(a) Any interested person may submit written comments on a petition filed with FSIS.

(b) Comments on a petition should be submitted within 60 days of the posting date of the petition and should identify the number assigned to the petition to which the comments refer.

(c) FSIS will consider all timely comments on a petition that are submitted in accordance with this section as part of its review of the petition.

(d) All comments on a petition will become part of the petition file and will be available for public inspection in the FSIS docket room and posted on the FSIS Web site at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/.

(e) Any interested person who wishes to suggest an alternative action to the action requested by the petition should submit a separate petition that complies with these regulations and not submit the alternative as a comment on the petition.

(f) If FSIS determines that a comment received on a petition is in fact a request for an alternative action, the Agency will inform the commenter in writing. The Agency will take no further action on the requested alternative action unless the commenter submits an appropriate petition for rulemaking.