[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 56 (Thursday, March 22, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16027-16028]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-7111]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 01-007-1]


Notice of Request for Reinstatement of an Expired Information 
Collection

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Reinstatement 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 a reinstatement of an expired information 
collection in support of regulations that prevent plant diseases and 
pests from spreading from infested areas of the United States to 
noninfested areas.

DATES: We invite you to comment on this docket. We will consider all 
comments that we receive by May 21, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Please send four copies (an original and three copies) of 
your comment to: Docket No. 01-007-1,

[[Page 16028]]

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. 01-007-1.
    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 on domestic quarantine 
regulations, contact Mr. Robert G. Spaide, Assistant Director, Invasive 
Species and Pest Management, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 134, 
Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 734-8247. 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: Domestic Quarantines.
    OMB Number: 0579-0088.
    Expiration Date of Approval: August 31, 2000.
    Type of Request: Reinstatement of an expired information 
collection.
    Abstract: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is 
responsible for, among other things, the control and eradication of 
plant pests. The Plant Protection Act authorizes the Department to 
carry out this mission.
    The Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) program of USDA's Animal 
and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is responsible for 
implementing the provisions of the Act and does so through the 
enforcement of its domestic quarantine regulations in 7 CFR part 301 
and its Hawaiian and territorial quarantine regulations in 7 CFR part 
318.
    Those regulations prohibit or restrict the movement of certain 
articles from infested areas to noninfested areas. For example, if an 
area of the United States has been placed under quarantine due to 
witchweed, then certain plants, plant products, or soil that may 
present a risk of spreading witchweed (regulated articles) can be moved 
from the quarantined area only under certain conditions (i.e., after 
having been treated and inspected). In this way, we prevent witchweed 
from spreading from quarantined areas to noninfested areas of the 
United States.
    Implementing our various domestic quarantines often requires us to 
collect information from a variety of individuals who are involved in 
growing, packing, handling, transporting, and exporting plants and 
plant products. The information we collect serves as the supporting 
documentation required for the issuance of PPQ forms and documents that 
authorize the movement of regulated articles and is vital to helping us 
ensure that injurious plant diseases and insect pests do not spread 
within the United States.
    Collecting this information requires us to use a number of forms 
and documents, including certificates, limited permits, transit 
permits, and outdoor household article documents.
    We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve 
these forms for 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 3 minutes per response.
    Respondents: State plant health protection authorities, State 
cooperators, and individuals involved in growing, packing, handling, 
transporting, and exporting plants and plant products.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 180,000.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 10.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 1,800,000.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 90,000 hours.
    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 16th day of March 2001.
Bobby R. Acord,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 01-7111 Filed 3-21-01; 8:45 am]
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