[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 234 (Wednesday, December 5, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63211-63212]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-30109]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 01-104-1]


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 a reinstatement of an information collection in 
support of activities to prevent the introduction and spread of 
diseases and parasites harmful to honeybees.

DATES: We invite you to comment on this docket. We will consider all 
comments we receive that are postmarked, delivered, or e-mailed by 
February 4, 2002.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by postal mail/commercial delivery 
or by e-mail. If you use postal mail/commercial delivery, please send 
four copies of your comment (an original and three copies) to: Docket 
No. 01-104-1, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 
3C71, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238. Please state 
that your comment refers to Docket No. 01-104-1. If you use e-mail, 
address your comment to [email protected]. Your comment must 
be contained in the body of your message; do not send attached files. 
Please include your name and address in your message and ``Docket No. 
01-104-1'' on the subject line.
    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 exotic bee 
diseases and parasites, honeybees, and honeybee semen, contact Ms. 
Anissa Craghead, Regulatory Coordination Specialist, Regulatory 
Coordination Staff, PPQ, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 141, Riverdale, MD 
20737, (301) 734-5311. 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: Exotic Bee Diseases and Parasites; Honeybees and Honeybee 
Semen.
    OMB Number: 0579-0072.
    Type of Request: Reinstatement of an information collection.
    Abstract: The United States Department of Agriculture is 
responsible for preventing the introduction and spread of diseases and 
parasites harmful to honeybees, the introduction of genetically 
undesirable germ plasm of honeybees, and the introduction and spread of 
undesirable species or subspecies of honeybees.
    The introduction and establishment of new honeybee diseases, 
parasites, and undesirable honeybee strains into the United States 
could cause multimillion dollar losses to American agriculture. 
Diseases or parasites can weaken or kill honeybees, causing substantial 
reductions in the production of honey and other honeybee products, as 
well as a reduction in pollination activity. Pollination is necessary 
for the production of many important crops, including forage, fruits, 
vegetables, and vegetable oils.
    To protect the health of the U.S. honeybee population, we engage in 
a number of information collection activities designed to allow us to 
determine whether shipments of honeybees, honeybee semen, or bee-
related items (such as beekeeping equipment) represent a possible risk 
of introducing exotic bee diseases, parasites, or undesirable honeybee 
strains into the United States.
    Our primary means of obtaining this vital information is requiring 
importers to apply to us for an import permit. The permit application 
provides us with information such as the amount of bee semen to be 
imported and the species or subspecies of honeybee from which the semen 
was collected; the country or locality of origin; and the intended port 
of entry in the United States.
    We also require importers and shippers to adhere to a number of 
marking and shipping requirements that enable us to easily identify and 
process shipments of honeybees, honeybee semen, and other restricted 
articles when they arrive at U.S. ports of entry.
    These information-gathering procedures help us prevent the entry of 
shipments that pose a potential health risk to the U.S. honeybee 
population.
    We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve 
our use of these information collection activities.
    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 4.0625 hours per response.
    Respondents: Importers and shippers of honeybees, honeybee semen, 
and other regulated articles.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 13.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 1.23.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 16.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 65 hours. (Due to 
averaging, the total annual burden hours may not equal the product of 
the annual

[[Page 63212]]

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 29th day of November 2001.
W. Ron DeHaven,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 01-30109 Filed 12-4-01; 8:45 am]
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