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mitigation sequence (including the kiln-drying of the lumber in the United States) affords 

 nearly the same level of protection. 



6. What is the explanation and scientific justification for APHIS' decision to deviate 

 from the recommendations of the Forest Service scientific advisory panel with respect to 

 the import protocol for New Zealand and Chilean pine logs? 



!:•> 



The Forest Service's Scientific Review Panel recommended a temperature of 71° centigrade 

 for 75 minutes to treat Siberian larch. However, based on the Canadian/EEC Task Force 

 Study on Pasteurization of Softwood Lumber, the proposed rule used a lower temperature of 

 56° centigrade for 30 minutes. Since the proposed rule was published, APHIS has received 

 additional research data which indicate that the lower temperature is not effective against 

 certain plant pests. This new information has prompted and APHIS to reevaluate the heat 

 treatment requirement. This matter is still under consideration. 



In a related matter, at APHIS' request, the Forest Service prepared the report entitled. 

 Scientific Panel Review of January 10. 1992. Proposed Test Shipment Protocol for Importing 

 Siberian Larch Logs. This review panel focused on test shipments of Siberian larch logs from 

 the former Soviet Union, not plantation-grown pine from New Zealand and Chile. Because 

 of the Scientific Panel's report, test shipments of Siberian larch logs were stopped. 



To examine the possibility of other, less risky sources of logs, APHIS asked the Forest 

 Service to prepare and publish two state-of-the-art risk assessments, one for importations of 

 logs from New Zealand (Forest Service Miscellaneous Publication No. 1508, October 1992) 

 and Chile (Forest Service Miscellaneous Publication No. 1517, September 1993). These 

 documents were based on the best scientific information available and clearly showed that the 

 pest risk associated with the importation of managed, plantation-grown pine logs from these 

 locations had fewer risks than that demonstrated for forest-harvested Siberian larch logs. 

 Both the Forest Service and APHIS agreed that safe importation of these plantation-grown 

 pine logs was possible under rigorous regulatory mitigation requirements. 



The Forest Service and APHIS have worked together to provide our Nation's forests with the 

 most protection possible with the least amount of negative impact on international trade. 

 APHIS has relied upon the expertise of the Forest Service on technical issues and has not, or 

 does APHIS plan to, deviate from Forest Service's recommendations. 



