Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals
Federal Register: April 7, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 67)
Notices
Page 18732-18733
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
DOCID:fr07ap08-23
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Docket No. APHIS-2008-0038
Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information
Collection; Phytosanitary Export Certification
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 for the issuance of phytosanitary certificates for plants or plant products being exported to foreign countries.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before June 6, 2008.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by either of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to http://www.regulations.gov/ fdmspublic/component/main?main=DocketDetail&d=APHIS-2008-0038 to submit or view comments and to view supporting and related materials available electronically. Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Please send two copies of your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2008-0038, Regulatory Analysis and
Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118,
Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state that your comment refers to
Docket No. APHIS-2008-0038.
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: Additional information about APHIS and its programs is available on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on regulations for phytosanitary export certification for plants or plant products being exported to foreign countries, contact Mr. Marcus McElvaine, Senior
Export Specialist, Phytosanitary Issues Management, PPQ, APHIS, 4700
River Road Unit 140, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 734-8414. 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: Phytosanitary Export Certification.
OMB Number: 0579-0052.
Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information collection.
Abstract: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), among other things, provides export certification services to assure other countries that the plants and plant products they are receiving from the United States are free of plant pests specified by the receiving country.
It should be noted that our regulations do not require that we engage in export certification activities. We perform this work as a service to exporters who are shipping plants or plant products to countries that require phytosanitary certification as a condition of entry.
To request that we perform a phytosanitary inspection, an exporter must complete and submit an Application for Inspection and
Certification of Plants and Plant Products for Export (PPQ Form 572).
After assessing the condition of the plants or plant products intended for export (i.e., after conducting a phytosanitary inspection), an inspector (who may be an APHIS employee or a State or county plant regulatory official) will issue an internationally recognized phytosanitary certificate (PPQ Form 577), a phytosanitary certificate for reexport (PPQ Form 579), or an export certificate for processed plant products (PPQ Form 578).
These forms are critical to our ability to certify plants and plant products for export. Without them, we would be unable to conduct an export certification program.
We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve our use of these information collection activities for an additional 3 years.
Page 18733
The purpose of this notice is to solicit comments from the public
(as well as affected agencies) concerning our information collection.
These comments will help us:
(1) Evaluate whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, including whether the information will have practical utility;
(2) Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the burden of the collection of information, 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 0.241330049 hours per response.
Respondents: U.S. growers, shippers, and exporters; State and county plant regulatory officials.
Estimated annual number of respondents: 13,000.
Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 187.38461538.
Estimated annual number of responses: 2,436,000.
Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 587,880 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 1st day of April 2008.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
FR Doc. E8-7191 Filed 4-4-08; 8:45 am
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P
