(a) Designation of quarantined areas. In accordance with the criteria listed in paragraph (c) of this section, the Administrator will designate as a quarantined area each field that has been found to be infested with pale cyst nematode, each field that has been found to be associated with an infested field, and any area that the Administrator considers necessary to quarantine because of its inseparability for quarantine enforcement purposes from infested or associated fields. The Administrator will publish the description of the quarantined area on the Plant Protection and Quarantine Web site, https://www.aphis.usda.gov/planthealth/pcn”. The description of the quarantined area will include the date the description was last updated and a description of the changes that have been made to the quarantined area. The description of the quarantined area may also be obtained by request from any local office of PPQ; local offices are listed in telephone directories. After a change is made to the quarantined area, we will publish a notice in the Federal Register informing the public that the change has occurred and describing the change to the quarantined area.

(b) Designation of an area less than an entire State as a quarantined area. Less than an entire State will be designated as a quarantined area only if the Administrator determines that:

(1) The State has adopted and is enforcing restrictions on the intrastate movement of the regulated articles that are equivalent to those imposed by this subpart on the interstate movement of regulated articles; and

(2) The designation of less than the entire State as a quarantined area will prevent the interstate spread of the pale cyst nematode.

(c) Criteria for designation of fields as infested fields and associated fields. (1) Infested fields. A field will be designated as an infested field for pale cyst nematode upon a determination that viable pale cyst nematode is present in the field. The determination will be made in accordance with the criteria established by the Administrator for the designation of infested fields. The criteria are presented in a protocol document that may be viewed at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/planthealth/pcn. The protocol may also be obtained by request from any local office of Plant Protection and Quarantine; local offices are listed in telephone directories. Any substantive changes we propose to make to the protocol will be published for comment in the Federal Register. After we review the comments received, we will publish another notice in the Federal Register informing the public of any changes to the protocol.

(2) Associated fields. The Administrator will designate a field as an associated field when pale cyst nematode host crops, as listed in § 301.86-2(b), have been grown in the field in the last 10 years and

(i) The field shares a border with an infested field; or

(ii) The field came into contact with a regulated article listed in § 301.86-2 from an infested field within the last 10 years; or

(iii) Within the last 10 years, the field shared ownership, tenancy, seed, drainage or runoff, farm machinery, or other elements of shared cultural practices with an infested field that could allow spread of the pale cyst nematode, as determined by the Administrator.

(d) Removal of fields from quarantine. (1) Infested fields. An infested field will be removed from quarantine for pale cyst nematode upon a determination that no viable pale cyst nematode is detected in the field. The determination will be made in accordance with criteria established by the Administrator and sufficient to support removal of infested fields from quarantine. The criteria are presented in a protocol document as provided in paragraph (d)(4) of this section along with information for viewing the protocol.

(2) Associated fields. An associated field will be removed from quarantine for pale cyst nematode once surveys are completed and pale cyst nematode is not detected in the field. The determination will be made in accordance with criteria established by the Administrator and sufficient to support removal of associated fields from quarantine. The criteria are presented in a protocol document as provided in paragraph (d)(4) of this section along with information for viewing the protocol.

(3) Removal of other areas from quarantine. If the Administrator has quarantined any area other than infested or associated fields because of its inseparability for quarantine enforcement purposes from infested or associated fields, as provided in paragraph (a) of this section, that area will be removed from quarantine when the relevant infested or associated fields are removed from quarantine.

(4) Protocol for removal of fields from quarantine. The Administrator will remove infested and associated fields, and other areas as provided in this section, from quarantine for pale cyst nematode in accordance with the protocols published on the Plant Protection and Quarantine website at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/planthealth/pcn. The protocols may also be obtained by request from any local office of Plant Protection and Quarantine; local offices are listed in telephone directories. Any substantive changes we propose to make to the protocols will be published for comment in the Federal Register. After we review the comments received, we will publish another notice in the Federal Register informing the public of any changes to the protocols.