Press Release

Daniel Parry	(301) 734-3255
Jerry Redding	(202) 720-6959

USDA AMENDS ASIAN LONGHORNED BEETLE QUARANTINE AND REGULATIONS

WASHINGTON, May 16, 2003--The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced today that it is amending current Asian longhorned beetle quarantine areas in New York City and New York, and adding areas in Jersey City, N.J.

In addition, APHIS is amending the list of ALB regulated hosts by removing and adding plant genera. After extensive survey and research, APHIS is removing apple, Chinaberry, mulberry, cherry, pear, black locust and citrus from the list of susceptible preferred hosts, and adding Mimosa (silk tree), birch, hackberry, ash, London plane and mountain ash to the list.

ALB is a voracious, nonnative pest of our nation's deciduous hardwood forests and urban landscape and is responsible for the recent removal of 100 infested trees in Jersey City, N.J., and nearly 8,000 trees total in New York and Illinois.

These proposed changes are necessary to prevent the artificial spread of ALB and to increase public awareness of the dangers of transporting ALB host materials.

Notice of this action is scheduled for publication in the May 19 Federal Register and was effective May 13. APHIS documents published in the Federal Register and related information, including the names of organizations and individuals who have commented on APHIS dockets, are available on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html.

Consideration will given to comments received on or before July 18. Comments may be submitted by postal mail, commercial delivery or by e-mail. Send an original and three copies of postal or commercial delivery comments to Docket No. 03-018-1, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3C71, 4700 River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, Md. 20737-1238. If you use e-mail, address your comments to regulations@aphis.usda.gov. Comments must be contained in the body of the message; do not send attached files. Please include your name and address in the message and use "Docket No. 03-018-1" on the subject line.

Comments may be reviewed at USDA, Room 1141, South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C., between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. Persons wishing to review comments are requested to call ahead on (202) 690-2817 to facilitate entry into the comment reading room.

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