[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 13 (Friday, January 18, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2625-2626]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-1340]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 01-113-1]


Notice of Request for Approval of an Information Collection

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: New 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 initiate a new information collection activity for self-
certification medical statements.

DATES: We will consider all comments we receive that are postmarked, 
delivered, or e-mailed by March 19, 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. 01-113-1, 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. 01-113-1. 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. 
01-113-1'' 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 on self-certification 
medical statements, contact Ms. Linda Lane, Personnel Management 
Specialist, Human Resources Division, MRPBS, room 1724, South Building, 
14th Street and Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250; (202) 
720-3519. 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: Self-Certification Medical Statement.
    OMB Number: 0579-XXXX.
    Type of Request: Approval of a new information collection.
    Abstract: The Marketing and Regulatory Programs (MRP) agencies of 
the U.S. Department of Agriculture facilitate the domestic and 
international marketing of U.S. agricultural products and protect the 
health of domestic animal and plant resources. The MRP agencies are the 
Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), the Animal and Plant Health 
Inspection Service (APHIS), and the Grain Inspection, Packers and 
Stockyards Administration (GIPSA). Resource management and 
administrative services, including human resource management, for the 
three MRP agencies are provided by the MRP Business Services unit of 
APHIS, which is the lead agency in providing administrative support for 
MRP.
    In accordance with 5 CFR part 339, Federal agencies are authorized 
to obtain medical information from applicants for and employees in 
positions that have approved medical standards. Medical standards may 
be established for positions for which the duties are arduous or 
hazardous or require a certain level of health status or fitness.
    Certain positions in MRP agencies have medical standards. An 
example of such a position is the agricultural commodity grader 
position in AMS. Each year, AMS hires a number of agricultural 
commodity graders. These employees work under dusty conditions, around 
moving machinery and slippery surfaces, and in areas with high noise 
levels. They have direct contact with meat and dairy products, fresh 
and processed fruits and vegetables, and poultry products intended for 
human consumption or cotton and tobacco products intended for human 
use. Medical standards have also been established for positions in 
APHIS that involve contact with wild animals.
    The MRP agencies require a self-certification statement from 
applicants for these positions regarding their fitness for the 
positions. The MRP agencies need this information to determine whether 
the applicants can perform the duties of the positions. Inability to 
collect this information would adversely affect the MRP agencies' 
ability to recruit and hire qualified individuals and carry out their 
missions.
    We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve 
our 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 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 0.1666 hours per response.
    Respondents: Applicants to MRP positions with approved medical 
standards.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 300.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 1.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 300.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 50 hours. (Due to 
averaging, the total annual burden hours may not equal the product of 
the annual

[[Page 2626]]

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 14th day of January 2002.
W. Ron DeHaven,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 02-1340 Filed 1-17-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-P