Animal Welfare; Marine Mammals

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

9 CFR Part 3

[Docket No. 93-076-14]

Animal Welfare; Marine Mammals

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of reopening and extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: We are reopening and extending the comment period for our

proposed rule to amend the Animal Welfare Act regulations concerning

the humane handling, care, treatment, and transportation of marine

mammals in captivity. This action will allow interested persons

additional time to prepare and submit comments.

DATES: We invite you to comment on Docket No. 93-076-11. We will

consider all comments that we receive by May 26, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Please send your comment and three copies to: Docket No. 93-

076-11, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Suite 3C03,

4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238.

Please state that your comment refers to Docket No. 93-076-11.

You may read any comments that we receive on this docket in our

reading room. The reading room is located in room 1141 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) 690-2817 before coming.

APHIS documents published in the Federal Register, and related

information, including the names of organizations and individuals who

have commented on APHIS rules, are available on the Internet at http://

www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Barbara Kohn, Senior Staff

Veterinarian, Animal Care, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 84, Riverdale,

MD 20737-1228, (301) 734-7833.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On February 23, 1999, we published in the Federal Register (64 FR

8735-8755, Docket No. 93-076-11) a proposal to amend the Animal Welfare

Act regulations concerning the humane handling, care, treatment, and

transportation of marine mammals in captivity. The proposed regulations

were developed by the Marine Mammal Negotiated Rulemaking Advisory

Committee.

Comments on the proposed rule were required to be received on or

before April 26, 1999. We are reopening and extending the comment

period on Docket No. 93-076-11 for 30 days to May 26, 1999. This action

will allow interested persons additional time to prepare and submit

comments.

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 2131-2159; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.2(d).

Done in Washington, DC, this 10th day of April 1999.

Joan M. Arnoldi,

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

[FR Doc. 99-12236 Filed 5-13-99; 8:45 am]

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