[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 213 (Thursday, November 2, 2000)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 65729-65730]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-28097]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

9 CFR Part 97

[Docket No. 00-049-1]


Commuted Traveltime Periods: Overtime Services Relating to 
Imports and Exports

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: We are amending the regulations concerning overtime services 
provided by employees of Veterinary Services by adding a commuted 
traveltime allowance for travel between Dallas-Fort Worth International 
Airport and the metropolitan area. Commuted traveltime allowances are 
the periods of time required for Veterinary Services employees to 
travel from their dispatch points and return there from the places 
where they perform Sunday, holiday, or other overtime duty. The 
Government charges a fee for certain overtime services provided by 
Veterinary Services employees and, under certain circumstances, the fee 
may include the cost of commuted traveltime. This action is necessary 
to inform the public of the commuted traveltime for this location.

EFFECTIVE DATE: November 2, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Louise Rakestraw Lothery, 
Director, Management Support Staff, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 44, 
Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-7517.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The regulations in 9 CFR, chapter I, subchapter D, and 7 CFR, 
chapter III, require inspection, laboratory testing, certification, or 
quarantine of certain animals, animal products, plants, plant products, 
or other commodities intended for importation into, or exportation 
from, the United States.
    When these services must be provided by an employee of Veterinary 
Services (VS) on a Sunday or holiday, or at any other time outside the 
VS employee's regular duty hours, the Government charges a fee for the 
services in accordance with 9 CFR part 97. Under circumstances 
described in Sec. 97.1(a), this fee may include the cost of commuted 
traveltime. Section 97.2 contains administrative instructions 
prescribing commuted traveltime allowances, which reflect, as nearly as

[[Page 65730]]

practicable, the periods of time required for VS employees to travel 
from their dispatch points and return there from the places where they 
perform Sunday, holiday, or other overtime duty.
    We are amending Sec. 97.2 of the regulations by adding a commuted 
traveltime allowance for travel between Dallas-Fort Worth International 
Airport and the metropolitan area. The amendment is set forth in the 
rule portion of this document. This action is necessary to inform the 
public of the commuted traveltime between the dispatch and service 
location.

Effective Date

    The commuted traveltime allowances appropriate for employees 
performing services at ports of entry, and the features of the 
reimbursement plan for recovering the cost of furnishing port of entry 
services, depend upon facts within the knowledge of the Department of 
Agriculture. It does not appear that public participation in this 
rulemaking proceeding would make additional relevant information 
available to the Department.
    Accordingly, pursuant to the administrative procedure provisions in 
5 U.S.C. 553, we find upon good cause that prior notice and other 
public procedure with respect to this rule are impracticable and 
unnecessary; we also find good cause for making this rule effective 
less than 30 days after publication of this document in the Federal 
Register.

Executive Order 12866 and Regulatory Flexibility Act

    This final rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12866. For 
this action, the Office of Management and Budget has waived its review 
process required by Executive Order 12866.
    The number of requests for overtime services of a VS employee at 
the location affected by our rule represents an insignificant portion 
of the total number of requests for these services in the United 
States.
    Under these circumstances, the Administrator of the Animal and 
Plant Health Inspection Service has determined that this action will 
not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities.

Executive Order 12372

    This program/activity is listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic 
Assistance under No. 10.025 and is subject to Executive Order 12372, 
which requires intergovernmental consultation with State and local 
officials. (See 7 CFR part 3015, subpart V.)

Executive Order 12988

    This final rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12988, 
Civil Justice Reform. This rule is intended to have preemptive effect 
with respect to any State or local laws, regulations, or policies that 
conflict with its provisions or that would otherwise impede its full 
implementation. This rule is not intended to have retroactive effect. 
There are no administrative procedures that must be exhausted prior to 
any judicial challenge to the provisions of this rule or the 
application of its provisions.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    This rule contains no new information collection or recordkeeping 
requirements under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.).

List of Subjects in 9 CFR Part 97

    Exports, Government employees, Imports, Livestock, Poultry and 
poultry products, Travel and transportation expenses.


    Accordingly, we are amending 9 CFR part 97 as follows:

PART 97--OVERTIME SERVICES RELATING TO IMPORTS AND EXPORTS

    1. The authority citation for part 97 is revised to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 2260; 49 U.S.C. 1741; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 
371.4.

    2. Section 97.2 is amended by revising in the table under Texas, 
the entry for ``Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport'' to read as 
follows:


Sec. 97.2  Administrative instructions prescribing commuted traveltime.

* * * * *

                     Commuted Traveltime Allowances
                               [In hours]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      Metropolitan area
        Location covered            Served from    ---------------------
                                                      Within    Outside
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                  *        *        *        *        *
Texas:
 
                  *        *        *        *        *
Dallas-Fort Worth International  Ft. Worth or               1          2
 Airport.                         Dallas.
 
                  *        *        *        *        *
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    Done in Washington, DC, this 27th day of October 2000.
Bobby R. Acord,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 00-28097 Filed 11-1-00; 8:45 am]
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