Definitions.

Administrator. The Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture, or any employee of the United States Department of Agriculture delegated to act in his or her stead.

Developmental purposes. The evaluation, monitoring, or verification of plant material for plant health risks and/or the adaptability of the material for certain uses or environments.

Experimental purposes. Scientific testing which utilizes collected data and employs analytical processes under controlled conditions to create qualitative or quantitative results.

Therapeutic purposes. The application of specific scientific processes designed to eliminate, isolate, or remove potential plant pests or diseases.

Purpose and scope. The regulations in this part prohibit or restrict the importation into the United States of certain plants, plant products, and other articles to prevent the introduction and dissemination of plant pests and noxious weeds within and throughout the United States. The regulations in this subpart provide a process under which a controlled import permit (CIP) may be issued to authorize the importation, for experimental, therapeutic, or developmental purposes, of an article whose importation is prohibited under this part. A CIP may also be issued to authorize, for those same purposes, the importation of an article under conditions that differ from those prescribed in the relevant regulations in this part.

Application process. Applications for a CIP are available without charge from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ), Permit Unit, 4700 River Road Unit 136, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236, or from local PPQ offices. Applications may be submitted by mail, by fax, or electronically and must be submitted at least 60 days prior to arrival of the article at the port of entry. Mailed applications must be submitted to the address above, faxed applications may be submitted to 301-734-4300, and electronic applications may be submitted through the ePermits Web site at https://epermits.aphis.usda.gov/epermits.

The completed application for a CIP must provide the following information:

Name, address in the United States, and contact information of the applicant;

Identity (common and botanical [genus and species] names) of the plant material to be imported, quantity of importation, country of origin, and country shipped from;

Intended experimental, therapeutic, or developmental purpose for the importation; and

Intended ports of export and entry, means of conveyance, and estimated date of arrival.

APHIS may issue a CIP if the Administrator determines that the plant pest risks associated with the plant material and its intended experimental, therapeutic, or developmental use can be effectively mitigated. The CIP will contain the applicable conditions for importation and subsequent handling of the plant material if it is deemed eligible to be imported into the United States, including the specifications for the facility where the plant will be held. The plant material may be imported only if all applicable requirements are met.

Shipping conditions. Consignments of plant material to be offered for importation under a CIP must meet the following requirements, unless otherwise specified under the conditions of the CIP:

The plant material must be selected from apparently disease-free and pest-free sources.

The plant material must be free of soil, other foreign matter or debris, other prohibited plants, noxious weed seeds, and living organisms such as parasitic plants, pathogens, insects, snails, and mites.

Fungicides, insecticides, and other treatments such as coatings, dips, or sprayings must not be applied before shipment, unless otherwise specified. Plant materials may be refused entry if they are difficult or hazardous to inspect because of the presence of such treatments. Plant materials must not be wrapped or otherwise packaged in a manner that impedes or prevents adequate inspection or treatment.

The plant material must be moved in an enclosed container or one completely enclosed by a covering adequate to prevent the possible escape or introduction of plant pests during shipment. Any packing material used in the consignment of the plant material must meet the requirements of § 319.37-11, and wood packing material used in the consignment must meet the requirements of § 319.40-3(b) and (c).

Consignments may be shipped as cargo, by mail or air freight, or hand-carried, as specified in the conditions of the CIP.

The plant material must be offered for importation at the port of entry or plant inspection station as specified in the conditions of the CIP.

A copy of the CIP must accompany each consignment, and all consignments must be labeled in accordance with instructions in the CIP.

Each consignment must be accompanied by an invoice or packing list indicating its contents.

Post-importation conditions. (1) At the approved facility where the plant material will be maintained following its importation, plant material imported under a CIP must be identified and labeled as quarantined material to be used only in accordance with a valid CIP.

Plant material must be stored in a secure place or in the manner indicated in the CIP and be under the supervision and control of the permit holder. During regular business hours, properly identified officials, either Federal or State, must be allowed to inspect the plant material and the facilities in which the plant material is maintained.

The permit holder must keep the permit valid for the duration of the authorized experimental, therapeutic, or developmental purpose. The PPQ Permit Unit must be informed of a change in contact information for the permit holder within 10 business days of such change.

Plant material imported under a CIP must not be moved or distributed to another person without prior authorization from the PPQ Permit Unit.

Should the permit holder leave the institution in which the plant material imported under a CIP is kept, the plant material must be destroyed unless, prior to the departure of the original permit holder, another person assumes responsibility for the continued maintenance of the plant material and such person obtains a new CIP for the plant material. Should the permit holder be otherwise unavailable to maintain the plant material for which the CIP was issued, the plant material must be destroyed unless another person assumes responsibility for the continued maintenance of the plant material and such person obtains a new CIP for the plant material. Permission to move or distribute plant material that was authorized for importation under a CIP to another person must be obtained by contacting the PPQ Permit Unit.

CIPs issued by APHIS are valid for a period of 1 year. The permittee may request the existing permit be renewed for up to an additional 2 years prior to the expiration of the CIP and if no adverse indications exist from the previous year.

Failure to comply with all of the conditions specified in the CIP or any applicable regulations or administrative instructions, or forging, counterfeiting, or defacing permits or shipping labels, may result in immediate revocation of the permit, denial of future permits, and civil or criminal penalties for the permit holder.

Denial, withdrawal, cancellation, or revocation of permit. The Administrator may deny a permit application in accordance with § 319.7-3, and a permit may be withdrawn, canceled, or revoked in accordance with § 319.7-4.

Action upon cancellation or revocation of permit. Upon cancellation or revocation of a permit, the permittee must surrender, destroy, or remove all regulated plant material covered by the permit in accordance with § 319.7-4(e).

Appeal of denial or revocation. Any person whose application for a permit has been denied or whose permit has been revoked may appeal the denial or revocation in accordance with § 319.7-5.