Notice2023-18112
Swine Vesicular Disease Status of the Regions of Tuscany and Umbria, Italy
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
August 23, 2023
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentAnimal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Abstract
We are advising the public that we are proposing to recognize the regions of Tuscany and Umbria, Italy as being free of swine vesicular disease. This proposed recognition is based on a risk evaluation we have prepared in connection with this action, which we are making available for review and comment.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 162 (Wednesday, August 23, 2023)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 162 (Wednesday, August 23, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57407-57408]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-18112]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2023-0028]
Swine Vesicular Disease Status of the Regions of Tuscany and
Umbria, Italy
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
[[Page 57408]]
ACTION: Notice of availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: We are advising the public that we are proposing to recognize
the regions of Tuscany and Umbria, Italy as being free of swine
vesicular disease. This proposed recognition is based on a risk
evaluation we have prepared in connection with this action, which we
are making available for review and comment.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before
October 23, 2023.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
<bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">www.regulations.gov</a>.
Enter APHIS-2023-0028 in the Search field. Select the Documents tab,
then select the Comment button in the list of documents.
<bullet> Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to
Docket No. APHIS-2023-0028, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD,
APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-
1238.
Supporting documents and any comments we receive on this docket may
be viewed at <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> or in our reading room, which is located
in room 1620 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 (202) 799-7039 before coming.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Chip Wells, Senior Veterinary
Medical Officer, Regionalization Evaluation Services (RES), Strategy &
Policy, Veterinary Services, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 38,
Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 851-3317; email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#125361794077757b7d7c737e7b6873667b7d7c52676176733c757d64"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e1a0928ab38486888e8f808d889b8095888e8fa194928580cf868e97">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations in 9 CFR part 94 (referred
to below as the regulations) govern the importation of certain animals
and animal products into the United States in order to prevent the
introduction of various animal diseases, including swine vesicular
disease (SVD). This is a dangerous and communicable disease of swine.
Within part 94, Sec. 94.12 contains requirements governing the
importation of pork or pork products from regions where SVD exists.
Section 94.14 prohibits the importation of domestic swine that are
moved from or transit any region in which SVD is known to exist.
In accordance with Sec. 94.12(a)(1), the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service (APHIS) maintains a web-based list of regions which
the Agency considers free of SVD. Paragraph (a)(2) of this section
states that APHIS will add a region to this list after it conducts an
evaluation of the region and finds that SVD is not present.
The regulations in Sec. 92.2 contain requirements for requesting
the recognition of the animal health status of a region (as well as for
the approval of the export of a particular type of animal or animal
product to the United States from a foreign region). If, after review
and evaluation of the information submitted in support of the request,
APHIS believes the request can be safely granted, APHIS will make its
evaluation available for public comment through a document published in
the Federal Register. Following the close of the comment period, APHIS
will review all comments received and will make a final determination
regarding the request that will be detailed in another document
published in the Federal Register.
The Government of Italy has requested that APHIS evaluate the SVD
disease status of the regions of Tuscany and Umbria. In response to
Italy's request, we have prepared an evaluation, titled ``APHIS
Evaluation of Toscana and Umbria, Italy for Swine Vesicular Disease''
(November 2022).\1\ Based on the evaluation, we have determined that
the regions of Tuscany and Umbria, Italy are free of SVD. APHIS has
also determined that the surveillance, prevention, and control measures
implemented by Italy are sufficient to minimize the likelihood of
introducing SVD into the United States via imports of species or
products susceptible to these diseases. Our determination supports
adding the regions of Tuscany and Umbria, Italy to the web-based list
of regions that APHIS considers free of SVD.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Tuscany and Toscana are equivalent.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Therefore, in accordance with Sec. 92.2(g), we are announcing the
availability of our evaluation of the SVD status of the regions of
Tuscany and Umbria, Italy for public review and comment. We are also
announcing the availability of an environmental assessment (EA), which
has been prepared in accordance with: (1) The National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), (2)
regulations of the Council on Environmental Quality for implementing
the procedural provision of NEPA (40 CFR parts 1500-1508), (3) USDA
regulations implementing NEPA (7 CFR part 1b), and (4) APHIS' NEPA
Implementing Procedures (7 CFR part 372). The evaluation and EA may be
viewed on the Regulations.gov website or in our reading room.
(Instructions for accessing Regulations.gov and information on the
location and hours of the reading room are provided under the heading
ADDRESSES at the beginning of this notice.) The documents are also
available by contacting the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT.
Information submitted in support of Italy's request is available by
contacting the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
After reviewing any comments we receive, we will announce our
decision regarding the disease status of the regions of Tuscany and
Umbria, Italy with respect to SVD in a subsequent notice.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1633, 7701-7772, 7781-7786, and 8301-8317;
21 U.S.C. 136 and 136a; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.4.
Done in Washington, DC, this 17th day of August 2023.
Michael Watson,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2023-18112 Filed 8-22-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on August 23, 2023.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.