[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 43 (Tuesday, March 5, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9952-9953]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-5198]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

[Docket No. 02-008-1]


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 regulations governing the importation of 
solid wood packing material into the United States.

DATES: We will consider all comments we receive that are postmarked, 
delivered, or e-mailed by May 6, 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. 02-008-1, 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. 02-008-1. 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. 
02-008-1'' 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

[[Page 9953]]

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 the regulations 
governing the importation of solid wood packing material into the 
United States, contact Ms. Cynthia Stahl, Program Analyst, Port 
Operations, Plant Protection and Quarantine, APHIS, 4700 River Road 
Unit 60, Riverdale, MD 20737-1236; (301) 734-5281. 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: Wood Packing Material from China.
    OMB Number: 0579-0135.
    Type of Request: Extension of approval of an information 
collection.
    Abstract: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of 
the United States Department of Agriculture is responsible for, among 
other things, preventing the introduction and spread of plant pests 
into or through the United States. The Plant Protection Act authorizes 
the Department to carry out this mission. APHIS' Plant Protection and 
Quarantine (PPQ) program is responsible for implementing the 
regulations that carry out the intent of the Act.
    The regulations in 7 CFR 319.40-1 through 319.40-11 are intended to 
mitigate the plant pest risk presented by the importation of logs, 
lumber, and other unmanufactured wood articles into the United States. 
Section 319.40-5 governs, in part, the importation of solid wood 
packing material (such as pallets or crates) from the People's Republic 
of China. Under Sec. 319.40-5(g), solid wood packing material 
accompanying merchandise exported from the People's Republic of China 
(including Hong Kong) must be heat treated, fumigated and aerated, or 
treated with preservatives prior to exportation. Since solid wood 
packing material could harbor plant pests, treatment is necessary to 
help prevent the introduction of plant pests into the United States.
    These requirements necessitate the use of information collection 
activities. If solid wood packing material is used in a shipment, the 
regulations require the completion of an importer statement and a 
treatment certificate stating that the solid wood packing material used 
in the shipment was treated, fumigated and aerated, or treated with 
preservatives. If solid wood packing material is not used in the 
shipment, then an exporter document is required stating that the 
shipment contains no solid wood packing material.
    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 
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 0.087 hours per response.
    Respondents: Exporters, foreign plant health protection 
authorities.
    Estimated annual number of respondents: 29,000.
    Estimated annual number of responses per respondent: 29.3103.
    Estimated annual number of responses: 850,000.
    Estimated total annual burden on respondents: 73,950 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 27th day of February, 2002.
W. Ron DeHaven,
Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
[FR Doc. 02-5198 Filed 3-4-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-34-U