Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 39 / Friday, February 27, 2015 / Notices 10661 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act 

(FACA) (5 U.S.C. App.), this notice 

announces that the Secretary of 

Agriculture intends to renew the Plant 

Variety Protection Board (PVP Board). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paul 

Zankowski, USDA, Agricultural 

Marketing Service (AMS), Plant Variety 

Protection Office; 1400 Independence 

Avenue SW., Room 4512; Washington, 

DC 20250 or by phone at (202) 720–1128 

or by Internet: http://

www.regulations.gov or by email: 

Paul.Zankowski@ams.usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Plant 

Variety Protection Act (PVPA) (7 U.S.C. 

2321 et seq.) provides legal protection in 

the form of intellectual property rights 

to developers of new varieties of plants, 

which are reproduced sexually by seed 

or are tuber-propagated. A Certificate of 

Plant Variety Protection is awarded to 

an owner of a crop variety after an 

examination shows that it is new, 

distinct from other varieties, and 

genetically uniform and stable through 

successive generations. The term of 

protection is 20 years for most crops and 

25 years for trees, shrubs, and vines. 

The PVPA also provides for a 

statutory Board (7 U.S.C. 2327) to be 

appointed by the Secretary of 

Agriculture. The duties of the Board are 

to: (1) Advise the Secretary concerning 

the adoption of rules and regulations to 

facilitate the proper administration of 

the Act; (2) provide advisory counsel to 

the Secretary on appeals concerning 

decisions on applications by the PVP 

Office and on requests for emergency 

public-interest compulsory licenses; and 

(3) advise the Secretary on any other 

matters under the Regulations and Rules 

of Practice and on all questions under 

section 44 of the Act, ‘‘Public Interest in 

Wide Usage’’ (7 U.S.C. 2404). Renewing 

the PVP Board is necessary and in the 

public interest. 

The PVPA provides that ‘‘the Board 

shall consist of individuals who are 

experts in various areas of varietal 

development covered by this Act.’’ The 

Board membership ‘‘shall include 

farmer representation and shall be 

drawn approximately equally from the 

private or seed industry sector and from 

the sector of government or the public.’’ 

The Board consists of 14 members, each 

of whom is appointed for a 2-year 

period, with no member appointed for 

more than three 2-year periods. 

Nominations are made by farmers’ 

associations, trade associations in the 

seed industry, professional associations 

representing expertise in seed 

technology, plant breeding, and variety 

development, public and private 

research and development institutions 

(13 members) and the USDA (one 

member). 

Equal opportunity practices, in 

agreement with USDA 

nondiscrimination policies, will be 

followed in all membership 

appointments to the Board. To ensure 

that the suggestions of the Board have 

taken into account the needs of the 

diverse groups served by USDA, 

membership shall include, to the extent 

practicable, individuals with 

demonstrated ability to represent 

minorities, women, and persons with 

disabilities. 

The Charter for the PVP Board will be 

available on the Web site at: http://

www.facadatabase.gov/

download.aspx?fn=Charters/1309_

2013.09.11_PVPBCharter2.7.13_(2013- 

09-11-05-03-31).pdf or may be requested 

by contacting the individual identified 

in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT section of this notice. 

USDA prohibits discrimination in all 

its programs and activities on the basis 

of race, color, national origin, gender, 

religion, age, disability, political beliefs, 

sexual orientation, and marital or family 

status. Persons with disabilities who 

require alternative means for 

communication of program information 

(Braille, large print, or audiotape) 

should contact USDA’s Target Center at 

202–720–2600 (voice and TTY). 

To file a written complaint of 

discrimination, write USDA, Office of 

the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 

1400 Independence Avenue SW., 

Washington, DC 20250–9410 or call 

202–720–5964 (voice and TTY). USDA 

is an equal opportunity provider and 

employer. 

Dated: February 23, 2015. 

Rex A. Barnes, 

Associate Administrator, Agricultural 

Marketing Service. 

[FR Doc. 2015–04086 Filed 2–26–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–02–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

[Docket No. APHIS–2015–0007] 

Notice of Availability of a Treatment 

Evaluation Document; Methyl Bromide 

Fumigation of Figs 

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of availability. 

SUMMARY: We are advising the public 

that we have determined that it is 

necessary to immediately add to the 

Plant Protection and Quarantine 

Treatment Manual a new treatment 

schedule for methyl bromide fumigation 

of figs for external pests, including 

Chilean false red mite. We have 

prepared a treatment evaluation 

document that describes the new 

treatment schedule and explains why 

we have determined that it is effective 

at neutralizing these pests. We are 

making the treatment evaluation 

document available to the public for 

review and comment. 

DATES: We will consider all comments 

that we receive on or before May 28, 

2015. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

by either of the following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

http://www.regulations.gov/

#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2015-0007. 

• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: 

Send your comment to Docket No. 

APHIS–2015–0007, 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 http://

www.regulations.gov/

#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2015-0007 or 

in our reading room, which is located in 

Room 1141 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. 

Inder P.S. Gadh, Senior Risk Manager– 

Treatments, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River 

Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737; 

(301) 851–2018. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

regulations in 7 CFR chapter III are 

intended, among other things, to 

prevent the introduction or 

dissemination of plant pests and 

noxious weeds into or within the United 

States. Under the regulations, certain 

plants, fruits, vegetables, and other 

articles must be treated before they may 

be moved into the United States or 

interstate. The phytosanitary treatments 

regulations contained in 7 CFR part 305 

(referred to below as the regulations) set 

out standards for treatments required in 

7 CFR parts 301, 318, and 319 for fruits, 

vegetables, and other articles. 

In § 305.2, paragraph (b) states that 

approved treatment schedules are set 

out in the Plant Protection and 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

10662 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 39 / Friday, February 27, 2015 / Notices 

1The Treatment Manual is available on the 

Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_

export/plants/manuals/ports/downloads/

treatment.pdf or by contacting the Animal and 

Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection 

and Quarantine, Manuals Unit, 92 Thomas Johnson 

Drive, Suite 200, Frederick, MD 21702. 

2To view the notice and the comments we 

received, go to http://www.regulations.gov/

#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2009-0097. 

Quarantine (PPQ) Treatment Manual.1

Section 305.3 sets out a process for 

adding, revising, or removing treatment 

schedules in the PPQ Treatment 

Manual. In that section, paragraph (b) 

sets out the process for adding, revising, 

or removing treatment schedules when 

there is an immediate need to make a 

change. The circumstances in which an 

immediate need exists are described in 

§ 305.3(b)(1). They are: 

• PPQ has determined that an 

approved treatment schedule is 

ineffective at neutralizing the targeted 

plant pest(s). 

• PPQ has determined that, in order 

to neutralize the targeted plant pest(s), 

the treatment schedule must be 

administered using a different process 

than was previously used. 

• PPQ has determined that a new 

treatment schedule is effective, based on 

efficacy data, and that ongoing trade in 

a commodity or commodities may be 

adversely impacted unless the new 

treatment schedule is approved for use. 

• The use of a treatment schedule is 

no longer authorized by the U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency or by 

any other Federal entity. 

A treatment schedule currently listed 

in the PPQ Treatment Manual (T101–i– 

2–1) requires baby kiwi (Actinidia 

arguta), fig (Ficus carica), grape (Vitis 

spp.), and pomegranate (Punica 

granatum) to be treated with methyl 

bromide (MB) to prevent the 

introduction into the United States of 

external pests, including Chilean false 

red mite (Brevipalpus chilensis). The 

treatment as originally approved 

required the use of 1.5 lb b 4.0 lb of MB 

gas per 1,000 ft3 for 2 hours at 

temperatures of 40 °F or above. 

However, in 2006, APHIS determined 

that this treatment was insufficient to 

mitigate the risk from the mite on 

grapes. Therefore, as an emergency 

measure, the treatment was amended to 

require a longer exposure time of up to 

3 hours under tarpaulin or 2.5 hours in 

chamber. As an emergency measure, 

this action was done administratively 

and was not meant to be permanent. 

On April 4, 2011, APHIS published a 

notice 2 in the Federal Register (76 FR 

18511–18512, Docket No. APHIS–2009– 

0097) that approved the use of this 

revised treatment to treat figs from Chile 

in order to meet U.S. entry 

requirements. Since publication of that 

notice, we have determined that figs 

have a higher sorption rate of the MB 

gas than other commodities. Therefore, 

in order to achieve 100 percent 

mortality of Chilean false red mite on 

figs, the figs must be exposed to a higher 

dose of MB. 

In accordance with § 305.3(b)(2), we 

are providing notice that we have 

determined that it is necessary to add 

new treatment schedule T101–i–2–22, 

which provides for a MB treatment 

schedule for figs during an exposure 

period of 3 hours in a chamber at a 

dosage rate of 3.5 lbs gas/1,000 ft3 at a 

temperature between 50 °F and 59 °F, 3 

lbs gas/1,000 ft3 at a temperature 

between 60 °F and 69 °F, and 2.5 lbs 

gas/1,000 ft3 at a temperature of 70 °F or 

above. Since the efficacy of new 

schedule T101–i–2–2 was not verified 

under tarpaulin, the new treatment 

schedule is applicable only in 

chambers. This action also amends 

treatment schedule T101–i–2–1 by 

removing figs from the schedule and 

making the revised treatment schedule 

permanent. Revised treatment schedule 

T101–i–2–1 will continue to be 

applicable both in chambers and under 

tarpaulin for grapes, baby kiwis, and 

pomegranates. APHIS’ experience with 

successful importation of these 

commodities using the existing 

treatment schedule has provided 

sufficient evidence to prove the 

effectiveness of the treatment. In order 

to have minimum adverse impact on the 

ongoing trade of figs and using the 

immediate process as provided in 

§ 305.3(b), these changes are effective 

immediately upon publication of this 

notice. The new treatment schedule will 

be listed in a separate section of the PPQ 

Treatment Manual, which will indicate 

that T101–i–2–22 was added through 

the immediate process described in 

paragraph (b) of § 305.3 and that it is 

subject to change or removal based on 

public comment. 

The reasons for the addition of this 

treatment schedule are described in 

detail in a treatment evaluation 

document we have prepared to support 

this action. The treatment evaluation 

document may be viewed on the 

Regulations.gov Web site or in our 

reading room (see ADDRESSES above for 

instructions for accessing 

Regulations.gov and information on the 

location and hours of the reading room). 

You may request paper copies of the 

treatment evaluation document by 

calling or writing to the person listed 

under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT. Please refer to the subject of 

the treatment evaluation document 

when requesting copies. 

After reviewing the comments we 

receive, we will announce our decision 

regarding the new treatment schedule 

that is described in the treatment 

evaluation document in a subsequent 

notice, in accordance with paragraph 

(b)(3) of § 305.3. If we do not receive any 

comments, or the comments we receive 

do not change our determination that 

the treatment is effective, we will affirm 

the treatment schedule’s addition to the 

PPQ Treatment Manual and make 

available a new version of the PPQ 

Treatment Manual in which T101–i–2– 

2 is listed in the main body of the PPQ 

Treatment Manual. If we receive 

comments that cause us to determine 

that T101–i–2–2 needs to be changed or 

removed, we will make available a new 

version of the PPQ Treatment Manual 

that reflects changes to or the removal 

of T101–i–2–2. 

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 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 

February 2015. 

Kevin Shea, 

Administrator, Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service. 

[FR Doc. 2015–04172 Filed 2–26–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Forest Service 

[EIS No. 2011–13640] 

Retraction of Salt River Allotments 

Vegetative Management EIS 

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Retraction of NOI. 

SUMMARY: The Forest Service has 

published a Notice of Intent (NOI) on 

May 25, 2011 for Salt River Allotments 

Vegetative Management EIS. This 

Environmental Impact Statement was 

first designed due to complexities 

encountered with a variety of current 

activities and environmental conditions 

that interconnect along Salt River. These 

activities include: White water rafting, 

wilderness values, critical habitat of 

aquatic and terrestrial species. Planned 

livestock grazing project included a 

desire by term-grazing permittees to 

graze livestock (i.e., cattle) along river. 

DATES: Not Applicable. 

ADDRESSES: No further comments will 

be received on this project. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A. 

Jamie Wages 7680 South Sixshooter 

Canyon Road Globe, Arizona 85501, 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES