| USDA PROHIBITS THE IMPORTATION OF LEOPARD, SULCATA AND BELL'S HINGEBACK TORTOISES |
3/21/2000 (USDA Press Release): The U.S. Department of Agriculture is prohibiting, until further notice, the importation of certain land tortoises. This interim rule also prohibits the interstate movement of certain African tortoises.
"These emergency actions are necessary because these tortoises, which are regularly imported into the United States and are common in U.S. pet trade, have been found to harbor exotic ticks known to be vectors of heartwater disease," said Alfonso Torres, deputy administrator for veterinary services with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, a part of USDA's marketing and regulatory programs mission area.
All species and subspecies of leopard tortoise (Geochelone pardalis), African spurred tortoise (Geochelone sulcata), and Bell's hingeback tortoise (Kinixys belliana) are prohibited from being imported into the United States or moved interstate under this regulation.
APHIS is working to establish effective treatment and biosecurity protocols for tortoises that will remove the threat of heartwater disease. When such protocols and treatments are established and when tortoises and other reptiles already in the United States have been effectively treated for exotic ticks and all exotic ticks are eradicated, the ban on the importation of these tortoises, as well as the ban on their interstate movement, will be lifted.
Until that time, however, these actions will provide protection against an outbreak of heartwater disease in domestic and wild populations of ruminants in the United States. Heartwater disease is an acute, infectious disease of ruminants, including cattle, sheep, goats, white-tailed deer, and antelope. This disease has a 60 percent or greater mortality rate in livestock and a 90 percent or greater mortality rate in white-tailed deer.
For more information, contact David Wilson, senior staff entomologist, emergency programs, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 41, Riverdale, Md. 20737,(301) 734-8073.
Notice of this action is scheduled to appear in the March 22 Federal Register and becomes effective upon publication [reproduced below]. 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.
Consideration will be given to comments received on or before May 22. Please send an original and three copies to Docket No. 00-016-1, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Suite 3C03, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238.
Hallie Pickhardt (301) 734-5175
Jerry Redding (202) 720-6959
[Federal Register: March 22, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 56)]
[Rules and Regulations] [Page 15216-15218]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
9 CFR Parts 74 and 93 [Docket No. 00-016-1]
Importation and Interstate Movement of Certain Land Tortoises
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Interim rule and request for comments.
SUMMARY: We are prohibiting, until further notice, the importation into the United States of certain land tortoises. We are also prohibiting, until further notice, the interstate movement of these land tortoises. These actions are necessary to prevent the introduction and spread of exotic ticks known to be vectors of heartwater disease, an acute infectious disease of ruminants. These actions will provide protection against an outbreak of heartwater disease in domestic and wild populations of ruminants in the United States.
DATES: This interim rule is effective March 22, 2000. However, this
rule does not apply to importations that are en route to the United
States. We invite you to comment on this docket. We will consider all
comments that we receive by May 22, 2000.
ADDRESSES: Please send your comment and three copies to: Docket No. 00-016-1, 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. 00-016-1.
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 dockets, are available on the Internet at
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. D. D. Wilson, Senior Staff
Entomologist, Emergency Programs, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 41,
Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-8073.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The regulations in 9 CFR part 93 (referred to below as the animal import regulations) prohibit or restrict the importation of certain animals and birds into the United States to prevent the introduction of communicable diseases of livestock and poultry. The regulations in 9 CFR chapter I, subchapter C (referred to below as the interstate movement regulations), prohibit or restrict the interstate movement of certain animals and birds to prevent the spread of communicable diseases of livestock and poultry within the United States.
We are amending the animal import regulations to prohibit, until further notice, the importation of the following tortoises into the United States: All species and subspecies of leopard tortoise (Geochelone pardalis), African spurred tortoise (Geochelone sulcata), and Bell's hingeback tortoise (Kinixys belliana). Tortoises that are en route to the United States at the time of the publication of this interim rule will be allowed to be imported for humanitarian reasons. Refusing entry of tortoises already en route to the United States upon publication of the rule would be detrimental to the health of the tortoises and could be fatal.
In addition, we are amending the interstate movement regulations to
prohibit, until further notice, the interstate movement of all species
and subspecies of these land tortoises.
These actions are necessary because these tortoises, which are
regularly imported into the United States and are common in the U.S.
pet trade, have been found to harbor the tropical bont tick (Amblyomma
variegatum), the African tortoise tick (Amblyomma marmoreum), and ticks
of the species Amblyomma sparsum. All of these exotic ticks are known
to be vectors of heartwater disease. Heartwater disease is an acute
infectious disease of ruminants, including cattle, sheep, goats, white-
tailed deer, and antelope. This disease has a 60 percent or greater
mortality rate in livestock and a 90 percent or greater mortality rate
in white-tailed deer.
In December 1999, it was reported that evidence indicating the
presence of nucleic acid from the causative agent of heartwater disease
or a related agent might have been present in Amblyomma sparsum
collected from leopard tortoises imported into Florida. Subsequently,
in February 2000, leopard tortoises from premises known to be infested
with the African tortoise tick were moved interstate to noninfested
premises. Though these incidents involve only leopard tortoises, we are
also prohibiting the importation and interstate movement of African
spurred tortoise and Bell's hingeback tortoise because interception
records from 1995-1999 report that 90 percent of the tropical bont
ticks, African tortoise ticks, and ticks of the species Amblyomma
sparsum found on reptiles entering the United States occurred on these
three species of land tortoise.
We are working to establish effective treatment and biosecurity
protocols for tortoises and other reptiles. Effective treatment and
biosecurity protocols will allow us to ensure that all tortoises and
other reptiles entering the United States, as well as tortoises and
other reptiles already in the United States, can be effectively treated
for exotic ticks and that all exotic ticks can be eradicated from
infested premises. When we have established such protocols, and when
tortoises and other reptiles already in the United States have been
effectively treated for exotic ticks and all exotic ticks eradicated
from infested premises, the ban on importation of these tortoises from
Africa, as well as the ban on interstate movement of these tortoises,
will be lifted. Until that time, however, these actions will provide
protection against an outbreak of heartwater disease in domestic and
wild populations of ruminants in the United States.
Emergency Action
The Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
has determined that an emergency exists that warrants publication of
this interim rule without prior opportunity for public comment.
Immediate action is necessary to prevent an outbreak of heartwater
disease in the United States.
Because prior notice and other public procedures with respect to
this action are impracticable and contrary to the public interest under
these conditions, we find good cause under 5 U.S.C. 553 to make this
action effective less than 30 days after publication. We will consider
comments that are received within 60 days of publication of this rule
in the Federal Register. After the comment period closes, we will
publish another document in the Federal Register. The document will
include a discussion of any comments we receive and any amendments we
are making to the rule as a result of the comments.
Executive Order 12866 and Regulatory Flexibility Act
This rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12866. The rule
has been determined to be not significant for the purposes of Executive
Order 12866 and, therefore, has not been reviewed by the Office of
Management and Budget.
This emergency situation makes timely compliance with section 604
of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) impracticable.
We are currently assessing the potential economic effects of this
action on small entities. Based on that assessment, we will either
certify that the rule will not have a significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small entities or publish a final regulatory
flexibility analysis.
Executive Order 12372
This program/activity is listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance under No. 10.025 and is subject to Executive Order 12372,
which requires intergovernmental consultation with State and local
officials. (See 7 CFR part 3015, subpart V.)
Executive Order 12988
This rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12988, Civil Justice Reform.
This rule: (1) Preempts all State and local laws and regulations
that are inconsistent with this rule; (2) Has no retroactive effect;
and (3) Does not require administrative proceedings before parties may
file suit in court challenging this rule.
Paperwork Reduction Act
This interim rule contains no information collection or record keeping requirements under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).
List of Subjects
9 CFR Part 74
Animal diseases, Livestock, Quarantine, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements, Transportation.
9 CFR Part 93
Animal diseases, Imports, Livestock, Poultry and poultry products,
Quarantine, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
Accordingly, we are amending 9 CFR chapter I as follows:
1. In subchapter C, a new part 74 is added to read as follows:
PART 74--PROHIBITION OF INTERSTATE MOVEMENT OF LAND TORTOISES
Sec. 74.1 General prohibition.
Authority: 21 U.S.C. 111-113, 114a, 115, 117, 120, 122-126,
134b, 134f; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.2(d).
Sec. 74.1 General prohibition.
The interstate movement of leopard tortoise (Geochelone pardalis),
African spurred tortoise (Geochelone sulcata), and Bell's hingeback
tortoise (Kinixys belliana) is prohibited.
PART 93--IMPORTATION OF CERTAIN ANIMALS, BIRDS, AND POULTRY, AND
CERTAIN ANIMAL, BIRD, AND POULTRY PRODUCTS; REQUIREMENTS FOR MEANS
OF CONVEYANCE AND SHIPPING CONTAINERS
2. The authority citation for part 93 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1622; 19 U.S.C. 1306; 21 U.S.C. 102-105,
111, 114a, 134a, 134b, 134c, 134d, 134f, 136, and 136a; 31 U.S.C.
9701; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.2(d).
3. In Sec. 93.701, a new paragraph (c) is added to read as follows:
Sec. 93.701 Prohibitions.
(c) No person may import leopard tortoise (Geochelone pardalis),
African spurred tortoise (Geochelone sulcata), or Bell's hingeback
tortoise (Kinixys belliana) into the United States.
Done in Washington, DC, this 16th day of March 2000.
Bobby R. Acord,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 00-7014 Filed 3-21-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-U | 
