[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 165 (Monday, August 28, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58542-58543]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-18521]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2021-0075]


Notice of Availability of Pest Risk Analysis for the Importation 
of Ugu Leaves (Telfairia occidentalis Hook.f.) From Nigeria Into the 
Continental 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 
Ugu leaves (Telfairia occidentalis Hook.f) from Nigeria into the 
continental 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 
Ugu leaves from Nigeria. 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 
October 27, 2023.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federale Rulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov. 
Enter APHIS-2021-0075 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-2021-0075, Regulatory Analysis 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 atwww.regulations.govor in our reading room, whichis located 
inroom 1620of 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.

[[Page 58543]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Hesham Abuelnaga, Senior 
Regulatory Policy Specialist, Regulatory Coordination and Compliance, 
PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 
851-2010; email: [email protected].

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 Nigeria to allow importation of fresh Ugu leaves 
(Telfairia occidentalis Hook.f) from Nigeria into the continental 
United States. As part of our evaluation of Nigeria'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 Ugu leaves from Nigeria into the continental 
United States. Based on the PRA, a risk management document (RMD) was 
prepared to identify phytosanitary measures that could be applied to 
the fresh Ugu leaves 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 Ugu leaves 
(Telfairia occidentalis Hook.f) from Nigeria, 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 Ugu leaves from Nigeria 
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 Ugu leaves from Nigeria into the continental 
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 23rd day of August 2023.
Michael Watson,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-18521 Filed 8-25-23; 8:45 am]
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