Importation of Fresh Hass Avocado Fruit Grown in Michoacan, Mexico

SUMMARY: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is reopening

and extending the time period for the public to comment on an advance

notice of proposed rulemaking regarding the possible importation of

fresh Hass avocado fruit grown in approved orchards in approved

municipalities in Michoacan, Mexico, into certain areas in the United

States. Reopening and extending the comment period will give interested

persons additional time to prepare and submit comments on the Mexican

proposal.

DATES: Consideration will be given only to comments received on or

before January 3, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Please send an original and three copies of your comments to

Chief, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, USDA, P.O.

Drawer 810, Riverdale, MD 20738. Please state that your comments refer

to Docket No. 94-116-2. Comments received may be inspected at USDA,

room 1141, South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue SW.,

Washington, DC, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday,

except holidays. Persons wishing to inspect comments are requested to

call ahead on (202) 690-2817 to facilitate entry into the comment

reading room.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Victor Harabin, Head, Permit Unit,

Port Operations, Plant Protection and Quarantine, APHIS, USDA, P.O.

Drawer 810, Riverdale, MD, 20738. The telephone number for the agency

contact will change when agency offices in Hyattsville, MD, move to

Riverdale, MD, during January. Telephone: (301) 436-8645 (Hyattsville);

(301) 734-8645 (Riverdale).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On November 15, 1994, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection

Service (APHIS) published in the Federal Register (59 FR 59070-59071,

Docket No. 94-116-1) an advance notice of proposed rulemaking and a

notice of public meetings concerning the possible importation of fresh

Hass avocado fruit grown in approved orchards in approved

municipalities in Michoacan, Mexico, into certain areas in the United

States. The two public meetings were held on November 28 and 29.

Interested persons were invited to present either written or oral

comments at the public meetings on the Mexican proposal. The notice

stated that copies of the Mexican proposal were available by calling or

writing Mr. Victor Harabin. All written comments on the advance notice

and Mexican proposal were required to be received on or before December

13, 1994.

At the public meetings, copies of the Mexican proposal were also

made available. A number of persons in attendance at both public

meetings stated that this was their first opportunity to review the

Mexican proposal and that the copies of the proposal provided were

incomplete because Appendices I, II, and III were not included. They

requested that the Appendices be provided and that the comment period

closing date be extended to allow time for review of the complete

proposal and comment. APHIS has forwarded copies of these Appendices to

those interested persons who requested copies of the Mexican proposal

pursuant to the November 15, 1994, Federal Register notice or who

received copies of the proposal at the two public meetings. So that

interested persons may have additional time to prepare and submit

comments on the Mexican proposal, APHIS is reopening and extending the

public comment period on Docket No. 94-116-1 until January 3, 1995.

APHIS will consider all comments received between November 15, 1994,

and January 3, 1995.

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 150dd, 150ee, 150ff, 151-167, 450; 21 U.S.C.

136 and 136a; 7 CFR 2.17, 2.51, and 371.2(c).

Done in Washington, DC, this 14th day of December 1994.

Alex B. Thiermann,

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

[FR Doc. 94-31151 Filed 12-16-94; 8:45 am]

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