[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 223 (Tuesday, November 23, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66516-66517]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-25588]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2021-0005]


Addition of Malaysia 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 Malaysia 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 Malaysia.

DATES: Malaysia was added to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service list of regions considered affected with African horse sickness 
on September 3, 2020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Kari Coulson, Regionalization 
Evaluation Services, Veterinary Services, APHIS, 920 Main Campus Drive, 
Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27606; (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)

[[Page 66517]]

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 (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 September 2, 2020, the veterinary authorities of Malaysia 
reported to the OIE confirmation of an AHS outbreak. In response to 
that report, on September 3, 2020, APHIS added Malaysia to the list of 
regions where AHS exists. 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 18th day of November 2021.
Jack Shere,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-25588 Filed 11-22-21; 8:45 am]
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