BRIEF DESCRIPTION

The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation proposes to change regulations dealing with Animal Health, including animal importation, changes to health certificates and certificates of veterinary inspections, goat and sheep testing, and disease reporting.

The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation proposes to adopt regulation changes in Title 18 Chapter 36 of the Alaska Administrative Code, Animal Health.  The amendment includes the following:

• 18 AAC 36.015: requires certificates to have a unique number that is trackable and traceable.
• 18 AAC 36.125: addition of new section dealing with Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae.
• 18 AAC 36.135: updates to genetic test and addition of a new section adding Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae.
• 18 AAC 36.215 (b): repealed and readopted to make conforming edits and clarifications, and add diseases.
• 18 AAC 36.215 (c):repealed and readopted to make conforming edits and clarifications, and add diseases.
• 18 AAC 36.215 (d): repealed and readopted to make conforming edits and clarifications.
• 18 AAC 36.215 (e): repealed and readopted to make conforming edits and clarifications, and add and remove diseases.
• 18 AAC 36.215 (f): repealed and readopted to make conforming edits and clarifications, and add and remove diseases.
• 18 AAC 36.215: amended by adding a new subsection dealing with reporting emerging pathogens.
• 18 AAC 36.500 (f): amended by updating from the 2013 to the 2020 version of the adopted by reference American Veterinary Medical Association’s (AVMA) Guidelines for Euthanasia of Animals.

This is a SUPPLEMENTAL NOTICE to the NOTICE OF PROPOSED CHANGES that was issued on August 7, 2020, concerning these proposed regulation revisions contained in the Department of Law file number 2020200381.  This SUPPLEMENTAL NOTICE is being issued because the Department of Environmental Conservation is extending the public comment period.

You may comment on the proposed regulation changes, including the potential costs to private persons of complying with the proposed changes, by submitting written comments to Shannon Miller, Department of Environmental Conservation, 555 Cordova Street, Anchorage, AK 99501. Additionally, the Department of Environmental Conservation will accept comments by facsimile at (907) 269-7654, by electronic mail at shannon.miller@alaska.gov, and online by visiting https://dec.alaska.gov/eh/vet/regulations/animal-health/ and using the comment link. The comments must be received not later than 11:59pm on October 30, 2020.

You may submit written questions relevant to the proposed action to Shannon Miller, Department of Environmental Conservation, 555 Cordova Street, Anchorage, AK 99501 or by email to shannon.miller@alaska.gov. The questions must be received at least 10 days before the end of the public comment period. The Department of Environmental Conservation will aggregate its response to substantially similar questions and make the questions and responses available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System and https://dec.alaska.gov/eh/vet/regulations/animal-health/. The Department of Environmental Conservation may, but is not required to, answer written questions received after the 10-day cut-off date and before the end of the comment period.

If you are a person with a disability who needs a special accommodation in order to participate in this process, please contact Garrett Odom by electronic mail at garrett.odom@alaska.gov or by phone at (907) 465-3945 or TDD Relay Service 1-800-770-8973/TTY or dial 711 not later than October 20, 2020 to ensure that any necessary accommodations can be provided

A copy of the proposed regulation changes is available on the Alaska Online Public Notice System, at https://dec.alaska.gov/eh/vet/regulations/animal-health/, or by contacting Shannon Miller by email at shannon.miller@alaska.gov or by phone at (907) 269-6066.

After the public comment period ends, the Department of Environmental Conservation will either adopt the proposed regulation changes or other provisions dealing with the same subject, without further notice, or decide to take no action. The language of the final regulation may be different from that of the proposed regulation. You should comment during the time allowed if your interests could be affected. Written comments received are public records and are subject to public inspection.

Statutory authority: AS 03.05.011; AS 03.45.010; AS 03.45.020; AS 03.45.030

Statutes being implemented, interpreted, or made specific: AS 03.05.011; AS 03.45.010; AS 03.45.020; AS 03.45.030

Fiscal information: The proposed regulation changes are not expected to require an increased appropriation.

The Department of Environmental Conservation keeps a list of individuals and organizations interested in its regulations. Those on the list will automatically be sent a copy of all of the Department of Environmental Conservation notices of proposed regulation changes. To be added to or removed from the list, send a request to the Department of Environmental Conservation, Environmental Health Program Coordinator Shannon Miller at shannon.miller@alaska.gov, giving your name, and either your e-mail address or mailing address, as you prefer for receiving notices.

 /s/

Jason W. Brune
Commissioner