[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 60 (Wednesday, March 27, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21233-21234]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-06601]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2024-0014]


Notice of Availability of a Pest Risk Analysis for the 
Importation of Fresh Hass Avocado From Guatemala 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 the importation of 
fresh Hass avocado (Persea americana var. Hass) fruit from Guatemala 
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 Hass avocado 
fruit from Guatemala into the United States. 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 May 
28, 2024.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:

[[Page 21234]]

     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov. 
Enter APHIS-2024-0014 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-2024-0014, 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 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: Ms. Esther Serrano, Regulatory Policy 
Specialist, Regulatory Coordination and Compliance, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 
River Road, Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737; (954) 699-4504.

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 Guatemala to allow the importation of Hass avocado 
(Persea americana var. Hass) from Guatemala into the United States. As 
part of our evaluation of Guatemala's request, we have prepared a pest 
risk assessment to identify the pests of quarantine significance that 
could follow the pathway of the importation of fresh Hass avocado 
(Persea americana var. Hass) into the United States from Guatemala. 
Based on the pest risk assessment, a risk management document (RMD) was 
prepared to identify phytosanitary measures that could be applied to 
the fresh Hass avocado (Persea americana var. Hass) to mitigate the 
pest risk.
    Therefore, in accordance with Sec.  319.56-4(c), we are announcing 
the availability of our pest risk assessment and RMD for public review 
and comment. Those documents, as well as a description of the economic 
considerations associated with the importation of fresh Hass avocado 
(Persea americana var. Hass) fruit from Guatemala, 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 pest risk 
assessment 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 Hass avocado (Persea 
americana var. Hass) from Guatemala 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 Hass 
avocado (Persea americana var. Hass) from Guatemala 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 22nd day of March 2024.
Michael Watson,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-06601 Filed 3-26-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P