E7-22431. Agricultural Bioterrorism Protection Act of 2002; Biennial Review and Republication of the Select Agent and Toxin List

AGENCY:

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION:

Proposed rule; reopening of comment period.

SUMMARY:

We are reopening the comment period for our proposed rule that would amend and republish the list of select agents and toxins that have the potential to pose a severe threat to animal or plant health, or to animal or plant products. 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 December 3, 2007.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments by either of the following methods:

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov, select “Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service” from the agency drop-down menu, then click “Submit.” In the Docket ID column, select APHIS-2007-0033 to submit or view public comments and to view supporting and related materials available electronically. Information on using Regulations.gov, including instructions for accessing documents, submitting comments, and viewing the docket after the close of the comment period, is available through the site's “User Tips” link.
• Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send four copies of your comment (an original and three copies) to Docket No. APHIS-2007-0033, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state that your comment refers to Docket No. APHIS-2007-0033.

Reading Room: You may read any comments that we receive on Docket No. APHIS-2007-0033 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.

Other Information: Additional information about APHIS and its programs is available on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

For information concerning the regulations in 7 CFR part 331, contact Ms. Gwendolyn Burnett, Select Agent Program Compliance Manager, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 2, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231, [phone].

For information concerning the regulations in 9 CFR part 121, contact Dr. Frederick D. Doddy, Veterinary Medical Officer, Animals, Organisms and Vectors, and Select Agents, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 2, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231, [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

On August 28, 2007, we published in the Federal Register (72 FR 49231-49236, Docket No. APHIS-2007-0033) a proposal that would amend and republish the list of select agents and toxins that have the potential to pose a severe threat to animal or plant health, or to animal or plant products.

Comments on the proposed rule were required to be received on or before October 29, 2007. We are reopening the comment period on Docket No. APHIS-2007-0033 for an additional 15 days from the date of this notice. This action will allow interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments. We will also consider all comments received between October 30, 2007, and the date of this notice.

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 8401; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, 371.3, and 371.4.

Done in Washington, DC, this 9th day of November 2007.

Kevin Shea,

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.