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    <RIN_INFO>
        <RIN>0579-AC98</RIN>
        <PUBLICATION>
            <PUBLICATION_ID>200910</PUBLICATION_ID>
            <PUBLICATION_TITLE>The Regulatory Plan and the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions</PUBLICATION_TITLE>
        </PUBLICATION>
        <AGENCY>
            <CODE>0579</CODE>
            <NAME>Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service</NAME>
            <ACRONYM>APHIS</ACRONYM>
        </AGENCY>
        <PARENT_AGENCY>
            <CODE>0500</CODE>
            <NAME>Department of Agriculture</NAME>
            <ACRONYM>USDA</ACRONYM>
        </PARENT_AGENCY>
        <RULE_TITLE>Plant Pest Regulations; Update of General Provisions</RULE_TITLE>
        <ABSTRACT><![CDATA[We are proposing to revise our regulations regarding the movement of plant pests.  We are proposing to regulate not only plant pests, but also biological control organisms and noxious weeds. We are proposing risk-based criteria for determining the plant pest status of biological control organisms, providing for the environmental release of organisms for the biological control of weeds, providing for exemption from permit requirements for certain plant pests, and adding relevant definitions. We are also proposing to revise our regulations regarding the movement of soil. These proposed changes would clarify the factors that would be considered when assessing the risks associated with certain organisms, facilitate the importation and interstate movement of regulated organisms, provide transparency of the assessment process, and address gaps in the current regulations.]]></ABSTRACT>
        <PRIORITY_CATEGORY>Other Significant</PRIORITY_CATEGORY>
        <RIN_STATUS>First Time Published in The Unified Agenda</RIN_STATUS>
        <RULE_STAGE>Proposed Rule Stage</RULE_STAGE>
        <MAJOR>No</MAJOR>
        <UNFUNDED_MANDATE_LIST>
            <UNFUNDED_MANDATE>No</UNFUNDED_MANDATE>
        </UNFUNDED_MANDATE_LIST>
        <CFR_LIST>
            <CFR>7 CFR 318 to 319</CFR>
            <CFR>7 CFR 330</CFR>
            <CFR>7 CFR 352</CFR>
        </CFR_LIST>
        <LEGAL_AUTHORITY_LIST>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>7 USC 450</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>7 USC 2260</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>7 USC 7701 to 7772</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>7 USC 7781 to 7786</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>19 USC 136</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>21 USC 111</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>21 USC 114a</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>21 USC 136 and 136a</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>31 USC 9701</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>42 USC 4331 to 4332</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
        </LEGAL_AUTHORITY_LIST>
        <LEGAL_DLINE_LIST/>
        <RPLAN_ENTRY>No</RPLAN_ENTRY>
        <TIMETABLE_LIST>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>10/20/2009</TTBL_DATE>
                <FR_CITATION>74 FR 53673</FR_CITATION>
            </TIMETABLE>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>Notice Comment Period End</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>11/19/2009</TTBL_DATE>
            </TIMETABLE>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>NPRM</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>01/00/2010</TTBL_DATE>
            </TIMETABLE>
        </TIMETABLE_LIST>
        <ADDITIONAL_INFO>Additional information about APHIS and its programs is available on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov.</ADDITIONAL_INFO>
        <RFA_REQUIRED>Yes</RFA_REQUIRED>
        <SMALL_ENTITY_LIST>
            <SMALL_ENTITY>Businesses</SMALL_ENTITY>
            <SMALL_ENTITY>Organizations</SMALL_ENTITY>
        </SMALL_ENTITY_LIST>
        <GOVT_LEVEL_LIST>
            <GOVT_LEVEL>Local</GOVT_LEVEL>
            <GOVT_LEVEL>State</GOVT_LEVEL>
            <GOVT_LEVEL>Tribal</GOVT_LEVEL>
        </GOVT_LEVEL_LIST>
        <FEDERALISM>No</FEDERALISM>
        <PRINT_PAPER>Yes</PRINT_PAPER>
        <INTERNATIONAL_INTEREST>Yes</INTERNATIONAL_INTEREST>
        <AGENCY_CONTACT_LIST>
            <CONTACT>
                <FIRST_NAME>Robert</FIRST_NAME>
                <LAST_NAME>Flanders</LAST_NAME>
                <TITLE>Senior Technical Advisor, Plant Health Programs, PPQ</TITLE>
                <AGENCY>
                    <CODE>0579</CODE>
                    <NAME>Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service</NAME>
                    <ACRONYM>APHIS</ACRONYM>
                </AGENCY>
                <PHONE>301 734-0858</PHONE>
                <MAILING_ADDRESS>
                    <STREET_ADDRESS>Unit 133, 4700 River Road, Unit 131,</STREET_ADDRESS>
                    <CITY>Riverdale</CITY>
                    <STATE>MD</STATE>
                    <ZIP>20737-1236</ZIP>
                </MAILING_ADDRESS>
            </CONTACT>
        </AGENCY_CONTACT_LIST>
    </RIN_INFO>
</REGINFO_RIN_DATA>
