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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 10 (Thursday, January 16, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4714-4715]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-00952]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2024-0068]

Notice of Availability of a Pest Risk Analysis for the 
Importation of Fresh Rhizomes of Wasabi from Indonesia Into the 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 the importation of 
fresh rhizomes of wasabi, Eutrema japonicum (Miq.) Koidz. 
(Brassicaceae), for consumption from Indonesia into the 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 rhizomes of wasabi from 
Indonesia into the United States. 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 March 
17, 2025.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov. 
Enter APHIS-2024-0068 in the Search field. Select the Documents tab, 
then select the Comment button in the list of documents.
     Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to 
Docket No. APHIS-2024-0068, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, 
APHIS, Station 2C-10.16, 4700 River Road Unit 25, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1238.
    Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may 
be viewed at www.regulations.gov or in our reading room, which is 
located in room 1620 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. Hesham Abuelnaga, Senior 
Regulatory Policy Specialist, Regulatory Coordination and Compliance, 
PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 
851-2010; [email protected].

[[Page 4715]]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Under the regulations in ``Subpart L-Fruits and Vegetables'' (7 CFR 
319.56-1 through 319.56-12, 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 fruits and vegetables that, based on the findings of 
a pest risk analysis, can be safely imported subject to one or more of 
the five designated phytosanitary measures listed in paragraph (b) of 
that section.
    APHIS received a request from the national plant protection 
organization of Indonesia to allow the importation of fresh rhizomes 
(underground stems) of wasabi, Eutrema japonicum (Miq.) Koidz. 
(Brassicaceae), for consumption from Indonesia into the United States. 
As part of our evaluation of Indonesia's request, we have prepared a 
pest risk assessment to identify the pests of quarantine significance 
that could follow the pathway of the importation of fresh rhizomes of 
wasabi for consumption from Indonesia into the United States. Based on 
the pest risk assessment, a risk management document (RMD) was prepared 
to identify phytosanitary measures that could be applied to fresh 
rhizomes of wasabi to mitigate the pest risk.
    Therefore, in accordance with Sec.  319.56-4(c), we are announcing 
the availability of our pest risk assessment and RMD for public review 
and comment. Those documents, as well as a description of the economic 
considerations associated with the importation of fresh rhizomes of 
wasabi for consumption from Indonesia into the United States, may be 
viewed on the Regulations.gov website 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 pest risk assessment 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 rhizomes of wasabi for 
consumption from Indonesia into the United States 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 rhizomes of wasabi for consumption from Indonesia into the 
United States subject to the requirements specified in the RMD.
    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1633, 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 10th day of January 2025.
Michael Watson,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-00952 Filed 1-15-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
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