[Federal Register: May 13, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 92)] [Rules and Regulations] [Page 25799-25800] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr13my99-1] ======================================================================== Rules and Regulations Federal Register ________________________________________________________________________ This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains regulatory documents having general applicability and legal effect, most of which are keyed to and codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, which is published under 50 titles pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 1510. The Code of Federal Regulations is sold by the Superintendent of Documents. Prices of new books are listed in the first FEDERAL REGISTER issue of each week. ======================================================================== [[Page 25799]] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 7 CFR Part 354 [Docket No. 99-022-1] Commuted Traveltime Periods: Overtime Services Relating to Imports and Exports AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA. ACTION: Final rule. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: We are amending the regulations concerning overtime services provided by employees of Plant Protection and Quarantine by adding commuted traveltime allowances for travel between various locations in Iowa. Commuted traveltime allowances are the periods of time required for Plant Protection and Quarantine employees to travel from their dispatch points and return there from the places where they perform Sunday, holiday, or other overtime duty. The Government charges a fee for certain overtime services provided by Plant Protection and Quarantine employees and, under certain circumstances, the fee may include the cost of commuted traveltime. This action is necessary to inform the public of commuted traveltime for these locations. EFFECTIVE DATE: May 13, 1999. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Jim Smith, Senior Operations Officer, Port Operations, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 60, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 734-8415; or e-mail: jim.f.smith@usda.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background The regulations in 7 CFR, chapter III, and 9 CFR, chapter I, subchapter D, require inspection, laboratory testing, certification, or quarantine of certain plants, plant products, animals, animal products, or other commodities intended for importation into, or exportation from, the United States. When these services must be provided by an employee of Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) on a Sunday or holiday, or at any other time outside the PPQ employee's regular duty hours, the Government charges a fee for the services in accordance with 7 CFR 354. Under circumstances described in Sec. 354.1(a)(2), this fee may include the cost of commuted traveltime. Section 354.2 contains administrative instructions prescribing commuted traveltime allowances, which reflect, as nearly as practicable, the periods of time require for PPQ employees to travel from their dispatch points and return there from the places where they perform Sunday, holiday, or other overtime duty. We are amending Sec. 354.2 of the regulations by adding commuted traveltime allowances for travel between various locations in Iowa. The amendments are set forth in the rule portion of this document. This action is necessary to inform the public of the commuted traveltime between the dispatch and service locations. Effective Date The commuted traveltime allowances appropriate for employees performing services at ports of entry, and the features of the reimbursement plan for recovering the cost of furnishing port of entry services, depend upon facts within the knowledge of the Department of Agriculture. It does not appear that public participation in this rulemaking procedure would make additional relevant information available to the Department. Accordingly, pursuant to the administrative procedure provision of 5 U.S.C. 553, we find upon good cause that prior notice and other public procedures with respect to this rule are impracticable and unnecessary; we also find good cause for making this rule effective less than 30 days after publication of this document in the Federal Register. Executive Order 12866 and Regulatory Flexibility Act This final rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12866. For this action, the Office of Management and Budget has waived its review process required by Executive Order 12866. The number of requests for overtime services of a PPQ employee at the locations affected by our rule represents an insignificant portion of the total number of requests for these services in the United States. Under these circumstances, the Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has determined that this action will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. Executive Order 12372 This program/activity is listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance under No. 10.025 and is subject to Executive Order 12372, which requires intergovernmental consultation with State and local officials. (See 7 CFR part 3015, subpart V.) Executive Order 12988 This final rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12988, Civil Justice Reform. This rule is intended to have preemptive effect with respect to any State or local laws, regulations, or policies that conflict with its provision or that would otherwise impede its full implementation. This rule is not intended to have retroactive effect. There are no administrative procedures that must be exhausted prior to any judicial challenge to the provision of this rule or the application of its provisions. Paperwork Reduction Act The rule contains no new information collection or recordkeeping requirements under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 354 Exports, Government employees, Imports, Plant disease and pests, Quarantine, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Travel and transportation expenses. Accordingly, we are amending 7 CFR part 354 as follows: PART 354--OVERTIME SERVICES RELATING TO IMPORTS AND EXPORTS, AND USER FEES 1. The authority citation for part 354 continues to read as follows: [[Page 25800]] Authority: 7 U.S.C. 2260; 21 U.S.C. 136 and 136a; 49 U.S.C. 1741; 7 CFR 2.22, 2.80, and 371.2(c). 2. Section 354.2 is amended by adding in the table, in alphabetical order, under Iowa, the following entries to read as follows: Sec. 354.2 Administrative instructions prescribing commuted traveltime. * * * * * Commuted Traveltime Allowances [In hours] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Metropolitan area Location covered Served from --------------------- Within Outside ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [Add] * * * * * Iowa: Davenport.................... Des Moines....... ......... 6 * * * * * Sioux City................... Des Moines....... ......... 6 Undesignated ports........... Des Moines....... ......... 6 * * * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Done in Washington, DC, this 6th day of May 1999. Joan M. Arnold, Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. [FR Doc. 99-12147 Filed 5-12-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-34-M