03-21991. Cost-Sharing for Animal and Plant Health Emergency Programs

AGENCY:

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION:

Proposed rule; extension of comment period.

SUMMARY:

We are extending the comment period for our proposed rule that would establish criteria to determine the Federal share of financial responsibility relative to States and other cooperators in an emergency in which an animal or plant pest or disease threatens the agricultural production of the United States. 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 November 7, 2003.

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. 02-062-1, 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. 02-062-1. 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. 02-062-1” on the subject line.

You may read any comments that we receive on Docket No. 02-062-1 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:

Mr. Kevin Shea, Deputy Administrator, Policy and Program Development, APHIS, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Jamie L. Whitten Building, Room 316-E, Washington, DC 20250-3432; [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On July 8, 2003, we published in the Federal Register (68 FR 40541-40553, Docket No. 02-062-1) a proposed rule that would establish criteria to determine the Federal share of financial responsibility relative to States and other cooperators in an emergency in which an animal or plant pest or disease threatens the agricultural production of the United States.

Comments on the proposed rule were required to be received on or before September 8, 2003. We are extending the comment period for an additional 60 days. This action will allow interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments.

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 7701-7772 and 8301-8317; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, 371.3, and 371.4.

Done in Washington, DC, this 21st day of August 2003.

Kevin Shea,

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.