European Larch Canker; Expansion of Regulated Areas

Document Headings Document headings vary by document type but may contain the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document the number of the CFR title and the number of each part the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to the agency docket number / agency internal file number the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions See the Document Drafting Handbook for more details. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 7 CFR Part 301 [Docket No. APHIS-2011-0029] AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: Affirmation of interim rule as final rule. SUMMARY: We are adopting as a final rule, without change, an interim rule that amended the domestic quarantine regulations by expanding the regulated area for European larch canker to include additional areas in Maine and by correcting some misidentifications of previously listed regulated areas. The interim rule was necessary to prevent human-assisted transmission of European larch canker from infested areas to noninfested areas. DATES: Effective on December 28, 2011, we are adopting as a final rule the interim rule published at 76 FR 52543-52544 on August 23, 2011. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Paul Chaloux, National Program Manager, Emergency and Domestic Programs, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 26, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 734-0917. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background European larch canker (ELC), Lachnellula willkommi (Dasycypha), is a serious plant disease caused by a fungus that can kill mature and immature species of the genus Larix (larch) and Pseudolarix (Golden larch). Under the regulations in “Subpart-European Larch Canker” ( 7 CFR 301.91 through 301.91-9 , referred to below as the regulations), we restrict the interstate movement of certain regulated articles from regulated areas to prevent the spread of ELC. These regul…