[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 149 (Tuesday, August 4, 1998)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 41388-41389]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-20792]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
7 CFR Part 301
[Docket No. 97-073-6]
Oriental Fruit Fly; Removal of Quarantined Areas
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Affirmation of interim rules as final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We are adopting as a final rule, without change, two interim
rules that amended the Oriental fruit fly regulations by removing the
quarantine on portions of Los Angeles County, CA, and by removing the
restrictions on the interstate movement of regulated articles from
those areas. The interim rules were necessary to relieve restrictions
that are no longer needed to prevent the spread of the Oriental fruit
[[Page 41389]]
fly into noninfested areas of the United States. We have determined
that the Oriental fruit fly has been eradicated from the portions of
Los Angeles County, CA, and that the quarantine and restrictions are no
longer necessary. Therefore, as a result of the interim rules, there
are no longer any areas in the continental United States quarantined
for Oriental fruit fly.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Affirmation effective August 4, 1998.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Michael B. Stefan, Operations
Officer, Domestic and Emergency Programs, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road
Unit 134, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236, (301) 734-8247; or e-mail:
michael.b.stefan@usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
We recently published two interim rules amending the Oriental fruit
fly quarantine and regulations. In the first interim rule, effective
February 18, 1998, and published in the Federal Register on February
23, 1998 (63 FR 8835-8836, Docket No. 97-073-4), we 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. In the second
interim rule, effective April 1, 1998, and published in the Federal
Register on April 7, 1998 (63 FR 16877-16878, Docket No. 97-073-5), we
amended the Oriental fruit fly regulations by removing the quarantine
on the remaining portion of Los Angeles County, CA, and by removing the
restrictions on the interstate movement of regulated articles from that
area. As a result of the interim rules, there are no longer any areas
in the continental United States quarantined for Oriental fruit fly.
These actions were necessary to relieve restrictions that are no
longer needed to prevent the spread of the Oriental fruit fly into
noninfested areas of the United States.
Comments on the first interim rule (Docket No. 97-073-4) were
required to be received on or before April 24, 1998. Comments on the
second interim rule (Docket No. 97-073-5) were required to be received
on or before June 8, 1998. We did not receive any comments on either
interim rule. The facts presented in the interim rules still provide a
basis for the rules.
This action also affirms the information contained in the interim
rules 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, Incorporation by reference, 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, two
interim rules that amended 7 CFR part 301 and that were published at 63
FR 8835-8836 on February 23, 1998, and 63 FR 16877-16878 on April 7,
1998.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 147a, 150bb, 150dd, 150ee, 150ff, 161, 162,
and 164-167; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.2(c).
Done in Washington, DC, this 29th day of July 1998.
Craig A. Reed,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 98-20792 Filed 8-3-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
