Addition of Thailand to the List of Regions Considered Affected With African Horse Sickness

• Published date: 14 June 2021
• Citation: 86 FR 31477
• Record Number: 2021-12419
• Section: Notices
• Court: Agriculture Department,Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service

Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 112 (Monday, June 14, 2021)

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 112 (Monday, June 14, 2021)]
                [Notices]
                [Page 31477]
                From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
                [FR Doc No: 2021-12419]
                ========================================================================
                Notices
                 Federal Register
                ________________________________________________________________________
                This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
                or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
                and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
                delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
                statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
                appearing in this section.
                ========================================================================
                Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 112 / Monday, June 14, 2021 /
                Notices
                [[Page 31477]]
                DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
                Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
                [Docket No. APHIS-2020-0082]
                Addition of Thailand to the List of Regions Considered Affected
                With African Horse Sickness
                AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
                ACTION: Notice.
                -----------------------------------------------------------------------
                SUMMARY: We are advising the public that we have added Thailand to the
                list of regions that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
                considers to be affected with African horse sickness (AHS). We have
                taken this action because of confirmation of AHS in Thailand.
                DATES: Thailand was added to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection
                Service list of regions considered affected with African horse sickness
                on March 31, 2020.
                FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Kari Coulson, Regionalization
                Evaluation Services, Veterinary Services, APHIS, 920 Main Campus Drive,
                Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27606; Phone: (919) 480-9876; email:
                [email protected].
                SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The regulations in 9 CFR part 93 govern the
                importation of live animals into the United States. Within part 93,
                Sec. 93.308 (referred to below as the regulations) governs, among
                other things, the importation of horses, mules, zebras, and other
                equids from regions where African horse sickness (AHS) exists in order
                to prevent the introduction of AHS into the United States. AHS is a
                fatal viral equine disease that is not known to exist in the United
                States. A list of regions where AHS exists or is reasonably believed to
                exist is maintained on the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
                (APHIS) website at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-and-animal-product-import-information/animal-health-status-of-regions/. This list is referenced in Sec. 93.308 of
                the regulations.
                 Section 93.308(a)(2)(ii) of the regulations states that APHIS will
                add a region to the list referenced in Sec. 93.308(a)(2) upon
                determining AHS exists in the region, based on reports APHIS receives
                of outbreaks of the disease from veterinary officials of the exporting
                country, from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), or from
                other sources the Administrator determines to be reliable.
                 On March 27, 2020, the veterinary authorities of Thailand reported
                to the OIE the occurrence of AHS in that country. In response to that
                report, on March 31, 2020, APHIS added Thailand to the list of regions
                where AHS exists. On that same date, APHIS issued an import alert
                notifying stakeholders that effective March 27, 2020, APHIS imposed
                restrictions on importation of equine and equine-derived commodities
                from Thailand due to AHS. This notice serves as an official record and
                public notification of that action.
                 Pursuant to the Congressional Review Act (5 U.S.C. 801 et seq.),
                the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs designated this action
                as not a major rule, as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2).
                 Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1622 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 9th day of June 2021.
                Mark Davidson,
                Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
                [FR Doc. 2021-12419 Filed 6-11-21; 8:45 am]
                BILLING CODE 3410-34-P