Cold Treatment for Fresh Fruits; Port of Corpus Christi, TX

We are amending the regulations to allow, under certain conditions, the cold treatment of imported fruit upon arrival at the maritime port of Corpus Christi, TX. We have determined that there are biological barriers at this port that, along with certain safeguards, would prevent the introduction of fruit flies and other insect pests into the United States in the unlikely event that they escape from shipments of fruit before the fruit undergoes cold treatment. This action will facilitate the importation of fruit requiring cold treatment while continuing to provide protection against fruit flies and other insect pests into the United States.