Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2002/03/20/02-6693/change-in-disease-status-of-austria-because-of-bse
Timestamp: 2018-07-22 08:03:08
Document Index: 465078527

Matched Legal Cases: ['§\u200994', '§\u200994', '§\u200994', '§\u200996', 'art 93', '§\u200993', '§\u200994', '§\u200994', '§\u200994']

Federal Register :: Change in Disease Status of Austria Because of BSE
Change in Disease Status of Austria Because of BSE
A Rule by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service on 03/20/2002
This interim rule was effective December 13, 2001. We will consider all comments we receive that are postmarked, delivered, or e- mailed by May 20, 2002.
67 FR 12833
12833-12834 (2 pages)
Docket No. 02-004-1
02-6693
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/02-6693 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/02-6693
Start Preamble Start Printed Page 12833
We are amending the regulations by adding Austria to the list of regions where bovine spongiform encephalopathy exists because the disease has been detected in a native-born animal in that country. Austria has been listed among the regions that present an undue risk of introducing bovine spongiform encephalopathy into the United States. Therefore, the effect of this action is a continued restriction on the importation of ruminants, meat, meat products, and certain other products of ruminants that have been in Austria. This action is necessary in order to update the disease status of Austria regarding bovine spongiform encephalopathy.
This interim rule was effective December 13, 2001. We will consider all comments we receive that are postmarked, delivered, or e-mailed by May 20, 2002.
You may submit comments by postal mail/commercial delivery or by e-mail. If you use postal mail/commercial delivery, please send four copies of your comment (an original and three copies) to: Docket No. 02-004-1, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3C71, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state that your comment refers to Docket No. 02-004-1. If you use e-mail, address your comment to regulations@aphis.usda.gov. Your comment must be contained in the body of your message; do not send attached files. Please include your name and address in your message and “Docket No. 02-004-1” on the subject line.
BSE is a neurological disease of cattle and is not known to exist in the United States. It appears that BSE is primarily spread through the use of ruminant feed containing protein and other products from ruminants infected with BSE. Therefore, BSE could become established in the United States if materials carrying the BSE agent, such as certain meat, animal products, and animal byproducts from ruminants, were to be imported into the United States and fed to ruminants in the United States. BSE could also become established in the United States if ruminants with BSE were imported into the United States.
Sections 94.18, 95.4, and 96.2 of the regulations prohibit or restrict the importation of certain meat and other animal products and byproducts from ruminants that have been in regions in which BSE exists or in which there is an undue risk of introducing BSE into the United States.
Paragraph (a)(1) of § 94.18 lists the regions in which BSE exists. Paragraph (a)(2) lists the regions that present an undue risk of introducing BSE into the United States because their import requirements are less restrictive than those that would be acceptable for import into the United States and/or because the regions have inadequate surveillance. Paragraph (b) of § 94.18 prohibits the importation of fresh, frozen, and chilled meat, meat products, and most other edible products of ruminants that have been in any region listed in paragraph (a)(1) or (a)(2). Paragraph (c) of § 94.18 restricts the importation of gelatin derived from ruminants that have been in any of these regions. Section 95.4 prohibits or restricts the importation of certain byproducts from ruminants that have been in any of those regions, and § 96.2 prohibits the importation of casings, except stomach casings, from ruminants that have been in any of these regions. Additionally, the regulations in 9 CFR part 93 pertaining to the importation of live animals provide that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service may deny the importation of ruminants from regions where a communicable disease such as BSE exists and from regions that present risks of introducing communicable diseases into the United States (see § 93.404(a)(3)).
Austria has been among the regions listed in § 94.18(a)(2), which are regions that present an undue risk of introducing BSE into the United States. However, on December 13, 2001, a case of BSE was confirmed in a native-born animal in Austria. Therefore, in order to update the disease status of Austria regarding BSE, we are amending the regulations by removing Austria from the list in § 94.18(a)(2) of regions that present an undue risk of introducing BSE into the United States and adding Austria to the list in § 94.18(a)(1) of regions where BSE is known to exist. The effect of this action is a continued restriction on the importation of ruminants, meat, meat products, and certain other products and byproducts of ruminants that have been Austria. We are making these amendments effective retroactively to December 13, 2001, which is the date that BSE was confirmed in a native-born animal in Austria.
This rulemaking is necessary on an emergency basis to update the disease status of Austria regarding BSE. Under these circumstances, the Administrator has determined that prior notice and opportunity for public comment are contrary to the public interest and that there is good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553 for making this rule effective less than 30 days after publication in the Federal Register.
We will consider comments we receive during the comment period for this interim rule (see DATES above). After the comment period closes, we will publish another document in the Federal Register. The document will include a discussion of any comments we receive and any amendments we are making to the rule as a result of the comments. Start Printed Page 12834
We are amending the regulations by adding Austria to the list of regions where BSE exists because the disease has been detected in a native-born animal in that region. Austria has been listed among the regions that present an undue risk of introducing BSE into the United States. Regardless of which of the two lists a region is on, the same restrictions apply to the importation of ruminants and meat, meat products, and most other products and byproducts of ruminants that have been in the region. Therefore, this action, which is necessary in order to update the disease status of Austria regarding BSE, will not result in any change in the restrictions that apply to the importation of ruminants and meat, meat products, and certain other products and byproducts of ruminants that have been in Austria.
This rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12988, Civil Justice Reform. This rule: (1) Preempts all State and local laws and regulations that are inconsistent with this rule; (2) has retroactive effect to December 13, 2001; and (3) does not require administrative proceedings before parties may file suit in court challenging this rule.
2. Section 94.18 is amended as follows:
a. In paragraph (a)(1), by adding, in alphabetical order, the word “Austria,”.
b. In paragraph (a)(2), by removing the word “Austria,”.
Done in Washington, DC, this 14th day of March, 2002.
[FR Doc. 02-6693 Filed 3-19-02; 8:45 am]