7 U.S. Code § 7714 - General remedial measures for new plant pests and noxious weeds

(a) Authority to hold, treat, or destroy items

If the Secretary considers it necessary in order to prevent the dissemination of a plant pest or noxious weed that is new to or not known to be widely prevalent or distributed within and throughout the United States, the Secretary may hold, seize, quarantine, treat, apply other remedial measures to, destroy, or otherwise dispose of any plant, plant pest, noxious weed, biological control organism, plant product, article, or means of conveyance that—

(1) is moving into or through the United States or interstate, or has moved into or through the United States or interstate, and—

(A) the Secretary has reason to believe is a plant pest or noxious weed or is infested with a plant pest or noxious weed at the time of the movement; or

(B) is or has been otherwise in violation of this chapter;

(2) has not been maintained in compliance with a post-entry quarantine requirement; or

(3) is the progeny of any plant, biological control organism, plant product, plant pest, or noxious weed that is moving into or through the United States or interstate, or has moved into the United States or interstate, in violation of this chapter.

(b) Authority to order an owner to treat or destroy

(1) In general

The Secretary may order the owner of any plant, biological control organism, plant product, plant pest, noxious weed, article, or means of conveyance subject to action under subsection (a) to treat, apply other remedial measures to, destroy, or otherwise dispose of the plant, biological control organism, plant product, plant pest, noxious weed, article, or means of conveyance, without cost to the Federal Government and in the manner the Secretary considers appropriate.

(2) Failure to comply

If the owner fails to comply with the Secretary’s order under this subsection, the Secretary may take an action authorized by subsection (a) and recover from the owner the costs of any care, handling, application of remedial measures, or disposal incurred by the Secretary in connection with actions taken under subsection (a).

(c) Classification system

(1) Development required

To facilitate control of noxious weeds, the Secretary may develop a classification system to describe the status and action levels for noxious weeds. The classification system may include the current geographic distribution, relative threat, and actions initiated to prevent introduction or distribution.

(2) Management plans

In conjunction with the classification system, the Secretary may develop integrated management plans for noxious weeds for the geographic region or ecological range where the noxious weed is found in the United States.

(d) Application of least drastic action

No plant, biological control organism, plant product, plant pest, noxious weed, article, or means of conveyance shall be destroyed, exported, or returned to the shipping point of origin, or ordered to be destroyed, exported, or returned to the shipping point of origin under this section unless, in the opinion of the Secretary, there is no less drastic action that is feasible and that would be adequate to prevent the dissemination of any plant pest or noxious weed new to or not known to be widely prevalent or distributed within and throughout the United States.

(Pub. L. 106–224, title IV, § 414, June 20, 2000, 114 Stat. 444; Pub. L. 107–171, title X, § 10418(b)(1), May 13, 2002, 116 Stat. 508.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsec. (a)(1)(B), (3), was in the original “this title”, meaning title IV of Pub. L. 106–224, June 20, 2000, 114 Stat. 438, known as the Plant Protection Act, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of title IV to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 7701 of this title and Tables.

Amendments

2002—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 107–171, § 10418(b)(1)(A), struck out “, or the owner’s agent,” after “subsection (a)”.

Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 107–171, § 10418(b)(1)(B), struck out “or agent of the owner” after “the owner” in two places.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Transfer of Functions

For transfer of functions of the Secretary of Agriculture relating to agricultural import and entry inspection activities under this chapter to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 231, 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6.