[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 42 (Friday, March 3, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13422-13423]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-04374]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2021-0019]


Bovine Tuberculosis Status Evaluation of Eight Mexican Regions 
and Intent To Classify Those Regions for Bovine Tuberculosis

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that we are classifying eight 
Mexican regions for bovine tuberculosis as follows: The State of Sonora 
as Level II; the Yucat[aacute]n Peninsula region (States of 
Yucat[aacute]n and Quintana Roo, and part of the State of Campeche), 
the Huasteca region (parts of the States of Puebla, Veracruz, and 
Hidalgo), part of the State of Chihuahua, and part of the State of 
Durango as Level III; and part of the State of Coahuila, part of the 
State of Nuevo Le[oacute]n, and the State of Tamaulipas as Level IV. 
These recognitions are based on an evaluation we have prepared in 
connection with this action, which we made available for review and 
comment.

DATES: This change in disease status will be recognized on March 3, 
2023.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Kari Coulson, Import Risk Analyst, 
Regionalization Evaluation Services, Strategy and Policy, VS, APHIS, 
USDA, 920 Main Campus Drive, Venture II, 3rd floor, Raleigh, NC 27606; 
[email protected]; (919) 480-9876.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations in 9 CFR part 93, subpart D 
(Sec. Sec.  93.400 through 93.442, referred to below as part 93 or the 
subpart), contain requirements for the importation of ruminants into 
the United States to address the risk of introducing or

[[Page 13423]]

disseminating diseases of livestock within the United States. Part 93 
currently contains provisions that address the risk that imported 
bovines (cattle or bison) may introduce or disseminate bovine 
tuberculosis within the United States. Within part 93, Sec.  93.437 
contains the requirements for classification of foreign regions for 
bovine tuberculosis and Sec.  93.438 contains the process for 
requesting regional classification for bovine tuberculosis.
    In accordance with Sec.  93.437(f), the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service (APHIS) maintains lists of all Level I, Level II, 
Level III, Level IV, and Level V regions for bovine tuberculosis and 
adds foreign regions classified in accordance with Sec.  93.438 to 
these lists. In accordance with Sec.  93.437(e), regions that do not 
have a program that meets APHIS requirements for bovine tuberculosis 
classification, have a prevalence of bovine tuberculosis in their 
domestic bovine herds equal to or greater than 0.5 percent, or are 
unassessed by APHIS with regard to bovine tuberculosis are considered 
to be Level V.
    In accordance with the process in Sec.  93.438, we published a 
notice \1\ in the Federal Register on August 26, 2022 (87 FR 52500-
52502, Docket No. APHIS-2021-0019), in which we announced the 
availability, for review and comment, of an evaluation of the State of 
Sonora; the Yucat[aacute]n Peninsula region (States of Yucat[aacute]n 
and Quintana Roo, and part of the State of Campeche); the Huasteca 
region (parts of the States of Puebla, Veracruz, San Luis 
Potos[iacute], and Hidalgo); part of the State of Chihuahua, part of 
the State of Durango; part of the State of Coahuila; part of the State 
of Nuevo Le[oacute]n; and the State of Tamaulipas. We detailed the 
findings and conclusions in a document titled ``APHIS Evaluation of 
Eight Mexican Regions for Bovine Tuberculosis (M. bovis) 
Classification'' (March 2022). The notice proposed to classify the 
Sonora region as Level II for bovine tuberculosis; the Yucat[aacute]n 
Peninsula (States of Yucat[aacute]n and Quintana Roo, and part of the 
State of Campeche), Huasteca (including parts of the States of Puebla, 
Veracruz, and Hidalgo, but excluding San Luis Potos[iacute]), 
Chihuahua, and Durango regions as Level III for bovine tuberculosis; 
and the Coahuila, Nuevo Le[oacute]n, and Tamaulipas regions as Level IV 
for bovine tuberculosis.
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    \1\ To view the notice and the evaluation, go to 
www.regulations.gov and enter APHIS-2021-0019 in the Search field.
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    We solicited comments on the notice for 60 days ending October 25, 
2022. We did not receive any comments.
    Therefore, based on the evaluation, we are classifying these eight 
regions of Mexico for bovine tuberculosis as described above and adding 
to the lists of regions classified for bovine tuberculosis status which 
is maintained on the APHIS website at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-and-animal-product-import-information/animal-health-status-of-regions and scrolling down to ``Bovine 
Tuberculosis.'' Copies of the list are also available via postal mail, 
fax, or email from the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT.

Congressional Review Act

    Pursuant to the Congressional Review Act (5 U.S.C. 801 et seq.), 
the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs designated this rule 
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 27th day of February 2023.
Michael Watson,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-04374 Filed 3-2-23; 8:45 am]
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