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[Federal Register: February 9, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 26)]
[Notices]               
[Page 6346]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr09fe10-28]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2010-0003]

 
Notice of Availability of a Pest Risk Analysis for the 
Importation of Fresh Male Summer Squash Flowers From Israel Into the 
Continental United States

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that we have prepared a pest risk 
analysis that evaluates the risks associated with the importation of 
fresh male summer squash flowers from Israel into the continental 
United States. Based on that analysis, we have concluded that the 
application of one or more designated phytosanitary measures will be 
sufficient to mitigate the pest risk. We are making the pest risk 
analysis available to the public for review and comment.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before April 
12, 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=APHIS-2010-0003) 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-2010-0003, 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. APHIS-2010-0003.
    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. Donna L. West, Senior Import 
Specialist, Regulatory Coordination and Compliance, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 
River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 734-0627.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Under the regulations in ``Subpart--Fruits and Vegetables'' (7 CFR 
319.56-1 through 319.56-50, referred to below as the regulations), the 
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture prohibits or restricts the importation of 
fruits and vegetables into the United States from certain parts of the 
world to prevent plant pests from being introduced into and spread 
within the United States.
    Section 319.56-4 contains a performance-based process for approving 
the importation of commodities that, based on the findings of a pest 
risk analysis, can be safely imported subject to one or more of the 
designated phytosanitary measures listed in paragraph (b) of that 
section. These measures are:
     The fruits or vegetables are subject to inspection upon 
arrival in the United States and comply with all applicable provisions 
of Sec.  319.56-3;
     The fruits or vegetables are imported from a pest-free 
area in the country of origin that meets the requirements of Sec.  
319.56-5 for freedom from that pest and are accompanied by a 
phytosanitary certificate stating that the fruits or vegetables 
originated in a pest-free area in the country of origin;
     The fruits or vegetables are treated in accordance with 7 
CFR part 305;
     The fruits or vegetables are inspected in the country of 
origin by an inspector or an official of the national plant protection 
organization of the exporting country, and have been found free of one 
or more specific quarantine pests identified by the risk analysis as 
likely to follow the import pathway; and/or
     The fruits or vegetables are a commercial consignment.
    APHIS received a request from the Government of Israel to allow the 
importation of fresh male summer squash flowers, Cucurbita pepo L. into 
the continental United States. Currently, fresh male summer squash 
flowers are not authorized for entry from Israel. We completed a pest 
risk assessment to identify pests of quarantine significance that could 
follow the pathway of importation if such imports were to be allowed. 
Based on the pest risk assessment, we then completed a risk management 
document to identify phytosanitary measures that could be applied to 
mitigate the risks of introducing or disseminating the identified pests 
via the importation of fresh male summer squash flowers from Israel. We 
have concluded that fresh male summer squash flowers can safely be 
imported into the continental United States from Israel using one or 
more of the five designated phytosanitary measures listed in Sec.  
319.56-4(b). Therefore, in accordance with Sec.  319.56-4(c), we are 
announcing the availability of our pest risk analysis for public review 
and comment. The analysis 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 analyses by 
calling or writing to the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT. Please refer to the subject of the analysis that you wish to 
review when requesting copies.
    After reviewing any comments we receive, we will announce our 
decision regarding the import status of fresh male summer squash 
flowers from Israel in a subsequent notice. If the overall conclusions 
of the analysis and the Administrator's determination of risk remain 
unchanged following our consideration of the comments, then we will 
begin issuing permits for the importation of fresh male summer squash 
flowers from Israel into the continental United States subject to the 
requirements specified in the risk management document.

    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 3\rd\ day of February 2010.

Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-2784 Filed 2-8-10; 7:27 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-S
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