---
kind: "section"
citation: "7 U.S.C. § 7715"
title: "7"
title_heading: "Agriculture"
number: "7715"
heading: "Declaration of extraordinary emergency and resulting authorities"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/7/7715"
units:
  - "Chapter 104 — Plant Protection"
  - "Subchapter I — Plant Protection"
---

# §7715. Declaration of extraordinary emergency and resulting authorities

- (a) **Authority to declare—** If the [Secretary](/usc/7/7702.md?p=16) determines that an extraordinary emergency exists because of the presence of a [plant pest](/usc/7/7702.md?p=14) or [noxious weed](/usc/7/7702.md?p=10) that is new to or not known to be widely prevalent in or distributed within and throughout the [United States](/usc/7/7702.md?p=20) and that the presence of the [plant pest](/usc/7/7702.md?p=14) or [noxious weed](/usc/7/7702.md?p=10) threatens [plants](/usc/7/7702.md?p=13) or [plant products](/usc/7/7702.md?p=15) of the [United States](/usc/7/7702.md?p=20), the [Secretary](/usc/7/7702.md?p=16) may—
  - (1) hold, seize, quarantine, treat, apply other remedial measures to, destroy, or otherwise dispose of, any [plant](/usc/7/7702.md?p=13), [biological control organism](/usc/7/7702.md?p=2), [plant product](/usc/7/7702.md?p=15), [article](/usc/7/7702.md?p=1), or [means of conveyance](/usc/7/7702.md?p=8) that the [Secretary](/usc/7/7702.md?p=16) has reason to believe is infested with the [plant pest](/usc/7/7702.md?p=14) or [noxious weed](/usc/7/7702.md?p=10);
  - (2) quarantine, treat, or apply other remedial measures to any premises, including any [plants](/usc/7/7702.md?p=13), [biological control organisms](/usc/7/7702.md?p=2), [plant products](/usc/7/7702.md?p=15), [articles](/usc/7/7702.md?p=1), or [means of conveyance](/usc/7/7702.md?p=8) on the premises, that the [Secretary](/usc/7/7702.md?p=16) has reason to believe is infested with the [plant pest](/usc/7/7702.md?p=14) or [noxious weed](/usc/7/7702.md?p=10);
  - (3) quarantine any [State](/usc/7/7702.md?p=17) or portion of a [State](/usc/7/7702.md?p=17) in which the [Secretary](/usc/7/7702.md?p=16) finds the [plant pest](/usc/7/7702.md?p=14) or [noxious weed](/usc/7/7702.md?p=10) or any [plant](/usc/7/7702.md?p=13), [biological control organism](/usc/7/7702.md?p=2), [plant product](/usc/7/7702.md?p=15), [article](/usc/7/7702.md?p=1), or [means of conveyance](/usc/7/7702.md?p=8) that the [Secretary](/usc/7/7702.md?p=16) has reason to believe is infested with the [plant pest](/usc/7/7702.md?p=14) or [noxious weed](/usc/7/7702.md?p=10); and
  - (4) prohibit or restrict the [movement](/usc/7/7702.md?p=9) within a [State](/usc/7/7702.md?p=17) of any [plant](/usc/7/7702.md?p=13), [biological control organism](/usc/7/7702.md?p=2), [plant product](/usc/7/7702.md?p=15), [article](/usc/7/7702.md?p=1), or [means of conveyance](/usc/7/7702.md?p=8) when the [Secretary](/usc/7/7702.md?p=16) determines that the prohibition or restriction is necessary to prevent the dissemination of the [plant pest](/usc/7/7702.md?p=14) or [noxious weed](/usc/7/7702.md?p=10) or to eradicate the [plant pest](/usc/7/7702.md?p=14) or [noxious weed](/usc/7/7702.md?p=10).
- (b) **Required finding of emergency—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/7702.md?p=16) may take action under this section only upon finding, after review and consultation with the Governor or other appropriate official of the [State](/usc/7/7702.md?p=17) affected, that the measures being taken by the [State](/usc/7/7702.md?p=17) are inadequate to eradicate the [plant pest](/usc/7/7702.md?p=14) or [noxious weed](/usc/7/7702.md?p=10).
- (c) **Notification procedures—**
  - (1) **In general—** Except as provided in [paragraph (2)](#c-2), before any action is taken in any [State](/usc/7/7702.md?p=17) under this section, the [Secretary](/usc/7/7702.md?p=16) shall notify the Governor or other appropriate official of the [State](/usc/7/7702.md?p=17) affected, issue a public announcement, and file for publication in the Federal Register a statement of—
    - (A) the [Secretary](/usc/7/7702.md?p=16)’s findings;
    - (B) the action the [Secretary](/usc/7/7702.md?p=16) intends to take;
    - (C) the reasons for the intended action; and
    - (D) where practicable, an estimate of the anticipated duration of the extraordinary emergency.
  - (2) **Time sensitive actions—** If it is not possible to file for publication in the Federal Register prior to taking action, the filing shall be made within a reasonable time, not to exceed 10 business days, after commencement of the action.
- (d) **Application of least drastic action—** No [plant](/usc/7/7702.md?p=13), [biological control organism](/usc/7/7702.md?p=2), [plant product](/usc/7/7702.md?p=15), [plant pest](/usc/7/7702.md?p=14), [noxious weed](/usc/7/7702.md?p=10), [article](/usc/7/7702.md?p=1), or [means of conveyance](/usc/7/7702.md?p=8) 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](/usc/7/7702.md?p=16), there is no less drastic action that is feasible and that would be adequate to prevent the dissemination of any [plant pest](/usc/7/7702.md?p=14) or [noxious weed](/usc/7/7702.md?p=10) new to or not known to be widely prevalent or distributed within and throughout the [United States](/usc/7/7702.md?p=20).
- (e) **Payment of compensation—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/7702.md?p=16) may pay compensation to any [person](/usc/7/7702.md?p=12) for economic losses incurred by the [person](/usc/7/7702.md?p=12) as a result of action taken by the [Secretary](/usc/7/7702.md?p=16) under this section. The determination by the [Secretary](/usc/7/7702.md?p=16) of the amount of any compensation to be paid under this subsection shall be final and shall not be subject to judicial review or a review by any officer or employee of the Federal Government other than the [Secretary](/usc/7/7702.md?p=16) or the designee of the [Secretary](/usc/7/7702.md?p=16).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 106–224, title IV, § 415, June 20, 2000, 114 Stat. 445; Pub. L. 107–171, title VII, § 7504(a), May 13, 2002, 116 Stat. 465; Pub. L. 110–234, title X, § 10203(a), May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1342; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title X, § 10203(a), June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 2104.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Pub. L. 110–234 and Pub. L. 110–246 made identical amendments to this section. The amendments by Pub. L. 110–234 were repealed by section 4(a) of Pub. L. 110–246.

### Amendments

2008—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 110–246, § 10203(a), struck out “of longer than 60 days” after “or a review”.

2002—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 107–171 inserted before period at end “or a review of longer than 60 days by any officer or employee of the Federal Government other than the Secretary or the designee of the Secretary”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2008 Amendment

Amendment of this section and repeal of Pub. L. 110–234 by Pub. L. 110–246 effective May 22, 2008, the date of enactment of Pub. L. 110–234, see section 4 of Pub. L. 110–246, set out as an Effective Date note under section 8701 of this title.

### 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.