<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<REGINFO_RIN_DATA xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" RUN_DATE="2026-04-28-04:00" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="https://www.reginfo.gov/public/xml/REGINFO_XML_Ver10262011.xsd">
    <RIN_INFO>
        <RIN>0579-AC03</RIN>
        <PUBLICATION>
            <PUBLICATION_ID>200904</PUBLICATION_ID>
            <PUBLICATION_TITLE>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>Importation of Plants for Planting; Establishing a New Category of Plants for Planting Not Authorized for Importation Pending Risk Assessment</RULE_TITLE>
        <ABSTRACT><![CDATA[This action would establish a new category in the regulations governing the importation of nursery stock, also known as plants for planting. This category would list taxa of plants for planting whose importation is not authorized pending risk assessment. We would allow foreign governments to request that a pest risk assessment be conducted for a taxon whose importation is not authorized pending risk evaluation. After the pest risk assessment was completed, we would conduct rulemaking to remove the taxon from the proposed category if determined appropriate by the risk assessment. We are also proposing to expand the scope of the plants regulated in the plants for planting regulations to include non-vascular plants. These changes would allow us to react more quickly to evidence that a taxon of plants for planting may pose a pest risk while ensuring that our actions are based on scientific evidence.]]></ABSTRACT>
        <PRIORITY_CATEGORY>Other Significant</PRIORITY_CATEGORY>
        <RIN_STATUS>Previously 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>
        <RFA_SECTION_610_REVIEW>Rulemaking Resulting From a Section 610 Review</RFA_SECTION_610_REVIEW>
        <CFR_LIST>
            <CFR>7 CFR 319</CFR>
        </CFR_LIST>
        <LEGAL_AUTHORITY_LIST>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>7 USC 450</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>7 USC 7701 to 7772</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>7 USC 7781 to 7786</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>21 USC 136 and 136a</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
        </LEGAL_AUTHORITY_LIST>
        <LEGAL_DLINE_LIST/>
        <RPLAN_ENTRY>Yes</RPLAN_ENTRY>
        <TIMETABLE_LIST>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>NPRM</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>06/00/2009</TTBL_DATE>
            </TIMETABLE>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>NPRM Comment Period End</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>08/00/2009</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_LIST>
        <GOVT_LEVEL_LIST>
            <GOVT_LEVEL>None</GOVT_LEVEL>
        </GOVT_LEVEL_LIST>
        <FEDERALISM>No</FEDERALISM>
        <ENERGY_AFFECTED>No</ENERGY_AFFECTED>
        <PRINT_PAPER>Yes</PRINT_PAPER>
        <INTERNATIONAL_INTEREST>Yes</INTERNATIONAL_INTEREST>
        <AGENCY_CONTACT_LIST>
            <CONTACT>
                <FIRST_NAME>Arnold</FIRST_NAME>
                <LAST_NAME>Tschanz</LAST_NAME>
                <MIDDLE_NAME>T.</MIDDLE_NAME>
                <TITLE>Senior Plant Pathologist, Plant Health Programs, PPQ</TITLE>
                <AGENCY>
                    <CODE>0579</CODE>
                    <NAME>Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service</NAME>
                    <ACRONYM>APHIS</ACRONYM>
                </AGENCY>
                <PHONE>301 734-0627</PHONE>
                <MAILING_ADDRESS>
                    <STREET_ADDRESS>Unit 141, 4700 River Road, Unit 133,</STREET_ADDRESS>
                    <CITY>Riverdale</CITY>
                    <STATE>MD</STATE>
                    <ZIP>20737-1231</ZIP>
                </MAILING_ADDRESS>
            </CONTACT>
        </AGENCY_CONTACT_LIST>
    </RIN_INFO>
</REGINFO_RIN_DATA>
