[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 74 (Tuesday, April 17, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19749-19752]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-9427]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 74 / Tuesday, April 17, 2001 / 
Notices  

[[Page 19749]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

April 12, 2001.

    The Department of Agriculture has submitted the following 
information collection requirement(s) to OMB for review and clearance 
under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. Comments 
regarding (a) 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; (b) the accuracy 
of the agency's estimate of burden including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
utility and clarity of the information to be collected; (d) ways to 
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are 
to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology should be addressed to: Desk 
Officer for Agriculture, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Washington, DC 20503 and to 
Departmental Clearance Office, USDA, OCIO, Mail Stop 7602, Washington, 
DC 20250-7602. Comments regarding these information collections are 
best assured of having their full effect if received within 30 days of 
this notification. Copies of the submission(s) may be obtained by 
calling (202) 720-6746.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information 
unless the collection of information displays a currently valid OMB 
control number and the agency informs potential persons who are to 
respond to the collection of information that such persons are not 
required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays 
a currently valid OMB control number.

Foreign Agricultural Service

    Title: CCC's Facility Guarantee Program (FGP).
    OMB Control Number: 0551-0032.
    Summary of Collection: Under the authority of 7 CFR Part 1493, 
Subpart C, the Facility Guarantee Program (FGP) offers credit 
guarantees to facilitate the financing of U.S. manufactured goods and 
services to improve or establish agriculture infrastructure in emerging 
markets. Sales under FGP are considered normal commercial sales. The 
FGP makes available export credit guarantees to encourage U.S. private 
sector financing of foreign purchase of U.S. goods and services on 
credit terms. FAS will collect information in a letter format via mail 
or facsimile.
    Need and Use of the Information: FAS will collect information to 
determine eligibility for FGP benefits and to ensure CCC that all 
participants have a business office in the U.S. and are not debarred or 
suspended from participating in government programs. FAS will use the 
application to determine a project's eligibility for FGP coverage and 
to determine the impact on U.S. agricultural trade. The information 
requested will provide CCC with adequate information to meet statutory 
requirements. If the information were not collected CCC would be unable 
to determine if export sales under the FGP would be eligible for 
coverage or, if coverage conformed to program requirements.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 10.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 256.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: Seed Service Testing Programs.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-0140.
    Summary of Collection: The Agricultural Marketing Act (AMA) of 
1946, as amended by 7 U.S.C. 1621, authorizes the Secretary to inspect 
and certify the quality of agricultural products and collect such fees 
as reasonable to cover the cost of services rendered. The purpose of 
the voluntary programs is to promote efficient, orderly marketing of 
seeds submitted to the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and to 
ensure seeds are tested for factors such as purity and germination at 
the request of the applicant for the service. The Testing Section of 
the Seed Regulatory and Testing Branch of AMS, which tests the seed and 
issues the certificates, is the only Federal seed testing facility that 
can issue the Federal Seed Analysis Certificate.
    Need and Use of the Information: Applicants generally are seed 
firms who use the seed analysis certificates to represent the quality 
of seed lots to foreign customers according to the terms specified in 
contracts of trade. The only information collected is information 
needed to provide the service requested by the applicant. Applicants 
must provide information such as the kind and quality of seed, tests to 
be performed, and seed treatment, if present, along with a sample of 
seeds in order for AMS to provide the service. Only authorized AMS 
employees use the information collected to track, test, and report test 
results to the applicant. If the information were not collected, AMS 
would not know which test to conduct or would not be able to relate the 
test results with a specific lot of seed. The information must be 
provided for each sample the applicant submits for test. Without the 
AMS program, applicants would have to obtain tests from state or 
commercial laboratories.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; farms; 
State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 65.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 392.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: Marketing Order for Fruit Crops.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-0189.
    Summary of Collection: Industries enter into Marketing Order 
Programs under the Provisions of the Agricultural Marketing Agreement 
Act (AMAA) of 1937, as amended by U.S.C. 601-674. The intent of the Act 
is to provide the respondents the type of service they request, and to 
administer the marketing order programs. Marketing Order programs 
provide an opportunity for producers of fresh fruits, vegetables and 
specialty crops, in specified production areas, to work together to 
solve marketing problems that cannot be solved individually. Order 
regulations help ensure adequate supplies of high quality product and 
adequate returns to producers. Under the Market Orders,

[[Page 19750]]

producers and handlers are nominated by their respective peers and 
serve as representatives on their respective committees/boards. This 
information collection will merge together the following separate 
collections #: OMB 0581-0094, Oranges, Grapefruit, Tangerines, and 
Tangelos grown in Florida, Marketing Order No. 905; OMB #0581-0080, 
Fresh Pears and Peaches Grown in CA., Marketing Order No. 917; OMB 
#0581-0095, Apricots Grown in Designated Counties in Washington, 
marketing Order No. 922; OMB #0581-0089, Winter Pears Grown in Oregon 
and Washington, Marketing Order No. 927; OMB #0581-0103, Cranberries 
Grown in the states of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New 
Jersey, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington, and Long 
Island in the State of New York, Marketing Order No. 929; and OMB 
#0581-0092, Fresh Bartlett Pears Grown in Oregon and Washington, 
Marketing Order No. 931.
    Need and Use of the Information: The information collected is used 
only by authorized committees, employees, and representatives of the 
USDA, which includes AMS', Fruit and Vegetable Programs' regional and 
headquarters staff. Authorized employees of the committee are the 
primary users of the information. AMS is the secondary user. Forms used 
to collect information require the minimum to effectively carry out the 
requirements of the orders, and their use is necessary to fulfill the 
intent of the AMAA as expressed in the orders.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; 
individuals or households; farms; Federal Government; not-for-profit 
institutions.
    Number of Respondents: 21,273.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion, 
quarterly; biennially; weekly; semi-annually; monthly; annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 11,642.

Forest Service

    Title: Volunteer Application for Natural Resource Agencies.
    OMB Control Number: 0596-0080.
    Summary of Collection: The Volunteer Act of 1972, (Pub. L. 92-300) 
as amended, authorizes the Forest Service (FS) to recruit and train 
volunteer workers to accomplish certain work such as building and 
maintaining trails, constructing campground facilities, improving 
wildlife habitat, assisting with interpretive services, assisting 
visitors, and other activities to help the agency meet it mission. 
Volunteers can be any age, as long as, they are capable of doing the 
work for which they volunteer. FS will collect information using the 
Volunteer Application.
    Need and Use of the Information: FS will collect the names, 
addresses, and certain information of individuals who are interested in 
public service as volunteers. The information is used by Forest 
Managers for the purpose of contracting applicants and interviewing and 
screening them for volunteer positions. There could be no program 
without the information from the application.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals or households.
    Number of Respondents: 58,100.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Other (one time).
    Total Burden Hours: 14,525.

Forest Service

    Title: Public Information Survey for the Recreation Fee 
Demonstration Programs at Sedona, AZ on the Coconino National Forest 
and the Pacific Northwest Region.
    OMB Control Number: 0596-0149.
    Summary of Collection: The Recreation Fee Demonstration Program 
authorized by Congress in 1996 (Pub. L. 104-134, and succeeding 
amendments) allowed the Forest Service (FS) to experiment with new or 
increased fees at a specified number of sites. The program aims to 
bring additional resources to recreation lands by generating 
recreational fee revenues and spending most of the fee revenues at the 
sites where the fees are collected to increase the quality of a 
visitor's experience and to enhance protection of the site's resources. 
The FS is currently engaged in the Recreation Fee Demonstration Program 
at 65+ sites. A GAO report issued in Nov. 1998 reviewed the Recreation 
Fee Demonstration Program and pointed out several areas needing 
attention. The effects of fees on recreation participants and their 
experiences are unknown to a large extent and comprise an active area 
of research. FS will collect information using questionnaires in two 
case study fee demonstration projects.
    Need and Use of the Information: FS will collect information to 
estimate the effects that user fees will have on the future number of 
visitors to National Forest System Lands and how fees will influence 
the recreational experiences individuals will choose. The data 
collected will also enable FS to design a method for payment of fees, 
which will supplement FS funding and help the agency meet the demands 
for recreational experiences in an environmentally and socially 
responsible manner.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals or households.
    Number of Respondents: 9,250.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Other (one time).
    Total Burden Hours: 3,043.

Forest Service

    Title: Public Perceptions of Land Use Change.
    OMB Control Number: 0596-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: Pressure on the urban-wildland interface in 
the Pacific Northwest (including rural open space and forest resource 
dependent communities) has intensified as multiple interests--
recreation, tourism, housing, timber, wildlife, conservation--
increasingly compete for use of these areas. Public land management 
agencies such as the Forest Service (FS) often find themselves in the 
middle of these competing interests as they strive to incorporate 
multiple uses and attend to disparate stakeholder groups. An array of 
laws and regulations address the importance of incorporating public 
input and other information about public concerns and attitudes into 
resource management and planning. The National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) of 1969 mandates the inclusion of public participation in 
planning and decision-making efforts involving public lands. The 
National Forest Management Act (NFMA) of 1976 reaffirms this direction 
by requiring public input into agency decision making as a means of 
identifying important issues, concerns, and opportunities. FS will 
collect information using mail survey questionnaires.
    Need and Use of the Information: FS will collect information (1) To 
identify the range of attitudes, concerns, and perceptions about land-
use change along Washington's I-90 corridor; (2) to identify the 
corridor characteristics (e.g., specific places, community 
characteristics, activities) that people particularly value; (3) to 
assess similarities and differences in perceptions among the public and 
different groups of experts; and (4) to explore the utility (or lack of 
thereof) of traditional ``stakeholder group'' divisions in explaining 
people's perception and attitudes. The information will be used by FS 
to assist resources managers in planning for and managing forest 
resources in the forests studied. If the information is not collected, 
resource managers will have to make management decision on very 
limited, potentially biased or non-existent information.
    Descrption of Respondents: Individuals or households; Federal

[[Page 19751]]

Government; State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 892.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Other (one time).
    Total Burden Hours: 446.

Forest Service

    Title: Forest Stewardship and Stewardship Incentive Program 
Participant Demographics.
    OMB Control Number: 0596-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: The Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act (16 
U.S.C., 2103B) authorizes the Forest Service (FS) to provide technical 
and financial assistance to non-industrial private forest (NIPF) owners 
under the Forest Stewardship and Stewardship Incentive Programs. The 
Forest Stewardship Program is the program that helps NIPF landowners 
prepare the forest stewardship plans for their land. Landowners need a 
completed forest stewardship plan to become eligible to receive cost-
share dollars under the Stewardship Incentive Program. The Stewardship 
Incentive Program is the program that assists NIPFF owners with up to 
75 percent of the funding on a cost-share basis to implement forest 
stewardship plan practices. FS will collect information using the 
Stewardship Program Participiant Demographics Form.
    Need and Use of the Information: FS will collect annual information 
on race, ethnicity, gender, and disability status. The data will be 
used to help the FS evaluate the effectiveness of its outreach efforts 
to involve representative segments of society in Forest Stewardship 
Program and Stewardship Incentive Program. If the data were not 
collected FS would have no way of knowing whether the program was 
providing equitable access to all who qualify, regardless of race, 
ethnicity, gender, and disability status.
    Description of Respondents: Individuals or households; farms; 
State, Local or Tribal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 20,000.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 1,667.

Farm Service Agency

    Title: Standards for Approval of Warehouses--7 CFR 1421, 1423, and 
1427.
    OMB Control Number: 0560-0052.
    Summary of Collection: The Farm Service Agency (FSA), under Public 
Law 80-806, the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Charter Act, is 
authorized to enter into storage contracts with commercial warehouse 
operators. Specifically, the Act permits FSA to enter into various 
types of contracts as are necessary in the conduct of its business and 
directs FSA to utilize the usual and customary channels, facilities and 
arrangements of trade and commerce in its functions of purchasing, 
warehousing, transporting, processing, or handling of agricultural 
commodities. FSA must collect information in order to develop and 
maintain a List of Approved Warehouses (Approved List) to store CCC-
owned or loan commodities. The use of warehouses on the Approved List 
reduces the risk of loss faced by CCC by using only those facilities, 
which meet the financial, physical, and managerial requirements of CCC. 
The information will be collected by mail, which is necessary, because 
these agreements must be legal and binding.
    Need and Use of the Information: The information collected on 
various forms is necessary to establish and maintain the Approved List. 
The forms will be reviewed by FSA contracting officers at the Kansas 
City Commodity Office (KCCO) in order to maintain an Approved List for 
the storage of CCC-owned or CCC-loan commodities.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 3,800.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion; 
Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 484,410.

Economic Research Service

    Title: Summer Food Service Program Implementation Study.
    OMB Control Number: 0536-NEW.
    Summary of Collection: The Economic Research Service (ERS) of the 
U.S. Department of Agriculture needs to obtain detailed information on 
the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) operations and administration. 
ERS will conduct a study to learn more about the factors that 
contribute to the large gap in participation levels between the 
National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the SFSP. The information 
collected will help determine whether future changes in SFSP policy are 
warranted.
    Need and Use of the Information: ERS will collect information to 
assess whether the program is efficiently meeting its goal of hunger 
prevention, and to identify possible barriers to program participation 
by low-income children. Without the information it would be difficult 
to determine whether future changes in the SFSP policy are warranted.
    Description of Respondents: State, Local or Tribal Government; Not-
for-profit institutions; Federal Government.
    Number of Respondents: 424.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 3,400.5.

Forest Service

    Title: Timber Purchasers' Cost and Sales Data.
    OMB Control Number: 0596-0017.
    Summary of Collection: The Multiple-Use Sustained Yield Act of 
1960, the Forest Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974, 
and the National Forest Management Act of 1976, authorizes the Forest 
(FS) to sell forest products and National Forest System timber. FS 
timber appraisers develop advertised timber sale prices using a 
transaction evidence method of appraisal. Transaction evidence 
appraisals begin with an average of past successful bids by timber 
purchasers for timber for which the stumpage rate has been adjusted for 
the timber sale and the market conditions at the time. FS will collect 
cost data through the review of submissions by the timber purchasers 
both locally and nationally. There are no forms required for the 
collection of costs and timber sale data.
    Need and Use of the Information: FS will collect information to 
verify the minimum rates returned a fair value to the Government and 
that the transaction system is a reliable approach to valuing timber. 
The information is also used to assure the accuracy of the transaction 
evidence system and to develop minimum stumpage rates for small sales 
or for areas where there is no current sale activity to use for 
transaction evidence. If the information is not collected, FS does not 
have a means for determining if the value being received from timber 
sales really reflects the timber's true value.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 20.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 20.

Forest Service

    Title: Annual Wildfire Summary Report.
    OMB Control Number: 0596-0025.
    Summary of Collection: The Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 
1978 (U.S.C. 2101) requires the Forest Service (FS) to collect 
information about wildfire suppression efforts by State and local fire 
fighting agencies in order to support specific Congressional funding 
requests for the Forest Service State and Private Forestry Cooperative 
Fire Program. The program provides supplemental funding for State and 
local fire fighting agencies. FS will

[[Page 19752]]

collect information using form FS 3100-8.
    Need and Use of the Information: FS will collect information to 
determine if the Cooperative Fire Program funds provided to the State 
and local fire fighting agencies have been used by State and local 
agencies to improve their fire suppression capabilities. The 
information collected will be shared with the public about the 
importance of the State and Private Cooperative Fire Program. Without 
the information the program could not be monitored for effectiveness 
and efficiency.
    Description of Respondents: State, Local or Tribal Government
    Number of Respondents: 50.
    Frequency of Responses: Reporting: Annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 25.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: Marketing Agreement No. 146, Regulating the Quality of 
Domestically Produced Peanuts (7 CFR part 998).
    OMB Control Number: 0581-0067.
    Summary of Collection: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), 
through the authorities emanating from the Agricultural Marketing 
Agreement Act of 1937 and Marketing Agreement No. 146 (covering peanuts 
grown in the U.S.), regulates certain agricultural commodities for the 
purpose of providing orderly marketing conditions in interstate 
commerce and improving returns to producers. The required information 
relating to peanut supplies, shipments, inspection disposition, and 
other inventory information is collected through the use of 
standardized forms and written letters.
    Need and Use of the Information: The Peanut Administrative 
Committee administers the program and has developed the necessary forms 
required to file information relating to peanut supplies, shipments, 
dispositions, and other information. The Committee periodically reviews 
reports and forms so only the minimum information necessary is 
collected to effectively carry out the requirements of the Agreement. 
Only authorized representatives of USDA and employees of the Committee 
use the information collected. Much of the information is compiled in 
aggregate and provided to the industry to assist in marketing 
decisions. If the information were collected less frequently, it would 
eliminate the data needed to keep the domestic peanut industry and 
Secretary abreast of changes at the State and local level.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Farms.
    Number of Respondents: 25.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion, 
monthly, annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 107.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements for 7 CFR, Part 29.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-0056.
    Summary of Collection: The Tobacco Inspection Act (U.S.C. 511) 
requires: (1) That all tobacco sold at designated auction markets in 
the U.S. be inspected and graded; (2) for the establishment and 
maintenance of tobacco standards for U.S. grown types; (3) for the 
collection and dissemination of market news; and (4) for provisions to 
be made for interested parties to request inspection and grading 
services on an ``as needed'' basis. The Dairy and Tobacco Adjustment 
Act, 1983 (Pub. L. 98-198) gives authorization to the Secretary to 
inspect all tobacco offered for importation into the United States for 
grade and quality except cigar and oriental tobacco which must be 
certified by the importer as to kind and type and in the case of cigar 
tobacco which will be used solely in the manufacture or production of 
cigars. Also, the Secretary has the authority to fix and collect fees 
from the importers to cover the cost of inspection.
    Need and Use of the Information: Various forms are used for the 
inspection and certification processes. The primary sources of data 
used to complete the forms are used in all business transactions. If 
the information were collected less frequently, it would eliminate data 
needed to keep the tobacco industry and the Secretary abreast of 
changes.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 645.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours: 13,504.

Agricultural Marketing Service

    Title: Export Fruit Regulations.
    OMB Control Number: 0581-0143.
    Summary of Collection: Fresh apples and grapes grown in the United 
States shipped to any foreign destination must meet minimum quality and 
other requirements established by regulations issued under the Export 
Apple Act (7 CFR Part 33) and the Export Grape and Plum Act (7 CFR Part 
35). These Acts were designed to promote the foreign trade of the 
United States in apples, grapes and plums; to protect the reputation of 
these American-grown commodities; and to prevent deception or 
misrepresentation of the quality of such products moving in foreign 
commerce. The regulation issued under the Export Grape and Plum Act (7 
CFR Part 35) cover fresh grapes grown in the United States and shipped 
to foreign destinations, except Canada and Mexico.
    Need and Use of the Information: Persons who ship fresh apples and 
grapes grown in the U.S. to foreign destinations must have such 
shipments inspected and certified by Federal or Federal-State 
Inspection Service (FSIS) inspectors. The Agriculture Marketing Service 
administers the FSIS. Official FSIS inspection certificates and 
phytosanitary certificates issued by USDA's Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service provide the needed information for USDA. Export 
carriers are required to keep on file for three years copies of 
inspection certificates for apples and grapes.
    Description of Respondents: Business or other for-profit; Farms.
    Number of Respondents: 115.
    Frequency of Responses: Recordkeeping; Reporting; On occasion; 
monthly; annually.
    Total Burden Hours: 2204.

Nancy B. Sternberg,
Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 01-9427 Filed 4-16-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-01-M