Soil Culture Solutions, LLC: Determination of Nonregulated Status of HLB-Resistant Carrizo Citrange Rootstock (CarriCea T1)

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. APHIS-2025-1067]

Soil Culture Solutions, LLC: Determination of Nonregulated Status of HLB-Resistant Carrizo Citrange Rootstock (CarriCea T1)

AGENCY:

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

We are advising the public of our determination that HLB-resistant Carrizo citrange rootstock, designated as event CarriCea T1, which was developed using genetic engineering for improved resistance to citrus greening disease (also known as Huanglongbing or HLB), is no longer considered regulated. Our determination is based on our evaluation of information and data submitted by Soil Culture Solutions, LLC in its petition for a determination of nonregulated status, available scientific data, the plant pest risk assessment, and public comments received in response to a previous notice announcing the availability of the petition for nonregulated status and a draft plant pest risk assessment. This notice announces the availability of our written determination and supporting documents.

DATES:

This change in regulatory status is recognized as of June 30, 2026.

ADDRESSES:

You may read the petition, our determination referenced in this notice, and supporting documents by any of the following methods:

•

Federal eRulemaking Portal:

Go to

www.regulations.gov.

Enter APHIS-2025-1067 in the Search field.

• Our reading room, located in 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:

Mr. Alan Pearson, Biotechnology Regulatory Services, APHIS, USDA, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, AP100-3-WS-1151, Beltsville, MD 20705; (301) 851-3944; email:

alan.pearson@usda.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Under the authority of the plant pest provisions of the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701-7772, 7781-7786) and the regulations in 7 CFR part 340, “Introduction of Organisms and Products Altered or Produced Through Genetic Engineering Which Are Plant Pests or Which There Is Reason to Believe Are Plant Pests,” APHIS regulates, among other things, the introduction (importation, interstate movement, or release into the environment) of organisms and products altered or produced through genetic engineering that are plant pests or that there is reason to believe are plant pests. Such organisms and products are considered “regulated articles.”

Section 340.6(a) of the regulations provides that any person may submit a petition to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) seeking a determination that an article should not be regulated under 7 CFR part 340.

APHIS received a petition (APHIS Petition Number 25-125-01p) from Soil Culture Solutions, LLC (Soilcea) seeking a determination of nonregulated status for HLB-resistant Carrizo citrange rootstock, designated as event CarriCea T1,

1

which has been developed using genetic engineering for improved resistance to citrus greening disease (also known as Huanglongbing or HLB). The petition provides information in support of petitioners' position that CarriCea T1 is unlikely to pose a plant pest risk and therefore should not be regulated under APHIS' regulations in 7 CFR part 340.

1

The

Federal Register

notice published on February 11, 2026 referred to the event as CarriCea instead of CarriCea T1. The petition and draft PPRA used CarriCea T1. This

Federal Register

notice corrects the name to CarriCea T1.

As part of our decision-making process regarding the organism's regulatory status, APHIS prepared a draft plant pest risk assessment (PPRA) to assess the plant pest risk of the organism.

APHIS published the petition and draft PPRA in the

Federal Register

(91 FR 6180—6181, APHIS-2025-1067) and accepted public comments from February 11, 2026, through April 13, 2026. APHIS received 10 comments by the close of the comment period. Comments were received from the citrus industry, non-government organizations, and individuals. One commenter neither supported nor opposed the action and only attached our draft PPRA. The remaining nine comments expressed support of the deregulation of CarriCea T1.

Determination

Based on APHIS' evaluation in the PPRA of information and data submitted by Soilcea in its petition, available scientific data, and public comments received in response to the petition and draft PPRA, APHIS has determined that CarriCea T1 is unlikely to pose a greater plant pest risk than the nonmodified comparator and therefore is no longer subject to the regulations in 7 CFR part 340 governing the introduction of certain organisms developed using genetic engineering.

Copies of the signed determination, PPRA, and the previously published petition and supporting documents, are available as indicated in the

ADDRESSES

and

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT

sections of this notice.

Authority:

7 U.S.C. 7701-7772 and 7781-7786; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.3.

Done in Washington, DC, this 26th day of June 2026.

Kelly Moore,

Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

[FR Doc. 2026-13238 Filed 6-30-26; 8:45 am]

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