54 



FY89 FY90 FY91 FY92 



Inspections of regulated & 

 non-regulated cargo 1,027,286 1,051,580 1,109,175 1,065,373 



Interceptions of quarantine 



significant pests 47,773 47,158 53,460 47,386 



3. What is the number of entomologists APHIS has on staff? 



The Plant Protection and Quarantine division of APHIS has five entomologists at its 

 Biological Assessment and Taxonomic Support Staff in Hyattsville, Md. These individuals 

 are primarily engaged in pest risk and identification activities. 



4. What are your plans with respect to the use of methyl bromide after this chemical is 

 phased out of use? 



The timber and timber products regulations were written with the knowledge that methyl 

 bromide would be phased out in the next few years. All of the methyl bromide requirements 

 presented in the regulations have alternative treatments that are provided in the regulations. 

 APHIS is working with industry to develop and implement alternative pest mitigation 

 measures (e.g. irradiation, heat, borate, etc.) to replace our reliance on methyl bromide for 

 the importation of timber and timber products. 



5. What is the rationale behind the policy to heat treat New Zealand and Chilean Pinus 

 radiata Oumber derived from whole logs) in the United States instead of in the country 

 of origin? 



The proposed rule requires that temperate softwood log importations be heat treated in the 

 country of origin, unless it has been demonstrated that the pest risk can be reduced to an 

 insignificant level by other mitigation measures. The detailed risk assessments completed by 

 the Forest Service for New Zealand and Chile showed that the pest risk associated with the 

 importation of managed plantation grown Pinus radiata was less than for most other types of 

 whole raw log imports. APHIS determined that a comprehensive and overlapping mitigation 

 sequence would provide the needed protection against introduced pests without requiring heat 

 treatment of the logs in the country origin. 



At present, the heat treatment for imported whole softwood logs is not practical. The 

 requirement to heat treat whole Pinus radiata logs from New Zealand and Chile would have, 

 in essence, resulted in prohibiting the importation of the logs. What is practical is the kiln 

 drying of the sawn lumber in the United States. 



For most high-risk log importations, heat treatment before entry into the United States is 

 justified to prevent pest introduction. However, for the much lower risk Pinus radiata 

 grown in New Zealand and Chile, it would be an unjustified burden on the importer to 

 require the heat treatment of the logs since it has been demonstrated that an alternative 



