[Federal Register: December 5, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 234)]
[Notices]
[Page 68017-68018]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05de03-35]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. 03-095-1]
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 for importation of seed and
screenings.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before
February 3, 2004.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by postal mail/commercial delivery
or by e-mail. If you use postal mail/
[[Page 68018]]
commercial delivery, please send four copies of your comment (an
original and three copies) to: Docket No. 03-095-1, 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. 03-095-1. 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. 03-095-1'' 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 regulations
for importation of seed and screenings, contact Ms. Polly Lehtonen,
Botanist, Biological and Technical Services, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River
Road Unit 133, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 734-4394. 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: Imported Seed and Screenings.
OMB Number: 0579-0124.
Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information
collection.
Abstract: Under the authority of the Federal Seed Act (FSA) of
1939, as amended (7 U.S.C. 1551 et seq.), the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) regulates the importation and interstate movement of
certain agricultural and vegetable seeds and screenings. Title III of
the FSA, ``Foreign Commerce,'' requires shipments of imported
agricultural and vegetable seeds to be labeled correctly and to be
tested for the presence of the seeds of certain noxious weeds as a
condition of entry into the United States. The Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service's regulations implementing the provisions of title
III of the FSA are found in 7 CFR part 361.
The regulations require the use of a number of information
collection activities, including declaration of importation, container
labeling, notification of seed location, a seed return request, seed
analysis certificates, seed identity maintenance, and associated
recordkeeping.
We are asking 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 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.
Estimate of burden: The public reporting burden for this collection
of information is estimated to average 0.37816 hours per response.
Respondents: Importers of seed and screenings, seed cleaning/
processing facility personnel, officials of the Canadian Food
Inspection Agency (CFIA), and private seed laboratories accredited by
CFIA.
Estimated annual number of respondents: 1,200.
Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 25.
Estimated annual number of responses: 30,000.
Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 11,345 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 2nd day of December, 2003.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 03-30234 Filed 12-4-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P