[Federal Register: October 24, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 205)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 62215]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24oc06-12]
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Proposed Rules
Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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[[Page 62215]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
9 CFR Part 3
[Docket No. APHIS-2006-0044]
Animal Welfare; Elephants
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of petition and request for comments; extension of
comment period.
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SUMMARY: We are extending the comment period for our notice of petition
and request for comments concerning the handling, care, treatment, and
transport of elephants covered by the Animal Welfare Act. This action
will allow interested persons additional time to prepare and submit
comments.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before
December 11, 2006.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov
, select ``Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service'' from the agency drop-down menu, then click ``Submit.'' In the
Docket ID column, select APHIS-2006-0044 to submit or view public
comments and to view supporting and related materials available
electronically. Information on using Regulations.gov, including
instructions for accessing documents, submitting comments, and viewing
the docket after the close of the comment period, is available through
the site's ``User Tips'' link.
Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send four copies
of your comment (an original and three copies) to Docket No. APHIS-
2006-0044, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-
03.8, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state
that your comment refers to Docket No. APHIS-2006-0044.
Reading Room: You may read any comments that we receive on Docket
No. APHIS-2006-0044 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.
Other Information: Additional information about APHIS and its
programs is available on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Barbara Kohn, Senior Staff
Veterinarian, Animal Care, APHIS, 4700 River Road, Unit 84, Riverdale,
MD 20737-1234; (301) 734-7833.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On August 9, 2006, we published in the
Federal Register (71 FR 45438-45439, Docket No. APHIS-2006-0044) a
notice of petition and request for comments. That document notified the
public that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service had received
a petition from In Defense of Animals requesting that we issue an
interpretive rule or policy to clarify the space and living conditions
required for captive elephants, and that we enforce the Animal Welfare
Act and its implementing regulations by requiring that exhibitors fully
comply with the regulations. We solicited comments from the public
regarding the petition, and whether we should continue to regulate the
handling, care, treatment, and transport of elephants covered by the
Animal Welfare Act under the general standards in the regulations or
promulgate specific standards for elephants. We also requested comments
regarding what should be included in such standards.
Comments on the notice were required to be received on or before
October 10, 2006. On September 15, 2006, we published in the Federal
Register (71 FR 54438, Docket No. APHIS-2006-0044) a document extending
the comment period for an additional 30 days. Comments on the notice of
petition were required to be received on or before November 9, 2006.
We are extending the comment period on Docket No. APHIS-2006-0044
for an additional 30 days. This action will allow interested persons
additional time to prepare and submit comments.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 2131-2159; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.7.
Done in Washington, DC, this 18th day of October 2006.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E6-17775 Filed 10-23-06; 8:45 am]
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