[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 57 (Tuesday, March 25, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14112-14113]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-7388]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Foreign Agricultural Service


Notice of a Request for Extension and Revision of a Currently 
Approved Information Collection

AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice announces the Department's intention to request an extension 
for, and amendment to, a currently approved information collection in 
support of the Dairy Tariff-Rate Import Quota Licensing program.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received on or before April 21, 
1997 to be assured of consideration.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: Contact Richard P. Warsack, Dairy 
Import Quota Manager, STOP 1021, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 
Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-1021, or telephone 
(202) 720-2916. All comments received will be available for public 
inspection in room 5541-S at the above address.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Dairy Import Tariff-Rate Quota Import Licensing Program.
    OMB Number: 0551-0001.
    Expiration Date of Approval: June 30, 1997.
    Type of Request: Extension and revision of a currently approved 
information collection.
    Abstract: The currently approved information collection supports 
Import Regulation 1, Revision 8 (Revision 8) (7 CFR 6.20-6.36) which 
was published in the Federal Register on October 9, 1996 (61 FR 53002), 
and governs the administration of the import licensing system for 
certain dairy products subject to tariff-rate quotas (TRQs). The TRQs 
were established in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States 
(HTS) as a result of entry into force of certain provisions in the 
Uruguay Round Agreement. Imports of nearly all cheese made from cow's 
milk (except soft-ripened cheeses such as Brie) and certain noncheese 
dairy products are subject to TRQs and the licensing provisions of 
Revision 8. Import licenses are issued each quota year to eligible 
licensees and are valid for 12 months (January 1 through December 31). 
Holders of such licenses may enter dairy articles at the lower in-quota 
tariff rates. Importers who do not hold licenses may enter dairy 
articles at the higher over-quota tariff rates. Under Revision 8, there 
are three types of licenses: (1) historical licenses (listed in 
Appendix 1); (2) nonhistorical licenses (listed in Appendix 2); and (3) 
designated licenses under which U.S. importers are designated by the 
government of a foreign country to import certain cheese articles from 
that country (listed in Appendix 3).
    For each quota year, all applicants must submit form FAS 923 (Rev. 
7-96). This form requests applicants to: (1) identify whether they are 
applying for a license as an importer, designated importer, 
manufacturer, or exporter of certain dairy products; and (2) certify 
they meet the eligibility requirements of Sec. 6.23 of the Import 
Regulation (7 CFR 6.23). Importers or exporters must attach 
documentation required by Sec. 6.23 and Sec. 6.24 as proof of 
eligibility for import licenses. Applicants for nonhistorical licenses 
for cheese and/or noncheese dairy products must also submit form FAS-
923A and/or FAS-923B (Rev. 7-96). This form requires applicants 
identify requests for licenses listed on the form in descending rank-
order.
    After licenses are issued, Sec. 6.26 requires licensees to 
surrender by October 1 any license amount that a licensee does not 
intend to enter that year. To the extent practicable, the Licensing 
Authority reallocates these amounts to existing licensees for the 
remainder of that year. The information collection is being amended to 
include: (1) form FAS-924A, License Surrender Form, and (2) form FAS-
924B, Application for Additional License Amounts. Form FAS-924A will 
require licensees to complete a table listing the license number and 
surrender amount for each license being surrendered. Form FAS-924B will 
accompany a Notice to Importers which identifies license amounts 
available for reallocation. Form FAS-924B will require licensees to 
complete a table listing (1) the additional amounts being requested for 
specific dairy articles and the supplying country, and (2) the existing 
license to which the additional amount should be added, if applicable. 
The Department is currently developing an automated scanning system to 
expedite the surrender and reallocation process which will require 
uniform submission of such information.
    The estimated total annual burden in the OMB inventory for the 
currently approved information collection is 375 hours. The estimated 
burden will be reduced by 105 hours to 270 hours. The estimated 
reduction is based on a reduction in the number of respondents which 
has mainly resulted from the strengthened eligibility requirements and 
increased disciplines of Revision 8, and recent widespread 
consolidation of firms among licensees. The estimated public reporting 
burden for the 1997 quota year and each quota year thereafter is set 
forth in the table below.

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                                                  FAS-923,              
                                                 923A, 923B   FAS-924A, 
                   Estimates                    (Rev. 7-96)   924B  (one
                                                 (one form)     form)   
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Est. number of respondents....................       340.00       100.00
Est. responses per respondent.................         1.00         1.00
Est. hours per response.......................         0.75         0.15
Est. total annual burden in hours.............       255.00        15.00
Aggregate total...............................                          
(1)270.00 estimated annual burden in hours                              
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    Copies of this information collection can be obtain from Valerie 
Countiss, the Agency Information Collection Coordinator, at (202) 720-
6713.
    The Department requests comments regarding the accuracy of the 
burden

[[Page 14113]]

estimate, ways to minimize the burden, including the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology, or any 
other aspect of the collection of information.
    Comments should be submitted in accordance with the Dates and 
Additional Information or Comments sections above. All comments will be 
summarized and included in the request for OMB approval, and will also 
become a matter of public record.

    Signed at Washington, D.C., March 14, 1997.
August Schumacher, Jr.,
Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service.
[FR Doc. 97-7388 Filed 3-24-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-10-M