37270 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 115 / Wednesday, June 14, 2000 / Rules and Regulations

majority (98 percent) of trucking firms

in Texas and California meet the Small

Business Administration’s definition of

a small firm (less than $18.5 million in

receipts annually). However, based on

the limited number of trips and

negligible amount of revenue generated

by these trips, it is safe to conclude that

this rule will not have a significant

economic impact on a substantial

number of small trucking firms.

Effects on U.S. Pork Exporters

The extent to which this rule will

affect U.S. pork exporters is unclear,

but, based on historical data on Mexican

pork exports, it appears that the overall

effect of the rule will be to increase the

quantity of Mexican pork destined for

the Japanese frozen pork market.

According to Japanese import statistics,

Japan imported 382,000 metric tons of

frozen swine cuts valued at roughly $1.9

billion in 1997. Denmark, Taiwan, and

the United States were the top three

suppliers, but Mexico and Canada, who

are relative newcomers to the Japanese

frozen pork market, have gained market

share in recent years. As discussed

above, we estimate that an additional

5,000 to 6,000 metric tons of frozen pork

from Mexico would transit the United

States for Japan annually after the

effective date of this rule. This is

roughly 1.4 percent of the total quantity

imported by Japan in 1997.

During the period 1996 through 1997,

Mexican frozen pork exports to Japan

increased from 12,953 metric tons

(valued at $76 million) to 24,408 metric

tons (valued at $122 million). During

the same period, U.S. frozen pork

exports to Japan decreased from 64,500

metric tons valued at $360 million to

48,000 metric tons valued at $244

million. Analysts cite price advantage

and the willingness of Mexican packers

to tailor pork cuts to Japanese

specifications as key reasons for

Mexico’s increased market share in

1997.

Since this rule simply allows pork

from additional Mexican States to

transit the United States for immediate

export, it is unclear whether this rule

will result in increased volumes of

Mexican exports to foreign regions (e.g.,

Japan), although it will likely result in

increased volumes of pork transiting the

United States. It is possible that the

volume of Mexico’s total pork exports

will remain constant, though the

volume of pork in transit through the

United States will increase. This

scenario will likely have a minimal

economic effect on U.S. pork exporters,

whether small or large. However, since

we are unable to determine whether this

rule will result in increased volumes of

Mexican pork exports, we cannot

determine the effect of this rule on U.S.

pork exporters, whether small or large.

Trade Relations

This rule removes some restrictions

on the importation of pork and pork

products from Mexico and attempts to

encourage a positive trading

environment between the United States

and Mexico and other regions where

hog cholera is considered to exist by

stimulating economic activity and

providing export opportunities to

foreign pork processing industries.

This rule contains information

collection requirements that have been

approved by the Office of Management

and Budget (see ‘‘Paperwork Reduction

Act,’’ below).

Executive Order 12988

This final rule has been reviewed

under Executive Order 12988, Civil

Justice Reform. This rule: (1) Preempts

all State and local laws and regulations

that are inconsistent with this rule; (2)

has no retroactive effect; and (3) does

not require administrative proceedings

before parties may file suit in court

challenging this rule.

Paperwork Reduction Act

In accordance with the Paperwork

Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501

et seq.), the information collection or

recordkeeping requirements included in

this rule have been approved by the

Office of Management and Budget

(OMB) under OMB control number

0579–0145.

List of Subjects in 9 CFR Part 94

Animal diseases, Imports, Livestock,

Meat and meat products, Milk, Poultry

and poultry products, Reporting and

recordkeeping requirements.

Accordingly, we are amending 9 CFR

part 94 as follows:

PART 94—RINDERPEST, FOOT-ANDMOUTH DISEASE, FOWL PEST (FOWL

PLAGUE), EXOTIC NEWCASTLE

DISEASE, AFRICAN SWINE FEVER,

HOG CHOLERA, AND BOVINE

SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHY:

PROHIBITED AND RESTRICTED

IMPORTATIONS

1. The authority citation for part 94

continues to read as follows:

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 147a, 150ee, 161, 162,

and 450; 19 U.S.C. 1306; 21 U.S.C. 111, 114a,

134a, 134b, 134c, 134f, 136, and 136a; 31

U.S.C. 9701; 42 U.S.C. 4331 and 4332; 7 CFR

2.22, 2.80, and 371.2(d).

2. In § 94.15, paragraph (b)

introductory text and paragraph (b)(2)

are revised to read as follows:

§ 94.15 Animal products and materials;

movement and handling.

* * * * *

(b) Pork and pork products from Baja

California, Baja California Sur,

Campeche, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo

Leon, Quintana Roo, Sinaloa, Sonora,

and Yucatan, Mexico, that are not

eligible for entry into the United States

in accordance with this part may transit

the United States via land border ports

for immediate export if the following

conditions are met:

* * * * *

(2) The pork or pork products are

packaged at a Tipo Inspeccio ́n Federal

plant in Baja California, Baja California

Sur, Campeche, Chihuahua, Coahuila,

Nuevo Leon, Quintana Roo, Sinaloa,

Sonora, or Yucatan, Mexico, in

leakproof containers and sealed with

serially numbered seals of the

Government of Mexico, and the

containers remain sealed during the

entire time they are in transit across

Mexico and the United States.

* * * * *

Done in Washington, DC, this 9th day of

June 2000.

Bobby R. Acord,

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant

Health Inspection Service.

[FR Doc. 00–15012 Filed 6–13–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3140–34–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection

Service

9 CFR Part 94

[Docket No. 98–029–3]

Change in Disease Status of the

Republic of South Africa Because of

Foot-and-Mouth Disease and

Rinderpest; Correction

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health

Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Final rule; correction.

SUMMARY: We are correcting an error in

the instructions for insertion of the

regulatory text of the final rule

published in the Federal Register on

April 17, 2000 (65 FR 20333–20337,

Docket No. 98–029–2), and effective on

May 2, 2000.

EFFECTIVE DATE: June 14, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.

Glen I. Garris, Supervisory Staff Officer,

Regionalization Evaluation Services

Staff, National Center for Import and

Export, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road

Unit 39, Riverdale, MD 20737–1231;

(302) 734–4356.

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 115 / Wednesday, June 14, 2000 / Rules and Regulations 37271

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

List of Subjects in 9 CFR Part 94

Animal diseases, Imports, Livestock,

Meat and meat products, Milk, Poultry

and poultry products, Reporting and

recordkeeping requirements.

Accordingly, 9 CFR part 94 is

corrected by making the following

correcting amendments:

PART 94—RINDERPEST, FOOT-ANDMOUTH DISEASE, FOWL PEST (FOWL

PLAGUE), EXOTIC NEWCASTLE

DISEASE, AFRICAN SWINE FEVER,

HOG CHOLERA, AND BOVINE

SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHY:

PROHIBITED AND RESTRICTED

IMPORTATIONS

1. The authority citation for part 94

continues to read as follows:

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 147a, 150ee, 161, 162,

450; 19 U.S.C. 1306; 21 U.S.C. 111, 114a,

134a, 134b, 134c, 134f, 136, and 136a; 31

U.S.C. 9701; 42 U.S.C. 4331 and 4332; 7 CFR

2.22, 2.80, and 371.2(d).

§ 94.1 [Corrected]

2. In paragraph (a)(2), by adding in

alphabetical order by region the words

‘‘Republic of South Africa except the

foot-and-mouth disease controlled area

(which extends from the Republic of

South Africa’s border with Mozambique

approximately 30 to 90 kilometers into

the Republic of South Africa to include

Kruger National Park and surveillance

and control zones around the park, and

elsewhere extends, from east to west,

approximately 10 to 20 kilometers into

the Republic of South Africa along its

borders with Mozambique, Swaziland,

Zimbabwe, Botswana, and the southeast

part of the border with Namibia),’’.

§ 94.11 [Corrected]

3. In paragraph (a), by adding in

alphabetical order by region, in the first

sentence, the words ‘‘Republic of South

Africa except the foot-and-mouth

disease controlled area (which extends

from the Republic of South Africa’s

border with Mozambique approximately

30 to 90 kilometers into the Republic of

South Africa to include Kruger National

Park and surveillance and control zones

around the park, and elsewhere extends,

from east to west, approximately 10 to

20 kilometers into the Republic of South

Africa along its borders with

Mozambique, Swaziland, Zimbabwe,

Botswana, and the southeast part of the

border with Namibia),’’.

Done in Washington DC, this 9th day of

June 2000.

Bobby R. Acord,

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant

Health Inspection Service.

[FR Doc. 00–15011 Filed 6–13–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 39

[Docket No. 99–SW–82–AD; Amendment

39–11781; AD 2000–12–03]

RIN 2120–AA64

Airworthiness Directives; Eurocopter

France Model AS332L2 Helicopters

AGENCY: Federal Aviation

Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: This amendment adopts a

new airworthiness directive (AD) for

Eurocopter France Model AS332L2

helicopters. This AD requires inspecting

for interference between the

transmission flexible mounting plate

(plate) and the forward and aft shims

(shims), replacing shims and repairing

the plate if interference is found, and

inspecting the plate for a broken plate

slat (slat) and repairing the plate if a

broken slat is found or replacing the

plate if slat damage beyond repair limits

is found. This AD is prompted by the

discovery that several helicopters were

manufactured with shims that did not

have cutouts to permit relative motion

between the plate slats and the shims

without interference. The actions

specified by this AD are intended to

prevent cracking of the plate slats,

increased helicopter vibration, loss of

transmission mounting integrity, and

subsequent loss of control of the

helicopter.

DATES: Effective July 19, 2000.

The incorporation by reference of

certain publications listed in the

regulations is approved by the Director

of the Federal Register as of July 19,

2000.

ADDRESSES: The service information

referenced in this AD may be obtained

from American Eurocopter Corporation,

2701 Forum Drive, Grand Prairie, Texas

75053–4005, telephone (972) 641–3460,

fax (972) 641–3527. This information

may be examined at the FAA, Office of

the Regional Counsel, Southwest

Region, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Room

663, Fort Worth, Texas; or at the Office

of the Federal Register, 800 North

Capitol Street, NW., suite 700,

Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Uday Garadi, Aviation Safety Engineer,

FAA, Rotorcraft Directorate, Rotorcraft

Standards Staff, Fort Worth, Texas

76193–0170, telephone (817) 222–5123,

fax (817) 222–5961.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: A

proposal to amend part 39 of the Federal

Aviation Regulations (14 CFR part 39) to

include an AD for Eurocopter France

Model AS332L2 helicopters was

published in the Federal Register on

March 24, 2000 (65 FR 15880). That

action proposed to require inspecting

for interference between the plate, the

forward shim, and the aft shim;

replacing shims and repairing the plate

if interference is found; and inspecting

the plate for broken slats and repairing

the plate if broken slats are found or

replacing the plate if slat damage

beyond repair limits is found.

Interested persons have been afforded

an opportunity to participate in the

making of this amendment. No

comments were received on the

proposal or the FAA’s determination of

the cost to the public. The FAA has

determined that air safety and the

public interest require the adoption of

the rule as proposed.

The FAA estimates that 1 helicopter

of U.S. registry will be affected by this

AD, that it will take approximately 1

work hour to accomplish the

inspections; 80 work hours to

accomplish the shim replacements and

the plate repair, if necessary, and

installation of Eurocopter France MOD

0725946 and MOD 0726012. The

average labor rate is $60 per work hour.

Required parts will cost approximately

$4,126 for a forward shim; $4,052 for an

aft shim; and $53,022 for a plate. Based

on these figures, the total cost impact of

the AD on U.S. operators is estimated to

be $66,060 to accomplish the

inspections and all the replacements

and repair, if necessary, and installation

of both MOD’s.

The regulations adopted herein will

not have a substantial direct effect on

the States, on the relationship between

the national Government and the States,

or on the distribution of power and

responsibilities among the various

levels of government. Therefore, it is

determined that this final rule does not

have federalism implications under

Executive Order 13132.

For the reasons discussed above, I

certify that this action (1) is not a

‘‘significant regulatory action’’ under

Executive Order 12866; (2) is not a

‘‘significant rule’’ under DOT

Regulatory Policies and Procedures (44