[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 36 (Thursday, February 22, 2001)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 11101]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-4392]



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Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 36 / Thursday, February 22, 2001 / 
Rules and Regulations

[[Page 11101]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

9 CFR Part 93

[Docket No. 00-115-3]


Specifically Approved States Authorized To Receive Mares and 
Stallions Imported From Regions Where CEM Exists

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Direct final rule; establishment and confirmation of new 
effective date.

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SUMMARY: We are notifying the public of a change in the effective date 
of a direct final rule that amends our animal import regulations to add 
Oregon to the list of States approved to receive certain mares and 
stallions from regions affected with contagious equine metritis. The 
direct final rule was originally scheduled to become effective on 
February 16, 2001; however, on February 5, 2001, we published a 
document in the Federal Register that temporarily delayed the effective 
date by 60 days in order to give Department officials the opportunity 
for further review and consideration of the new regulations, consistent 
with the Assistant to the President's memorandum, ``Regulatory Review 
Plan,'' of January 20, 2001. Department officials have completed their 
review of the direct final rule and have determined that the rule may 
be made effective without further delay.

EFFECTIVE DATE: February 16, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Karen James, Assistant Director, 
National Center for Import and Export, Technical Trade Services, VS, 
APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 39, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-
8364.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 18, 2000, the Animal and Plant 
Health Inspection Service published in the Federal Register (65 FR 
78897-78899, Docket No. 00-115-1) a direct final rule notifying the 
public of our intention to amend the animal importation regulations in 
9 CFR part 93 by adding Oregon to the lists of States approved to 
receive certain mares and stallions imported into the United States 
from regions affected with contagious equine metritis (CEM). In that 
document, we stated that the direct final rule would become effective 
on February 16, 2001, unless we received written adverse comments or 
written notice of intent to submit adverse comments in response to the 
direct final rule by January 17, 2001. We did not receive any written 
adverse comments or written notice of intent to submit adverse 
comments, so we were prepared to confirm the February 16, 2001, 
effective date.
    However, on February 5, 2001, we published a document in the 
Federal Register (66 FR 8887, Docket No. 00-115-2) informing the public 
that we were temporarily delaying for 60 days the effective date of the 
rule. That action was taken in accordance with the memorandum of 
January 20, 2001, from the Assistant to the President and Chief of 
Staff, entitled ``Regulatory Review Plan,'' which was published in the 
Federal Register on January 24, 2001 (66 FR 7701-7702). As we explained 
in our February 5, 2001, document, the temporary 60-day delay in 
effective date was necessary to give Department officials the 
opportunity for further review and consideration of new regulations, as 
directed by the memorandum of January 20, 2001.
    Department officials have completed their review and consideration 
of our December 18, 2000, direct final rule and have determined that 
the rule may be made effective without further delay. Therefore, this 
document serves to establish and confirm February 16, 2001, as the 
effective date for the direct final rule adding Oregon to the lists of 
States approved to receive certain mares and stallions imported into 
the United States from regions affected with CEM that was published in 
the Federal Register on December 18, 2000, at 65 FR 78897-78899.

Effective Date

    This is a substantive rule that relieves restrictions and, pursuant 
to the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 553, may be made effective less than 30 
days after publication in the Federal Register.
    The rule adds Oregon to the lists of States approved to receive 
certain mares and stallions imported into the United States from 
regions affected with CEM. We are taking this action because Oregon has 
entered into an agreement with the Administrator of the Animal and 
Plant Health Inspection Service to enforce its State laws and 
regulations to control CEM and to require inspection, treatment, and 
testing of horses, as required by Federal regulations, to further 
ensure the horses' freedom from CEM. This action relieves unnecessary 
restrictions on the importation of mares and stallions from regions 
where CEM exists. Therefore, the Administrator of the Animal and Plant 
Health Inspection Service has determined that this rule should be 
effective upon signature.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1622; 19 U.S.C. 1306; 21 U.S.C. 102-105, 
111, 114a, 134a, 134b, 134c, 134d, 134f, 136, and 136a; 31 U.S.C. 
9701; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.4.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 16th day of February 2001.
Bobby R. Acord,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 01-4392 Filed 2-21-01; 8:45 am]
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