[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 199 (Friday, October 15, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55895-55896]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-26982]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
[Docket No. 99-005-2]


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; correction; 
request for comments.

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SUMMARY: We are making corrections to information published in a notice 
that requested an extension of approval of an information collection in 
support of the Veterinary Accreditation Program. The notice was 
published in the Federal Register on February 26, 1999 (64 FR 9468, 
Docket No. 99-005-1). We are republishing the description of the 
information collection with corrected estimates in this document.

DATES: We invite you to comment on this docket. We will consider all 
comments that we receive by November 15, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Please send your comment and three copies to: Docket No. 99-
005-2, Regulatory Analysis and Development PPD, APHIS, Suite 3C03, 4700 
River Road, Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238.
    Please state that your comment refers to Docket No. 99-005-2.
    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 rules, are available on the Internet at http://
www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information regarding the 
Veterinary Accreditation Program, contact Dr. Quita Bowman, Program 
Manager, National Veterinary Accreditation Program, Operational 
Support, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 33, Riverdale, MD 20737-1231; 
(301) 734-8093. For copies of more detailed information on the 
information collection, contact Ms. Cheryl Groves, APHIS' Information 
Collection Coordinator, at (301) 734-5086.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 26, 1999, we published in the 
Federal Register a notice that requested an extension of approval of an 
information collection in support of the Veterinary Accreditation 
Program.
    In the notice, we provided a description of the information 
collection, which included an estimate of the burden on respondents, 
including estimated annual numbers of respondents, estimated annual 
numbers of responses per respondent, estimated annual number of 
responses, and estimated total annual burden on respondents.
    In making the above estimates, we made an error in our 
calculations. In this document, we are republishing the description of 
the information collection with corrected estimates, and we are 
providing an additional 30 days for comment.
    Title: Veterinary Accreditation Program.
    OMB Number: 0579-0032.
    Expiration Date of Approval: October 31, 1999.
    Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information 
collection.
    Abstract: The United States Department of Agriculture is 
responsible for preventing the spread of serious communicable animal 
diseases from one State to another and for eradicating such diseases 
from the United States when feasible.
    However, because APHIS does not have sufficient personnel to 
perform all necessary animal disease prevention work, we rely heavily 
on assistance from veterinarians in the private sector.
    Our Veterinary Accreditation Program authorizes private veterinary 
practitioners to work cooperatively with

[[Page 55896]]

us, as well as with State animal health officials, to carry out 
regulatory programs that ensure the health of the Nation's livestock 
and poultry.
    Operating this important program requires us to engage in a number 
of information gathering activities including:
     Conducting veterinary accreditation orientation and 
training.
     Completing animal health certificates.
     Applying and removing official seals.
     Completing test reports.
     Reviewing applications for veterinary accreditation and 
re-accreditation.
     Recordkeeping.
     Updating information on accredited veterinarians.
    We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve 
the continued use of this information collection activity.
    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 proposed 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 
proposed 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 0.30516 hours per response.
    Respondents: Accredited veterinarians, candidates for the 
Veterinary Accreditation Program, and State animal health officials who 
review applications for veterinary accreditation and re-accreditation.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 56,024.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 3.0527.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 171,024.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 52,190 hours. (Due to 
rounding, the total annual burden hours may not equal the product of 
the annual number of responses multiplied by the average 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 8th day of October 1999.
Craig A. Reed,
Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 99-26982 Filed 10-14-99; 8:45 am]
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