[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 40 (Thursday, February 28, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9243-9244]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-4803]


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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. 67, No. 40 / Thursday, February 28, 2002 / 
Notices  

[[Page 9243]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 01-129-1]


Notice of Request for Extension of Approval of an Information 
Collection

AGENCY: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Extension 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 an extension of approval of an information 
collection in support of the Cooperative State-Federal Bovine 
TuberculosisEradication Program.

DATES: We will consider all comments we receive that are postmarked, 
delivered, or e-mailed by April 29, 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. 01-129-1, 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. 01-129-1. 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.01-129-1'' 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 andIndependence 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 
CooperativeState-Federal Bovine Tuberculosis Eradication Program, 
contact Dr. Joseph Van Tiem, SeniorStaff Veterinarian, National Animal 
Health Programs Staff, VS, APHIS, 4700 River Road Unit 43, Riverdale, 
MD 20737-1231; (301) 734-7716. For copies of more detailed information 
on the information collection, contact Mrs. Celeste Sickles, APHIS'' 
Information CollectionCoordinator, at (301) 734-7477.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Tuberculosis.
    OMB Number: 0579-0084.
    Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information 
collection.
    Abstract: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of 
the United StatesDepartment of Agriculture is responsible for, among 
other things, preventing the spread of serious communicable animal 
diseases from one State to another, and for eradicating such diseases 
from the United States when feasible.
    In connection with this mission, APHIS participates in the 
Cooperative State-FederalBovine Tuberculosis Eradication Program, which 
is a national program to eliminate bovine tuberculosis (a serious 
disease of livestock) from the United States.
    The disease also affects humans through contact with infected 
animals or their byproducts.
    Our program is conducted under the various States' authorities 
supplemented by Federal regulations on the interstate movement of 
affected animals. A concerted effort (State andFederal) requires that 
we conduct epidemiologic investigations to locate the disease and 
provide an effective means of controlling it. Also, this program 
includes provisions for the payment of indemnity to owners of animals 
that must be destroyed because of tuberculosis.
    Implementing our Bovine Tuberculosis Eradication Program 
necessitates the use of a number of information-gathering documents, 
including various forms needed to properly identify, test, and 
transport animals that have been infected with tuberculosis, or that 
may have been exposed to tuberculosis. We also employ national 
epidemiology forms for the purposes of recording, reporting, and 
reviewing epidemiological data. Still other documents provide us with 
the information we need to pay indemnity to the owners of animals 
destroyed because of tuberculosis.
    The information provided by these documents is critical to our 
ability to locate herds infected with tuberculosis and to prevent the 
interstate spread of tuberculosis. The collection of this information 
is therefore crucial to the success of our Bovine Tuberculosis 
EradicationProgram.
    We are asking the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve 
our use of these information collection activities for an additional 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 0.32 hours per response.
    Respondents: State Veterinarians, livestock inspectors, shippers, 
herd owners, slaughter establishment personnel.

[[Page 9244]]

    Estimated annual number of respondents: 5,032.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 10.64.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 53,540.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 17,132.80 hours. (Due 
to 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 22nd day of February 2002 .
W. Ron DeHaven,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 02-4803 Filed 2-27-02; 8:45 am]
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