Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2006/09/29/E6-16079/pine-shoot-beetle-host-material-from-canada
Timestamp: 2018-03-20 20:17:10
Document Index: 369274602

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 319', '§\u2009319', '§\u2009319', '§\u2009319', '§\u2009319', '§\u2009319']

A Rule by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service on 09/29/2006
57383-57386 (4 pages)
Docket No. 00-073-3
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/E6-16079 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/E6-16079
Start Preamble Start Printed Page 57383
We are adopting as a final rule, with one change, an interim rule that amended the regulations by restricting the importation of pine shoot beetle host material into the United States from Canada. Under the regulations established by the interim rule, as amended by this document, pine nursery stock, as well as pine products that consist of pine bark or have pine bark attached, must meet certain requirements relating to documentation, treatment, handling, and utilization as a condition of importation into the United States from Canada. The interim rule was necessary to help prevent the introduction and spread of pine shoot beetle, a pest of pine trees, into noninfested areas of the United States.
The regulations in 7 CFR part 319, “Foreign Quarantine Notices,” prohibit or restrict the importation of certain plants and plant products into the United States to prevent the introduction of plant pests. “Subpart—Nursery Stock, Plants, Roots, Bulbs, Seeds, and Other Plant Products” (§§ 319.37 through 319.37-14 and referred to below as the nursery stock regulations) covers the importation of living plants, plant parts, and seeds for propagation. “Subpart—Logs, Lumber, and Other Unmanufactured Wood Articles” (§§ 319.40-1 through 319.40-11 and referred to below as the wood regulations) covers the importation of logs, lumber, and other wood articles that are unprocessed or have received only primary processing. “Subpart—Gypsy Moth Host Material from Canada” (§§ 319.77-1 through 319.77-5 and referred to below as the gypsy moth regulations) covers the importation of gypsy moth host material into the United States from Canada. This material includes certain trees and shrubs, logs and pulpwood with bark attached, and outdoor household articles and mobile homes and their associated equipment.
Pine shoot beetle (PSB, Tomicus piniperda) is a pest of pine trees. It can cause damage in weak and dying trees, where reproductive and immature stages of PSB occur, and in the new growth of healthy trees. During “maturation feeding,” young beetles tunnel into the center of pine shoots (usually in the current year's growth), causing stunted and distorted growth in host trees. PSB also acts as a vector of several diseases of pine trees. Adult PSB can fly at least 1 kilometer. In addition, infested trees and pine products are often transported long distances, which can result in the establishment of PSB populations far from the location of the original host tree. PSB can damage urban ornamental trees and can cause economic losses to the timber, Christmas tree, and nursery industries.
The United States and Canada both regulate the movement of PSB host material through domestic and import regulations. The intent of the interim rule was to harmonize our import requirements with Canada's import regulations and our own domestic movement regulations. The restrictions imposed by the interim rule, as Start Printed Page 57384amended by this final rule, on the importation of PSB host material from Canada are entirely consistent with the restrictions that apply to the interstate movement of such articles within the United States, and with the restrictions that the Canadian Government has placed on the importation of PSB host material into Canada from the United States.
For this final rule, we have prepared an economic analysis, which is summarized below. The economic analysis provides a cost-benefit analysis as required by Executive Order 12866 and a regulatory flexibility analysis regarding the potential economic effects on small entities in accordance with sec. 604 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act. Copies of the full analysis are available by contacting the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT and may be viewed on the Regulations.gov Web site.[1]
More than 170 billion cubic feet of pine growing stock is present on timberland in noninfested areas of the United States. As hosts for PSB, ponderosa, loblolly, and red pines may be nearly as suitable as Scotch pine, the primary host.[2] All three species are valuable commercial timber species that occur over wide geographical areas in the United States, primarily in non-PSB infested areas.
The interim rule placed new restrictions on the importation of pine nursery stock from Canada into the United States. All pine nursery stock Start Printed Page 57385from Canada must now be issued a written permit as a condition of importation into the United States. In addition, the phytosanitary certificate (PC) accompanying pine nursery stock will have to include specific information regarding the article's origin and destination, as well as provide additional declarations in certain situations.
The overall effect of these requirements should be limited. There is no charge to obtain a written permit from APHIS, and the information required is not extensive. Because a PC is already required for nursery stock, the need for one under this rule should add no additional cost. The specific origin and destination information called for in this rule should be readily available. Despite potentially attractive treatment costs, the use of methyl bromide may be limited due to the potential damage it may cause to certain live plants and to the limited number of facilities where treatments could be performed.[3] The inspection charge by the Canadian Government should range from less than 0.3 percent of the value of the shipment to not more than 3.1 percent.[4] In addition, any movement of pine nursery stock from PSB infested areas within Canada is already regulated by the Government of Canada. Canadian pine nursery stock producers already meeting these standards will incur no additional burden in providing the additional declarations for the PC. Therefore, the rule should have little effect on imports of pine nursery stock from Canada, and thus on U.S. marketers and consumers.
We expect the impact of satisfying the certificate, treatment, and additional declaration requirements to be small. First, the cost of obtaining a certificate, treatment, or inspection should be low. The cost of a certificate for cut pine Christmas trees should be similar to the cost of a PC, due to the similarities in the information required and the source of the documents. The cost of the certificate should be less than 1 percent of the shipment value.[5] The inspection fee should range from less than 0.3 percent to not more than 3.1 percent of the shipment value. As was previously discussed, the use of methyl bromide should be limited. In addition, movement of cut pine Christmas trees from PSB infested areas within Canada is already regulated by the Government of Canada. Finally, only those pine Christmas tree shipments from infested areas of Canada to noninfested areas of the United States will need a certificate, and Canadian exports of Christmas trees represent a small portion of the total U.S. supply (less than 2 percent). Therefore, any change in imports of cut pine Christmas trees from Canada should be small and have little effect on U.S. marketers and consumers.
Finally, even for imports from PSB-infested Canadian provinces, only those shipments destined for or moving through noninfested areas of the United States need to be accompanied by a certificate. While the precise portion of pine forest products and pine bark imported from the infested areas of Canada to noninfested areas of the United States is not known, pine imports from Canada represent a small portion of the overall U.S. supply. Therefore, any change in imports is Start Printed Page 57386expected to have little effect on U.S. marketers and consumers.
This rule has been prompted by the need to restrict the importation of PSB host material into the United States from Canada in order to help prevent the introduction of PSB into noninfested areas of the United States. In assessing the need for this rule, we considered several alternatives to the chosen course of action. These alternatives are discussed in the “Regulatory Flexibility” section of the full economic analysis.
2. In § 319.40-3, paragraph (a)(1)(i) is revised to read as follows:
General permits; articles that may be imported without a specific permit; articles that may be imported without either a general permit or an importer document.
(B) Regulated articles of pine (Pinus spp.) that are not completely free of bark from Provinces in Canada that are considered to be infested or partially infested with pine shoot beetle (Tomicus pinniperda), as determined by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and that are moving to a United States facility operating under a compliance agreement for specified handling or processing under the provisions of § 319.40-8.
1. To view the full economic analysis, go to http://www.regulations.gov, click on the “Advanced Search” tab and select “Docket Search.” In the Docket ID field, enter APHIS-2004-0015, click on “Submit,” then click on the Docket ID link in the search results page. The economic analysis will appear in the resulting list of documents.
2. Pasek, J.E. “Pine Shoot Beetle (Tomicus piniperda (L.)): Pest-Initiated Pest Risk Assessment for Likelihood and Consequences of Spread within the Continental United States.” March 24, 2000 (Revised). USDA/APHIS.
3. An Environmental Protection Agency estimate places the treatment of timber with methyl bromide at $1-3 per 1,000 board feet.
4. Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Inspection of a load of pine nursery stock should cost no more than C$50. If the customs value of a shipment is less than C$1,600, the inspection charge is C$5. C$1,600 = $1,047.60; C$5 = $3.27, C$50 = $32.74.
5. Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Inspection of a load of cut Christmas trees should cost no more than C$50. Currently, the Canadian charge for a PC is C$7, where the customs transaction value of that shipment is not more than C$1,600, and C$17, where that value is more than C$1,600. C$7 = $4.58; C$17 = U.S. $11.13; C$1,600 = $1,047.60.