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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

CFR Citation: 9 CFR Parts 55 and 81

Docket ID: [Docket No. 00-108-6]

RIN ID: RIN 0579-AB35

NOTICE: PROPOSED RULES

ACTION: Chronic Wasting Disease Herd Certification Program:

DOCUMENT ACTION: Notice of receipt of petitions and request for comments; extension of comment period.

SUBJECT CATEGORY: Chronic Wasting Disease Herd Certification Program and Interstate Movement of Farmed or Captive Deer, Elk, and Moose; Petitions and Request for Comments

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before January 3, 2007.

DOCUMENT SUMMARY: We are extending the comment period for our notice that announced the receipt of three petitions requesting that we delay implementation of, and reconsider provisions in, a recent final rule establishing a herd certification program and interstate movement restrictions for cervids to control the spread of chronic wasting disease. This action will allow interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments.

SUMMARY: Farmed or captive deer, elk, and moose; interstate movement requirements,

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

On November 3, 2006, we published in the Federal Register (71 FR 6465064651, Docket No. 001085) a document in which we announced the receipt of, and requested comments on, three petitions from the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, the National Assembly of State Animal Health Officials, and the United States Animal Health Association. The petitions requested that APHIS delay the effective date of a recent final rule and reconsider several requirements of the rule. The final rule, published in the Federal Register on July 21, 2006 (71 FR 4168241707, Docket No. 001083), establishes a herd certification program and interstate movement regulations for farmed or captive cervids to help eliminate chronic wasting disease in the United States. We published a notice in the Federal Register on September 8, 2006 (71 FR 52983, Docket No. 00108 4), delaying the effective date of the final rule until further notice.

Comments on the petitions were required to be received on or before December 4, 2006. We are extending the comment period on Docket No. 00 1085 until January 3, 2007, an additional 30 days from the original close of the comment period. This action will allow interested persons additional time to prepare and submit comments.

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 83018317; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.4.

Done in Washington, DC, this 15th day of November 2006. Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. [FR Doc. E619662 Filed 112006; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 341034P

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT Dr. Dean E. Goeldner, Senior Staff Veterinarian, Ruminant Health Programs, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 43, Riverdale, MD 207371231; (301) 7344916. Copies of the petitions are available at the Federal eRulemaking Portal, http://www.regulations.gov , as described under ADDRESSES below.