[Federal Register: October 31, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 211)]
[Notices]
[Page 66380-66381]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr31oc02-27]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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[[Page 66380]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. 02-100-1]
Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information
Collection
AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Extension of approval of an information collection; comment
request.
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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 in support of regulations issued under the Animal Welfare
Act for guinea pigs, hamsters, and rabbits.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before
December 30, 2002.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by postal mail/commercial delivery
or by e-mail. If you use postal mail/commercial delivery, please send
four copies of your comment (an original and three copies) to: Docket
No. 02-100-1, 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. 02-100-1. If you use 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.
02-100-1'' on the subject line.
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.
APHIS documents published in the Federal Register, and related
information, including the names of organizations and individuals who
have commented on APHIS dockets, are available on the Internet at
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information regarding the Animal
Welfare Act regulations for guinea pigs, hamsters, and rabbits, contact
Dr. Barbara Kohn, Senior Staff Veterinarian, Animal Care, APHIS, 4700
River Road Unit 84, Riverdale, MD 20737-1234; (301) 734-7833. 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: Animal Welfare; Guinea Pigs,
Hamsters, and Rabbits.
OMB Number: 0579-0092.
Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information
collection.
Abstract: The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) administers regulations and
standards that have been promulgated under the Animal Welfare Act to
promote and ensure the humane care and treatment of regulated animals
under the Act. The regulations in title 9, part 3, subparts B and C, of
the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) contain specifications for the
humane handling, care, treatment, and transportation of guinea pigs,
hamsters, and rabbits. The regulations require, among other things, the
documentation of specified information concerning the transportation of
these animals.
The transportation standards for guinea pigs, hamsters, and rabbits
require intermediate handlers and carriers to accept only shipping
enclosures that meet the minimum requirements set forth in the
regulations (Sec. Sec. 3.36 and 3.61) or that are accompanied by
documentation signed by the consignor verifying that the shipping
enclosures comply with the regulations. If guinea pigs, hamsters, or
rabbits are transported in cargo space that falls below 45 [deg]F (7.2
[deg]C), the regulations specify that the animals must be accompanied
by a certificate of acclimation signed by a USDA-accredited
veterinarian.
In addition, all shipping enclosures must be marked with the words
``Live Animals'' and have arrows indicating the correct upright
position of the container. Intermediate handlers and carriers are
required to attempt to contact the consignee at least once every 6
hours upon the arrival of any live animals. Documentation of these
attempts must be recorded by the intermediate handlers and carriers and
maintained for inspection by APHIS personnel.
The above reporting and recordkeeping requirements do not mandate
the use of any official government form.
The burden generated by APHIS requirements that all shipping
documents be attached to the container has been cleared by the Office
of Management (OMB) under OMB control number 0579-0036.
The reporting and recordkeeping requirements of 9 CFR part 3,
subparts B and C, are necessary to enforce regulations intended to
ensure the humane treatment of guinea pigs, hamsters, and rabbits
during transportation in commerce.
We are asking OMB to approve our use of this information collection
activity for an additional 3 years.
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
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 information collection 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.
[[Page 66381]]
Estimate of burden: The public reporting burden for this collection
of information is estimated to average 0.11555 hours per response.
Respondents: Intermediate handlers, carriers, ``A'' and ``B''
dealers (as consignors), USDA-accredited veterinarians.
Estimated annual number of respondents: 1,470.
Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 1.53.
Estimated annual number of responses: 2,240.
Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 260 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 28th day of October, 2002.
Peter Fernandez,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 02-27685 Filed 10-30-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P