Printable version
Interstate Movement of Municipal Waste From Hawaii to the U.S. Mainland (Stakeholder Announcement)
Melissa O'Dell (301) 734-5222
Jerry Redding (202) 720-4623
USDA PROPOSES TO ALLOW THE INTERSTATE MOVEMENT OF MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE FROM HAWAII TO THE U.S. MAINLAND
WASHINGTON, April 24, 2006- The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service today announced a proposal to allow, under certain conditions, the interstate movement of municipal solid waste from Hawaii to the continental United States.
The proposal would require that all regulated garbage, which cannot include agricultural or yard waste, moved interstate from Hawaii to any area of the continental United States be:
- Processed, packaged, safeguarded and disposed of in a landfill using an APHIS-approved method to prevent the introduction or dissemination of plant pests into noninfested areas of the United States;
- Moved under a compliance agreement between APHIS and the person handling or disposing of the garbage and in accordance with any conditions stipulated to address particular pest risks or environmental hazards; and
- Moved in compliance with all applicable environmental protection laws.
The proposed rule was developed in response to requests from private waste disposal companies and is based on the scientific evidence from a pest risk and environmental assessment. This action would provide Hawaii additional waste disposal options while continuing to protect against the introduction of animal or plant pests into the continental United States.
APHIS regulates the importation and interstate movement of garbage that may pose a risk of introducing or disseminating animal or plant pests that are new or not widely distributed within the United States.
The proposed rule was published in the April 19 Federal Register.
Consideration will be given to comments received on or before May 19. Send an original and three copies of postal or commercial delivery comments to Docket No. APHIS-2005-0047, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. If you wish to submit a comment using the Internet, go to the Federal eRulemaking portal at http://www.regulations.gov and, in the "Search Regulations and Federal Actions” box, select "Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service" from the agency drop-down menu; then click on "Submit." In the Docket ID column, select APHIS 2005-0047 to submit or view public comments and to view supporting and related materials available electronically.
Comments are posted on the Regulations Web site and may be reviewed at USDA, Room 1141, South Building, 14th St. and Independence Ave., SW, Washington, D.C., between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. To facilitate entry into the comment reading room please call (202) 690-2817.
#
Note to Reporters: USDA news releases, program announcements and media advisories are available on the Internet. Go to the APHIS news release page at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/newsroom/. Also, anyone with an e-mail address can sign up to receive APHIS press releases automatically. Send an e-mail message to lyris@mdrdlyriss10.aphis.usda.gov and leave the subject blank. In the message, type subscribe press_releases.