United States 

Department of 

Agriculture

Animal and 

Plant Health 

Inspection 

Service

June 2011

Analysis in Support of Certification that the 

Rule will not have a Significant Economic 

Impact on a Substantial Number of Small 

Entities

Interim Rule 

2011-0029

Expansion of European Larch Canker 

Quarantine 

Policy & Program Development

Policy Analysis & Development
0

Summary

Maine has expanded its intrastate European Larch Canker (ELC) quarantine to include

the townships of Beddington, Boothbay, South Bristol, T24 Middle Division Bingham's 

Penobscot Purchase (T24 MD BPP), and T25 Middle Division Bingham's Penobscot Purchase

(T25 MD BPP). These townships are quarantined either because they have been found to be 

infested with ELC or because they provide a buffer area between infested and uninfested 

townships. APHIS is expanding the ELC federally regulated area to include these additional 

townships. This interim rule will also correct certain misidentifications of previously listed 

regulated areas.

The only small entities in the newly quarantined townships that may be affected are 

forestry operations. The annual number of these operations in the five townships has ranged 

between 8 and 18 over the past 5 years. It is estimated that the annual value of harvested larch 

sold from the newly quarantined areas averages about $375. Any potential impact of the rule is 

further minimized by the opportunity for forestry operations to enter into compliance agreements 

with lumber mills to process larch from quarantined areas.

Based on this information, this interim rule will not have a significant economic impact 

on a substantial number of small entities. 
1

Introduction 

The European larch canker (ELC) (Lachnellula willkommii) is a plant disease that kills 

mature and immature trees of the Larix (Larch) and Psuedolarix (Golden Larch) genera. ELC

was first discovered in North America in Massachusetts in 1927. It was eradicated in 1965, but 

since 1984 infestations have been found in parts of Maine.

Maine has added five townships to the ELC intrastate quarantine: Beddington, Boothbay, 

South Bristol, T24 Middle Division Bingham's Penobscot Purchase (T24 MD BPP), and T25 

Middle Division Bingham's Penobscot Purchase (T25 MD BPP). These townships have been 

quarantined either because they have been found to be infested with ELC or because they 

provide a buffer area between infested and uninfested townships.

APHIS is expanding the ELC federally regulated area to include these additional 

townships. This interim rule also corrects certain misidentifications of previously listed 

regulated areas.

Potential Impact on Small Entities

The only potentially affected entities within the newly quarantined areas are forestry 

operations. The annual number of these operations has ranged between 8 and 18 over the past 5 

years, and they have involved 57 land owners and 38 loggers during this time. USDA Forestry 

Inventory and Analysis information indicates that of the newly quarantined areas, larch has been 

harvested only from the Beddington, T24 MD BPP, and T25 MD BPP area.

1

 About 1,100 cords 

of larch are harvested each year from an area having a 40-mile radius centered on these three 

 

1 Dave Struble, Maine State Entomologist, personal communication. These three contiguous townships are located 

in Washington County. Boothbay and South Bristol townships are located in Lincoln County. Mr. Struble provided 

the reported quantity and price data on harvested larch pulpwood. 
2

townships. Given the size of these three townships (114 square miles) relative to the size of the 

referenced circle (5,024 square miles), a proportional quantity of larch harvested in the newly 

quarantined areas would be about 25 cords. In 2009, the most recent year for which complete 

price data are available, larch pulpwood sold for about $15 per cord. Thus, the total value of 

larch sales expected to be affected by this expansion of the ELC quarantine is about $375. 

Affected operators may enter into compliance agreements with lumber mills to process larch 

from quarantined areas, further reducing any negative effects of the rule. Many of the affected 

entities are likely to already have compliance agreements that allow self-inspection of regulated 

articles for movement to non-quarantined areas. 

Timber tract operations, categorized within the North American Industry Classification 

System under NAICS 113110, are considered small according to the Small Business 

Administration (SBA) if their annual receipts are not more than $7 million. SBA’s small-entity 

standard for logging establishments (NAICS 113310) is not more than 500 employees. All 

entities that may be affected by this rule are small. Expected effects of the rule, however, are 

negligible. Based on this information, this interim rule will not have a significant economic 

impact on a substantial number of small entities.