12172 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 49 / Monday, March 15, 2010 / Notices 

help you, please call (202) 690–2817 

before coming. 

Other Information: Additional 

information about APHIS and its 

programs is available on the Internet at 

(http://www.aphis.usda.gov). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. 

Colin D. Stewart, Senior Entomologist, 

PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 133, 

Riverdale, MD 20737–1237; (301) 734– 

0774. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

The regulations in 7 CFR part 322 

restrict the importation, interstate 

movement, and transit through the 

United States of bees, beekeeping 

byproducts, and beekeeping equipment 

to prevent the introduction of pests into 

the United States through the 

importation of honeybees from 

approved regions. Australia is currently 

on the list of approved regions from 

which adult honeybees maybe imported 

into the United States under certain 

conditions. 

In March 2002, APHIS issued a report 

assessing the risks of pest introduction 

into the United States in imports of 

honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) from 

Australia. The evaluation identified 15 

pathogens and pests of bees in that 

country, all of which occur in the 

United States. The evaluation 

concluded that there were no 

quarantine-significant honey bee 

pathogens or pests occurring in 

Australia. 

In the 7 years since the completion of 

the evaluation for Australian bees, new 

threats to the U.S. honey bee population 

have emerged. The most prominent 

threat is Colony Collapse Disorder, a 

mysterious syndrome characterized by 

the abrupt disappearance of a colony’s 

adult worker bee population, leaving a 

substantial population of healthy brood, 

an absence of dead bees, and the 

delayed invasion of hive pests and 

robbing of hive stores by neighboring 

colonies. A link between the disorder, 

first reported in the United States in 

2006, and honey bee imports from 

Australia has been suggested. The May 

2007 discovery of colonies of the Asian 

honey bee (Apis cerana) near Cairns, 

Victoria, also has raised concerns that 

exotic honey bee pathogens or parasites 

may have been introduced into 

Australia with the arrival of this foreign 

bee. These developments suggest a need 

to reevaluate the risks involved in 

importation of bees from Australia. 

APHIS’ review and analysis of the 

risks associated with the importation of 

honey bees from Australia are 

documented in detail in a draft pest risk 

assessment (PRA) titled, ‘‘Evaluation of 

Pest Risks Associated with Importation 

of Honey Bees (Apis mellifera L.) from 

Australia’’ (November 2009). Findings 

presented in the draft PRA state that 

there are honey bee viruses present in 

Australia that are not known to occur in 

the United States. The draft PRA 

concludes that zoosanitary measures 

may be necessary to reduce the 

possibility of the introduction of these 

viruses to the United States via the 

importation of honey bees from 

Australia. 

We are making the draft PRA 

available to the public for review and 

comment. We will consider all 

comments that we receive on or before 

the date listed under the heading DATES

at the beginning of this notice. The draft 

PRA and the comments received may be 

the basis for a future change in the 

regulations. 

The draft PRA 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 

draft PRA by calling or writing to the 

person listed under FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT. Please refer to the 

title of the draft PRA when requesting 

copies. 

Done in Washington, DC, this 8th day 

of March 2010. 

Kevin Shea, 

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service. 

[FR Doc. 2010–5573 Filed 3–12–10; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–S 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection 

Service 

[Docket No. APHIS-2009-0101] 

Notice of Availability of a Draft 

Response to Petitions for the 

Reclassification of Light Brown Apple 

Moth as a Non-Quarantine Pest 

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of availability and 

request for comments. 

SUMMARY: We are advising the public 

that the Animal and Plant Health 

Inspection Service is making available, 

for public review and comment, a draft 

response to two petitions we received 

requesting the reclassification of light 

brown apple moth [Epiphyas 

postvittana (Walker)] as a nonquarantine pest. Following the review 

period, APHIS will consider the 

comments prior to the release of a final 

petition response. 

DATES: We will consider all comments 

that we receive on or before May 14, 

2010. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

by either of the following methods: 

∑ Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to 

(http://www.regulations.gov/ 

fdmspublic/component/ 

main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS2009-0101) to submit or view comments 

and to view supporting and related 

materials available electronically. 

∑ Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: 

Please send two copies of your comment 

to Docket No. APHIS-2009-0101, 

Regulatory Analysis and Development, 

PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 

River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 

20737-1238. Please state that your 

comment refers to Docket No. APHIS2009-0101. 

Reading Room: You may read any 

comments that we receive on this 

docket in our reading room. The reading 

room 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) 690-2817 before 

coming. 

Other Information: Additional 

information about APHIS and its 

programs is available on the Internet at 

(http://www.aphis.usda.gov). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. 

Andrea Simao, National Program 

Manager, Emergency and Domestic 

Programs, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River 

Road, Unit 26, Riverdale, MD 20737- 

1231; (301) 734-0930. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

Light brown apple moth (Epiphyas 

postvittana [Walker]) (LBAM) is a plant 

pest with a broad host range of over 

2,000 plant species, including stone 

fruit (peaches, plums, nectarines, 

cherries, and apricots), apples, pears, 

grapes, and citrus. LBAM larvae feed on 

the leaves and fruit of host plants and, 

under appropriate conditions, may 

result in significant damage. The pest 

can be very difficult to eradicate once it 

is established in an area. To date, 

natural enemies of leaf rollers have not 

impacted LBAM populations in the 

infested areas of California and few 

predators or parasites of LBAM have 

been observed. 


emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 49 / Monday, March 15, 2010 / Notices 12173 

Although LBAM was first detected in 

the late 1800s in Hawaii, it is present 

only at elevations of 1,394 feet or above 

in the State. Because most agricultural 

production in Hawaii occurs in the 

coastal regions, at elevations below 

1,394 feet, LBAM has not been 

considered a pest of concern within the 

State. However, the interstate movement 

from Hawaii of cut flowers, fruits and 

vegetables, plants, and portions of 

plants, including LBAM host material, 

is currently prohibited unless the 

articles are first inspected and found 

free of plant pests (including LBAM) or 

are treated for plant pests. 

Moths suspected of being LBAM were 

detected in Alameda and Contra Costa 

Counties, CA, in February 2007, and 

were subsequently confirmed as LBAM 

on March 16, 2007. Due to California’s 

cooler climate and the potential impact 

of LBAM on a wide range of crops, an 

aggressive response program has been 

conducted by the State of California 

with support from the Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of 

the United States Department of 

Agriculture. 

On September 12, 2008, and February 

4, 2009, petitions were submitted to the 

Secretary of Agriculture requesting that 

APHIS reclassify LBAM from an 

actionable, quarantine-significant pest 

to a non-actionable, non-quarantine pest 

and that APHIS relieve the Federal 

restrictions placed on the interstate 

movement of LBAM host articles from 

areas where the pest had been detected. 

The petitions also questioned APHIS’ 

ability to eradicate LBAM, the 

appropriateness of technologies used to 

support an eradication program, the 

potential impacts of these technologies 

on the environment and to human 

health and safety, and the effectiveness 

of the communication strategies used to 

inform the public about the LBAM 

program. 

This document announces the 

availability of our draft response to 

those petitions, titled ‘‘APHIS Draft 

Response to Petitions for the 

Reclassification of Light Brown Apple 

Moth [Epiphyas postvittana (Walker)] as 

a Non-Quarantine Pest.’’ For the sake of 

clarity, the discussion in our response 

focused on the petitioners’ request to 

reclassify LBAM. Questions raised by 

the petitions regarding regulatory and 

other actions are distinctly different 

discussions and are addressed 

separately in an accompanying 

document that provides additional 

information on the LBAM program in a 

frequently asked questions (FAQ) 

format. 

The text of the petitions, APHIS’ draft 

petition response, and FAQ may be 

viewed on the Internet at the 

Regulations.gov Web site (see 

ADDRESSES above for instructions on 

accessing Regulations.gov). The draft 

response and FAQ may also be viewed 

on the APHIS Web site at (http:// 

www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/ 

plant_pest_info/lba_moth/index.shtml). 

You may request paper copies of the 

documents by calling or writing to the 

person listed under FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT. Please refer to the 

title of the documents when requesting 

copies. The documents are also 

available for review in our reading room 

(information on the location and hours 

of the reading room is listed under the 

heading ADDRESSES at the beginning of 

this notice). 

After evaluating public comments we 

receive during the comment period (see 

DATES at the beginning of this notice), 

APHIS will determine whether or not to 

continue Federal enforcement of 

mandatory phytosanitary domestic 

quarantine regulations and the 

application of mandatory procedures for 

the official control of LBAM. We will 

then publish a document in the Federal 

Register announcing our determination. 

Done in Washington, DC, this 9th day 

of March 2010. 

Kevin Shea, 

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service. 

[FR Doc. 2010–5599 Filed 3–12–10; 12:46 pm] 

BILLING CODE 3410–34–S 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

Bureau of Industry and Security 

Proposed Information Collection; 

Comment Request; Defense Priorities 

and Allocations System 

AGENCY: Bureau of Industry and 

Security, Commerce. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Department of 

Commerce, as part of its continuing 

effort to reduce paperwork and 

respondent burden, invites the general 

public and other Federal agencies to 

take this opportunity to comment on 

proposed and/or continuing information 

collections, as required by the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. 

DATES: Written comments must be 

submitted on or before May 14, 2010. 

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments 

to Diana Hynek, Departmental 

Paperwork Clearance Officer, 

Department of Commerce, Room 6625, 

14th and Constitution Avenue, NW., 

Washington, DC 20230 (or via the 

Internet at dHynek@doc.gov). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Requests for additional information or 

copies of the information collection 

instrument and instructions should be 

directed to Larry Hall, BIS ICB Liaison, 

(202) 482–4895, lhall@bis.doc.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract 

This recordkeeping requirement is 

necessary for administration and 

enforcement of delegated authority 

under the Defense Production Act of 

1950, as amended (50 U.S.C. App. 2061, 

et seq.) and the Selective Service Act of 

1948 (50 U.S.C. App. 468). Any person 

who receives a priority-rated order 

under the implementing Defense 

Priorities and Allocations System 

regulation (15 CFR part 700) must retain 

the records for at least 3 years. 

II. Method of Collection 

Records retention. 

III. Data 

OMB Control Number: 0694–0053. 

Form Number(s): None. 

Type of Review: Regular submission. 

Affected Public: Business or other forprofit organizations. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

707,000. 

Estimated Time per Response: 1 to 32 

minute(s). 

Estimated Total Annual Burden 

Hours: 14,477. 

Estimated Total Annual Cost to 

Public: $290,000. 

IV. Request for Comments 

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether 

the proposed collection of information 

is necessary for the proper performance 

of the functions of the agency, including 

whether the information shall have 

practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the 

agency’s estimate of the burden 

(including hours and cost) of the 

proposed collection of information; (c) 

ways to enhance the quality, utility, and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected; and (d) ways to minimize the 

burden of the collection of information 

on respondents, including through the 

use of automated collection techniques 

or other forms of information 

technology. 

Comments submitted in response to 

this notice will be summarized and/or 

included in the request for OMB 

approval of this information collection; 

they also will become a matter of public 

record. 


emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES