(a) An individual or entity required to register under this part may not provide an individual access to a select agent or toxin, and an individual may not access a select agent or toxin, unless the individual is approved by the Administrator or the HHS Secretary following a security risk assessment by the Attorney General.

(b) An individual will be deemed to have access at any point in time if the individual has possession of a select agent or toxin (e.g., carries, uses, or manipulates) or the ability to gain possession of a select agent or toxin.

(c) Each individual with access to select agents or toxins must have the appropriate education, training, and/or experience to handle or use such agents or toxins.

(d) To apply for access approval, each individual must submit the information necessary to conduct a security risk assessment to the Attorney General.

(e) A person with valid approval from the HHS Secretary or Administrator to have access to select agents or toxins may request, through his or her Responsible Official, that the HHS Secretary or Administrator provide their approved access status to another registered individual or entity for a specified period of time. A responsible official must immediately notify the responsible official of the visiting entity if the person's access to select agents or toxins has been terminated.

(f) An individual's security risk assessment may be expedited upon written request by the responsible official and a showing of good cause (e.g., agricultural emergencies, national security, or a short-term visit by a prominent researcher). A written decision granting or denying the request will be issued.

(g) An individual's access approval may be denied, limited, or revoked if:

(1) The individual is within any of the categories described in 18 U.S.C. 175b;

(2) The individual is reasonably suspected by any Federal law enforcement or intelligence agency of committing a crime set forth in 18 U.S.C. 2332b(g)(5); knowing involvement with an organization that engages in domestic or international terrorism (as defined in 18 U.S.C. 2331) or with any other organization that engages in intentional crimes of violence; or being an agent of a foreign power as defined in 50 U.S.C. 1801; or

(3) It is determined that such action is necessary to protect plant health or plant products.

(h) An individual may appeal the Administrator's decision to deny, limit, or revoke access approval under §331.20.

(i) Access approval is valid for a maximum of 3 years.

(j) The responsible official must immediately notify APHIS or CDC when an individual's access to select agents or toxins is terminated by the entity and the reasons therefore.

[70 FR 13278, Mar. 18, 2005, as amended at 77 FR 61075, Oct. 5, 2012; 82 FR 6205, Jan. 19, 2017]