83_FR_46281 83 FR 46104 - Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food

83 FR 46104 - Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Food and Drug Administration

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 177 (September 12, 2018)

Page Range46104-46107
FR Document2018-19855

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA, the Agency, or we) is removing instruction 13 from the Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food (Preventive Controls for Human Food) regulation. Instruction 13 directs the Federal Register to remove and reserve as of September 17, 2018, the Current Good Manufacturing Practice in Manufacturing, Packing, or Holding Human Food (Human Food CGMP) regulation. Removal of instruction 13 is necessary because the compliance dates for certain facilities subject to the modernized current good manufacturing practice requirements in the Preventive Controls for Human Food regulation have been extended. Retaining the Human Food CGMP regulation will maintain the status quo while these facilities prepare for compliance with the new CGMP requirements and will avoid an unintended gap in public health protection.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 177 (Wednesday, September 12, 2018)
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 177 (Wednesday, September 12, 2018)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 46104-46107]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-19855]


=======================================================================
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Food and Drug Administration

21 CFR Part 110

[Docket No. FDA-2011-N-0920]


Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-
Based Preventive Controls for Human Food

AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Final rule; partial withdrawal.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA, the Agency, or we) is 
removing instruction 13 from the Current Good Manufacturing Practice, 
Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food 
(Preventive Controls for Human Food) regulation. Instruction 13 directs 
the Federal Register to remove and reserve as of September 17, 2018, 
the Current Good Manufacturing Practice in Manufacturing, Packing, or 
Holding Human Food (Human Food CGMP) regulation. Removal of instruction 
13 is necessary because the compliance dates for certain facilities 
subject to the modernized current good manufacturing practice 
requirements in the Preventive Controls for Human Food regulation have 
been extended. Retaining the Human Food CGMP regulation will maintain 
the status quo while these facilities prepare for compliance with the 
new CGMP requirements and will avoid an unintended gap in public health 
protection.

DATES: Effective September 12, 2018, FDA withdraws amendatory 
instruction 13 on page 56144 of the final rule published at 80 FR 55908 
at 56144 on September 17, 2015. Submit either electronic or written 
comments by October 12, 2018.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments as follows. Please note that late, 
untimely filed comments will not be considered. Electronic comments 
must be submitted on or before October 12, 2018. The https://www.regulations.gov electronic filing system will accept comments until 
midnight Eastern Time at the end of October 12, 2018. Comments received 
by mail/hand delivery/courier (for written/paper submissions) will be 
considered timely if they are postmarked or the delivery service 
acceptance receipt is on or before that date.

Electronic Submissions

    Submit electronic comments in the following way:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments. Comments submitted 
electronically, including attachments, to https://www.regulations.gov 
will be posted to the docket unchanged. Because your comment will be 
made public, you are solely responsible for ensuring that your comment 
does not include any confidential information that you or a third party 
may not wish to be posted, such as medical information, your or anyone 
else's Social Security number, or confidential business information, 
such as a manufacturing process. Please note that if you include your 
name, contact information, or other information that identifies you in 
the body of your comments, that information will be posted on https://www.regulations.gov.
     If you want to submit a comment with confidential 
information that you do not wish to be made available to the public, 
submit the comment as a written/paper submission and in the manner 
detailed (see ``Written/Paper Submissions'' and ``Instructions'').

Written/Paper Submissions

    Submit written/paper submissions as follows:
     Mail/Hand delivery/Courier (for written/paper 
submissions): Dockets Management Staff (HFA-305), Food and Drug 
Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.
     For written/paper comments submitted to the Dockets 
Management Staff, FDA will post your comment, as well as any 
attachments, except for information submitted, marked and identified, 
as confidential, if submitted as detailed in ``Instructions.''
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the Docket No. 
FDA-2011-N-0920 for ``Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard 
Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food.'' Received 
comments, those filed in a timely manner (see ADDRESSES), will be 
placed in the docket and, except for those submitted as ``Confidential 
Submissions,'' publicly viewable at https://www.regulations.gov or at 
the Dockets Management Staff between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through 
Friday.
     Confidential Submissions--To submit a comment with 
confidential information that you do not wish to be made publicly 
available, submit your

[[Page 46105]]

comments only as a written/paper submission. You should submit two 
copies total. One copy will include the information you claim to be 
confidential with a heading or cover note that states ``THIS DOCUMENT 
CONTAINS CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.'' The Agency will review this copy, 
including the claimed confidential information, in its consideration of 
comments. The second copy, which will have the claimed confidential 
information redacted/blacked out, will be available for public viewing 
and posted on https://www.regulations.gov. Submit both copies to the 
Dockets Management Staff. If you do not wish your name and contact 
information to be made publicly available, you can provide this 
information on the cover sheet and not in the body of your comments and 
you must identify this information as ``confidential.'' Any information 
marked as ``confidential'' will not be disclosed except in accordance 
with 21 CFR 10.20 and other applicable disclosure law. For more 
information about FDA's posting of comments to public dockets, see 80 
FR 56469, September 18, 2015, or access the information at: https://www.thefederalregister.org/fdsys/pkg/FR-2015-09-18/pdf/2015-23389.pdf.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
the electronic and written/paper comments received, go to https://www.regulations.gov and insert the docket number, found in brackets in 
the heading of this document, into the ``Search'' box and follow the 
prompts and/or go to the Dockets Management Staff, 5630 Fishers Lane, 
Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jenny Scott, Center for Food Safety 
and Applied Nutrition (HFS-300), Food and Drug Administration, 5001 
Campus Dr., College Park, MD 20740, 240-402-2166.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Table of Contents

I. Background and Discussion
II. Legal Authority
III. Analysis of Environmental Impact
IV. Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995

I. Background and Discussion

    In the Federal Register of September 17, 2015, FDA published the 
final rule, ``Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and 
Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food'' (80 FR 55908; the 
``rule establishing part 117''). Among other things, in the final rule 
establishing part 117 (21 CFR part 117), we modernized and placed in 
part 117, subpart B the longstanding current good manufacturing 
practice requirements (CGMPs) codified in part 110 (21 CFR part 110). 
We staggered the compliance dates for part 117 based on business size. 
We also instructed the Federal Register to remove and reserve part 110 
effective September 17, 2018, the latest of the staggered compliance 
dates, which we treated as a conforming amendment (see instruction 
number 13 at 80 FR 55908 at 56144).
    Subsequently, in a final rule published in the Federal Register of 
August 24, 2016 (81 FR 57784; the ``compliance date final rule''), 
among other things, we extended by up to 16 months the part 117 
compliance dates for certain facilities, to address concerns about the 
practicality of compliance, consider changes to the regulatory text, 
and better align compliance dates across various rules. The compliance 
date final rule extended the part 117 compliance dates for the 
following establishments, as set out in table 1:

  Table 1--Facilities That Received Extended Part 117 Compliance Dates
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                        Compliance date
                                    Compliance date    with extension as
                                  announced in final     announced in
                                   rule establishing    compliance date
                                       part 117           final rule
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Facility solely engaged in
 packing and/or holding
 activities on produce RACs,
 that is:
     a very small         September 17, 2018  January 27, 2020.
     business.
     a small business...  September 18, 2017  January 28, 2019.
     not a small or very  September 19, 2016  January 26, 2018.
     small business.
Facility that would qualify as a
 secondary activities farm
 except for ownership of the
 facility, that is:
     a very small         September 17, 2018  January 27, 2020.
     business.
     a small business...  September 18, 2017  January 28, 2019.
     not a small or very  September 19, 2016  January 26, 2018.
     small business.
Facilities that would qualify as
 a farm if it did not color
 RACs, that is:
    a very small business.......  September 17, 2018  January 27, 2020.
    a small business............  September 18, 2017  January 28, 2019.
    not a small or very small     September 19, 2016  January 26, 2018.
     business.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    A small business is a business (including any subsidiaries and 
affiliates) employing fewer than 500 full-time equivalent employees. A 
very small business is a business (including any subsidiaries and 
affiliates) averaging less than $1 million, adjusted for inflation, per 
year, during the 3-year period preceding the applicable calendar year 
in sales of human food plus the market value of human food 
manufactured, processed, packed or held without sale (e.g., held for a 
fee). (See Sec.  117.3.)
    After issuing the compliance date final rule, FDA announced that as 
a matter of enforcement policy it did not intend to enforce certain 
part 117 requirements for certain facilities, including some of the 
facilities in table 1 whose compliance dates had been extended by the 
compliance date final rule. See the January 2018 guidance entitled 
``Policy Regarding Certain Entities Subject to the Current Good 
Manufacturing Practice and Preventive Controls, Produce Safety, and/or 
Foreign Supplier Verification Programs'' (https://www.fda.gov/downloads/food/guidanceregulation/guidancedocumentsregulatoryinformation/ucm590661.pdf). The present 
rulemaking does not change the policies contained in this guidance.
    As mentioned above, in the final rule establishing part 117 we 
instructed the Federal Register to remove and reserve part 110, 
effective September 17, 2018, which at the time was the latest of the 
staggered compliance dates. The goal was to have firms subject to the 
Human Food CGMP regulation until the Preventive Controls for Human Food 
regulation took its place, leaving no gap in public health protection. 
However, in the compliance date final rule we extended the compliance 
dates for part 117 by up to 16 months but failed to

[[Page 46106]]

revise the previous instruction to remove part 110. Without the current 
action, the small and very small facilities described in table 1 will 
not be subject to any CGMPs until, respectively, January 28, 2019, and 
January 27, 2020. However, FDA's intent always has been that part 110 
would remain unchanged and in effect until all establishments have 
reached the date when they must be in compliance with part 117. 
Therefore, we are amending the rule establishing part 117 to remove the 
instruction to the Federal Register to remove and reserve part 110. We 
intend to remove part 110 in a separate action after all establishments 
have reached their compliance dates for the part 117 CGMPs.
    When FDA conducts rulemaking, it normally does so using notice-and-
comment procedures established under the Administrative Procedure Act 
(APA) and FDA regulations. These procedures allow the public an 
opportunity to participate in Agency rulemaking by submitting written 
comments on proposed rules. FDA considers these comments as it 
finalizes rules. (5 U.S.C. 553(b) and (c); Sec.  10.40 (21 CFR 10.40.)) 
The APA, however, does not require an agency to use notice-and-comment 
procedures in all rulemaking. For example, the APA provides that 
Agencies shall not use notice-and-comment procedures, and shall proceed 
with a final rule, when the Agency for good cause finds that notice and 
public procedure thereon are impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to 
public interest, and incorporates the finding and a brief statement of 
reasons therefor in the rules issued. (5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B).) Likewise, 
FDA's regulations provide that the requirements of notice and public 
procedure do not apply when the Commissioner of Food and Drugs 
determines for good cause that they are impracticable, unnecessary, or 
contrary to the public interest, in which case, the notice issuing the 
regulation will state the reasons for the determination, and provide an 
opportunity for comment to determine whether the regulation should 
subsequently be modified or revoked. (Sec.  10.40(e)(1).) Pursuant to 
this regulation, FDA requests comments on the timing for the removal of 
part 110.
    In this instance, for several reasons, FDA finds good cause for 
issuing this final rule without notice and comment.
    Notice and comment are unnecessary because this final rule is a 
minor and technical repair of an obvious oversight in the compliance 
date final rule, maintains the CGMP regulatory status quo for industry, 
affirms FDA's plan for transitioning from part 110 to part 117 as 
outlined in the rule establishing part 117, and is not expected to 
generate public concern. FDA is addressing the gap in CGMP regulatory 
coverage from September 17, 2018, to January 27, 2020, by issuing a 
narrowly tailored amendment to remove instruction 13 from the rule to 
establish part 117. The result of this amendment will be that the part 
110 CGMPs will continue in effect for establishments that have not 
reached their part 117 compliance date. This action will serve to 
correct an obvious oversight made in the compliance date final rule. 
FDA does not anticipate public concern with this action. The Agency 
previously sought public comment on its proposal to remove part 110 in 
coordination with the compliance dates for part 117 and received no 
comments that disagreed. The present continuation and planned eventual 
removal of part 110 is a repeat of what was previously proposed without 
public objection. Furthermore, it is clear from the rule establishing 
part 117 that we intended for facilities to remain subject to part 110 
until their part 117 compliance date (80 FR 55908 at 56127). Thus, we 
do not believe there was ever any reasonable expectation on the part of 
the establishments listed in table 1 that they would not be 
continuously subject to CGMPs. For these various reasons, we have 
determined that notice and comment is unnecessary.
    FDA finds further good cause for issuing this final rule without 
notice and comment because notice and comment are contrary to the 
public interest and impracticable. There could be negative public 
health implications if there were a temporal gap in CGMP coverage; for 
example, there have been outbreaks associated with the types of 
facilities still subject to part 110 (e.g., listeria in cantaloupe). 
Many of the establishments listed in table 1 are not required to comply 
with the replacement CGMPs in part 117 until January 2019 or January 
2020, depending on business size. This means that these establishments 
would have no applicable CGMP requirements for 4 to 16 months. CGMP 
requirements have existed for all human food manufacturers since at 
least 1970 (see 34 FR 6977) and serve as a significant basis for FDA's 
determination of what constitutes an insanitary food production 
environment that may result in food that is injurious to public health 
under section 402(a)(4) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 
U.S.C. 342(a)(4)), among other authorities. It would be contrary to the 
public interest to allow the temporal gap in CGMP coverage.
    To summarize, a gap in CGMP coverage would leave FDA without a 
primary tool to execute its function of ensuring that food 
manufacturing establishments follow basic food safety practices, 
potentially endangering the public health, in order to provide the 
public an opportunity to comment on a non-controversial technical 
matter. For these reasons, we are issuing this amendment to the final 
rule establishing part 117 without prior notice and comment. (5 U.S.C. 
553(b)(3)(B)).
    In addition, we find good cause for this amendment to the rule 
establishing part 117 to become effective on the date of publication. 
The APA allows an effective date less than 30 days after publication as 
provided by the Agency for good cause found and published within the 
rule (5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3)). As provided at 80 FR 55908, September 17, 
2015, the amendment removing part 110 was to take effect on September 
17, 2018. In order to continue part 110 for an interim period, this 
final rule needs to be effective on or before September 16, 2018, and 
therefore it is not possible for this rule to take effect 30 days after 
publication in the Federal Register. As previously described, in order 
to prevent a gap in CGMP coverage for certain establishments, an 
immediate effective date is necessary to remove, before September 17, 
2018, the instruction to remove and reserve part 110. Further, because 
the facilities' responsibility to comply with CGMP requirements remains 
unchanged, this rule places no burden on affected parties for which 
they would need a reasonable time to prepare. Therefore, the 
Commissioner finds good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) and Sec.  
10.40(c)(4)(ii) for this amendment to become effective on the date of 
publication.

II. Legal Authority

    We are issuing this final rule removing instruction number 13 of 
the rule to establish part 117 under the same authority for which the 
rule containing instruction number 13 was originally issued. That 
analysis may be found in section II, ``Legal Authority,'' of the rule 
to establish part 117 (80 FR 55908 at 55917 to 55920).

III. Analysis of Environmental Impact

    FDA has determined that the removal of instruction 13 will not 
change the status quo and, therefore, is not a major Federal action 
significantly affecting the quality of the human environment within the 
meaning of section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy

[[Page 46107]]

Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). Therefore, neither an environmental 
assessment nor an environmental impact statement is required.

IV. Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995

    This final rule contains no collection of information. Therefore, 
clearance by the Office of Management and Budget under the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 is not required.

List of Subjects in 21 CFR Part 110

    Food packaging, Foods.

0
Therefore, in FR Rule Doc. No. 2015-21920, published September 17, 
2015, at 80 FR 55908-56168, amendatory instruction 13 in the third 
column on page 56144 is withdrawn.

    Dated: September 7, 2018.
Scott Gottlieb,
Commissioner of Food and Drugs.
[FR Doc. 2018-19855 Filed 9-11-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4164-01-P



                                             46104        Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 177 / Wednesday, September 12, 2018 / Rules and Regulations

                                             Joinus Freight Systems (H.K.) Limited, a.k.a., the             For all items subject to the EAR.      Presumption of      81 FR 14958, 3/21/16. 83 FR [Insert
                                               following two aliases:                                         (See § 744.11 of the EAR).             denial.             FR Page Number] 9/4/2018.
                                                  –JFS Global Logistics; and.
                                                  –Joinus Freight Systems Global Logistics Lim-
                                                    ited.
                                             Unit 07–07, 25F, Tower B, Regent Centre, 63 Wo
                                               Yi Hop Road, Kwai Chung, N.T. Hong Kong and
                                               Units 801–803 and 805, Park Sun Building, No.
                                               97–107 Wo Yi Hop Road, Kwai Chung, Hong
                                               Kong.



                                             *      *      *       *      *                             3. On page 44826, in the table, under
                                                                                                      the country heading for Russia, the PJSC
                                                                                                      Mikron entry should read as follows:
                                                                                                      *     *    *    *     *

                                             PJSC Mikron, 1st Zapadniy                 Proezd      12/1,    For all items subject to the EAR.      Presumption of      81 FR 61601, 9/7/16. 83 FR [Insert
                                               Zelenograd, Russia, 124460.                                    (See § 744.11 of the EAR).             denial.             FR Page Number] 9/4/2018.



                                             *      *      *       *      *                           DATES: Effective September 12, 2018,                  comments, that information will be
                                             [FR Doc. C2–2018–18766 Filed 9–11–18; 8:45 am]           FDA withdraws amendatory instruction                  posted on https://www.regulations.gov.
                                             BILLING CODE 1301–00–D                                   13 on page 56144 of the final rule                      • If you want to submit a comment
                                                                                                      published at 80 FR 55908 at 56144 on                  with confidential information that you
                                                                                                      September 17, 2015. Submit either                     do not wish to be made available to the
                                             DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND                                 electronic or written comments by                     public, submit the comment as a
                                             HUMAN SERVICES                                           October 12, 2018.                                     written/paper submission and in the
                                                                                                      ADDRESSES:   You may submit comments                  manner detailed (see ‘‘Written/Paper
                                             Food and Drug Administration
                                                                                                      as follows. Please note that late,                    Submissions’’ and ‘‘Instructions’’).
                                             21 CFR Part 110                                          untimely filed comments will not be                   Written/Paper Submissions
                                                                                                      considered. Electronic comments must
                                             [Docket No. FDA–2011–N–0920]                             be submitted on or before October 12,                   Submit written/paper submissions as
                                                                                                      2018. The https://www.regulations.gov                 follows:
                                             Current Good Manufacturing Practice,                     electronic filing system will accept
                                             Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based                                                                                  • Mail/Hand delivery/Courier (for
                                                                                                      comments until midnight Eastern Time
                                             Preventive Controls for Human Food                                                                             written/paper submissions): Dockets
                                                                                                      at the end of October 12, 2018.
                                                                                                                                                            Management Staff (HFA–305), Food and
                                             AGENCY:    Food and Drug Administration,                 Comments received by mail/hand
                                                                                                                                                            Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers
                                             HHS.                                                     delivery/courier (for written/paper
                                                                                                                                                            Lane, Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.
                                             ACTION:    Final rule; partial withdrawal.               submissions) will be considered timely
                                                                                                      if they are postmarked or the delivery                  • For written/paper comments
                                             SUMMARY:    The Food and Drug                            service acceptance receipt is on or                   submitted to the Dockets Management
                                             Administration (FDA, the Agency, or                      before that date.                                     Staff, FDA will post your comment, as
                                             we) is removing instruction 13 from the                                                                        well as any attachments, except for
                                             Current Good Manufacturing Practice,                     Electronic Submissions                                information submitted, marked and
                                             Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based                                                                                identified, as confidential, if submitted
                                                                                                        Submit electronic comments in the
                                             Preventive Controls for Human Food                                                                             as detailed in ‘‘Instructions.’’
                                                                                                      following way:
                                             (Preventive Controls for Human Food)                                                                             Instructions: All submissions received
                                             regulation. Instruction 13 directs the                     • Federal eRulemaking Portal:
                                                                                                                                                            must include the Docket No. FDA–
                                             Federal Register to remove and reserve                   https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the
                                                                                                      instructions for submitting comments.                 2011–N–0920 for ‘‘Current Good
                                             as of September 17, 2018, the Current                                                                          Manufacturing Practice, Hazard
                                             Good Manufacturing Practice in                           Comments submitted electronically,
                                                                                                      including attachments, to https://                    Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive
                                             Manufacturing, Packing, or Holding
                                                                                                      www.regulations.gov will be posted to                 Controls for Human Food.’’ Received
                                             Human Food (Human Food CGMP)
                                                                                                      the docket unchanged. Because your                    comments, those filed in a timely
                                             regulation. Removal of instruction 13 is
                                                                                                      comment will be made public, you are                  manner (see ADDRESSES), will be placed
                                             necessary because the compliance dates
                                             for certain facilities subject to the                    solely responsible for ensuring that your             in the docket and, except for those
                                             modernized current good manufacturing                    comment does not include any                          submitted as ‘‘Confidential
                                             practice requirements in the Preventive                  confidential information that you or a                Submissions,’’ publicly viewable at
                                             Controls for Human Food regulation                       third party may not wish to be posted,                https://www.regulations.gov or at the
                                             have been extended. Retaining the                        such as medical information, your or                  Dockets Management Staff between 9
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with RULES




                                             Human Food CGMP regulation will                          anyone else’s Social Security number, or              a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through
                                             maintain the status quo while these                      confidential business information, such               Friday.
                                             facilities prepare for compliance with                   as a manufacturing process. Please note                 • Confidential Submissions—To
                                             the new CGMP requirements and will                       that if you include your name, contact                submit a comment with confidential
                                             avoid an unintended gap in public                        information, or other information that                information that you do not wish to be
                                             health protection.                                       identifies you in the body of your                    made publicly available, submit your


                                        VerDate Sep<11>2014    17:36 Sep 11, 2018   Jkt 244001   PO 00000   Frm 00036   Fmt 4700   Sfmt 4700   E:\FR\FM\12SER1.SGM   12SER1


                                                              Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 177 / Wednesday, September 12, 2018 / Rules and Regulations                                                               46105

                                             comments only as a written/paper                                     fdsys/pkg/FR-2015-09-18/pdf/2015-                              Preventive Controls for Human Food’’
                                             submission. You should submit two                                    23389.pdf.                                                     (80 FR 55908; the ‘‘rule establishing part
                                             copies total. One copy will include the                                 Docket: For access to the docket to                         117’’). Among other things, in the final
                                             information you claim to be confidential                             read background documents or the                               rule establishing part 117 (21 CFR part
                                             with a heading or cover note that states                             electronic and written/paper comments                          117), we modernized and placed in part
                                             ‘‘THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS                                             received, go to https://                                       117, subpart B the longstanding current
                                             CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.’’ The                                      www.regulations.gov and insert the                             good manufacturing practice
                                             Agency will review this copy, including                              docket number, found in brackets in the                        requirements (CGMPs) codified in part
                                             the claimed confidential information, in                             heading of this document, into the                             110 (21 CFR part 110). We staggered the
                                             its consideration of comments. The                                   ‘‘Search’’ box and follow the prompts                          compliance dates for part 117 based on
                                             second copy, which will have the                                     and/or go to the Dockets Management                            business size. We also instructed the
                                             claimed confidential information                                     Staff, 5630 Fishers Lane, Rm. 1061,                            Federal Register to remove and reserve
                                                                                                                  Rockville, MD 20852.                                           part 110 effective September 17, 2018,
                                             redacted/blacked out, will be available
                                                                                                                  FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                               the latest of the staggered compliance
                                             for public viewing and posted on
                                                                                                                  Jenny Scott, Center for Food Safety and                        dates, which we treated as a conforming
                                             https://www.regulations.gov. Submit                                                                                                 amendment (see instruction number 13
                                             both copies to the Dockets Management                                Applied Nutrition (HFS–300), Food and
                                                                                                                  Drug Administration, 5001 Campus Dr.,                          at 80 FR 55908 at 56144).
                                             Staff. If you do not wish your name and                                                                                                Subsequently, in a final rule
                                             contact information to be made publicly                              College Park, MD 20740, 240–402–2166.
                                                                                                                                                                                 published in the Federal Register of
                                             available, you can provide this                                      SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                                                                                                                                                                                 August 24, 2016 (81 FR 57784; the
                                             information on the cover sheet and not                               Table of Contents                                              ‘‘compliance date final rule’’), among
                                             in the body of your comments and you                                                                                                other things, we extended by up to 16
                                             must identify this information as                                    I. Background and Discussion
                                                                                                                  II. Legal Authority                                            months the part 117 compliance dates
                                             ‘‘confidential.’’ Any information marked                             III. Analysis of Environmental Impact                          for certain facilities, to address concerns
                                             as ‘‘confidential’’ will not be disclosed                            IV. Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995                            about the practicality of compliance,
                                             except in accordance with 21 CFR 10.20                                                                                              consider changes to the regulatory text,
                                             and other applicable disclosure law. For                             I. Background and Discussion                                   and better align compliance dates across
                                             more information about FDA’s posting                                    In the Federal Register of September                        various rules. The compliance date final
                                             of comments to public dockets, see 80                                17, 2015, FDA published the final rule,                        rule extended the part 117 compliance
                                             FR 56469, September 18, 2015, or access                              ‘‘Current Good Manufacturing Practice,                         dates for the following establishments,
                                             the information at: https://www.gpo.gov/                             Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based                                as set out in table 1:

                                                                               TABLE 1—FACILITIES THAT RECEIVED EXTENDED PART 117 COMPLIANCE DATES
                                                                                                                                                                                                Compliance date with extension as
                                                                                                                                                      Compliance date announced in               announced in compliance date
                                                                                                                                                      final rule establishing part 117                      final rule

                                             Facility solely engaged in packing and/or holding activities on produce
                                               RACs, that is:
                                                  • a very small business ...................................................................       September 17, 2018 ......................   January 27, 2020.
                                                  • a small business ...........................................................................    September 18, 2017 ......................   January 28, 2019.
                                                  • not a small or very small business ...............................................              September 19, 2016 ......................   January 26, 2018.
                                             Facility that would qualify as a secondary activities farm except for
                                               ownership of the facility, that is:
                                                  • a very small business ...................................................................       September 17, 2018 ......................   January 27, 2020.
                                                  • a small business ...........................................................................    September 18, 2017 ......................   January 28, 2019.
                                                  • not a small or very small business ...............................................              September 19, 2016 ......................   January 26, 2018.
                                             Facilities that would qualify as a farm if it did not color RACs, that is:
                                                  a very small business ......................................................................      September 17, 2018 ......................   January 27, 2020.
                                                  a small business ..............................................................................   September 18, 2017 ......................   January 28, 2019.
                                                  not a small or very small business ..................................................             September 19, 2016 ......................   January 26, 2018.



                                                A small business is a business                                    matter of enforcement policy it did not                        The present rulemaking does not change
                                             (including any subsidiaries and                                      intend to enforce certain part 117                             the policies contained in this guidance.
                                             affiliates) employing fewer than 500                                 requirements for certain facilities,                             As mentioned above, in the final rule
                                             full-time equivalent employees. A very                               including some of the facilities in table                      establishing part 117 we instructed the
                                             small business is a business (including                              1 whose compliance dates had been                              Federal Register to remove and reserve
                                             any subsidiaries and affiliates) averaging                           extended by the compliance date final                          part 110, effective September 17, 2018,
                                             less than $1 million, adjusted for                                   rule. See the January 2018 guidance                            which at the time was the latest of the
                                             inflation, per year, during the 3-year                               entitled ‘‘Policy Regarding Certain                            staggered compliance dates. The goal
                                             period preceding the applicable                                      Entities Subject to the Current Good                           was to have firms subject to the Human
                                             calendar year in sales of human food                                                                                                Food CGMP regulation until the
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                                                                                                                  Manufacturing Practice and Preventive
                                             plus the market value of human food                                  Controls, Produce Safety, and/or                               Preventive Controls for Human Food
                                             manufactured, processed, packed or                                   Foreign Supplier Verification Programs’’                       regulation took its place, leaving no gap
                                             held without sale (e.g., held for a fee).                                                                                           in public health protection. However, in
                                                                                                                  (https://www.fda.gov/downloads/food/
                                             (See § 117.3.)                                                                                                                      the compliance date final rule we
                                                                                                                  guidanceregulation/guidancedocuments
                                                After issuing the compliance date                                 regulatoryinformation/ucm590661.pdf).                          extended the compliance dates for part
                                             final rule, FDA announced that as a                                                                                                 117 by up to 16 months but failed to


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                                             46106        Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 177 / Wednesday, September 12, 2018 / Rules and Regulations

                                             revise the previous instruction to                      as outlined in the rule establishing part             to allow the temporal gap in CGMP
                                             remove part 110. Without the current                    117, and is not expected to generate                  coverage.
                                             action, the small and very small                        public concern. FDA is addressing the                    To summarize, a gap in CGMP
                                             facilities described in table 1 will not be             gap in CGMP regulatory coverage from                  coverage would leave FDA without a
                                             subject to any CGMPs until,                             September 17, 2018, to January 27,                    primary tool to execute its function of
                                             respectively, January 28, 2019, and                     2020, by issuing a narrowly tailored                  ensuring that food manufacturing
                                             January 27, 2020. However, FDA’s                        amendment to remove instruction 13                    establishments follow basic food safety
                                             intent always has been that part 110                    from the rule to establish part 117. The              practices, potentially endangering the
                                             would remain unchanged and in effect                    result of this amendment will be that                 public health, in order to provide the
                                             until all establishments have reached                   the part 110 CGMPs will continue in                   public an opportunity to comment on a
                                             the date when they must be in                           effect for establishments that have not               non-controversial technical matter. For
                                             compliance with part 117. Therefore, we                 reached their part 117 compliance date.               these reasons, we are issuing this
                                             are amending the rule establishing part                 This action will serve to correct an                  amendment to the final rule establishing
                                             117 to remove the instruction to the                                                                          part 117 without prior notice and
                                                                                                     obvious oversight made in the
                                             Federal Register to remove and reserve                                                                        comment. (5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B)).
                                                                                                     compliance date final rule. FDA does                     In addition, we find good cause for
                                             part 110. We intend to remove part 110                  not anticipate public concern with this
                                             in a separate action after all                                                                                this amendment to the rule establishing
                                                                                                     action. The Agency previously sought                  part 117 to become effective on the date
                                             establishments have reached their
                                                                                                     public comment on its proposal to                     of publication. The APA allows an
                                             compliance dates for the part 117
                                                                                                     remove part 110 in coordination with                  effective date less than 30 days after
                                             CGMPs.
                                                When FDA conducts rulemaking, it                     the compliance dates for part 117 and                 publication as provided by the Agency
                                             normally does so using notice-and-                      received no comments that disagreed.                  for good cause found and published
                                             comment procedures established under                    The present continuation and planned                  within the rule (5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3)). As
                                             the Administrative Procedure Act (APA)                  eventual removal of part 110 is a repeat              provided at 80 FR 55908, September 17,
                                             and FDA regulations. These procedures                   of what was previously proposed                       2015, the amendment removing part 110
                                             allow the public an opportunity to                      without public objection. Furthermore,                was to take effect on September 17,
                                             participate in Agency rulemaking by                     it is clear from the rule establishing part           2018. In order to continue part 110 for
                                             submitting written comments on                          117 that we intended for facilities to                an interim period, this final rule needs
                                             proposed rules. FDA considers these                     remain subject to part 110 until their                to be effective on or before September
                                             comments as it finalizes rules. (5 U.S.C.               part 117 compliance date (80 FR 55908                 16, 2018, and therefore it is not possible
                                             553(b) and (c); § 10.40 (21 CFR 10.40.))                at 56127). Thus, we do not believe there              for this rule to take effect 30 days after
                                             The APA, however, does not require an                   was ever any reasonable expectation on                publication in the Federal Register. As
                                             agency to use notice-and-comment                        the part of the establishments listed in              previously described, in order to
                                             procedures in all rulemaking. For                       table 1 that they would not be                        prevent a gap in CGMP coverage for
                                             example, the APA provides that                          continuously subject to CGMPs. For                    certain establishments, an immediate
                                             Agencies shall not use notice-and-                      these various reasons, we have                        effective date is necessary to remove,
                                             comment procedures, and shall proceed                   determined that notice and comment is                 before September 17, 2018, the
                                             with a final rule, when the Agency for                  unnecessary.                                          instruction to remove and reserve part
                                             good cause finds that notice and public                    FDA finds further good cause for                   110. Further, because the facilities’
                                             procedure thereon are impracticable,                    issuing this final rule without notice                responsibility to comply with CGMP
                                             unnecessary, or contrary to public                      and comment because notice and                        requirements remains unchanged, this
                                             interest, and incorporates the finding                  comment are contrary to the public                    rule places no burden on affected
                                             and a brief statement of reasons therefor               interest and impracticable. There could               parties for which they would need a
                                             in the rules issued. (5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B).)              be negative public health implications if             reasonable time to prepare. Therefore,
                                             Likewise, FDA’s regulations provide                                                                           the Commissioner finds good cause
                                                                                                     there were a temporal gap in CGMP
                                             that the requirements of notice and                                                                           under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) and
                                                                                                     coverage; for example, there have been
                                             public procedure do not apply when the                                                                        § 10.40(c)(4)(ii) for this amendment to
                                                                                                     outbreaks associated with the types of
                                             Commissioner of Food and Drugs                                                                                become effective on the date of
                                                                                                     facilities still subject to part 110 (e.g.,
                                             determines for good cause that they are                                                                       publication.
                                             impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary                 listeria in cantaloupe). Many of the
                                             to the public interest, in which case, the              establishments listed in table 1 are not              II. Legal Authority
                                             notice issuing the regulation will state                required to comply with the                              We are issuing this final rule
                                             the reasons for the determination, and                  replacement CGMPs in part 117 until                   removing instruction number 13 of the
                                             provide an opportunity for comment to                   January 2019 or January 2020,                         rule to establish part 117 under the
                                             determine whether the regulation                        depending on business size. This means                same authority for which the rule
                                             should subsequently be modified or                      that these establishments would have no               containing instruction number 13 was
                                             revoked. (§ 10.40(e)(1).) Pursuant to this              applicable CGMP requirements for 4 to                 originally issued. That analysis may be
                                             regulation, FDA requests comments on                    16 months. CGMP requirements have                     found in section II, ‘‘Legal Authority,’’
                                             the timing for the removal of part 110.                 existed for all human food                            of the rule to establish part 117 (80 FR
                                                In this instance, for several reasons,               manufacturers since at least 1970 (see                55908 at 55917 to 55920).
                                             FDA finds good cause for issuing this                   34 FR 6977) and serve as a significant
                                             final rule without notice and comment.                  basis for FDA’s determination of what                 III. Analysis of Environmental Impact
                                                Notice and comment are unnecessary                   constitutes an insanitary food                           FDA has determined that the removal
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                                             because this final rule is a minor and                  production environment that may result                of instruction 13 will not change the
                                             technical repair of an obvious oversight                in food that is injurious to public health            status quo and, therefore, is not a major
                                             in the compliance date final rule,                      under section 402(a)(4) of the Federal                Federal action significantly affecting the
                                             maintains the CGMP regulatory status                    Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C.               quality of the human environment
                                             quo for industry, affirms FDA’s plan for                342(a)(4)), among other authorities. It               within the meaning of section 102(2)(C)
                                             transitioning from part 110 to part 117                 would be contrary to the public interest              of the National Environmental Policy


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                                                          Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 177 / Wednesday, September 12, 2018 / Rules and Regulations                                        46107

                                             Act (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.). Therefore,                EPA is providing notice that it is                    15964 and 83 FR 16027, respectively.
                                             neither an environmental assessment                     updating the delegation of certain NSPS               EPA stated in the direct final rule that
                                             nor an environmental impact statement                   to NMED, and taking final action to                   if we receive relevant adverse comments
                                             is required.                                            approve the delegation of certain                     by May 14, 2018, we would publish a
                                                                                                     NESHAP to NMED.                                       timely withdrawal in the Federal
                                             IV. Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995                                                                           Register, and all public comments
                                                                                                     DATES: This rule is effective on October
                                               This final rule contains no collection                12, 2018.                                             received would be addressed in a
                                             of information. Therefore, clearance by                 ADDRESSES: The EPA has established a                  subsequent final rule based on the
                                             the Office of Management and Budget                     docket for this action under Docket ID                proposed rule.
                                             under the Paperwork Reduction Act of                    No. EPA–R06–OAR–2016–0091. All                           EPA received an adverse comment on
                                             1995 is not required.                                   documents in the docket are listed on                 May 14, 2018, and accordingly
                                                                                                     the http://www.regulations.gov website.               withdrew the direct final rule on June
                                             List of Subjects in 21 CFR Part 110                                                                           5, 2018, pursuant to sections 111 and
                                                                                                     Although listed in the index, some
                                               Food packaging, Foods.                                                                                      112 of the CAA. See 83 FR 25936. The
                                                                                                     information is not publicly available,
                                             ■ Therefore, in FR Rule Doc. No. 2015–                                                                        comment and our response to that
                                                                                                     e.g., Confidential Business Information
                                             21920, published September 17, 2015, at                                                                       comment follows below.
                                                                                                     or other information whose disclosure is
                                             80 FR 55908–56168, amendatory                           restricted by statute. Certain other                  II. Response to Comment
                                             instruction 13 in the third column on                   material, such as copyrighted material,
                                             page 56144 is withdrawn.                                                                                         Comment: EPA received an
                                                                                                     is not placed on the internet and will be             anonymous adverse comment in
                                               Dated: September 7, 2018.                             publicly available only in hard copy                  response to the proposed rulemaking.
                                             Scott Gottlieb,                                         form. Publicly available docket                       The comment includes several personal
                                             Commissioner of Food and Drugs.                         materials are available either                        observations and statements critical of
                                             [FR Doc. 2018–19855 Filed 9–11–18; 8:45 am]             electronically through http://                        New Mexico’s ability to maintain and
                                             BILLING CODE 4164–01–P
                                                                                                     www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at                oversee its air quality programs. The
                                                                                                     the EPA Region 6, 1445 Ross Avenue,                   commenter recommends that the
                                                                                                     Suite 700, Dallas, Texas 75202–2733.                  proposed update to New Mexico’s
                                                                                                     FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.                  NESHAP delegation not be approved
                                             ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
                                             AGENCY                                                  Rick Barrett (6MM–AP), (214) 665–7227;                until EPA investigates the commenter’s
                                                                                                     email: barrett.richard@epa.gov.                       allegations and New Mexico has
                                             40 CFR Parts 60, 61, and 63                             SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                            addressed the alleged deficiencies. See
                                                                                                     Throughout this document whenever                     Docket for the entire comment.
                                             [EPA–R06–OAR–2016–0091; FRL–9982–                                                                                EPA’s Response: We thank the
                                             62—Region 6]
                                                                                                     ‘‘we,’’ ‘‘us,’’ or ‘‘our’’ is used, we mean
                                                                                                     the EPA.                                              commenter for the comment. Section
                                             New Source Performance Standards                                                                              112(l) of the Act and EPA’s
                                                                                                     Table of Contents                                     implementing regulations at 40 CFR part
                                             and National Emission Standards for
                                             Hazardous Air Pollutants; Delegation                    I. Background
                                                                                                                                                           63, subpart E primarily govern EPA’s
                                             of Authority to New Mexico                              II. Response to Comment                               actions on State requests for delegation
                                                                                                     III. What does this action do?                        of authority to implement and enforce
                                             AGENCY:  Environmental Protection                       IV. What is the authority for delegation?             the NESHAP program. CAA section
                                             Agency (EPA).                                           V. What criteria must New Mexico’s                    112(l)(5)(B) states that EPA shall
                                             ACTION: Final rule; delegation of                            programs meet to be approved?                    disapprove a NESHAP program
                                                                                                     VI. How did NMED meet the NSPS and                    submitted by a State if we find that
                                             authority.                                                   NESHAP program approval criteria?                adequate resources are not available to
                                             SUMMARY:   The New Mexico                               VII. What is being delegated?
                                                                                                                                                           implement the program. See also 40
                                                                                                     VIII. What is not being delegated?
                                             Environment Department (NMED) has                       IX. How will statutory and regulatory                 CFR 63.91(d)(3)(iii). Several concerns
                                             submitted updated regulations for                            interpretations be made?                         expressed by the commenter relate to
                                             receiving delegation and approval of a                  X. What authority does the EPA have?                  the adequacy of resources (including the
                                             program for the implementation and                      XI. What information must NMED provide to             lack of technically experienced and
                                             enforcement of certain New Source                            the EPA?                                         qualified staff) maintained by the NMED
                                             Performance Standards (NSPS) and                        XII. What is the EPA’s oversight role?                Air Quality Bureau. NMED provided
                                             National Emission Standards for                         XIII. Should sources submit notices to the            EPA with a response to those comments
                                             Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for                        EPA or NMED?                                     that included a description of current
                                                                                                     XIV. How will unchanged authorities be
                                             all sources (both Title V and non-Title                      delegated to NMED in the future?
                                                                                                                                                           resources and experience within the Air
                                             V sources). These updated regulations                   XV. Final Action                                      Quality Bureau. See Docket for NMED’s
                                             apply to certain NSPS promulgated by                    XVI. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews            response. In addition, consistent with
                                             the EPA and amended between                                                                                   40 CFR 63.91(d)(2), New Mexico’s
                                             September 24, 2013 and January 15,                      I. Background                                         delegation update request included a
                                             2017; certain NESHAP promulgated by                        On April 13, 2018, EPA published a                 reference to its previous demonstration
                                             the EPA and amended between January                     direct final rule and accompanying                    and a reaffirmation that the up-front
                                             1, 2011 and January 15, 2017; and other                 proposal approving the updated                        approval criteria for delegation are still
                                             NESHAP promulgated by the EPA and                       delegation of authority for                           being met. Based on this information as
                                             amended between August 30, 2013 and                     implementation and enforcement of                     well as discussions with the
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                                             January 15, 2017, as adopted by the                     NSPS and NESHAPs for all sources                      Compliance and Enforcement Division
                                             NMED. The delegation of authority                       (both part 70 and non-part 70 sources)                and the Criminal Investigation Division
                                             under this action does not apply to                     to the NMED. The direct final rule and                within EPA Region 6, we have not
                                             sources located in Bernalillo County,                   proposal were published without prior                 identified sufficient information to
                                             New Mexico, or to sources located in                    proposal because EPA anticipated no                   support the necessary finding for
                                             areas defined as Indian Country. The                    relevant adverse comments. See 83 FR                  disapproval of the requested NESHAP


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Document Created: 2018-09-12 02:07:16
Document Modified: 2018-09-12 02:07:16
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionRules and Regulations
ActionFinal rule; partial withdrawal.
DatesEffective September 12, 2018, FDA withdraws amendatory instruction 13 on page 56144 of the final rule published at 80 FR 55908 at 56144 on September 17, 2015. Submit either electronic or written comments by October 12, 2018.
ContactJenny Scott, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (HFS-300), Food and Drug Administration, 5001 Campus Dr., College Park, MD 20740, 240-402-2166.
FR Citation83 FR 46104 
CFR AssociatedFood Packaging and Foods

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