18512 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 64 / Monday, April 4, 2011 / Notices 

risk assessment identified 

Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis 

capitata) and the Chilean red mite 

(Brevipalpis chilensis) as pests having a 

high risk potential. Since the pest risk 

assessment was prepared, all of Chile 

has been recognized as a pest-free area 

for Mediterranean fruit fly. The 

treatment schedule that would be 

required for figs has been found to be 

highly effective for all stages of Chilean 

red mite on grapes, and the efficacy can 

be extrapolated to include figs. Methyl 

bromide is a gas and can penetrate the 

ostiole of the fig. Furthermore, the 

Chilean red mite is a surface feeder that 

lays its eggs in cracks and crevices that 

are exposed to the air and, thus, to 

methyl bromide when fumigated. 

The commenter stated that the 

diseases of fresh figs in Chile should be 

compared to the diseases in the United 

States to determine whether or not they 

are the same strain. The commenter was 

concerned that the taxa of microbial and 

fungal pathogens identified as present 

in Chile might, if incompletely 

identified, be different from taxa already 

present in the United States, and that 

the pest risk assessment would not, 

therefore, have taken the risk associated 

with those specific pathogens into 

account. 

We agree that different strains of 

pathogens that are epidemiologically 

significant may exist; however, we 

found no information indicating that 

this was the case for any of the 

pathogens known to be present in both 

Chile and the United States. When 

assessing risk, we may consider 

incompletely identified taxa at a higher 

taxonomic level if the higher taxon (i.e., 

the entire genus or family) is not present 

in the United States, or if specific 

evidence indicates that the unidentified 

taxon is different from the ones in the 

United States. In this case, because we 

found no evidence that these 

incompletely identified taxa are 

different from the taxa present in the 

United States, we did not analyze them 

further. If pests identified to more 

specific taxa are intercepted in the 

future, we may reevaluate their risk. 

The commenter expressed concern 

that the proposed methyl bromide 

treatment schedule could produce an 

unpalatable fruit, which might result in 

a reduced market price for all figs, 

imported and domestic. The commenter 

also expressed concern that if a lower 

dose was used to treat fresh figs to 

improve their shelf life, there is still a 

risk that the mites could survive. 

APHIS does not alter treatment doses 

due to phytotoxicity to the commodity. 

Treatments for the pests are based on 

research on the individual pests and are 

not changed unless the change is 

supported by data showing the efficacy 

of the new dose. 

The commenter expressed concern 

that the generic surface pest treatment 

schedules, including the one proposed 

for fresh figs from Chile, might not be 

adequate to kill the Chilean red mite. 

The commenter stated that the 

California cherry and strawberry 

industries both had to use higher doses 

of methyl bromide to solve mite 

problems in their export programs. 

The Chilean red mite, which belongs 

to the family Tenuipalpidae, is not 

present in California; the mites in 

California produce are likely to be 

spider mites of the family 

Tetranychidae, and would require 

different treatment. The treatment 

schedule proposed for figs from Chile 

has been shown to be effective for 

Chilean red mite. As with other fruit 

imports, we will monitor the pest levels 

and if we determine that risks are such 

as would require adjusting the treatment 

dose or duration, we will take the 

appropriate action. 

The commenter stated that a 

treatment schedule specific to figs 

should be established for the treatment 

of Mediterranean fruit fly, for purposes 

of phytotoxicity and the tolerance of 

Mediterranean fruit fly relative to other 

target insects, including mites. 

As we explained above, since the 

publication of the pest risk assessment, 

all of Chile has been recognized as a 

pest-free area for Mediterranean fruit 

fly. There is no need to develop a 

specific treatment schedule for use on 

figs from that country. 

Therefore, in accordance with the 

regulations in § 319.56–4(c)(2)(ii), we 

are announcing our decision to begin 

issuing permits for the importation into 

the continental United States of fresh 

figs from Chile subject to the following 

phytosanitary measures: 

• Each shipment of figs must be 

accompanied by a phytosanitary 

certificate. The phytosanitary certificate 

must be issued by the national plant 

protection organization of Chile. 

• The shipment must be fumigated 

with methyl bromide using treatment 

schedule T–101–i–2–1 in accordance 

with 7 CFR part 305. 

• The figs must be a commercial 

consignment as defined in 7 CFR 

319.56–2. 

These conditions will be listed in the 

Fruits and Vegetables Import 

Requirements database (available at 

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/favir). In 

addition to those specific measures, the 

fresh figs will be subject to the general 

requirements listed in § 319.56–3 that 

are applicable to the importation of all 

fruits and vegetables. 

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 450, 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 29th day of 

March 2011. 

Kevin Shea, 

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–7896 Filed 4–1–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Forest Service 

Shasta County Resource Advisory 

Committee 

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of meeting. 

SUMMARY: The Shasta County Resource 

Advisory Committee (RAC) will meet at 

the USDA Service Center in Redding, 

California, on April 27, 2011, from 8:30 

a.m. to 12 noon. The purpose of this 

meeting is to discuss project updates 

and proposals, and information on 

monitoring efforts for the upcoming 

year. 

DATES: Wednesday, April 27 at 8:30 a.m. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at 

the USDA Service Center, 3644 Avtech 

Parkway, Redding, California 96002. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Designated Federal Official, Donna 

Harmon at (530) 226–2595 or 

dharmon@fs.fed.us. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

meeting is open to the public. Public 

input sessions will be provided and 

individuals will have the opportunity to 

address the Shasta County Resource 

Advisory Committee. 

Dated: March 28, 2011. 

Arlen P. Cravens, 

Acting Forest Supervisor, Shasta-Trinity 

National Forest. 

[FR Doc. 2011–7864 Filed 4–1–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–11–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Forest Service 

Ouachita-Ozark Resource Advisory 

Committee 

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of meeting. 

SUMMARY: The Ouachita-Ozark Resource 

Advisory Committee will meet in 

Barling, Arkansas. The committee is 


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