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[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 81 (Tuesday, April 28, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 23497]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-09834]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2015-0012]

Notice of Availability of a Pest Risk Analysis for the 
Importation of Fresh Pitahaya From Israel Into the Continental United 
States

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: We are advising the public that we have prepared a pest risk 
analysis that evaluates the risks associated with importation of fresh 
pitahaya fruit from Israel into the continental United States. Based on 
the analysis, we have determined that the application of one or more 
designated phytosanitary measures will be sufficient to mitigate the 
risks of introducing or disseminating plant pests or noxious weeds via 
the importation of fresh pitahaya from Israel. 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 June 
29, 2015.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2015-0012.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2015-0012, 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-
0012 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: Mr. Richard Schading, Regulatory 
Policy Specialist, Regulatory Coordination and Compliance, PPQ, APHIS, 
4700 River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 851-2045.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the regulations in ``Subpart-Fruits 
and Vegetables'' (7 CFR 319.56-1 through 319.56-71, referred to below 
as the regulations), the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 
(APHIS) 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 or disseminated within the United 
States.
    Section 319.56-4 contains a performance-based process for approving 
the importation of certain fruits and vegetables 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.
    APHIS received a request from the national plant protection 
organization (NPPO) of Israel to allow the importation of fresh 
pitahaya fruit into the continental United States. As part of our 
evaluation of Israel's request, we have prepared a pest risk assessment 
(PRA) to identify pests of quarantine significance that could follow 
the pathway of importation into the continental United States from 
Israel. Based on the PRA, a risk management document (RMD) was prepared 
to identify phytosanitary measures that could be applied to the 
pitahaya to mitigate the pest risk. We have concluded that fresh 
pitahaya fruit can be safely imported from Israel to the continental 
United States using one or more of the five designated phytosanitary 
measures listed in Sec.  319.56-4(b). These measures are:
     The pitahaya must be imported as commercial consignments 
only;
     Each consignment of pitahaya must be accompanied by a 
phytosanitary certificate issued by the NPPO of Israel; and
     Each consignment of pitahaya is subject to inspection upon 
arrival at the port of entry to the United States.
    Therefore, in accordance with Sec.  319.56-4(c), we are announcing 
the availability of our PRA and RMD for public review and comment. The 
documents may be viewed on the Regulations.gov Web site or in our 
reading room (see ADDRESSES above for a link to Regulations.gov and 
information on the location and hours of the reading room). You may 
request paper copies of the PRA and RMD by calling or writing to the 
person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Please refer to 
the subject of the analysis you wish to review when requesting copies.
    After reviewing any comments we receive, we will announce our 
decision regarding the import status of fresh pitahaya fruit from 
Israel in a subsequent notice. If the overall conclusions of our 
analysis and the Administrator's determination of risk remain unchanged 
following our consideration of the comments, then we will authorize the 
importation of fresh pitahaya fruit from Israel into the continental 
United States subject to the requirements specified in the RMD.

    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 22nd day of April 2015.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-09834 Filed 4-27-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
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