(a) Quarantined areas. The Administrator will list as a quarantined area each State or portion of a State in which an infestation of citrus canker is found. The Administrator will publish a list of all quarantined areas (the quarantine list) on the PPQ website at www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/planthealth/plant-pest-and-disease-programs/pests-and-diseases/citrus/citrus-canker. 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) Survey. No area has been designated a survey area.

(2) Intrastate movement of regulated articles. The State enforces restrictions on the intrastate movement of regulated articles from the quarantined area that are at least as stringent as those on the interstate movement of regulated articles from the quarantined area, except as follows:

(i) Regulated fruit may be moved intrastate from a quarantined area for processing into a product other than fresh fruit if all of the following conditions are met:

(A) The regulated fruit is accompanied by a document that states the location of the grove in which the regulated fruit was produced, the variety and quantity of regulated fruit being moved intrastate, the address to which the regulated fruit will be delivered for processing, and the date the intrastate movement began;

(B) The regulated fruit and any leaves and litter are completely covered, or enclosed in containers or in a compartment of a vehicle, during the intrastate movement;

(C) The vehicles, covers, and any containers used to carry the regulated fruit intrastate are treated in accordance with part 305 of this chapter before leaving the premises where the regulated fruit is unloaded for processing; and

(D) All leaves, litter, and culls collected from the shipment of regulated fruit at the processing facility are either incinerated at the processing facility or buried at a public landfill that is fenced, prohibits the removal of dumped material, and covers dumped material with dirt at the end of every day that dumping occurs.

(ii) Regulated fruit may be moved intrastate from a quarantined area for packing, either for subsequent interstate movement with a limited permit or for export from the United States, if all of the following conditions are met:

(A) The regulated fruit is accompanied by a document that states the location of the grove in which the regulated fruit was produced, the variety and quantity of regulated fruit being moved intrastate, the address to which the regulated fruit will be delivered for packing, and the date the intrastate movement began;

(B) The regulated fruit and any leaves and litter are completely covered, or enclosed in containers or in a compartment of a vehicle, during the intrastate movement;

(C) The vehicles, covers, and any containers used to carry the regulated fruit intrastate are treated in accordance with part 305 of this chapter before leaving the premises where the regulated fruit is unloaded for packing;

(D) Any equipment that comes in contact with the regulated fruit at the packing plant is treated in accordance with part 305 of this chapter before being used to handle any fruit eligible for interstate movement to commercial citrus-producing areas; and

(E) All leaves and litter collected from the shipment of regulated fruit at the packing plant are either incinerated at the packing plant or buried at a public landfill that is fenced, prohibits the removal of dumped material, and covers dumped material with dirt at the end of every day that dumping occurs. All culls collected from the shipment of regulated fruit are either processed into a product other than fresh fruit, incinerated at the packing plant, or buried at a public landfill that is fenced, prohibits the removal of dumped material, and covers dumped material with dirt at the end of every day that dumping occurs. Any culls moved intrastate for processing must be completely covered, or enclosed in containers or in a compartment of a vehicle, during the intrastate movement, and the vehicles, covers, and any containers used to carry the regulated fruit must be treated in accordance with part 305 of this chapter before leaving the premises where the regulated fruit is unloaded for processing.

(iii) Grass, tree, and plant clippings may be moved intrastate from the quarantined area for disposal in a public landfill or for composting in a recycling facility, if all of the following conditions are met:

(A) The public landfill or recycling facility is located within the survey area described in paragraph (d)(1) of this section;

(B) The grass, tree, or plant clippings are completely covered during the movement from the quarantined area to the public landfill or recycling facility; and

(C) Any public landfill used is fenced, prohibits the removal of dumped material, and covers dumped material with dirt at the end of every day that dumping occurs.

(3) Inspections. (i) In the quarantined area, every regulated plant and regulated tree, except indoor houseplants and regulated plants and regulated trees at nurseries, is inspected for citrus canker at least once a year, between May 1 through December 31, by an inspector.

(ii) In the quarantined area, every regulated plant and regulated tree at every nursery containing regulated plants or regulated trees is inspected for citrus canker by an inspector at intervals of no more than 45 days.

(4) Treatment of personnel, vehicles, and equipment. In the quarantined area, all vehicles, equipment, and other articles used in providing inspection, maintenance, harvesting, or related services in any grove containing regulated plants or regulated trees, or in providing landscaping or lawn care services on any premises containing regulated plants or regulated trees, must be treated in accordance with part 305 of this chapter upon leaving the grove or premises. All personnel who enter the grove or premises to provide these services must be treated in accordance with part 305 of this chapter upon leaving the grove or premises.

(5) Destruction of infected plants and trees. No more than 7 days after a State or Federal laboratory confirms that a regulated plant or regulated tree is infected, the State must provide written notice to the owner of the infected plant or infected tree that the infected plant or infected tree must be destroyed. The owner must have the infected plant or infected tree destroyed within 45 days after receiving the written notice.

(b) Designation change. The Administrator may designate any non-quarantined area as a quarantined area in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section upon giving written notice of this designation to the owner or persons in possession of the non-quarantined area. Thereafter, regulated articles may be moved interstate from that area only in accordance with this subpart. As soon as practicable, this area will be added to the quarantine list, or the Administrator will terminate the designation. The owner or person in possession of an area for which designation is terminated will be given written notice as soon as practicable.

(c) Removal of areas from quarantine. An area on the quarantine list will be removed from quarantine if the area has been without infestation for 2 years. The list will be changed, and the public informed of this change, in accordance with the process specified in paragraph (a) of this section.

[87 FR 80009, Dec. 29, 2022]