No person may move interstate from any quarantined area any regulated article except in accordance with this subpart. 1

Administrator. The Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, or any person authorized to act for the Administrator.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the United States Department of Agriculture.

Cactus plants. Any of various fleshy-stemmed plants of the botanical family Cactaceae.

Certificate. A document in which an inspector or person operating under a compliance agreement affirms that a specified regulated article is free of South American cactus moth and may be moved interstate to any destination.

Compliance agreement. A written agreement between APHIS and a person engaged in growing, handling, or moving regulated articles, wherein the person agrees to comply with this subpart.

Departmental permit. A document issued by the Administrator in which he or she affirms that interstate movement of the regulated article identified on the document is for scientific or experimental purposes and that the regulated article is eligible for interstate movement in accordance with § 301.55-4(c).

Infestation. The presence of the South American cactus moth or the existence of circumstances that makes it reasonable to believe that the South American cactus moth may be present.

Inspector. Any employee of APHIS or other person authorized by the Administrator to perform the duties required under this subpart.

Interstate. From any State into or through any other State.

Limited permit. A document in which an inspector or person operating under a compliance agreement affirms that the regulated article identified on the document is eligible for interstate movement in accordance with § 301.55-5(b) only to a specified destination and only in accordance with specified conditions.

Moved (move, movement). Shipped, offered for shipment, received for transportation, transported, carried, or allowed to be moved, shipped, transported, or carried.

Person. Any association, company, corporation, firm, individual, joint stock company, partnership, society, or other entity.

Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ). The Plant Protection and Quarantine program of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture.

Quarantined area. Any State, or any portion of a State, listed in accordance with § 301.55-3(a) or otherwise designated as a quarantined area in accordance with § 301.55-3(b).

Regulated article. Any article identified as a regulated article under § 301.55-2 as follows: listed as of January 30, 2023, added in accordance with § 301.55-2(b), or otherwise designated in accordance with § 301.55-2(c).

South American cactus moth. The live insect known as the South American cactus moth, Cactoblastis cactorum, in any life stage (egg, larva, pupa, adult).

State. The District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, or any State, territory, or possession of the United States.

(a) List of regulated articles. The Administrator has determined that certain articles present a risk of spreading the South American cactus moth. A list of all such regulated articles is found on the internet at www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/plant-pest-and-disease-programs/pests-and-diseases/sa_insects/south-american-cactus-moth. Lists of all regulated articles may also be obtained by request from any local office of PPQ; local offices are listed in telephone directories and on the internet at www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/ppq-program-overview/sphd.

(b) Normal process for designating additional regulated articles. (1) If the Administrator determines that an article not already listed at www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/plant-pest-and-disease-programs/pests-and-diseases/sa_insects/south-american-cactus-moth presents a risk of spreading South American cactus moth, APHIS will publish a notice in the Federal Register proposing to designate the article as a regulated article for South American cactus moth. The notice will provide the basis for this determination, and will request public comment.

(2) If no comments are received on the notice, or if the comments do not change the Administrator's determination, APHIS will publish a second notice in the Federal Register designating the article as a regulated article for South American cactus moth and listing it.

(c) Immediate designation of regulated articles. An inspector may designate any other product, article, or means of conveyance not listed at www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/plant-pest-and-disease-programs/pests-and-diseases/sa_insects/south-american-cactus-moth as a regulated article if the inspector determines it presents a risk of spreading the South American cactus moth, after the inspector provides written notification to the person in possession of the product, article, or means of conveyance that it is subject to the restrictions of this subpart.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b) of this section, the Administrator will list as a quarantined area each State, or each portion of a State, in which the South American cactus moth has been found by an inspector, in which the Administrator has reason to believe that the South American cactus moth is present, or that the Administrator considers necessary to quarantine because of its inseparability for quarantine enforcement purposes from localities where South American cactus moth has been found. The Administrator will publish a list of all quarantined areas (the quarantine list) on the Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) website at www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/plant-pest-and-disease-programs/pests-and-diseases/sa_insects/south-american-cactus-moth. The list will include the date that the list was last updated. Lists of all quarantined areas may also be obtained by request from any local PPQ office; local offices are listed in telephone directories and on the internet at www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/ppq-program-overview/sphd. After a change is made to the list of quarantined areas, APHIS will publish a notice in the Federal Register informing the public that the change has occurred and describing the change to the quarantined areas. Less than an entire State will be designated as a quarantined area only if the Administrator determines that:

(1) The State has adopted and is enforcing restrictions on the intrastate movement of the regulated articles that are equivalent to those imposed by this subpart on the interstate movement of regulated articles; and

(2) The designation of less than the entire State as a quarantined area will be adequate to prevent the interstate spread of the South American cactus moth.

(b) The Administrator or an inspector may temporarily designate any nonquarantined area in a State as a quarantined area in accordance with the criteria specified in paragraph (a) of this section. The Administrator will give a copy of this subpart along with written notice of the temporary designation to the owner or person in possession of the nonquarantined area, or, in the case of publicly owned land, to the person responsible for the management of the nonquarantined area. Thereafter, the interstate movement of any regulated article from an area temporarily designated as a quarantined area will be subject to this subpart. As soon as practicable, the area will be added to the quarantine list or the designation will be terminated by the Administrator or an inspector. The owner or person in possession of, or, in the case of publicly owned land, the person responsible for the management of, an area for which designation is terminated will be given written notice of the termination as soon as practicable.

Any regulated article may be moved interstate from a quarantined area 1 only if moved under the following conditions:

(a) With a certificate or limited permit issued and attached in accordance with §§ 301.555 and 301.55-8;

(b) Without a certificate or limited permit if:

(1) The regulated article originated outside the quarantined area and is either moved in an enclosed vehicle or is completely enclosed by a covering (such as canvas, plastic, or closely woven cloth) adequate to prevent access by South American cactus moths while moving through the quarantined area; and

(2) The point of origin of the regulated article is indicated on the waybill, and the enclosed vehicle or the enclosure that contains the regulated article is not opened, unpacked, or unloaded in the quarantined area; and

(3) The regulated article is moved through the quarantined area without stopping except for refueling or for traffic conditions, such as traffic lights or stop signs.

(c) Without a certificate or limited permit if the regulated articles are cactus pads and fruits for consumption from outside the quarantined area that are being moved in accordance with the protocols described in a compliance agreement (see § 301.55-6(a)) to a commercial food warehouse or distribution center within the quarantined area and the regulated articles remain enclosed by a covering (such as canvas, plastic, or closely woven cloth) adequate to prevent access by South American cactus moths while within the quarantined area: and

(d) Without a certificate or limited permit if the regulated article is moved:

(1) By the United States Department of Agriculture for experimental or scientific purposes;

(2) Pursuant to a departmental permit issued by the Administrator for the regulated article;

(3) Under conditions specified on the departmental permit and found by the Administrator to be adequate to prevent the spread of the South American cactus moth; and

(4) With a tag or label bearing the number of the departmental permit issued for the regulated article attached to the outside of the container of the regulated article or attached to the regulated article itself if not in a container.

(a) An inspector 1 may issue a certificate for the interstate movement of a regulated article if the inspector determines that:

(1) The regulated article to be moved and all other regulated articles on the premises have been grown and maintained indoors in a shadehouse or greenhouse and no other cactus moth host material exists on the premises outside of a shadehouse or greenhouse;

(2) The regulated article to be moved and all other regulated articles on the premises are maintained on benches that are kept separate from benches containing non-host material;

(3) The regulated article to be moved and all other regulated articles on the premises have been placed on a 21-day insecticide spray cycle and have been sprayed with Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki, carbaryl, spinosad, or imidaploprid if maintained in the nursery for longer than 21 days;

(4) The regulated article to be moved has been sprayed with Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki, carbaryl, spinosad, or imidaploprid 3 to 5 days prior to shipment and inspected and found free of cactus moth egg sticks and larval damage; and

(5) If the regulated article was moved into the premises from another premises in a quarantined area listed in § 301.55-3, it was immediately placed inside the shadehouse or greenhouse and sprayed with Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki, carbaryl, spinosad, or imidaploprid within 24 hours.

(b) An inspector will issue a limited permit for the interstate movement of a regulated article if the inspector determines that:

(1) The regulated article is to be moved interstate to a specified destination for specified handling, processing, or utilization (the destination and other conditions to be listed in the limited permit), and this interstate movement will not result in the spread of the South American cactus moth because life stages of the South American cactus moth will be destroyed by the specified handling, processing, or utilization;

(2) It is to be moved in compliance with any additional conditions that the Administrator may impose under section 414 of the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7714) in order to prevent the spread of the South American cactus moth; and

(3) It is eligible for unrestricted movement under all other Federal domestic plant quarantines and regulations applicable to the regulated article.

(c) Certificates and limited permits for the interstate movement of regulated articles may be issued by an inspector or person operating under a compliance agreement. A person operating under a compliance agreement may issue a certificate or limited permit for interstate movement of a regulated article after an inspector has determined that the regulated article is eligible for a certificate or limited permit in accordance with paragraphs (a) or (b) of this section.

(d) Any certificate or limited permit that has been issued may be canceled, either orally or in writing, by an inspector whenever the inspector determines that the holder of the limited permit has not complied with this subpart or any conditions imposed under this subpart. If the cancellation is oral, the cancellation will become effective immediately, and the cancellation and the reasons for the cancellation will be confirmed in writing as soon as circumstances permit. Any person whose certificate or limited permit has been canceled may appeal the decision in writing to the Administrator within 10 days after receiving the written cancellation notice. The appeal must state all of the facts and reasons that the person wants the Administrator to consider in deciding the appeal. A hearing may be held to resolve a conflict as to any material fact. Rules of practice for the hearing will be adopted by the Administrator. As soon as practicable, the Administrator will grant or deny the appeal, in writing, stating the reasons for the decision.

(a) Any person engaged in growing, handling, or moving regulated articles may enter into a compliance agreement when an inspector determines that the person is aware of this subpart, agrees to comply with its provisions, and agrees to comply with all the provisions contained in the compliance agreement. 1

(b) Any compliance agreement may be canceled, either orally or in writing, by an inspector whenever the inspector finds that the person who has entered into the compliance agreement has failed to comply with this subpart or the terms of the compliance agreement. If the cancellation is oral, the cancellation and the reasons for the cancellation will be confirmed in writing as promptly as circumstances allow. Any person whose compliance agreement has been canceled may appeal the decision, in writing, to the Administrator, within 10 days after receiving written notification of the cancellation. The appeal must state all of the facts and reasons upon which the person relies to show that the compliance agreement was wrongfully canceled. As promptly as circumstances allow, the Administrator will grant or deny the appeal, in writing, stating the reasons for the decision. A hearing will be held to resolve any conflict as to any material fact. Rules of practice concerning a hearing will be adopted by the Administrator.

(a) Any person (other than a person authorized to issue limited permits under § 301.555(c)) who desires a certificate or limited permit to move a regulated article interstate must request an inspector 1 to examine the articles as far in advance of the desired interstate movement as possible, but no less than 48 hours before the desired interstate movement.

(b) The regulated article must be assembled at the place and in the manner the inspector designates as necessary to comply with this subpart.

(a) A certificate or limited permit required for the interstate movement of a regulated article must, at all times during the interstate movement, be:

(1) Attached to the outside of the container containing the regulated article; or

(2) Attached to the regulated article itself if not in a container; or

(3) Attached to the consignee's copy of the accompanying waybill. If the certificate or limited permit is attached to the consignee's copy of the waybill, the regulated article must be sufficiently described on the certificate or limited permit and on the waybill to identify the regulated article.

(b) The certificate or limited permit for the interstate movement of a regulated article must be furnished by the carrier or the carrier's representative to the consignee listed on the certificate or limited permit upon arrival at the location provided on the certificate or limited permit.

The services of the inspector during normal business hours (8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays) will be furnished without cost. APHIS will not be responsible for all costs or charges incident to inspections or compliance with the provisions of the quarantine and regulations in this subpart, other than for the services of the inspector.