Agency information collection activities; proposals, submissions, and approvals,

[Federal Register: August 9, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 152)]

[Notices]

[Page 48195-48196]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr09au04-36]

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 04-028-1]

Notice of Request for Extension of a Currently Approved Information Collection

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Extension of approval of an information collection; comment request.

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice announces the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's intention to request an extension of approval of an information collection associated with regulations to prevent the interstate spread of exotic Newcastle disease in birds and poultry and chlamydiosis in poultry.

DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before October 8, 2004.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:

Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send four copies of your comment (an original and three copies) to Docket No. 04-028-1, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3C71, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state that your comment refers to Docket No. 04-028-1.

E-mail: Address your comment to regulations@aphis.usda.gov. Your comment must be contained in the body

of your message; do not send attached files. Please include your name and address in your message and ``Docket No. 04-028-1'' on the subject line.

Agency Web Site: Go to http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/cominst.html for a form you can use to submit an e-mail comment through

the APHIS Web site.

Reading Room: You may read any comments that we receive on this docket in our reading room. The reading room is located in room 1141 of the USDA South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC. Normal reading room hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. To be sure someone is there to help you, please call (202) 690-2817 before coming.

Other Information: You may view APHIS documents published in the Federal Register and related information, including the names of groups and individuals who have commented on APHIS dockets, on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information regarding exotic Newcastle disease and chlamydiosis, contact Dr. Joseph Annelli, Director, Emergency Programs, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 41, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-8073. For copies of more detailed information on the information collection, contact Mrs. Celeste Sickles, APHIS' Information Collection Coordinator, at (301) 734-7477.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Exotic Newcastle Disease in Birds and Poultry; Chlamydiosis in Poultry.

OMB Number: 0579-0116.

Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information collection.

Abstract: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture regulates the importation and interstate movement of animals and animal products, and conducts various other activities to protect the health of our Nation's livestock and poultry.

In connection with this mission, APHIS regulates the interstate movement of certain poultry, birds, and other items from premises and areas that may be quarantined because of exotic Newcastle disease (END) and chlamydiosis. The regulations contained in 9 CFR part 82 restrict the interstate movement of poultry, birds, and other items (such as eggs, carcasses, vehicles, containers, and coops) to help prevent the spread of END and chlamydiosis and require the use of certain information collection activities, including the completion of permit applications attesting to the health status of the birds or poultry being moved, the number and types of birds

[[Page 48196]]

or poultry being moved in a particular shipment, the shipment's point of origin, the shipment's destination, and the reason for the interstate movement.

These documents also provide useful traceback information in the event infected birds or poultry are discovered and an investigation must be launched to determine where the birds or poultry originated. The information provided by these documents is critical to our ability to prevent the interstate of END and chlamydiosis, which are highly contagious and capable of causing significant economic harm to the U.S. poultry industry.

We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve our use of these information collection activities for an additional 3 years.

The purpose of this notice is to solicit comments from the public (as well as affected agencies) concerning this information collection activity. These comments will help us:

(1) Evaluate whether the information collection is necessary for the proper performance of our agency's functions, including whether the information will have practical utility;

(2) Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the burden of the information collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

(3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

(4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, through use, as appropriate, of automated, electronic, mechanical, and other collection technologies, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses.

Estimate of burden: The public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 0.574074 hours per response.

Respondents: U.S. producers and shippers, and State animal health protection authorities.

Estimated annual number of respondents: 64.

Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 1.

Estimated annual number of responses: 54.

Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 31 hours. (Due to averaging, the total annual burden hours may not equal the product of the annual number of responses multiplied by the reporting burden per response.)

All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the request for OMB approval. All comments will also become a matter of public record.

Done in Washington, DC, this 3rd day of August, 2004. W. Ron DeHaven, Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

[FR Doc. 04-18126 Filed 8-6-04; 8:45 am]

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