95-1976. Horses From Mexico; Quarantine Requirements  

  • [Federal Register Volume 60, Number 17 (Thursday, January 26, 1995)]
    [Rules and Regulations]
    [Pages 5127-5128]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 95-1976]
    
    
    
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    DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
    Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
    
    9 CFR Part 92
    
    [Docket No. 93-096-3]
    
    
    Horses From Mexico; Quarantine Requirements
    
    AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
    
    ACTION: Final rule.
    
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    SUMMARY: We are amending the regulations regarding the importation of 
    horses from Mexico to remove the requirement that such horses be 
    quarantined for not less than 7 days in vector-proof quarantine 
    facilities before being imported into the United States. This action is 
    warranted because Mexico has reported no cases of Venezuelan equine 
    encephalomyelitis (VEE) in over a year, and we have determined that 
    horses imported from Mexico without a 7-day quarantine will not pose a 
    risk of transmitting VEE to horses in the United States.
    
    EFFECTIVE DATE: February 16, 1995.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
    Dr. Joyce Bowling, Staff Veterinarian, Import-Export Animals Staff, 
    National Center for Import-Export, Veterinary Services, APHIS, USDA, 
    P.O. Drawer 810, Riverdale, MD 20783. The telephone number for the 
    agency contact will change when agency offices in Hyattsville, MD, move 
    to Riverdale, MD, during February. Telephone: (301) 436-8170 
    (Hyattsville); (301) 734-8170 (Riverdale).
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    
    Background
    
        The regulations in 9 CFR part 92, referred to below as the 
    regulations, govern the importation into the United States of specified 
    animals and animal products, including horses from Mexico, to prevent 
    the introduction into the United States of various animal diseases.
        On September 22, 1994, we published in the Federal Register (59 FR 
    48576-48577, Docket No. 93-096-2) a proposal to amend the regulations 
    to remove the requirement that horses imported into the United States 
    from Mexico be quarantined for not less than 7 days in a vector-free 
    facility.
        We also proposed to remove the requirement in Sec. 92.324 that 
    horses from Mexico intended for importation into the United States 
    through land border ports be quarantined in Mexico at a facility 
    approved by the Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
    Service (APHIS) and constructed so as to prevent the entry of 
    mosquitoes and other hematophagous insects.
        We solicited comments concerning the proposed rule for 60 days 
    ending November 21, 1994. The one comment we received by that date 
    supported the rule as written.
        Therefore, based on the rationale set forth in the proposed rule, 
    we are adopting the provisions of the proposal as a final rule without 
    change. Although a 7-day quarantine will no longer be required, horses 
    from Mexico intended for importation into the United States, except 
    those to be imported for immediate slaughter, must still be quarantined 
    at a designated port until they (1) test negative to an official test 
    for dourine, glanders, equine piroplasmosis, and equine infectious 
    anemia; and (2) test negative to any other tests that may be required 
    by APHIS. Additionally, all horses intended for importation from Mexico 
    must be quarantined until they are inspected and found free from 
    communicable disease and fever-tick infestation.
    
    Effective Date
    
        This is a substantive rule that removes 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.
        This rule removes the requirement that horses imported from Mexico 
    be quarantined for 7 days at vector-proof quarantine facilities. This 
    requirement is no longer necessary, due to the elimination of VEE in 
    Mexico. Therefore, the Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health 
    Inspection Service has determined that this rule should be effective 15 
    days after the date of publication in the Federal Register.
    
    Executive Order 12866 and Regulatory Flexibility Act
    
        This rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12866. The rule 
    has been determined to be not significant for purposes of Executive 
    Order 12866 and, therefore, has not been reviewed by the Office of 
    Management and Budget.
        In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 604, we have performed a Final 
    Regulatory Flexibility Analysis regarding the impact of this rule on 
    small entities.
        This rule removes the requirement that horses imported from Mexico 
    be quarantined for 7 days at vector-proof quarantine facilities. No 
    issues were raised by public comments in response to the Initial 
    Regulatory Flexibility Analysis we published in our proposal, and we 
    identified no significant alternatives to this rule.
        Compared with the 5-month period from October 1992 through February 
    1993 (before the 7-day quarantine requirement was established), there 
    was a significant decline in the number of horses imported from Mexico 
    during the period from October 1993 through February 1994 (following 
    establishment of the 7-day quarantine requirement). During the 1992/
    1993 5-month period, there were 3,772 horses imported from Mexico, 
    compared with only 125 during the 1993/1994 5-month period. It is 
    reasonable to assume that the additional costs associated with the 
    quarantine were at least partially responsible for the reduction in the 
    number of horses imported during the 1993/1994 period.
        There is a $50 hourly fee for inspection services conducted in 
    Mexico by APHIS veterinary medical officers (in addition to an APHIS 
    per horse charge of $28.50). Assuming that APHIS services are rendered 
    for 2 hours during each day of quarantine, and assuming an average 
    quarantine period of 3 days prior to establishment of the 7-day 
    quarantine, the reduction in user fee costs from the lifting of the 
    restrictions due to VEE will be about $400 per shipment ($700 minus 
    $300). For an average shipment of 40 horses, the savings in fees will 
    be about $10 per head.
        Other quarantine costs, such as for feed and handling, can also be 
    expected to decrease by more than one-half once the 7-day quarantine is 
    no longer required. Whereas quarantine costs prior to establishment of 
    the 7-day quarantine averaged about $3 per head per day, we estimate 
    that during the period following establishment of the 7-day quarantine 
    period, these charges increased to between $5 and $10 per day, due to 
    additional precautionary measures. Again assuming a 3-day 
    [[Page 5128]] quarantine period prior to establishment of the 7-day 
    quarantine, the savings in charges by removing the 7-day quarantine 
    requirement will be between $26 and $61 per head ($35 minus $9, and $70 
    minus $9).
        With the combined savings of reduced user fees and other quarantine 
    charges, the removal of the VEE quarantine requirements will reduce 
    importers' costs by an estimated $36 to $71 per head. Based on the 
    average 1993 price of approximately $310 per head for horses imported 
    from Mexico, these reduced costs will represent a savings of between 11 
    and 23 percent of the value of each horse.
    
    Executive Order 12778
    
        This rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12778, Civil 
    Justice Reform. This rule: (1) Preempts all State and local laws and 
    regulations that are inconsistent with this rule; (2) has no 
    retroactive effect; and (3) does not require administrative proceedings 
    before parties may file suit in court challenging this rule.
    
    Paperwork Reduction Act
    
        This document contains no information collection or recordkeeping 
    requirements under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 (44 U.S.C. 3501 
    et seq.).
    
    List of Subjects in 9 CFR Part 92
    
        Animal disease, Imports, Livestock, Poultry and poultry products, 
    Quarantine, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
    
        Accordingly, 9 CFR part 92 is amended as follows:
    
    PART 92--IMPORTATION OF CERTAIN ANIMALS AND POULTRY AND CERTAIN 
    ANIMAL AND POULTRY PRODUCTS; INSPECTION AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS FOR 
    CERTAIN MEANS OF CONVEYANCE AND SHIPPING CONTAINERS THEREON
    
        1. The authority citation for part 92 continues to read as follows:
    
        Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1622; 19 U.S.C. 1306; 21 U.S.C. 102-105, 
    111, 114a, 134a, 134b, 134c, 134d, 134f, 135, 136, and 136a; 31 
    U.S.C. 9701; 7 CFR 2.17, 2.51, 371.2(d).
    
    
    Sec. 92.308  [Amended]
    
        2. In Sec. 92.308, paragraph (a)(1) is amended by removing the 
    reference ``Sec. 92.317'' and adding in its place the reference 
    ``Secs. 92.317 and 92.324''.
    
    
    Sec. 92.324  [Amended]
    
        3. In Sec. 92.324, the first sentence is amended by removing the 
    words ``, for not less than 7 days and'' and by removing the words 
    ``approved by the Administrator and constructed so as to prevent the 
    entry of mosquitoes and other hematophagous insects''.
    
    
    Sec. 92.326  [Amended]
    
        4. In Sec. 92.326, the first sentence is amended by removing the 
    reference ``92.323, and 92.324'' and adding in its place the reference 
    ``and 92.323''.
    
        Done in Washington, DC, this 20th day of January 1995.
    Terry L. Medley,
    Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
    [FR Doc. 95-1976 Filed 1-25-95; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 3410-34-P-M
    
    

Document Information

Effective Date:
2/16/1995
Published:
01/26/1995
Department:
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Entry Type:
Rule
Action:
Final rule.
Document Number:
95-1976
Dates:
February 16, 1995.
Pages:
5127-5128 (2 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Docket No. 93-096-3
PDF File:
95-1976.pdf
CFR: (3)
9 CFR 92.308
9 CFR 92.324
9 CFR 92.326