Importation of Logs, Lumber, and Other Unmanufactured Wood Articles

We are establishing comprehensive regulations concerning imported unmanufactured wood articles. The new regulations will affect persons importing logs, lumber, bark chips, wood chips, certain wood packing materials, and other unmanufactured wood articles. We are also amending several existing regulations to remove provisions concerning the importation of certain wood articles, and to state that such articles will instead be covered under the new regulations. We are also incorporating by reference Agriculture Handbook 188, the ``Dry Kiln Operator's Manual,'' which contains treatments authorized by this final rule. We are taking these actions because there is increased interest in importing large volumes of unmanufactured wood articles into the United States, and prohibitions and restrictions are necessary to eliminate any significant plant pest risk associated with importing these articles.