00-21647. Oriental Fruit Fly; Removal of Quarantined Area

AGENCY:

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION:

Affirmation of interim rule as final rule.

SUMMARY:

We are adopting as a final rule, without change, an interim rule that amended the Oriental fruit fly regulations by removing the quarantine on a portion of Los Angeles County, CA, and by removing the restrictions on the interstate movement of regulated articles from that area. The quarantine was necessary to prevent the spread of Oriental fruit fly into noninfested areas of the United States. We have determined that the Oriental fruit fly has been eradicated from this portion of Los Angeles County, CA, and that the quarantine and restrictions on the interstate movement of regulated articles from this area are no longer necessary. This portion of Los Angeles County, CA, was the last remaining area in California quarantined for the Oriental fruit fly. As a result of the interim rule, there are no longer any areas in the continental United States quarantined because of the Oriental fruit fly.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

The interim rule became effective on May 2, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. Wilmer E. Snell, Operations Officer, Invasive Species and Pest Management Staff, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 134, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

In an interim rule effective May 2, 2000, and published in the Federal Register on May 8, 2000 (65 FR 26487-26488, Docket No. 99-076-2), we amended the Oriental fruit fly regulations, contained in §§ 301.93 through 301.93-10, by removing a portion of Los Angeles County, CA, from the list of quarantined areas in § 301.93-3(c). That action relieved unnecessary restrictions on the interstate movement of regulated articles from this area.

Comments on the interim rule were required to be received on or before July 7, 2000. We did not receive any comments. Therefore, for the reasons given in the interim rule, we are adopting the interim rule as a final rule.

This action also affirms the information contained in the interim rule concerning Executive Order 12866 and the Regulatory Flexibility Act, Executive Orders 12372 and 12988, and the Paperwork Reduction Act.

Further, for this action, the Office of Management and Budget has waived the review process required by Executive Order 12866.

List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 301

• Agricultural commodities
• Plant diseases and pests
• Quarantine
• Reporting and recordkeeping requirements
• Transportation

PART 301—DOMESTIC QUARANTINE NOTICES

Accordingly, we are adopting as a final rule, without change, the interim rule that amended 7 CFR part 301 and that was published at 65 FR 26487-26488 on May 8, 2000.

Authority: Title IV, Pub. L. 106-224, 114 Stat. 438, 7 U.S.C. 7701-7772; 7 U.S.C. 166; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.3.

Done in Washington, DC, this 18th day of August 2000.

Bobby R. Acord,

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.