(a) The commissioner may grant a request for declaration of an area in Texas as suppressed after a written recommendation is submitted to the department from the foundation, supported by scientific documentation acceptable to the department indicating that movement of regulated articles into the area presents a threat to the success of boll weevil eradication.     
      (b) The department will recognize as suppressed any areas outside of Texas that are declared suppressed by that state's department of agriculture if the department determines that state's definition of a suppressed area is equivalent to the definition of a suppressed area in §20.1 of this chapter (relating to Definitions).     
      (c) The department has determined that the New Mexico and Oklahoma departments of agriculture's definitions of a suppressed area are equivalent to the definition of a suppressed area in §20.1 of this chapter.     
     Source Note:        The provisions of this §20.12 adopted to be effective July 9, 2001, 26 TexReg 4996; amended to be effective May 17, 2004, 29 TexReg 4756; amended to be effective October 7, 2004, 29 TexReg 9353; amended to be effective September 13, 2005, 30 TexReg 5779; amended to be effective July 26, 2007, 32 TexReg 4547; amended to be effective September 30, 2010, 35 TexReg 8723; amended to be effective June 14, 2012, 37 TexReg 4184; amended to be effective January 1, 2016, 40 TexReg 9625; amended to be effective March 5, 2023, 48 TexReg 1033