(a) Immediately following clearance at the port of entry, a restricted organism must move by a bonded commercial carrier directly to a containment facility or apiary that has been inspected and approved by APHIS. 6 We must inspect and approve the containment facility or apiary before we will issue a permit to import a restricted organism.

(b) Inspection of premises. Prior to issuing a permit to import restricted organisms, we will inspect the apiary or containment facility where you intend to contain the restricted organisms. In order to approve the apiary or containment facility, an inspector must determine that adequate safeguards are in place to prevent the release of diseases or parasites of bees, or of undesirable species or strains of honeybees. We will use the following criteria to determine whether adequate safeguards are in place:

(1) Enclosed containment facilities. (i) Will the facility's entryways, windows, and other structures, including water, air, and waste handling systems, contain the restricted organisms, parasites and pathogens, and prevent the entry of other organisms and unauthorized visitors?

(ii) Does the facility have operational and procedural safeguards in place to prevent the escape of the restricted organisms, parasites, and pathogens, and to prevent the entry of other organisms and unauthorized visitors?

(iii) Does the facility have a means of inactivating or sterilizing restricted organisms and any breeding materials, pathogens, parasites, containers, or other material?

(2) Containment apiaries. (i) Is the apiary located in an area devoid of indigenous bees and sufficiently isolated to prevent contact between indigenous bees and imported restricted organisms? Is the area extending from the apiary to the nearest indigenous bees constantly unsuitable for foraging individuals of the imported restricted organisms?

(ii) Does the apiary have sufficient physical barriers to prevent the entry of unauthorized visitors?

(iii) Does the apiary have operational and procedural safeguards in place to prevent the escape of the restricted organisms, parasites, and pathogens, and to prevent the entry of other organisms and unauthorized visitors?

(iv) Does the apiary have a means of inactivating or sterilizing restricted organisms, and any hives, wax, pathogens, parasites, containers, or other materials?

(3) Containment apiaries for honeybees resulting from germ plasm imported from nonapproved regions.

(i) Does the apiary have sufficient physical barriers to prevent the entry of unauthorized visitors?

(ii) Are there sufficient physical barriers (e.g., excluders) in hives in the apiary to prevent the escape of all adult queen and drone honeybees resulting from the germ plasm?

(iii) Does the apiary have operational and procedural safeguards in place to prevent the escape of all queen and drone honeybees resulting from the germ plasm?

(iv) Does the apiary have a means of destroying colonies of honeybees with undesirable characteristics that may result from imported germ plasm?

(c) Holding in containment. (1) If we issue a permit for importing restricted organisms into an approved containment facility or apiary, you may not remove or release the restricted organisms, or the progeny or germ plasm resulting from the restricted organisms, from the apiary or facility without our prior approval.

(2) You must allow us to inspect the apiary or facility and all documents associated with the importation or holding of restricted organisms at any time to determine whether safeguards are being maintained to prevent the release of the restricted organisms, their progeny and germ plasm, parasites, and pathogens.

(3) You must inform us immediately, but no later than 24 hours after detection, if restricted organisms escape from the facility

(d) Release from containment apiary or facility. (1) After rearing the restricted organisms in an approved containment facility or apiary through at least 4 months of active reproduction with no evidence of nonindigenous parasites or pathogens or of undesirable characteristics, you may submit a request to us for the release of the bees. The request must include:

(i) Inspection protocols;

(ii) Inspection frequencies;

(iii) Names and titles of inspectors;

(iv) Complete information, including laboratory reports, on detection of diseases and parasites in the population;

(v) Complete notes and observations on behavior, such as aggressiveness and swarming; and

(vi) Any other information or data relating to bee diseases, parasites, or adverse species or subspecies.

(2) Mail your request for release to the Permit Unit, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236, or fax to (301) 734-8700.

(3) When we receive a complete request for release from containment, we will evaluate the request and determine whether the bees may be released. Our evaluation may include an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act. We may conduct an additional inspection of the bees during our evaluation of the request. You will receive a written statement as soon as circumstances allow that approves or denies your request for release of the bees.