80 FR 46236 - Notice of Affirmation of Revision of a Treatment Schedule for Hot Water Treatment of Mangoes

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 149 (August 4, 2015)

We are affirming our earlier determination that it was necessary to immediately amend hot water treatment schedule T102-a in the Plant Protection and Quarantine Treatment Manual to extend the applicability of the treatment to additional mango commodities. In a previous notice, we made available to the public for review and comment a treatment evaluation document that described the revised treatment schedule and explained why we have determined that it is effective at neutralizing certain target pests.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 149 (Tuesday, August 4, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46236-46237]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-19084]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2015-0006]


Notice of Affirmation of Revision of a Treatment Schedule for Hot 
Water Treatment of Mangoes

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: We are affirming our earlier determination that it was 
necessary to immediately amend hot water treatment schedule T102-a in 
the Plant Protection and Quarantine Treatment Manual to extend the 
applicability of the treatment to additional mango commodities. In a 
previous notice, we made available to the public for review and comment 
a treatment evaluation document that described the revised treatment 
schedule and explained why we have determined that it is effective at 
neutralizing certain target pests.

DATES: Effective August 4, 2015, we are affirming the addition to the 
Plant Protection and Quarantine Treatment Manual of the revised 
treatment described in the notice published at 80 FR 22702-22703 on 
April 23, 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Inder P.S. Gadh, Senior Risk 
Manager--Treatments, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, 
MD 20737; (301) 851-2018.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations in 7 CFR chapter III are 
intended, among other things, to prevent the introduction or 
dissemination of plant pests and noxious weeds into or within the 
United States. Under the regulations, certain plants, fruits, 
vegetables, and other articles must be treated before they may be moved 
into the United States or interstate. The phytosanitary treatments 
regulations contained in 7 CFR part 305 (referred to below as the 
regulations) set out standards for treatments required in 7 CFR parts 
301, 318, and 319 for fruits, vegetables, and other articles.
    In Sec.  305.2, paragraph (b) states that approved treatment 
schedules are set out in the Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) 
Treatment Manual.\1\ Section 305.3 sets out a process for adding, 
revising, or removing treatment schedules in the PPQ Treatment Manual. 
In that section, paragraph (b) sets out the process for adding, 
revising, or removing treatment schedules when there is an immediate 
need to make a change. The circumstances in which an immediate need 
exists are described in Sec.  305.3(b)(1). They are:
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    \1\ The PPQ Treatment Manual is available on the Internet at 
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/manuals/ports/downloads/treatment.pdf or by contacting the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine, Manuals Unit, 
92 Thomas Johnson Drive, Suite 200, Frederick, MD 21702.
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     PPQ has determined that an approved treatment schedule is 
ineffective at neutralizing the targeted plant pest(s).
     PPQ has determined that, in order to neutralize the 
targeted plant pest(s), the treatment schedule must be administered 
using a different process than was previously used.
     PPQ has determined that a new treatment schedule is 
effective, based on efficacy data, and that ongoing trade in a 
commodity or commodities may be adversely impacted unless the new 
treatment schedule is approved for use.
     The use of a treatment schedule is no longer authorized by 
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or by any other Federal 
entity.
    In accordance with Sec.  305.3(b), we published a notice \2\ in the 
Federal Register on April 23, 2015 (80 FR 22702-22703, Docket No. 
APHIS-2015-0006), announcing our determination that a revised T102-a 
hot water treatment schedule is an efficacious phytosanitary treatment 
for eggs and larvae of Ceratitis capitata and Anastrepha spp. fruit 
flies in mangoes weighing 651 to 900 grams and that the treatment is 
effective for these oversized

[[Page 46237]]

mangoes regardless of their country of origin. This determination was 
based on evidence presented in a treatment evaluation document (TED) we 
made available with the notice. The treatment was added to the PPQ 
Treatment Manual, but was subject to change based on public comment.
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    \2\ To view the notice, a subsequent correction to that notice, 
the TED, and the comments we received, go to http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2015-0006.
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    We solicited comments on the notice for 60 days ending on June 22, 
2015. We received six comments by that date. They were from private 
citizens, exporters, industry groups, and representatives of State and 
foreign governments. The responses were in favor of the revised 
treatment schedule to extend the applicability of the treatment to 
additional mango commodities. Therefore, in accordance with the 
regulations in Sec.  305.3(b)(3), we are affirming our revision of a 
hot water treatment schedule for mango to control certain pests, as 
described in the TED made available with the previous notice. The 
treatment schedule is numbered T102-a. The treatment schedule will be 
listed in the PPQ Treatment Manual, which is available as described in 
footnote 1 of this document.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 7701-7772 and 7781-7786; 21 U.S.C. 136 and 
136a; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.3.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 29th day of July 2015.
Kevin Shea,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-19084 Filed 8-3-15; 8:45 am]
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