[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 217 (Thursday, November 8, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56532-56533]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-28066]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 217 / Thursday, November 8, 2001 / 
Notices  

[[Page 56532]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 01-077-1]


Notice of Request for Reinstatement of an 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 reinstatement of an information collection to 
allow nongovernment facilities to become accredited to perform services 
that could be used as the basis for export certification of plants or 
plant products.

DATES: We invite you to comment on this docket. We will consider all 
comments we receive that are postmarked by January 7, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Please send four copies of your comment (an original and 
three copies) to: Docket No. 01-077-1, 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. 01-077-1.
    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 regarding the 
accreditation program, contact Mr. Michael Ward, Program Manager, PPQ, 
APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 140, Riverdale, MD 20737; (301) 734-5227. 
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: Accreditation of Non-Government Facilities.
    OMB Number: 0579-0130.
    Type of Request: Reinstatement of an information collection.
    Abstract: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is 
responsible for preventing plant pests from entering the United States 
and controlling and eradicating plant pests in the United States. 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 regulations that carry out the intent of this Act.
    In performing this mission, APHIS provides export certification 
services to assure other countries that the plants and plant products 
they are receiving from the United States are free of plant pests.
    The export certification regulations, which are contained in 7 CFR 
part 353, describe the procedures for obtaining certification for 
plants and plant products offered for export or reexport. Our 
regulations do not require that we engage in export certification 
activities; however, we perform this work as a service to exporters who 
are shipping plants or plant products to countries that require 
phytosanitary certification as a condition of entry.
    After assessing the condition of the plants or plant products 
intended for export (i.e., after conducting a phytosanitary 
inspection), an inspector will issue an internationally recognized 
phytosanitary certificate, a phytosanitary certificate for reexport, or 
an export certificate for processed plant products. Laboratory testing 
of plant or plant product samples is an important component of the 
certification process.
    The regulations in 7 CFR part 353 allow nongovernment facilities 
(such as commercial laboratories and private inspection services) to be 
accredited by APHIS to perform specific laboratory testing or 
phytosanitary inspections that could serve as the basis for issuing 
Federal phytosanitary certificates, phytosanitary certificates for 
reexport, or export certificates for processed plant products.
    The accreditation process requires the use of several information 
collection activities to ensure that nongovernment facilities applying 
for accreditation possess the necessary qualification. We are asking 
approval from the Office or Management and Budget (OMB) to approve our 
use of these information collection activities 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 
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 3.39080 hours per response.
    Respondents: U.S. growers, shippers, and exporters; State and plant 
health protection authorities.
    Estimated number of respondents: 87.
    Estimated number of responses per respondent: 1.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 87.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 295 hours. (Due to

[[Page 56533]]

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.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 2nd day of November, 2001.
W. Ron DeHaven,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 01-28066 Filed 11-7-01; 8:45 am]
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