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[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 241 (Thursday, December 15, 2011)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 77914]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-32240]

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Proposed Rules
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.

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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 241 / Thursday, December 15, 2011 / 
Proposed Rules

[[Page 77914]]

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

7 CFR Part 331

9 CFR Part 121

[Docket No. APHIS-2009-0070]
RIN 0579-AD09

Agricultural Bioterrorism Protection Act of 2002; Biennial Review 
and Republication of the Select Agent and Toxin List; Amendments to the 
Select Agent and Toxin Regulations

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Proposed rule; reopening of comment period.

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SUMMARY: We are reopening the comment period for our proposed rule that 
would amend and republish the list of select agents and toxins that 
have the potential to pose a severe threat to animal or plant health, 
or to animal or plant products, reorganize the list of select agents 
and toxins based on the relative potential of each select agent or 
toxin to be misused to adversely affect human, plant, or animal health, 
and amend the regulations in order to add definitions and clarify 
language concerning security, training, biosafety, biocontainment, and 
incident response. This action will allow interested persons additional 
time to prepare and submit comments.

DATES: The comment period for the proposed rule published October 3, 
2011 (76 FR 61228), is reopened. We will consider all comments that we 
receive on or before January 17, 2012.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=APHIS-2009-0070-0035.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2009-0070, 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-2009-
0070 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) 690-2817 before coming.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Charles L. Divan, Branch Chief, 
APHIS Agriculture Select Agent Program, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 2, 
Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-5960.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 3, 2011, we published in the 
Federal Register (76 FR 61228-61244, Docket No. APHIS-2009-0070) a 
proposal to amend and republish the list of select agents and toxins 
that have the potential to pose a severe threat to animal or plant 
health, or to animal or plant products, reorganize the list of select 
agents and toxins based on the relative potential of each select agent 
or toxin to be misused to adversely affect human, plant, or animal 
health, and amend the regulations in order to add definitions and 
clarify language concerning security, training, biosafety, 
biocontainment, and incident response.
    Comments on the proposed rule were required to be received on or 
before December 2, 2011. We are reopening the comment period on Docket 
No. APHIS-2009-0070 for an additional 30 days. This action will allow 
interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments. We 
will also consider all comments we receive between December 3, 2011, 
and the date of this document.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 12th day of December 2011.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-32240 Filed 12-14-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
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