02-19769. Tuberculosis in Cattle and Bison; State and Zone Designations; Texas

AGENCY:

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION:

Notice of reopening and extension of comment period.

SUMMARY:

We are reopening and extending the comment period for an interim rule that amended the bovine tuberculosis regulations regarding State and zone classifications by removing the split-State status of Texas and classifying the entire State as modified accredited advanced. The interim rule also solicited comments on the current regulatory provisions of the domestic bovine tuberculosis eradication program. This action will allow interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments.

DATES:

We will consider all comments that we receive on or before September 5, 2002.

ADDRESSES:

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. 02-021-1, 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. 02-021-1. If you use e-mail, address your comment to [e-mail]. 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. 02-021-1” on the subject line.

You may read any comments that we receive on Docket No. 02-021-1 in our reading room. The reading room is located in room 1141 of the USDA South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC. Normal reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you, please call [phone] before coming.

APHIS documents published in the Federal Register, and related information, including the names of organizations and individuals who have commented on APHIS dockets, are available on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/​ppd/​rad/​webrepor.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Dr. Joseph Van Tiem, Senior Staff Veterinarian, National Animal Health Programs, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 43, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On June 6, 2002, we published an interim rule in the Federal Register (67 FR 38841-38844, Docket No. 02-021-1). In that document, we amended the bovine tuberculosis regulations regarding State and zone classifications by removing the split-State status of Texas and classifying the entire State as modified accredited advanced. In addition to requesting comments on the change in the tuberculosis classification status of Texas, we requested comments on the current regulatory provisions of the domestic bovine tuberculosis eradication program.

Comments were required to be received or postmarked by August 5, 2002. Based on requests received during the comment period, we are reopening and extending the comment period for Docket 02-021-1 until September 5, 2002. This action will allow interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments.

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 8301-8317; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.4.

Done in Washington, DC, this 31st day of July, 2002.

Peter Fernandez,

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.