[Federal Register: December 8, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 236)]
[Notices]
[Page 74452-74453]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr08de08-21]
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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 74452]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. APHIS-2008-0132]
Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information
Collection; Special Need Requests Under the Plant Protection Act
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 associated with regulations to allow States to impose
prohibitions or restrictions on specific articles in addition to those
required by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to help
protect against the introduction and establishment of plant pests.
DATES: We will consider all comments that we receive on or before
February 6, 2009.
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-2008-0132 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-2008-0132, 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-2008-0132.
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 special need
requests under the Plant Protection Act, contact Dr. Osama El Lissy,
Director, Emergency Management, Emergency and Domestic Programs, PPQ,
APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 137, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 734-8247.
For copies of more detailed information on the information collection,
contact Mrs. Celeste Sickles, APHIS' Information Collection
Coordinator, at (301) 851-2908.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Special Need Requests Under the Plant Protection Act.
OMB Number: 0579-0291.
Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information
collection.
Abstract: As authorized by the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701
et seq.) (PPA), the Secretary of Agriculture may prohibit or restrict
the importation, entry, exportation, or movement in interstate commerce
of any plant, plant product, biological control organism, noxious weed,
means of conveyance, or other article if the Secretary determines that
the prohibition or restriction is necessary to prevent a plant pest or
noxious weed from being introduced into or disseminated within the
United States. This authority has been delegated to the Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), which administers regulations
to implement the PPA. Regulations governing the interstate movement of
plants, plant products, and other articles are contained in 7 CFR part
301, ``Domestic Quarantine Notices.''
The regulations in ``Subpart-Special Need Requests'' allow States
or political subdivisions of States to request approval from APHIS to
impose prohibitions or restrictions on the movement in interstate
commerce of specific articles that pose a plant health risk that are in
addition to the prohibitions and restrictions imposed by APHIS. This
process requires information collection activities, including a pest
data detection survey with a pest risk analysis showing that a pest is
not present in a State, or, if already present, the current
distribution in the State, and that the pest would harm or injure the
environment and/or agricultural resources of the State or political
subdivision.
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 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 160 hours per response.
Respondents: State Governments.
Estimated annual number of respondents: 10.
Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 1.
Estimated annual number of responses: 10.
Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 1,600 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.
[[Page 74453]]
Done in Washington, DC, this 2nd day of December 2008.
Kevin Shea,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. E8-28966 Filed 12-5-08; 8:45 am]
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