHIS receives 
of outbreaks of the disease 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 March 27, 2020, the veterinary authorities of Thailand reported 
to the OIE the occurrence of AHS in that country. In response to that 
report, on March 31, 2020, APHIS added Thailand to the list of regions 
where AHS exists. On that same date, APHIS issued an import alert 
notifying stakeholders that effective March 27, 2020, APHIS imposed 
restrictions on importation of equine and equine-derived commodities 
from Thailand due to AHS. This notice serves as an official record and 
public notification of that action.
    Pursuant to the Congressional Review Act (5 U.S.C. 801 et seq.), 
the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs designated this action 
as not a major rule, as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2).

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1622 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 9th day of June 2021.
Mark Davidson,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-12419 Filed 6-11-21; 8:45 am]
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