[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 245 (Monday, December 27, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73237-73238]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-27928]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2020-0106]


Importation of Pummelo From Vietnam Into the United States

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that we have prepared a pest risk 
analysis that evaluates the risks associated with importation of fresh 
pummelo fruit from Vietnam into the United States. Based on the 
analysis, we have determined that the application of one or more 
designated phytosanitary measures will be sufficient to mitigate the 
risks of introducing or disseminating plant pests or noxious weeds via 
the importation of fresh pummelo fruit from Vietnam. We are making the 
pest risk analysis available to the public for review and comment.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before 
February 25, 2022.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov. 
Enter APHIS-2020-0106 in the Search field. Select the Documents tab, 
then select the Comment button in the list of documents.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2020-0106, Regulatory Analysis

[[Page 73238]]

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 www.regulations.gov or in our reading room, which is 
located in room 1620 of the USDA South Building, 14th Street and 
Independence 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: Dr. Sam Johnson, Senior Regulatory 
Policy Specialist, Regulatory Coordination and Compliance, PPQ, APHIS, 
4700 River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 442-6583.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Under the regulations in ``Subpart L--Fruits and Vegetables'' (7 
CFR 319.56-1 through 319.56-12, referred to below as the regulations), 
the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) prohibits or 
restricts the importation of fruits and vegetables into the United 
States from certain parts of the world to prevent plant pests from 
being introduced into or disseminated within the United States.
    Section 319.56-4 contains a performance-based process for approving 
the importation of fruits and vegetables that, based on the findings of 
a pest risk analysis, can be safely imported subject to one or more of 
the five designated phytosanitary measures listed in paragraph (b) of 
that section.
    APHIS received a request from the national plant protection 
organization of Vietnam to allow the importation of fresh pummelo fruit 
(Citrus maxima Merrill) from Vietnam into the United States. As part of 
our evaluation of Vietnam's request, we have prepared a pest risk 
assessment (PRA) to identify the pests of quarantine significance that 
could follow the pathway of the importation of fresh pummelo fruit into 
the United States from Vietnam. Based on the PRA, a risk management 
document (RMD) was prepared to identify phytosanitary measures that 
could be applied to the fresh pummelo fruit to mitigate the pest risk.
    Therefore, in accordance with Sec.  319.56-4(c), we are announcing 
the availability of our PRA and RMD for public review and comment. 
Those documents, as well as a description of the economic 
considerations associated with the importation of fresh pummelo fruit 
from Vietnam, may be viewed on the Regulations.gov website or in our 
reading room (see ADDRESSES above for a link to Regulations.gov and 
information on the location and hours of the reading room). You may 
request paper copies of the PRA and RMD by calling or writing to the 
person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Please refer to 
the subject of the analysis you wish to review when requesting copies.
    After reviewing any comments we receive, we will announce our 
decision regarding the import status of fresh pummelo fruit from 
Vietnam in a subsequent notice. If the overall conclusions of our 
analysis and the Administrator's determination of risk remain unchanged 
following our consideration of the comments, then we will authorize the 
importation of fresh pummelo fruit from Vietnam into the United States 
subject to the requirements specified in the RMD.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1633, 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 20th day of December 2021.
Mark Davidson,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-27928 Filed 12-23-21; 8:45 am]
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