Washington, DC
July 8, 2004
[Federal Register: July 8, 2004
(Volume 69, Number 130)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 41181]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr08jy04-1]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
7 CFR Part 301
[Docket No. 03-052-2]
Karnal Bunt: Compensation for Custom Harvesters in Northern
Texas
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Technical amendment.
SUMMARY: In an interim rule published in the Federal Register on
May 5, 2004, we amended the Karnal bunt regulations to provide
for the payment of compensation to custom harvesters for losses
they incurred due to
the requirement that their equipment be cleaned and disinfected
after four counties in northern Texas were declared regulated
areas for Karnal bunt during the 2000-2001 crop season. We also
amended the regulations to provide for the payment of
compensation to owners or lessees of other equipment that came
into contact with Karnal bunt-positive host crops in those
counties and was required to be cleaned and disinfected during
the 2000-2001 crop season. The interim rule contained a deadline
of September 2, 2004, for the submission of claims
for compensation; in this document, we are extending the
deadline to December 31, 2004.
EFFECTIVE DATE: This amendment is effective July 8, 2004.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert G. Spaide, Senior
Program Advisor, Pest Detection and Management Programs, PPQ,
APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 98, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301)
734-3769.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In an interim rule published in the
Federal Register on May 5, 2004 (69 FR 24909-24916, Docket No.
03-052-1), we amended the Karnal bunt regulations in 7 CFR part
301 to provide for
the payment of compensation to custom harvesters for losses they
incurred due to the requirement that their equipment be cleaned
and disinfected after four counties in northern Texas were
declared regulated areas for Karnal bunt during the 2000-2001
crop season. We also amended the regulations to provide for the
payment of compensation to owners or lessees of other equipment
that came into contact with Karnal bunt-positive host crops in
those counties and was required to be cleaned and disinfected
during the 2000-2001 crop season.
In the May 2004 interim rule, we required that claims for the
Karnal bunt compensation provided for by the interim rule had to
be received by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service on
or before September 2, 2004. That September 2004 date provided
custom harvesters and others eligible for compensation with 120
days from the interim rule's publication to compile and submit
the documents that must accompany claims for compensation under
the interim rule. However, because custom harvesters are
typically away from their places of
business during the summer while harvesting, and thus may not
have ready access to the documents required by the interim rule,
the September 2, 2004, deadline may make it extremely difficult
for some custom harvesters to submit their compensation claims
on time. Therefore, we are extending the deadline for
compensation claims from September 2, 2004, to December 31,
2004.
List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 301
Agricultural commodities, Plant diseases and pests,
Quarantine, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements,
Transportation.
Accordingly, we are amending 7 CFR part 301 as follows:
PART 301--DOMESTIC QUARANTINE NOTICES
1. The authority citation for part 301 continues to read as
follows:
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 7701-7772; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.3.
Section 301.75-15 also issued under Sec. 204, Title II, Pub.
L. 106-113, 113 Stat. 1501A-293; sections 301.75-15 and
301.75-16 also issued under Sec. 203, Title II, Pub. L. 106-224,
114 Stat. 400 (7 U.S.C. 1421 note).
Sec. 301.89-16 [Amended]
2. In Sec. 301.89-16, the introductory text of paragraph
(d) is amended by removing the date ``September 2, 2004'' and
adding the date ``December 31, 2004'' in its place.
Done in Washington, DC, this 1st day of July 2004.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service.
[FR Doc. 04-15492 Filed 7-7-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P |